“You are altogether beautiful, my darling, and there is no blemish in you (NASB)…You have stolen my heart, my sister, my bride; you have stolen my heart with one glance of your eyes with one jewel of your necklace (NIV)” – Song of Songs 4:7, 9
Previously, I’ve mentioned that God calls us “darling…my beautiful one.” That God valued us. He cares about us. He loves us. Thus, a woman of noble character recognizes her worth: she knows that she is worthy, she is valuable and she is His masterpiece. Today, I want to go into dept on God’s view of her beauty. He says, “You are altogether beautiful, my darling, and there is no blemish in you.” Not only are you beautiful, but “… there is no blemish in you.” A woman of noble character recognizes that God’s view of her beauty is much more important and worthy.
A woman of noble character understands that in God’s eyes, she is perfect. He created her in His own image. He is the potter and she is the clay. He chose to put a certain formula into the creation of her. And, when He finished, He said it is good. She’s good. He loves her just the way she is. He sees no blemish. He’s very pleased with her. He put that mole there for His enjoyment. The freckles on her face are there for His enjoyment. Whatever she doesn’t like about herself, He put it there for His enjoyment. And, if she is displeased with any part of her, He is sad because in His eyes, “there is no blemish in you.” He sees her as altogether beautiful. A woman of noble character recognizes that she is altogether beautiful without any blemish.
A woman of noble character recognizes that her glance steals the heart of God. “You have stolen my heart with one glance of your eyes.” A woman of noble character recognizes that when she looks up to God, He is pleased. In the New American Standard Bible, it says “you made my heart beat faster”. She gave Him a glance and His heart skips, beats, or is stolen.
This reminds me of the time when we were teaching little Elizabeth how to kiss. We would point to our cheek and repeat the word “kiss”. And when she finally recognized our instruction and followed, we were all so happy. We laughed, we clapped our hands, and tried to make her repeat the process. Just as we were happy to see Elizabeth’s kiss, so God’s heart leaps for joy when we glance at Him because He sees no blemish in us, but beauty. He enjoys our beauty-His creation. He enjoys, even our glances.
A woman of noble character glorifies His name forever with the satisfaction of her own being. She’s happy with the way she looks, the way she talks, and the talents she has. Her only desire is to gaze upon God’s love and beauty and to make His heart jump for joy because He has captured her glance and still sees no blemish.
Father God, thank You so much for the love You’ve faithfully demonstrated to us. Thank You for seeing us more than we see ourselves. Help me to see myself as precious, beautiful and without blemish; to enjoy the true beauty You’ve created in me. In Jesus’s name, Amen.
Monday, November 12, 2007
Friday, November 9, 2007
A woman of noble character recognizes her worth in seasons of life
“My lover spoke and said to me, ‘Arise, my darling, my beautiful one, and come with me. See! the winter is past; the rains are over and gone. Flowers appear on the earth; the season of singing has come, the cooing of the doves is heard in our land. The fig tree forms its early fruit; the blossoming vines spread their fragrance. Arise, come, my darling; my beautiful one, come with me.” –Song of Solomon 2:10-13
I’ve never really acknowledge Song of Solomon as love relationship between Christ and our human soul. I’ve always dismissed it as love conversations between human lovers and never took it seriously. So, as this is my devotion today, God revealed a beautiful message that gave me a new meaning from the above passage:
1) A woman of noble character recognizes her worth. God calls her His “darling,” His “beautiful one”. Wow! He says, “Arise, my darling, my beautiful one, ..” What a wonderful value He has placed her. As a woman of noble character, she recognizes her worth as dearly loved, cherished (Dictionary.com), one who is highly valued by God.
A woman of noble character recognizes that she is His masterpiece, His workmanship (Ephesians 2:10). And He created her for His enjoyment, for His purpose. She is His beautiful one. That means He loves her. He loves her. And now, He’s calling her to rise up. He wants her to get up from whatever problem she may be drowning herself in. His command is firm and loving. He’s calling her to rise up, get up. A woman of noble character recognizes that she’s not glued to the ground, to her problems, or her situations. Get up. Arise! No matter how she looks at herself, she is His darling, His beautiful one and He calls her to rise up.
