Called to Write

I’ve been a writer for as long as I can remember, making up stories as a child and journaling about the dramas of growing up. I have numerous journals recounting my journey through the joys and disappointments of life, and I have this blog, public reflections on faith and life.

Why do I write, though? Maybe I inherited it. My grandmother was a writer. She would write letters and notes of encouragement to countless family and friends. Oh, how I loved getting letters from her. Perhaps, then, it is in my DNA somewhere. After a relatively long hiatus from blogging, though, I find myself missing it, almost like missing my voice, if that makes sense. So, I decided to reflect publicly on the reasons I blog, as a prelude to hopefully finding my voice again and writing more.

To Remember
Writing for me is a way to capture the journey and to create markers of where I have been and what God has done in my life. I can be forgetful. I need reminders. Revisiting old blogs & old journals helps me not to forget the lessons I have learned and what God has taught me along the way. With time comes new perspective and new appreciation for how God works ALL things out for good (Romans 8:28). I think about Joshua & the Israelites and the intentionality they had of creating memorial stones that would serve as a visible reminder of God’s faithfulness and provision.

“Each of you is to take up a stone on his shoulder, according to the number of the tribes of Israelites, to serve as a sign among you. In the future, when your children ask you, ‘What do these stones mean?’ tell them that the flow of the Jordan was cut off before the ark of the covenant of the Lord. When it crossed the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan were cut off. These stones are to be a memorial to the people of Israel forever.” – Joshua 4:5-7

To share
Writing for me, especially blogging, is a way for me to share the journey with others, with you. I want to encourage and to comfort. I want to share laughter, and joys, and heartaches, because we were created to share life together in community. I want to spark conversation, share insights with you, and learn from your experiences. I write because writing is a connection point with others. We get to share our unique journeys together and maybe we realize we are not so different after all.

“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort who comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God.” – 2 Corinthians 1:3-4

To witness
Writing for me is a way for me to share my faith openly, to point others toward Christ, and to pursue His will for my life. This blog, Tenacious Gospel, is a testament to Him and His tenacious love. I want to reflect His love and be transformed by His truth. I want to use my voice to echo His. I want to wrestle with tough questions and relentlessly pursue His kingdom.

“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation… We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making His appeal through us.” – 2 Corinthians 5:17-20a.

I write because it is a way for me to remember, a way for me to share, and a way for me to bear witness to Christ. In short, I write because I am called to write… And so, I pick back up this blog of mine and dedicate it anew. Stay tuned for new reflections on faith, love, and justice.

Revisit some of my previous series here and vote for your favorite in the comments section:
• The Dating Fast
• The Marriage Feast
• The Ruth Saga
• Heart Like His