Here’s a way to share your faith. It’s not hard to do, and it can be a wonderful blessing for people in your life.
AN EASY BEGINNING
- Look for people you could encourage with a written note. This could be anyone the Lord brings to mind.
- Write a personalized “blessing” for someone, sending it as a birthday, anniversary, or congratulations card.
Write like you’re talking to this person. Avoid cliché; make this like a warm, caring conversation. Handwritten is very nice, but you might feel like writing more if you can do it on the computer. It’s following through with the idea that counts.
A LITTLE BIGGER CHALLENGE
Jot down a basic outline on one of these topics:
- Tell how you came to faith in Jesus.
- Tell about a recent little lesson in faith that God has taught you.
- Tell the story of a big challenge or problem you’ve conquered in your life.
Write to share this with your children, and perhaps other close relatives. After you’ve done the first draft, let the writing “sit” for several days. Then go back and see what improvements you can make. Write like you’re talking to someone, but also include pertinent facts and descriptions that help your reader to visualize the situation.
Ask yourself: is it bragging or complaining? Or, does it let God’s love and joy shine through?
- Start writing about your life. Work on one part at a time, early childhood, school years, etc. Each episode might be only a page or so.
- Write remembrances about the early years of each of your children.
- Write remembrances about your parents and grandparents.
You don’t have to start with the earliest years. Begin telling about a trip, a party, an unusual event. Complete one episode at a time, and give them as holiday gifts or unexpected surprises.
THE WRITING YOU WON’T SHARE YET
- Start a personal journal for your own edification. Jot down significant struggles, or questions you’re thinking about, or anything that’s important to you.
- Make a list of topics you’d like to write about when you get around to it.
This kind of writing is like an incubator. You have no deadline, no editor to please. Ask God to guide you to put your ideas on paper. Maybe someday you’ll want to finish selected parts of this writing.
FOR ALL OF THE ABOVE, find some spiritual lesson and one or more Bible verses to tie in with your various experiences. Point the reader to God’s grace and goodness. Spotlight His faithfulness. Set an example of obedience to the Lord for others to see. Trust there will be eternal consequences as a result of your faithful writing.
REMEMBER: write your name and date on each page you write. Save a copy of each completed item, and file them for safe keeping. Keep a list of people you send them to, and pray for them to have a receptive attitude so God can speak to their heart.
You’ve lived your life this far; you are unique, and God knows how special you are. The Holy Spirit empowers you to obey. He has blessed you, and now it’s your privilege to bless others.
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by Elaine Hardt ©2014