2) A woman of noble character recognizes His instructions. His second command was to “come with me.” “Come with me,” He says. He doesn’t just want her to get up and stand there. He wants her to come with Him. He wants her to take action; follow Him. He has many things to show her. A woman of noble character longs to see God’s vision for her life. She wants to see what God wants to show her. If you are that woman, follow Him. He’s saying “come with me”.
3) A woman of noble character recognizes the end of her winter season. She knows that her rains are over and gone. “See! the winter is past; the rains are over and gone.” Whatever her problem is, it’s gone. It is done with. Her season of troubles is gone. There’s no more. Therefore, rise and come with Him.
This message reminds me of a time when my children played tags, my oldest son grabbed a hold of my baby girl’s shirt tail. He wouldn’t let her go. She pulled a couple of times, but couldn’t break free. So, she stood there and wailed. After a few minutes, I commanded him to let her go, he let go, but she stood there and cried as if he was still holding on to her shirt. I called out to her to come, but she stood there and cried pitifully. I kept on calling, and it finally dawned on her that she was free. Sometimes, we are like my baby girl. We stand there and cry. If that’s you today, God is telling you that your “winter is past; the rains are over and gone.” Rise up and follow Him.
4) A woman of noble character recognizes her spring season. “Flowers appear on the earth; the season of singing has come, the cooing of doves is heard in our land. The fig tree forms its early fruit; the blossoming vines spread their fragrance.” Wow! God reminds her that after the winter, spring does come. And He calls out to her and reminds her that it is time to get up and see the flowers bloom and smell the fresh fragrances. She recognizes that there’s sunshine after the rain. She understands that in the spring, flowers bloom, trees buds, grass turn green. She understands that every circumstance brings with it many benefits: After every crisis; she’s wiser, she gains knowledge, finds directions. She gets the answer to her prayers. A woman of noble character recognizes her spring season and rises up to follow God. She hears His voice calling out, “Arise, come, my darling; my beautiful one, come with me.” And, she follows.
Father God, You're awesome. Thank You for reminding me that I am your darling and beautiful one, that I hold value in Your eyes and You love me. Help me to recognize Your calling voice to come with You; to recognize that my problems are behind me. Help me to see and enjoy the benefits of springtime; the answers to my prayers. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
I’ve never really acknowledge Song of Solomon as love relationship between Christ and our human soul. I’ve always dismissed it as love conversations between human lovers and never took it seriously. So, as this is my devotion today, God revealed a beautiful message that gave me a new meaning from the above passage:
1) A woman of noble character recognizes her worth. God calls her His “darling,” His “beautiful one”. Wow! He says, “Arise, my darling, my beautiful one, ..” What a wonderful value He has placed her. As a woman of noble character, she recognizes her worth as dearly loved, cherished (Dictionary.com), one who is highly valued by God.
A woman of noble character recognizes that she is His masterpiece, His workmanship (Ephesians 2:10). And He created her for His enjoyment, for His purpose. She is His beautiful one. That means He loves her. He loves her. And now, He’s calling her to rise up. He wants her to get up from whatever problem she may be drowning herself in. His command is firm and loving. He’s calling her to rise up, get up. A woman of noble character recognizes that she’s not glued to the ground, to her problems, or her situations. Get up. Arise! No matter how she looks at herself, she is His darling, His beautiful one and He calls her to rise up.
2) A woman of noble character recognizes His instructions. His second command was to “come with me.” “Come with me,” He says. He doesn’t just want her to get up and stand there. He wants her to come with Him. He wants her to take action; follow Him. He has many things to show her. A woman of noble character longs to see God’s vision for her life. She wants to see what God wants to show her. If you are that woman, follow Him. He’s saying “come with me”.
3) A woman of noble character recognizes the end of her winter season. She knows that her rains are over and gone. “See! the winter is past; the rains are over and gone.” Whatever her problem is, it’s gone. It is done with. Her season of troubles is gone. There’s no more. Therefore, rise and come with Him.
This message reminds me of a time when my children played tags, my oldest son grabbed a hold of my baby girl’s shirt tail. He wouldn’t let her go. She pulled a couple of times, but couldn’t break free. So, she stood there and wailed. After a few minutes, I commanded him to let her go, he let go, but she stood there and cried as if he was still holding on to her shirt. I called out to her to come, but she stood there and cried pitifully. I kept on calling, and it finally dawned on her that she was free. Sometimes, we are like my baby girl. We stand there and cry. If that’s you today, God is telling you that your “winter is past; the rains are over and gone.” Rise up and follow Him.
