The Writer's Fruit of the Spirit
September 2, 2008
There's a saying that goes something like, "The fruit doesn't fall far from the tree." Hmmm...
In Galatians 5, Paul says we identify ourselves to the world by how we live, whether in the sinful nature or the nature of the Holy Spirit. The evidence of that nature is visible for all to see. It confirms our heritage, our roots.
What does the world see when it looks at us? What does it see as it watches us deal with each other as writers? Jealousy, discord, selfish ambition, and gossip announce that we’re walking in the sinful nature.
But Galatians 5:22-24 says:. . . the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires.
The Fruit of the Spirit. I’d heard that phrase all my life. I could even stand up in church and quote the verse word for word. But for years, those who knew me could look at the evidence, and it was telling a different story. It was telling of selfishness and greed and rudeness. Of pride and fear and self-centeredness. On the day I came face-to-face with the attitudes of my heart, I was shocked. I was ashamed.
Friends, the Fruit of the Spirit is not a list of nice things we should try to do. Neither is it a collection of possible gifts we may or may not have. Instead, this is God’s command to those of us who belong to Christ Jesus: to crucify the sinful nature and the evidence it produces.
Crucify is such an ugly word, but that’s exactly what we have to do. We have to kill that sinful nature with all its ugliness, and put on the image of Christ. And that includes in our writing relationships. In other words, can we:
Love the person who lands another fast contract when we’re still waiting for our first?
Find joy in the midst of our poor sales?
Claim His peace when we find another rejection in the inbox?
Be patient with the person who doesn’t deliver what he promised?
Be kind to the new writer who wants us to teach her in 15 minutes what it has taken us 10 years to learn?
Demonstrate a heart of goodness by sharing our leads, our resources, and our contacts with other writers?
Be faithful to pray for those we promised to pray for?
Let the gentleness of our Servant-Savior, Jesus, come through our words, whether written or spoken?
Use self-control to avoid hogging the conversation with faculty at conference meals?
There it is—the Writer’s Guide to the Fruit of the Spirit. If others can see His fruit in us, our words are more likely to bear fruit for Him.
And isn’t that why we write?
Let's not fall far from our Tree.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
And the Winner Is…The winner of Marty Norman’s awesome book, Generation G - Advice for Savvy Grandmothers Who Will Never Go Gray, is…Andrea Merrell! Congratulations, Andrea. Be sure to email me with your address and I’ll forward it along to Marty. I can tell you from experience, you’re in for a treat, my friend!
Hey what about the rest of you? Wish you were the winner? You could be next! We have an author interview and book give away every 4th Tuesday. All you have to do to enter the drawing is to leave a comment. Someone’s going to win every month. It might as well be you!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Do You Have a Success to Share?
Next week is Kudos Week. If you’ve gotten a new contract, a book has been released, an article published, a new writing gig, or any other writing or speaking achievement, we want to celebrate with you! But we can’t celebrate if we don’t know about it.
All you have to do is email me with the details and I’ll announce it next week. Just put “Kudos” in the subject line. Be sure to include your state and any book covers, links, websites, and any other information that the readers need to know. Can’t wait to see what you’ve all been up to!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Could We Get Together?
As I mentioned last month, several have emailed, asking if I’ll be in their area, so I've decided to list any upcoming events in the next two months that are open to the public. I hope you'll check the list and see if we could connect. I'd love to see you!
September 4: Buford UMC Women's Event, Gaffney, SC, 864-489-7183
September 6: Antioch Presbyterian Church Women's Workshop, Goldsboro, NC 919-735-3623
September 11: Mauldin First Baptist Church Ladies' Night Out, Mauldin, SC, 864-288-7835
September 12-13: NC Women's Prayer Evangelism Conference, Ridgecrest, NC, 1-800-588-7222
September 17: Fourth Presbyterian Church Fellowship, Greenville, SC 864-232-8123
September 19-20: Aiken Children's Book Festival, Aiken, SC, 803-643-3198
September 25: Philippi Baptist Church Women's Event, Union, SC, 864-427-8726
September 26-27: Christian Author's Guild Writer's Conference, Woodstock, GA
October 3: Take Fridays Off, The Firehouse Inn, Rutherfordton, NC
October 10-11: Celebrating Womanhood Women’s Event, Redeemer Community Church, Katy, TX, 281-371-2156
October 16-19: The Christian Writer’s Den Writing Retreat for Women, Todd, NC (We’re currently full, but have a waiting list. You may still be able to go!) Email me for more details.
October 22-26: Glorieta Christian Writers Conference, Santa Fe, NM
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
It's Not Too Late to Plan YOUR Cruise!
I just talked to Emily Hightower of Hightower Cruises and they still have a few rooms available for the Spring in the Son Cruise! I hope you'll join me and lots of Christian musicians, singing groups, comedians, speakers and teachers as we sail the seas and have some good, clean fun. Believe it or not, I'll be emceeing and (hopefully) entertaining you every evening, as well as teaching some classes.
