As I Write for You
by Penny Frost McGinnis
When Dad sat at the head of our supper table, the odors of his workday mingled with the scents of the meal Mom had prepared. His attempts to wash up failed to remove oily and metallic smells. As a welder, he mended our neighbors’ farm equipment and occasionally created art from the scraps.
Dad trained to be a welder. He didn’t wake up one morning and decide he would fix metal. Before he opened his own business, he worked in jobs where he could learn and practice the skill. He repaired our neighbors’ farm implements using the skills he acquired and practiced. He sometimes created metal art pieces to showcase his abilities.
Whatever he did, he worked at it with all of his heart. By example, Dad and Mom instilled their work ethics in me and my siblings.
God called me to pen the words he inspires. Whether I write devotions, book reviews, or my novel-in-progress, the hope to be published dangles in front of me like the proverbial carrot. I’ve had to get past the glamour of publication and focus on the joy of following God’s call as I learned the nuts and bolts of writing.
Through the years, I’ve grown to understand why I need to learn how to make my writing effective. Yes, God will open doors and his timing is not mine, but if I never type a word, read a how-to book, or listen to a podcast that improves my skills, how can I ask God to help me? So much time, and sometimes tears, go into hours of learning the craft and putting pen to page. When discouragement taps me on the shoulder, I set my eyes on Jesus, and he confirms his calling through prayer and Bible reading.
After years of study and faith, I rise each morning and face the day ahead with hope and assurance that God has created me to write for him. I’m thankful for God’s sovereignty and the way he meets me where I am. He has equipped me to write for him, and I have faith he will open the doors when the time is right.
Lord, help me prepare myself for your work as I write for you. Amen.
If Penny Frost McGinnis could inhabit a lighthouse, she would. Instead, she’s content to reside with her husband in southwest Ohio and visit Lake Erie often. She adores her family, indulges in dark chocolate, and grows a tiny garden. Find Penny at PennyFrostMcGinnis.com. Sign up for her newsletter at Hope for Today’s Heart.