4) A woman of noble character recognizes her spring season. “Flowers appear on the earth; the season of singing has come, the cooing of doves is heard in our land. The fig tree forms its early fruit; the blossoming vines spread their fragrance.” Wow! God reminds her that after the winter, spring does come. And He calls out to her and reminds her that it is time to get up and see the flowers bloom and smell the fresh fragrances. She recognizes that there’s sunshine after the rain. She understands that in the spring, flowers bloom, trees buds, grass turn green. She understands that every circumstance brings with it many benefits: After every crisis; she’s wiser, she gains knowledge, finds directions. She gets the answer to her prayers. A woman of noble character recognizes her spring season and rises up to follow God. She hears His voice calling out, “Arise, come, my darling; my beautiful one, come with me.” And, she follows.
Father God, You're awesome. Thank You for reminding me that I am your darling and beautiful one, that I hold value in Your eyes and You love me. Help me to recognize Your calling voice to come with You; to recognize that my problems are behind me. Help me to see and enjoy the benefits of springtime; the answers to my prayers. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
Monday, November 5, 2007
A Woman of Noble Character abides in Jesus, part II
“If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you,” (John 15:7, NASB).
Last week, I wrote that a woman of noble character abides in Jesus. Today, I want to take you to the second part of the verse; “If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you…” Now, not only will you abide in Jesus, but if His words abide in you, you can have anything you ask in Jesus’ name and it will be yours. There are three ways His words can remain in you:
1. Read the Bible daily and let it be your guide. Before you take on the challenges of the day, take out your Bible and spend 5 to 10 minutes a day, reading the Bible.
I used to think, “with my schedule, I’ll just read when I have time.” But, before I knew it, time flew by without notice. Day after day, I still didn’t read the Bible. The point is you don’t ever have time. Everyone has only 24 hours in a day. You just have to prioritize and make time for God. When you pray, you’re talking to God, but when you’re reading the Bible, God is talking to you. And, without reading, you may be missing your message from God for the day. So, a woman of noble character spends time reading the Bible, or allowing God’s words to abide in her. You’ll be surprise what message God will give you to live on that day.
I remember a time when I was reading through the Old Testament and I was so bored, but I felt led to read through the whole Bible slowly so that I would understand the Word. I was at the part where they were being told to follow all the different sacrifices to God and I couldn’t find any application to me whatsoever, so I prayed, “God, I’m sure you brought me here for a reason. But, I don’t see any applications here for me and I’m getting really bored. Please, show me Your message.” And, as I was reading through Numbers 33, God spoke to me through verses 55-56. God showed me that I had a lot of bitterness to get rid of. In order to receive a new life, a new beginning, I must get rid of all my bitterness and unforgiveness. God showed me what my next step was, even in the most unexpected places.
2. Memorize the verses that jump out at you while you were reading. I’m sure there were times when you’re reading a chapter or two and certain verses stood out that really touched you in a special way no one else would have the same effect. That is your message from God.
There was a group of Christian women who gathered together monthly, and during those times, they would play games, eat and pray together. Well, as they were playing a game, the leader brought out a board with John 3:16 written on it. However, there were some words that were missing. The rest of the ladies were to complete the verse by filling in the missing words. Much to the surprise of the leader, the women didn’t know the verse. They all knew what it says, but they couldn’t remember well enough to complete the verse and she had to give them the answers.
My point is, memorize the verses well enough to fill in the blank. Know what the verse says and means. When you know the Bible, you know God’s character; you understand His heart; you know how and what to ask for in prayer which will always be a yes, because you would never ask anything that is not aligned with His will for your life. After all, you are a woman of noble character who God dwells within.
Allowing His words to abide in you is also a map for you to live a live pleasing to Him. Psalm 119:105, “Your word is lamp to my feet and a light to my path.” His word will guide you and teach you in the direction which you should go. His word will give you the advice you need to make the right decision. His word will give you discernment on a critical issue in your life. His word will give you wisdom and understanding on raising your children or honoring your husband. His word is your map, your direction, your guide to live a holy life while you’re on earth. And, I cannot imagine any woman of noble character who does not want to follow His lead; or, anyone who could truly be a woman of noble character without His words abiding in her.
