Why Write?

It is deeply etched into our nature to be creative. It is no accident that man, created in God's image, has this unique capacity. We watch our children, laugh and marvel at their play, as they create worlds in their minds. We extol artists accomplished in their discipline and think, perhaps, this domain belongs only to the gifted or the elite. Yet we experience folk art, even graffiti, growing out of the dry soil of poverty and ignorance -- sometimes wonderful and sometimes bizarre.

I have noticed in overseeing my children's music lessons that art cannot be created 'in a vacuum'. So on the one hand it is in our nature, yet on the other there is a need for outside inspiration. We find music beautifully performed and give it to our children hoping that they may be inspired. Yet, where did the master obtain his vision? And so on, recursively, we wonder where it started.

I believe all light 'starts' from, through and in God, from his word and from his creation. So then the Christian has the best inspiration, the well spring of all creativity, coming from the original creator.

Christians have a special relationship to writing. We are regarded as the 'people of the Book.' We 'covet' of good books. We are inspired and our lives are changed by these books. But have you ever considered writing yourself?

Why should we write?

1) Your life was changed for eternity possibly by a very simple written gospel message. So write that you may 'incarnate' truth into your world for the purpose of changing the lives of others. John Bunyan probably had no idea of the far reaching effects of his decision one day to write an allegory about a pilgrim.

2) You should write because you have some responsibility of teaching. This may be a mother to her children, or a pastor his church. We all have some sphere of teaching, whether to great or small, many or few. And the light that God gives is usually a slow steady stream over time, not an avalanche at the time of preparation.

3) Write in order to hold fast the wisdom God has given you. Proverbs reminds us, once wisdom has been given, to hold onto it. It is to be kept, not to let escape, be turned away from, or forgotten, held fast, bound to the neck, and written upon the heart. So commit your best thoughts to a journal.

4) Your writing will be a valuable legacy left behind to your own family. I had a great aunt who through her life time wrote poetry. Within a couple years of her death, she printed, bound and gave away what she wrote to all her family, a winsome witness for Christ.

5) Write to reflect the glory of God, as an act of worship. You may say, there are enough books that say all there needs to be said in a way better than I can ever say them. Yet did not John say "... if they were written in detail, I suppose that even the world itself would not contain the books which were written." (John 21:25) We are the continuation of the book of Acts. Fill the up world with writing about Christ.

6) Finally, write for the day when you lose your mind so that you may be encouraged to know that you once had one. Perhaps it will prevent you from losing it in the first place.

I was listening to a friend speak to me recently about how her Christian life was like an odyssey, where at every turn God was teaching her something new. These things God gives are precious. Do not lose them, keep them in a journal, publish them for the glory of Christ and the benefit of His church.

My Testimony of Conversion

Each time I reflect on the circumstances of my conversion, of the barren ground from which life sprang up, I am reminded of God's grace.

My father, to my knowledge, grew up in a Christian environment, reading the scriptures and attending church. His own father studied at a seminary to earn a Master's of Divinity. He pastored a Presbyterian country church in Ontario, Canada for a brief time, possibly encountered trouble with the congregation, then returned to his previous profession as a farmer. Although my father's generation had this godly influence, in the end, they ended their years with disinterest in Christ. My father rarely attended a church service after I was born.

My mother was raised in a family that regularly attended a Lutheran church. She often spoke lovingly of her own mother whose faith sounded earnest. She herself, in her own terms, had 'her own religion', whatever that meant, and was private about her beliefs. Yet in later years I was sorrowful for my mother who when asked about the essential doctrines of the Christian faith would deny that she believed them.

I thankfully had the exposure of scripture at home for which I was curious even at an early age. We regularly attended a Presbyterian church (my father absent); to this I thankfully owe to my mother. In my high school years, I attended a Christian camp. All of these influences were the sowing of the gospel seed.

At the age 10 to 13 my conscience was first assaulted and eventually hardened by instances of petty theft and vandalism. A few years afterwards, I regularly used marijuana and hashish without my parents knowledge. My deeds were discovered and by God's grace I did not rebel against my parents restrictions, though it was difficult to separate from all of my friends.

During this time my 'house' was found 'swept and put in order' to which 'seven spirits more evil than [the first]' came to live. I began taking 'religion' more seriously at this time and became worse for it than in my former condition. This period of life continued until my 21st year and was characterized by excessive exercise (running), disciplined study and an amalgam of religious thought (eastern and western). I was self-righteous, unable to love anyone but myself.

While at the university, this condition was finally interrupted by a series of providential circumstances (many of which I will omit) followed by the regenerating work of the God's Spirit.

First I had a composition course requiring that I write two pages a week on various themes. I was forced to think about what I believed which brought no comfort and left me troubled.

This was followed by an unusual incident when waiting for an elevator. The eye critical of others was ruthlessly turned on myself; the stream of judgmental thought was turned inward. I could not escape nor shake it off. Inwardly I became shattered. My marathon running dwindled and I could walk the short distance to campus only with difficulty. My grades fell during this time. The few friends I had left me. The best part of the day was escape into sleep and to forget about my sins.

Months went by and I enrolled in a course called New Testament Bible as Literature. This course was taught by a believer. I was forced, in my weakened state, to labor over the scriptures, but the message was hidden to me. Josh McDowell came to campus and spoke about the nuclear threat of the Cold War and shared the gospel. The truth remained hidden but I saw people who had joy and love that I desperately longed for. I cried out that night to the God I did not know to have mercy on me. I experienced joy that evening as I recall, but the darkness soon returned.

I began to attend church and came to read on a tract a simple phrase: "God Speaks to You Through the Bible." Every remembrance from my youth onward of the perfection of God's word was brought to my attention at that time. I believed this statement with a very deep belief and began regularly to read the scripture.

The darkness gradually left me. I came to know my sins were forgiven by the cross of Christ. God has since revealed His righteousness to me 'from faith to faith'.