By Sharon Hinck Fun frightens me a bit. As a product of a strong work ethic from both sides of my family, I grew up believing that all work must be completed before indulging in play. Since the work never seemed to end, a time for play rarely felt appropriate. Even when I worked hard enough to earn a little relaxation, I tried to justify this free time to be sure it wasn’t “wasted,” by focusing on activities that were educational or strengthened me for more work. Because of this predisposition, when I’ve spoken about the value of fantasy and …
Sunday Devotional – Breakthroughs
“Let them give thanks to the Lord for his unfailing love and his wonderful deeds for mankind, for he breaks down gates of bronze and cuts through bars of iron.” – Psalm 107:15-16 (NIV) As a writer, there are days when the story gets stuck, when finding words is like fishing in oatmeal, when our own doubts become a bully holding us under the water as we choke and gasp for air. What a gift it is to run to Jesus, to know that He has the power to free us and give us the breakthroughs we need. Lord, we …
Sunday Devotional – Approval
“Am I now trying to win the approval of human beings, or of God? Or am I trying to please people?If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a servant of Christ.” Galatians 1:10 (NIV) As a writer, if I focus too much on pleasing my critique group, my editor, my agent, my readers, reviewers, or some amorphous “them,” I end up paralyzed, defeated, and ineffective. Whatever our calling, Jesus invites us into the beautiful freedom of focusing on Him instead. Lord, I confess I so often hunger for human approval. Change my appetites. Make it …
Sunday Devotional – Lasting Fruit
“You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit—fruit that will last—and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you.” John 15:16 (NIV) I think it’s a longing in every heart to make a difference, to accomplish something each day, to allow God to create something of worth from our lives. We can distract ourselves with chasing activities that feel important in the moment, but Jesus has appointed us for more. He invites us to bear fruit that will last. Lord, show us where …
Sunday Devotional – By Sharon Hinck
“We remember before our God and Father your work produced by faith, your labor prompted by love, and your endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.” I Thessalonians 1:3 (NIV) Whether we work as writers, or serve God through any other means, we need the gift of “by” – the place where our work, labor, and endurance come from. Faith motivates our course, helps us hear God’s call and move. Love fuels the effort as everything in us longs to respond to the grace He pours out to us. And when the road gets tough – and it …
Sunday Devotional – Extravagance
“While Jesus was in Bethany in the home of Simon the Leper, a woman came to him with an alabaster jar of very expensive perfume, which she poured on his head as he was reclining at the table. When the disciples saw this, they were indignant. ‘Why this waste?’ they asked. ‘This perfume could have been sold at a high price and the money given to the poor.’” Matthew 26:6-9 (NIV) In a world full of real human need, art is sometimes seen as an extravagant gesture. Artists spend hours, years, decades, honing their craft and producing their work. Time …
Sunday Devotional – Variety
“Praise him with the sounding of the trumpet, praise him with the harp and lyre, praise him with timbrel and dancing, praise him with the strings and pipe, praise him with the clash of cymbals, praise him with resounding cymbals.” Psalm 150:3-5 (NIV) What strikes me about Psalm 150 is the variety of tones, sounds, and instruments. There are so many things to praise God for – so much to convey – that we need a variety of means to express it all. That’s also why I’m grateful for the variety of genres that Christian writers are using to communicate …
Sunday Devotional – Seeking Him
“God did this so that men would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from each one of us.‘For in him we live and move and have our being.’As some of your own poets have said, ‘We are his offspring.’” Acts. 17:27-28 (NIV1984) God delights in “being found” by us – in revealing Himself to us. He is so awesome and multifaceted that we will never stop discovering new aspects of His mercy, grace, strength, and holiness. I love the moments in writing where a scene, a character, or an event …
Sunday Devotional – Beauty
“And the Lord God made all kinds of trees grow out of the ground–trees that were pleasing to the eye and good for food.” Genesis 2:9a (NIV1984) Reading this verse, I realized God could have created a food source that was a little gray box that popped out fruit as needed. Instead He made a lush variety of shapes, colors, and types of trees–trees that stir as the wind tickles them, trees that change color. In short, He designed trees that are not only utilitarian, but beautiful. Lord, thank You for creating beauty. Help us go beyond utilitarian uses of …