3. Put His words into actions. Act out His words. Live it out. John 15:16 (NASB) says, “You did not choose Me but I chose you, and appointed you that you would go and bear fruit, and that your fruit would remain, so that whatever you ask of the Father in My name He may give to you.” We are to bear fruit of whatever we learn. What’s knowledge without actions? If we learn what His words say and we know it, but we never put it into actions, then we are not truly His friends; we have not truly allowed His words to abide in us. John 15:14 says, “You are my friends if you do what I command you.” His command is that we live our lives to bring Him glory by putting His words into actions so that the world may see our good deeds.
As women (wives) of noble character, we need to abide in Jesus and allow His words to abide in us. In order for His words to abide in us, we must read the Bible daily, memorize the verses that stood out to give us directions, and live out what you learn from His words. And, you will truly experience the blessings of the woman of noble character.
Last week, I wrote that a woman of noble character abides in Jesus. Today, I want to take you to the second part of the verse; “If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you…” Now, not only will you abide in Jesus, but if His words abide in you, you can have anything you ask in Jesus’ name and it will be yours. There are three ways His words can remain in you:
1. Read the Bible daily and let it be your guide. Before you take on the challenges of the day, take out your Bible and spend 5 to 10 minutes a day, reading the Bible.
I used to think, “with my schedule, I’ll just read when I have time.” But, before I knew it, time flew by without notice. Day after day, I still didn’t read the Bible. The point is you don’t ever have time. Everyone has only 24 hours in a day. You just have to prioritize and make time for God. When you pray, you’re talking to God, but when you’re reading the Bible, God is talking to you. And, without reading, you may be missing your message from God for the day. So, a woman of noble character spends time reading the Bible, or allowing God’s words to abide in her. You’ll be surprise what message God will give you to live on that day.
I remember a time when I was reading through the Old Testament and I was so bored, but I felt led to read through the whole Bible slowly so that I would understand the Word. I was at the part where they were being told to follow all the different sacrifices to God and I couldn’t find any application to me whatsoever, so I prayed, “God, I’m sure you brought me here for a reason. But, I don’t see any applications here for me and I’m getting really bored. Please, show me Your message.” And, as I was reading through Numbers 33, God spoke to me through verses 55-56. God showed me that I had a lot of bitterness to get rid of. In order to receive a new life, a new beginning, I must get rid of all my bitterness and unforgiveness. God showed me what my next step was, even in the most unexpected places.
2. Memorize the verses that jump out at you while you were reading. I’m sure there were times when you’re reading a chapter or two and certain verses stood out that really touched you in a special way no one else would have the same effect. That is your message from God.
There was a group of Christian women who gathered together monthly, and during those times, they would play games, eat and pray together. Well, as they were playing a game, the leader brought out a board with John 3:16 written on it. However, there were some words that were missing. The rest of the ladies were to complete the verse by filling in the missing words. Much to the surprise of the leader, the women didn’t know the verse. They all knew what it says, but they couldn’t remember well enough to complete the verse and she had to give them the answers.
My point is, memorize the verses well enough to fill in the blank. Know what the verse says and means. When you know the Bible, you know God’s character; you understand His heart; you know how and what to ask for in prayer which will always be a yes, because you would never ask anything that is not aligned with His will for your life. After all, you are a woman of noble character who God dwells within.
Allowing His words to abide in you is also a map for you to live a live pleasing to Him. Psalm 119:105, “Your word is lamp to my feet and a light to my path.” His word will guide you and teach you in the direction which you should go. His word will give you the advice you need to make the right decision. His word will give you discernment on a critical issue in your life. His word will give you wisdom and understanding on raising your children or honoring your husband. His word is your map, your direction, your guide to live a holy life while you’re on earth. And, I cannot imagine any woman of noble character who does not want to follow His lead; or, anyone who could truly be a woman of noble character without His words abiding in her.
