"Whatever You Do"

So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. Give no offense to Jews or to Greeks or to the church of God, just as I try to please everyone in everything I do, not seeking my own advantage, but that of many, that they may be saved.
1 Corinthians 10:31-33 (ESV)


These are the verses that come to mind whenever I think about my writing. As I have drawn closer to God in the past year and a half, I have come to realize that every single one of my passions, desires, and pursuits should and must conform to God and be solely for His glory. And writing is at the top of that list. Why? Because it's the hardest.

Serving God with my violin isn't that difficult. Music played to Him and His glory has always been at the forefront of my mind as I have learnt and played this instrument.  But writing... that is something much more difficult.

You see, anyone can write. You need only a keyboard or pen and paper. However, not many can write. In other words, not many can write something worth reading. But I, as a Christian and son of the Author of all creation, have a still higher calling. I am called to not only write something worth reading, but something that glorifies Him in the process.

"So whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God."

But here's the really tricky part.

"Give no offense to Jews or to Greeks or to the church of God."


Not only does my writing have be good, worthy of reading and glorifying to God, but it must also be above reproach from without.

Now, this varies slightly based on the audience, of course. If I am writing strictly to a Christian audience, then my writing is going to be largely geared towards them and the common knowledge we all share. But if I am writing both to my fellow Christians and the world, then it must also accessible and grabbing to those who do not share my love of Christ. How can I do both? How can I share the Gospel truth (literally!), while not turning away those whom I am trying to reach?

Well, Christ Himself has given us a strategy in His word.


"Behold, I am sending you out as sheep in the midst of wolves, so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves." Matthew 10:16 (ESV)

Boom! Right there. If I can write a tale that grabs my reader from the beginning, starting them out on an innocent little roller coaster of a tale, and then pull the ground out from under their feet, then I will have done all I can do. Every book, movie, or song is a journey for those who read, watch or listen to it. I only hope my books take them on a journey that leads them somewhere worth going.

And finally:


"just as I try to please everyone in everything I do, not seeking my own advantage, but that of many, that they may be saved."


I do not write because I want to be recognized, or because I somehow feel that the world deserves my writing. I write because God has called me to do so. And if He uses it to bring people to Himself, then to Him belongs the glory.

"If at first you don't succeed..."

"Fry, fry, a hen."

Ahem.

Anyways... my latest project in my architectural design class involves designing a dune crossover for a nearby seaside community. Basically, it's a glorified boardwalk. With something on it. Something monumental. Something eye-catching. Something defining. Something worth remembering.

Work has proceeded as follows:

1. Sketch out site map
2. Diagram foot traffic, wind and sun patterns, and sundry other information
3. Come up with words or themes that are important to the town
4. Sketch out concepts
5. Repeat last step
6. Repeat last step

Oi. To date, I have come up with roughly thirty separate and distinct ideas. All of which must fit in a 26 x 26 foot square and be no more than 50 feet high.

I'm ready to fry some hens.

Think about it! I must create something out of the ordinary, something that will grab people's attention, but still fit in with the surrounding landscape and have a underlying concept that has something to do with the surrounding area. Sure, a twisting pillar of fire would be cool... but that won't go over so well with the local populace. And some ideas might fit, but not be appropraite. I.e hurricanes. Yes, they come from the sea. Yes, they have a easily used form. No, I doubt people want to be reminded of them.

Where's those chickens?

No, a dragon will not work no matter how much you tie his fire to the sun or his wings to the wind, his horns to the sea oats or his scales to the dunes. No, a giant hourglass is too literal. Who would want to walk under a giant wine glass filled with half a ton of sand?

I'm gonna find those... *static*


Let's apply this, shall we? Oftentimes in life we find ourselves trying to accomplish something and failing time and again. We keep falling over in our attempts to stand up. We throw ourselves again and again at the iron gate of our problem, but it does not budge. And so what do we do? We give up. We throw up our hands and holler quits.

And as the gates of our problem totter and splinter, we turn away in despair, little realizing just how close we were. Because here's the thing. Someone's already gone through those gates and broken Himself to break the lock. All we have to do is ask Him to show us the combination.

So next you or I find ourselves smashing our heads against a iron gate, just remember, the locks have already been broken. And when we stop making a racket long enough to hear His voice, He will whisper to us the combination.


Anyone care for some Quartorlen Fried Chicken?

The World of Quartorlen

Ladies and gentlemen,

I give you....

Quartorlen

To the northwest is Thunderfell of the chalk cliffs and blue downs while to the northeast liesWhitefall, with its soaring white peaks and icy seas. To the east the Sinkfells, that misty land where the very ground has sunk into itself, divides Whitefall from Deepdale, whose green forests and grassy plains stand tall against the turquoise of Jadewater Sound. In the southeast, Flamehope's volcanos spew lava even during the snows of winter, and the land grows ever more rocky until it reaches Taeltongue peninsula. And in the center of this colorful lands lies what was once Brightdown. But now it has been renamed Darkdell and is enclosed with a stone wall known as the Stonesunder. Here the shieldsfell reign paramount, centered around the Arcpeak and the tyrant who rules from within. 

