At beautiful Camp Eden nestled among the pines near Wondervu, Colorado, the fog settled around us, and the fire crackled in the huge fireplace as nearly two dozen authors settled in to hear Kim Woodhouse and her challenging question: "Why do you write?"
She asked this of us several times, nudging us to go deeper. At one point, she asked, "Who are you in Christ?" The point being, how can I be God's instrument if I don't identify with His Word? At least, that's the direction I took that question.
We were told to find a quiet place and journal. I did and decided to look at the "I Am's" of Christ to find out who "I am" in Christ.
I Am the Messiah (John 4:26) - I am saved
I Am the Bread of Life (John 6:35) - I am nourished
I Am from above (John 8:23) - I am blessed from heaven
I Am the Eternal One (John 8:58) - I am God’s forever
I Am the Light of the World (John 9:5) - I am a witness in the darkness
I Am the Door (John 10:7) The Way, the Truth, and the Life (John 14:6) - I am led
I Am the Son of God ( (John 10:36) - I am loved with a sacrificial gift
I Am the Resurrection and the Life (John 11:25) - I am redeemed
I Am the Lord and Master (John 13:13) - I am one with authority over evil
I Am the True Vine (John 15:1) - I am a fruit bearer
I Am Alpha & Omega ( Revelation 1:8) - I am complete
I came to the conclusion that knowing my identity in Christ equips me to write His message.
So, to answer, “Why do I write?” - To glorify the I Am, Christ, Who makes it possible for me to be who I am in Him -- and to teach others to do the same.
If you attended the ACFW Colorado retreat this year, please share what you learned in the comments.
And thank you, Kim, for your excellent teaching, your gentle spirit, and your glittery feathered two-edged sword. ;)
Sunday, April 26, 2009
Why Do You Write?
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2 comments:
Thanks so much for sharing. For those of us who couldn't make it to the retreat, it's nice to capture a glimpse of what it was about.
I was so full of joy knowing that although I wasn't there, God was answering my prayers for all of you. I thought it very interesting that what Kim taught was a confirmation to my blog for the past year. God speaks though several different ways to get his message across for his people, namely writers here! :)
I am so happy for everyone that went and grew.
I hope to attend next year, unless....God says something else! :)
Hugs in Jesus,
Paulette Harris
comeandsitawhile.blogspot.come
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