3. Put His words into actions. Act out His words. Live it out. John 15:16 (NASB) says, “You did not choose Me but I chose you, and appointed you that you would go and bear fruit, and that your fruit would remain, so that whatever you ask of the Father in My name He may give to you.” We are to bear fruit of whatever we learn. What’s knowledge without actions? If we learn what His words say and we know it, but we never put it into actions, then we are not truly His friends; we have not truly allowed His words to abide in us. John 15:14 says, “You are my friends if you do what I command you.” His command is that we live our lives to bring Him glory by putting His words into actions so that the world may see our good deeds.
As women (wives) of noble character, we need to abide in Jesus and allow His words to abide in us. In order for His words to abide in us, we must read the Bible daily, memorize the verses that stood out to give us directions, and live out what you learn from His words. And, you will truly experience the blessings of the woman of noble character.
Friday, November 2, 2007
Come on over to www.mrsproverbs31.com
Dear Friends,
I've not been blogging since August. I took some time off to build a better blog site to serve you. I pray that you will visit my new website at www.mrsproverbs31.com. Once in a while I will post the same blog on here as well as Mrs. Proverbs31. However, my energy will be spent at MrsProverbs31. So, come on over and let's learn together.
See you there,
Mrs. Proverbs31
I've not been blogging since August. I took some time off to build a better blog site to serve you. I pray that you will visit my new website at www.mrsproverbs31.com. Once in a while I will post the same blog on here as well as Mrs. Proverbs31. However, my energy will be spent at MrsProverbs31. So, come on over and let's learn together.
See you there,
Mrs. Proverbs31
A Woman of Noble Character abides in Jesus, part I
“If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you,” (John 15:7, NASB).
A woman of noble character abides in Jesus out of willing obedience. In order for us to truly understand what it means to abide in Jesus, we need to understand what abide means. Abide, in www.dictionary.com, means to “remain, to continue, or stay;” or “to continue in a particular condition, attitude, relationship, etc. lasting.” Thus to abide in Jesus is to remain, continue or stay in Jesus.
When you stay with someone, let’s say your husband, you talk to him, you stay in a visible distance. You can hear his voice and he can hear you. You know his whereabouts. You know his character. You know what he likes to eat and how he eats. You know what kind of clothes he wears. You can smell his fragrance. And, you know his attitudes toward certain topics or subjects. In the same way, when you remain or stay in Jesus, you know Him. You understand His desires for you life. You practice His rules and commands. You know what He likes and what He doesn’t like. You know that He is present in your life. And, you abide in Him passionately.
A woman of noble character desires to have this intimate relationship with Jesus because Jesus is the good shepherd and He knows us. If we are His sheep, we also know Him (John 10:14). And, if we know Him, we will recognize His voice when He calls us and we will follow Him (John 10:27). To know Jesus is wisdom above all else. Ephesians 3:19 says that “…to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled up to all the fullness of God.” When you know Jesus, when you abide in Jesus, then, you are filled with the fullness of God. And, that’s being a woman of noble character.
A woman of noble character abides in Jesus out of willing obedience. In order for us to truly understand what it means to abide in Jesus, we need to understand what abide means. Abide, in www.dictionary.com, means to “remain, to continue, or stay;” or “to continue in a particular condition, attitude, relationship, etc. lasting.” Thus to abide in Jesus is to remain, continue or stay in Jesus.
When you stay with someone, let’s say your husband, you talk to him, you stay in a visible distance. You can hear his voice and he can hear you. You know his whereabouts. You know his character. You know what he likes to eat and how he eats. You know what kind of clothes he wears. You can smell his fragrance. And, you know his attitudes toward certain topics or subjects. In the same way, when you remain or stay in Jesus, you know Him. You understand His desires for you life. You practice His rules and commands. You know what He likes and what He doesn’t like. You know that He is present in your life. And, you abide in Him passionately.
A woman of noble character desires to have this intimate relationship with Jesus because Jesus is the good shepherd and He knows us. If we are His sheep, we also know Him (John 10:14). And, if we know Him, we will recognize His voice when He calls us and we will follow Him (John 10:27). To know Jesus is wisdom above all else. Ephesians 3:19 says that “…to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled up to all the fullness of God.” When you know Jesus, when you abide in Jesus, then, you are filled with the fullness of God. And, that’s being a woman of noble character.
