The Writing Life
The New Year often brings all sorts of resolutions, including ones to read more books. I could offer numerous suggestions for such a decision, but the recommendations would take the better part of the day. Because of that, I narrow the focus. I won’t share my favorite books — an almost impossible task — but my most exquisite books.
[Read more…] about Write Right’s List of Exquisite Books for 2018
Querulous seems a fitting “q” word, mostly because the letter sees little use unless one serves a queen or plays Scrabble. Querulous, though, produces a small Scrabble score with all its vowels and “l” and “s.” A better option would be quiz or quagmire.
Robert Carnes’ devotional The Original Storyteller: Become a Better Storyteller in 30 Days states its intended purpose outright. It is a guide meant to aid writers in both their craft and faith. “Writers” in this case largely refers to novelists and memoirists; the series of devotions focus on matters especially pertinent to them: character development, thematic motifs, foreshadowing, et cetera.
I’ll stand
With arms high
And heart abandoned,
In awe of the One
Who gave it all.
—from The Stand, Hillsong United
I recently read a devotional that said encountering Jesus’ love prompts people to whisper promises and make vows. The idea isn’t wrong, and yet, it seems somehow incomplete. When I read the Bible, I discover people who encounter God and abandon everything in response.
And Mary said, “Behold, the bondslave of the Lord; may it be done to me according to your word.” —Luke 1:38, New American Standard Bible
In Luke 2, the Christmas story of Jesus’ birth, the author reports the shepherds receive the news of Jesus’ arrival and hurry straight to Bethlehem. The shepherds then share the words spoken about the baby boy. They also disclose the messengers of those words: angels, a multitude of the heavenly host.