But no mortal, even a tyrant such as the Titan-mage, has an arm long enough or eyes quick enough to scour the land of all his enemies. For deep in the Tanglethorn lies a small glade covered with small white flowers. Paelglade is its name, and the name of the freeborn who dwells there is Farjag, Tiger-claw. Soon the time will come when he is forced from his hiding to do what must be done. For not until the Titan-mage is slain will he stop his forward-marching tide of conquest, and soon not only Quartorlen, but the entirety of Primorlen and even worlds beyond may fall beneath his vengeful iron fist. 

Soldier's Words

This is a song me and one of my best friends have been working on; he wrote the music and I the lyrics. We're still looking for someone to sing it...

Verse 1

Tonight, I stand
On fields of red
All around
The music’s dead

Softly, now
Unbidden, they come
Memories of old
The tears now run

Hope's fire fades
Sure and fast
Will this battle
Be my last

Valkyries come
To take me away
Will I leave

Or will I stay? 

Chorus
Keep marching strong!
Keep moving forward!
You must move on
Till the battle's over

Hold high your sword
Honor My name
Carve out your hope
In eternal flame

Verse 2
Tonight, hope is gone
The battle
Draws closer
There is no dawn
For those who die
Fear comes still nearer

Bridge
Carved in stone, carved in flame
The words of my king
Telling me to be strong and face
The danger facing me

Chorus

Verse 3
Will I fall or will I rise?

Will I turn or will I flee?
Will I see dawn’s golden light?
I must finish for my king

Now we meet in full array
I stand hard with all my might
Lord, help me to never sway:
I will see dawn’s light!

Chorus 2 
Keep marching strong!
Keep moving forward!
I must move on
Till the battle's over

The sound is strong:
I’m given vict’ry
I will move on
To heaven’s glory

Our Outcry

This morning's service at church was a prayer meeting. We as a body got on our knees before our Heavenly King and prayed together. And as I prayed, my thoughts took form and meter, and this is what emerged. May it encourage you as it encouraged me.

Our Outcry

We stand in the dark
As chaos lies all around
We cannot stand on our own
We wait for Your Voice to sound

We cannot understand
And so we doubt in fear
We cannot see Your master plan
Oh God, draw ever near

Roll back the clouds, oh God
Let Your glory shine
Turn back the approaching dark
Draw Your dividing line

Stop up the waves of despair
Smash in pieces the encroaching fear
Protect your chosen people
Cast away our sins from here

Pour out instead Your loving grace
Spill out Your wondrous love
Wash us in Your holy power
Turn our eyes to You above

Keep our eyes fixed on You
Let Your people feel your peace
Kings may fall and countries tremble
But Your mercies ever increase

We tremble in Your presence
We fall on our knees in praise
We wait upon Your tender mercy
We rely on Your saving grace

Our outcry rises to Your listening ear
You reach down with loving care
You will always and forever hear
Oh God, draw ever near

Writing to the world

I recently let one of my coworkers read the preliminary draft of Trust Hole, and just the other day she finished. I didn't get a chance to ask her what she thought of it that moment, but a few days later I worked up enough courage to ask, "So? What did you think?"

Now, The Trust Hole is blatantly Christian, (though hopefully not in a bad way). In other words, I preach Christ Jesus and Him crucified pretty hard, but in a way that makes sense to the story. I.e. my main character does not go to a church where he hears a pastor talking... etc. He hears about Christ through those around him, and slowly realizes his need of this Savior his closest friends seem to rely on so much. The way I see it, I exaggerate things in my stories, blowing up small things into bigger things. And when dangers become bigger, worlds stranger, surviving harsher, Christ shines through all the more. People feel no need for a Savior when their lives are going pretty well. It it only when they realize their own inability to cope and their great and utter need for someone to rescue them that they begin looking for someone to turn to. So I blast my characters through the worst I can imagine, sucking my readers (Christian and non-christian) into this roller coaster of a story, and then tie them so strongly to the characters and their journeys that they cannot put the book down, even if I am saying something they do not agree with. In the end, God-willing, it will have effected them in a way they weren't expecting.

So, naturally, I was a bit nervous about hearing what my non-christian co-worker had thought of the book.

"I really liked it! Couldn't put the book down when I first started reading it. Your writing is really clean and moves along nice. I kept thinking as I was reading it what a good movie it would make."
"Any suggestions?"
"Well, the pacing was really fast up to about the last third, then there were about four chapters of Christianity, and then it picked back up again. So maybe work on the pacing there."
"Thanks! That's really helpful"
"Well, you're welcome. Oh, and someone else was wondering if he could read it too. I told him, 'There's the words Jesus Christ in it! You might get saved!'"

We both laughed. But her critique was true, and I went back and checked the story. It could definitely use some pacing around those four chapters; it's a lot of character development, Gospel, and not much action. So I'm going to work on that. I want to "Show, not tell," but at the same time I don't want to be afraid to hold back the truth. It's a fine wire to walk, just as most everything in this life is.

I pray to God that He grants me the ability to craft a story worthy of telling His ultimate Story.