Where travel meets God
Your story, in print, for anyone to read. How does this make you feel? Intimidated? Uncomfortable? Like hiding under a blanket and never coming out?
When writing for God, we don’t have to fear sharing our story. Why? Because God can use our story as a lesson for future generations, providing a glimpse of his glory through our writing.
Isaiah 30:8 (ESV)—And now, go, write it before them on a tablet and inscribe it in a book, that it may be for the time to come as a witness forever.
Last weekend, I attended She Speaks 2024 online. One big lesson I learned came not only from the many wonderful speakers but also from the attendees.
Success scares us.
My thoughts tread along a steep, rocky path of fear: If I become published, do I have to live in the spotlight of social media rather than in my cozy wallflower home? What if I botch the message I want to share? What if God calls me to reveal something deeply personal?
For these questions, I found encouragement in 1 Corinthians 3 about our work as God’s servants. First and foremost…
When we write in fear of success, our work may stay merely a seed in the ground. And seeds that stay in the ground end up rotting. Instead, let’s call upon our fellow workers to help us build stories on the foundation of Christ. Let’s come together in his name to grow bountiful fields and to build useful buildings. Let’s turn the spotlight from us to God, whose love helps us grow through our community and uses our writing as part of his ministry.
1 Corinthians 3:9 (ESV)—For we are God's fellow workers. You are God's field, God's building.
Hebrews 2:1 (ESV)—Therefore we must pay much closer attention to what we have heard, lest we drift away from it.
The soft brush of stringy tentacles wrapped around my leg; it was as if I’d run into a spider web, only I was knee deep in the Atlantic Ocean. Cue a shudder.
Deep down I knew the source of the underwater creature, but still my mind said, “Please not a shark!”
At another bump against my leg, I plunged my hand in, grabbed the offending entity, and flung the seaweed away from me. Toward the other seaweed floating in the waves, not to mention the seaweed along the shoreline.
The unknown creatures of the (knee) deep can cause us to lose our grip on reality. The little bumps in our journey may make us feel lonely. Maybe we question God’s purpose for our struggles because our worst fear came true. Or maybe the little fears have us dreaming up the worst-case scenario (nothing like seaweed to make your brain scream, “Jellyfish!”)
Our deep-down truth, though, is God has paid for our salvation. This message moors us to God. Loneliness is a human emotion, but in these moments we can talk with God as did Job and Jeremiah. Struggles happen, but God uses them to refine us and achieve his plan. And fears, love banishes them, so if we have God’s love, we do not have to fear.
The evidence of God’s love and plans surround us. The truth reminds us to not worry about the creatures living deep down in the unknown. We can toss away our fears like a handful of seaweed and trust in the knowledge that he has saved us.
Psalm 23:4 (ESV)—Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.
Many a valley has captured my attention. I’ve hiked the hills of Glenwood Springs, Colorado, gazing down on yellow aspens in the fall. In Switzerland, I’ve gawked at the Alps from a train car winding its way through the rugged mountains, the valley views spectacular from above and below. I’ve sat in the passenger seat while my husband drove us on the winding Pacific Coast Highway, traveling from valley through clouds and above the clouds, the white floor stretching out like a vast flatland meadow.
Valleys give us good reason to not fear “the valley of the shadow of death.” The valley is alive with God’s creation. The trees provide the oxygen we need to live; bathe us in shade on hot summer days; and of course give us a tangible, up-close picture of God’s creation. Clouds can warm the earth at night, protect us from the sun’s heat during the day, cast rain on the earth, and warn of inclement weather.
The valley also plays host to God’s people, and God uses the valley to protect and provide for his people. For example, in the story of Isaac and Abimelek, Isaac moved to the Valley of Gerar, after the Philistines filled the wells of his father, Abraham. Isaac’s people dug more wells, but others disputed ownership of the first two. The third, undisputed by others, “he named it Rehoboth, saying, ‘Now the Lord has given us room and we will flourish in the land’” (Genesis 26:22).
The valley, though sometimes shaded with our troubles, also offers hope. From the valley, we can move our gaze upward to our Father and pray for his provision and protection. Indeed, when we feel as if we’re in a valley, we can “abide in the shadow of the Almighty,” our “refuge and fortress” (Psalm 91:1–2).