Friday, August 17, 2007
The business side of Mrs. Proverbs 31
Last week I've posted an article by Rob Parnell. If you are interested in his tips, go to www.writersecret.com.
This week, I want to give you an opportunity to evaluate a possible business on the side. If you enjoy reading books and writing, you need to see this. The website is: www.bookwise.com/shoualo.
I want you to know, I am working to give you more information than just give you Spiritual encouragements. However, your Spiritual Relationship is more important than anything else. I have so much I want to share with you. But, now I must go and prepare supper for my family, one of my important duties.
Come again.
This week, I want to give you an opportunity to evaluate a possible business on the side. If you enjoy reading books and writing, you need to see this. The website is: www.bookwise.com/shoualo.
I want you to know, I am working to give you more information than just give you Spiritual encouragements. However, your Spiritual Relationship is more important than anything else. I have so much I want to share with you. But, now I must go and prepare supper for my family, one of my important duties.
Come again.
Wednesday, August 8, 2007
Revealed - the ROAD MAP by Rob Parnell
There's no secret to success. As the saying goes, success leaves clues. There is a map.
Ask anyone who believes they're successful and they will happily tell you about it - the right moves they made, the deals they struck, whatever. They may have worked hard, they may have been lucky, they may have found a secret of their own.
It's individual.
What's clear is that there are as many ways to become successful as there are people. This is good news. It means that YOUR way may not yet have come to pass. It just needs YOU to do it.
Success in writing is often nebulous. Our friends and families might only regard us as successful if we get on the news or get a mention in Who's Who, but this is wrong.
A successful person is happy, is not hampered by what they can and can't do, and is to some extent in control of their destiny.
How does this apply to writers? Well, a successful writer is a person who makes a living from it, enjoys what they're producing and has some idea where they're going - and feels capable of getting there.
You don't need to be rich and famous to be successful as a writer. You can be a good writer - and successful because you don't have to do anything else to keep yourself afloat.
There are thousands, hundreds of thousands of writers that do this.
To constantly compare yourself to JK Rowling and Dan Brown and feel like you're a failure is ridiculous - and yet writers do it all the time!
Does a bricklayer worry because he hasn't been asked to create another Hadrian's wall?
Does your average engineer worry because they haven't built a bridge as good as one of Brunel's?
Does a doctor feel a failure because he's not Sir Hans Christian Barnard?
Perhaps.
To become a successful writer you need to travel the ROAD. And, in this case, ROAD means:
Read, Observe, Acquire (skills) and Do.
R.O.A.D. Geddit?
Writing is about talent sometimes but most times it's about learning the craft. Reading books and observing people and events will get you a long way into the mindset of a writer. Then, acquiring the skills necessary to put your thoughts on paper is the lifelong task. Knowing grammar, correct punctuation, stylistic elements and developing simple communication skills may be something you learnt at school. But if you want to write for a living, you need to continue that education.
Especially if you want to dedicate your writing to particular areas - be it fiction, non-fiction, article writing or whatever. You need to study those areas to familiarise yourself with the territory and know how to compete.
And what about the map I mentioned?
MAP is an acronym which stands for: Motivation, Application and Persistence.
This map will get you wherever you want to go, whatever your goal.
During the motivation phase you need to come up with lots of reasons why you want to succeed at a particular task. Motivation is not a mood. You can't wait around for it to strike. You can't buy it at the 7-11. It's a force within that is waiting to be unleashed. You have to know what you truly want. You need to think about it and latch on to that special something that makes you excited, gives you pep to continue, get you up in the morning with a fire in your heart.
Too many of us ignore the spark - the thing that will make us special - in favor of the mundane, the workaday, the 9 to 5. Find your spark, your spirit enclosed, and free it.
Application is what you do - your efforts, your sweat, your dedication. Here's a clue. Every day, make a list of five things you need to do to achieve your goals. Then pick the one that will give you the most pleasure, the one that will fill your wings and help you soar. That's application.
Persistence? It speaks for itself. Once you know you're good at what you do - and that means learning the skills and requirements of your chosen field - you have to keep going. Many writers stop or get disheartened too early, before they really know whether they can be successful. Mistake. You have to believe in what you do. If you don't, you need to return to the motivation stage and work out what it is that you want. You can't follow the MAP otherwise. Persistence only works if you believe what you're doing is right.
