I’m running around today planning the Madness.
What madness? The Warren Family Memorial Day Madness, a family day of games, challenges, competitions and fun, and at the end of the day we celebrate with a massive bonfire and lots of shashleek (Russian shishkabobs).
I started this a few years ago when the kids started drifting away into college and marriage and life away from the family and I thought—I need to bribe these people to get them back home. (which in our family means food and games!)
Why? Because THEY needed to be reminded that they are unconditionally loved, and that we want them, and like them, and that wherever they are, they always have a home.
Your readers need those reminders too.
Stay with me. I’m not advocating that you invite everyone over for the weekend and feed them (although if you want to…)
I attend a Baptist church every Sunday. And like good Baptists, we take communion on the first Sunday of the month.
As I approached the altar yesterday to receive the bread and grape juice (remember, Baptists!) I thought…this is a like our Warren weekend in the fact that God set up a way to remind us that we are unconditionally loved. God wants us and likes us and we have a home waiting for us.
Wow, the world needs this. I need this.
I’ve been crazy busy the last few weeks writing a book and planning for the Learn how to Write a Brilliant Romantic Suspense seminar that we had last weekend (fun!) and frankly, I’ve been just a little too busy to look UP and see that maybe I don’t need to worry so much. That I just need to show up, do my part and that God will take care of the rest.
More, I need to be reminded of WHO God is. And that I’m important to him.
And what does that have to do with writing?
The world needs reminders of God’s love, His truth, His grace. But it’s hard to get it I this culture—at least an honest representation of that. We see what culture wants to mold God in to, but as for the true picture? Justice. Sacrifice. Redemption. Grace. Mercy. Love. (and really, everything else we need, right?)
And that’s where we enter the picture. What if, every time someone picked up one of your stories, they saw a glimpse of God? They saw Justice. Sacrifice. Redemption. Grace. Mercy and Love? What if your story made people hungry for more truth, and because of that, more Jesus?
What if your story is your reader’s first introduction to Grace? To Mercy? To life-changing Truth?
Yeah, your story is just that important.
You do that by creating real characters, with real problems that encounter life-changing truth.
Our world is hungry for communion—that reminder that God cares so much about our eternity that He did something about it.
Remind them. Renew their vision. Give them the bread and wine today.
Your story matters. Go, write something Brilliant!
Susie May
P.S.We have ONE slot open for our Deep Woods Writing Camp June 16-23! Join us and let’s work together to help you build your amazing story! Details here!