Matthew 8:24–27 (ESV)—And behold, there arose a great storm on the sea, so that the boat was being swamped by the waves; but he was asleep. And they went and woke him, saying, “Save us, Lord; we are perishing.” And he said to them, “Why are you afraid, O you of little faith?” Then he rose and rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was a great calm. And the men marveled, saying, “What sort of man is this, that even winds and sea obey him?”
A snorkeling excursion—my first—on my honeymoon took my husband and I off the coast of Barbados. The sunshine shimmered on the turquoise sea, goggles complete with snorkel tube perched on top of my head, and a life jacket wrapped around my upper body.
I edged toward the back of the boat, behind others from our tour. Deep breath in, I jumped. Salt water splashed my face; I spluttered and swayed my feet.
All the while, a hint of panic set in and I snatched my husband’s arm. “Hubby, I can’t touch the bottom.”
The guide, hearing my panicked whispers, swam to us and handed me the more substantial, bright-orange life preserver. I bear-hugged the flotation device until I felt calm.
Why was I so afraid in that moment? Perhaps because I sink like a rock in the water. Maybe because I’d never ventured into water so deep, always before having the anchor of sand beneath my feet. Or, just a thought, fear settled in like a shark sinking it teeth into its dinner.
Indeed, fear caused me to falter even though I wore a life jacket. My fear overwhelmed my sense of safety because I did not understand the enormous effect on my mind of my feet being anchored to the sandy floor.
Another anchor, fear, can drown us if we don’t have knowledge of the magnitude of God’s might. The disciples learned this lesson from their fear of drowning in a storm, even though Jesus lay on the boat with them, having performed miracles in sight of the disciples that very day.
In the midst of the gales rocking the boat and waves filling it like a bathtub, the disciples needed more understanding of Jesus when fear rocked up and sank in its teeth—and did Jesus provide a showstopper. He calmed the sea, and the disciples stood in awe. Their knowledge of God’s power grew and that moment likely stayed with them as they did God’s work and faced hardship in the future.
It is understanding of God’s might that anchors our faith and helps us to trust God with one-hundred-percent confidence. Wisdom gained from God’s Word helps us to fight and defeat fear and to hear God speak over the cacophony of the storm.
The talent of writing can fit into many spiritual gifts, and not every writer has the same spiritual gifts. Our words can teach about God’s word and provide encouragement. Our writing ministry can build the church and motivate others. We may have the ability to teach God’s Word and make it clear for others.
However, spiritual gifts can cause writer to feel fear and timidness. What if we don’t correctly discern God’s Word? What if our encouragement doesn’t reach the right person? What if my blog doesn’t have a large enough following?
These questions can be intimidating, but we have hope that God created us with a spirit power, love, and self-control. So, today, fan the flame of your writing and know the Holy Spirit is on your side.
2 Timothy 1:7 (ESV)—for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.
Jeremiah 17:7–8 (NIV)— “But blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in him. They will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit.”
Several years ago, my husband and I road-tripped to Arizona for Thanksgiving with family. Along the way, we stopped at sites such as the White Sands National Monument (now a national park), Casa Grande Ruins National Monument, and Saguaro National Park. I had no idea the height of saguaro cacti until I stood next to one, gazing up in awe and slight disbelief. And once I did some research, I found this cactus to be a great example of the power of God’s Word.
The saguaro cactus is like a well of living water in the dry, arid desert. This cactus absorbs and stores rainwater for use over time. Woodpeckers, elf owls, and other birds build nests inside the cactus. Wildlife visit the cactus to partake of its pollen, nectar, and fruit. Others such as jackrabbits and mule deer eat its flesh when food and water are scarce.
The Bible is our saguaro cactus in the desert, a source of life, a well of living water. When we drink of the water, we can know the power of our living God. God’s Word prepares us for all situations in our lives from losing a job to starting a new one, from building a new friendship to losing an old one, from grieving someone’s death to celebrating a baby’s birth.
The Scriptures feed us courage in the face of fear: “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go” (Joshua 1:9, NIV).
The Scriptures strengthen our faith when we make a home for his Word in our minds: “Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word about Christ” (Romans 10:17, NIV).
The Scriptures feed our fellowship with other believers: “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness” (2 Timothy 3:16, NIV).
The Scriptures are our living water in the desert. The Holy Spirit feeds our minds with information we need to live according to God’s Word, and when we drink, we become stronger in mind, faith, and fellowship.