Rejection and lack of interest will kill you if you don't believe in yourself and your work. The good news is that if you do believe in what you do and persist, that puts you in the top 1% of creative talent. Your work and enthusiasm will carry you forward and onward.
So remember. You may not have the secret. But you do have the ROAD MAP!
Keep writing!
Rob@easywaytowrite.comCreating Better Writershttp://easywaytowrite.com
============================================QUOTE OF THE WEEK:
"Writers will happen in the best of families."
Rita Mae Brown
Ask anyone who believes they're successful and they will happily tell you about it - the right moves they made, the deals they struck, whatever. They may have worked hard, they may have been lucky, they may have found a secret of their own.
It's individual.
What's clear is that there are as many ways to become successful as there are people. This is good news. It means that YOUR way may not yet have come to pass. It just needs YOU to do it.
Success in writing is often nebulous. Our friends and families might only regard us as successful if we get on the news or get a mention in Who's Who, but this is wrong.
A successful person is happy, is not hampered by what they can and can't do, and is to some extent in control of their destiny.
How does this apply to writers? Well, a successful writer is a person who makes a living from it, enjoys what they're producing and has some idea where they're going - and feels capable of getting there.
You don't need to be rich and famous to be successful as a writer. You can be a good writer - and successful because you don't have to do anything else to keep yourself afloat.
There are thousands, hundreds of thousands of writers that do this.
To constantly compare yourself to JK Rowling and Dan Brown and feel like you're a failure is ridiculous - and yet writers do it all the time!
Does a bricklayer worry because he hasn't been asked to create another Hadrian's wall?
Does your average engineer worry because they haven't built a bridge as good as one of Brunel's?
Does a doctor feel a failure because he's not Sir Hans Christian Barnard?
Perhaps.
To become a successful writer you need to travel the ROAD. And, in this case, ROAD means:
Read, Observe, Acquire (skills) and Do.
R.O.A.D. Geddit?
Writing is about talent sometimes but most times it's about learning the craft. Reading books and observing people and events will get you a long way into the mindset of a writer. Then, acquiring the skills necessary to put your thoughts on paper is the lifelong task. Knowing grammar, correct punctuation, stylistic elements and developing simple communication skills may be something you learnt at school. But if you want to write for a living, you need to continue that education.
Especially if you want to dedicate your writing to particular areas - be it fiction, non-fiction, article writing or whatever. You need to study those areas to familiarise yourself with the territory and know how to compete.
And what about the map I mentioned?
MAP is an acronym which stands for: Motivation, Application and Persistence.
This map will get you wherever you want to go, whatever your goal.
During the motivation phase you need to come up with lots of reasons why you want to succeed at a particular task. Motivation is not a mood. You can't wait around for it to strike. You can't buy it at the 7-11. It's a force within that is waiting to be unleashed. You have to know what you truly want. You need to think about it and latch on to that special something that makes you excited, gives you pep to continue, get you up in the morning with a fire in your heart.
Too many of us ignore the spark - the thing that will make us special - in favor of the mundane, the workaday, the 9 to 5. Find your spark, your spirit enclosed, and free it.
Application is what you do - your efforts, your sweat, your dedication. Here's a clue. Every day, make a list of five things you need to do to achieve your goals. Then pick the one that will give you the most pleasure, the one that will fill your wings and help you soar. That's application.
Persistence? It speaks for itself. Once you know you're good at what you do - and that means learning the skills and requirements of your chosen field - you have to keep going. Many writers stop or get disheartened too early, before they really know whether they can be successful. Mistake. You have to believe in what you do. If you don't, you need to return to the motivation stage and work out what it is that you want. You can't follow the MAP otherwise. Persistence only works if you believe what you're doing is right.
Rejection and lack of interest will kill you if you don't believe in yourself and your work. The good news is that if you do believe in what you do and persist, that puts you in the top 1% of creative talent. Your work and enthusiasm will carry you forward and onward.
So remember. You may not have the secret. But you do have the ROAD MAP!
Keep writing!
Rob@easywaytowrite.comCreating Better Writershttp://easywaytowrite.com
============================================QUOTE OF THE WEEK:
"Writers will happen in the best of families."
Rita Mae Brown
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