But remember, no one's going to be checking the roll. If you just want to hang out on the deck all week, you just go right ahead! But you can't take part in any of the special Christian activities, including the entertainment, unless you book your cruise through Hightower Cruises.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Well, that does it for another installment of The Christian Writer’s Den. I hope you’ll come back next week as we answer the question: "Do I Need an Agent?"
I leave you with these encouraging words from Paul:
Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Galatians 6:9
I pray God’s blessing on the work of your hands and your hearts,
Vonda
There's a saying that goes something like, "The fruit doesn't fall far from the tree." Hmmm...
In Galatians 5, Paul says we identify ourselves to the world by how we live, whether in the sinful nature or the nature of the Holy Spirit. The evidence of that nature is visible for all to see. It confirms our heritage, our roots.
What does the world see when it looks at us? What does it see as it watches us deal with each other as writers? Jealousy, discord, selfish ambition, and gossip announce that we’re walking in the sinful nature.
But Galatians 5:22-24 says:. . . the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires.
The Fruit of the Spirit. I’d heard that phrase all my life. I could even stand up in church and quote the verse word for word. But for years, those who knew me could look at the evidence, and it was telling a different story. It was telling of selfishness and greed and rudeness. Of pride and fear and self-centeredness. On the day I came face-to-face with the attitudes of my heart, I was shocked. I was ashamed.
Friends, the Fruit of the Spirit is not a list of nice things we should try to do. Neither is it a collection of possible gifts we may or may not have. Instead, this is God’s command to those of us who belong to Christ Jesus: to crucify the sinful nature and the evidence it produces.
Crucify is such an ugly word, but that’s exactly what we have to do. We have to kill that sinful nature with all its ugliness, and put on the image of Christ. And that includes in our writing relationships. In other words, can we:
Love the person who lands another fast contract when we’re still waiting for our first?
Find joy in the midst of our poor sales?
Claim His peace when we find another rejection in the inbox?
Be patient with the person who doesn’t deliver what he promised?
Be kind to the new writer who wants us to teach her in 15 minutes what it has taken us 10 years to learn?
Demonstrate a heart of goodness by sharing our leads, our resources, and our contacts with other writers?
Be faithful to pray for those we promised to pray for?
Let the gentleness of our Servant-Savior, Jesus, come through our words, whether written or spoken?
Use self-control to avoid hogging the conversation with faculty at conference meals?
There it is—the Writer’s Guide to the Fruit of the Spirit. If others can see His fruit in us, our words are more likely to bear fruit for Him.
And isn’t that why we write?
Let's not fall far from our Tree.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
And the Winner Is…The winner of Marty Norman’s awesome book, Generation G - Advice for Savvy Grandmothers Who Will Never Go Gray, is…Andrea Merrell! Congratulations, Andrea. Be sure to email me with your address and I’ll forward it along to Marty. I can tell you from experience, you’re in for a treat, my friend!
Hey what about the rest of you? Wish you were the winner? You could be next! We have an author interview and book give away every 4th Tuesday. All you have to do to enter the drawing is to leave a comment. Someone’s going to win every month. It might as well be you!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Do You Have a Success to Share?
Next week is Kudos Week. If you’ve gotten a new contract, a book has been released, an article published, a new writing gig, or any other writing or speaking achievement, we want to celebrate with you! But we can’t celebrate if we don’t know about it.
All you have to do is email me with the details and I’ll announce it next week. Just put “Kudos” in the subject line. Be sure to include your state and any book covers, links, websites, and any other information that the readers need to know. Can’t wait to see what you’ve all been up to!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Could We Get Together?
As I mentioned last month, several have emailed, asking if I’ll be in their area, so I've decided to list any upcoming events in the next two months that are open to the public. I hope you'll check the list and see if we could connect. I'd love to see you!
September 4: Buford UMC Women's Event, Gaffney, SC, 864-489-7183
September 6: Antioch Presbyterian Church Women's Workshop, Goldsboro, NC 919-735-3623
September 11: Mauldin First Baptist Church Ladies' Night Out, Mauldin, SC, 864-288-7835
September 12-13: NC Women's Prayer Evangelism Conference, Ridgecrest, NC, 1-800-588-7222
September 17: Fourth Presbyterian Church Fellowship, Greenville, SC 864-232-8123
September 19-20: Aiken Children's Book Festival, Aiken, SC, 803-643-3198
September 25: Philippi Baptist Church Women's Event, Union, SC, 864-427-8726
September 26-27: Christian Author's Guild Writer's Conference, Woodstock, GA
October 3: Take Fridays Off, The Firehouse Inn, Rutherfordton, NC
October 10-11: Celebrating Womanhood Women’s Event, Redeemer Community Church, Katy, TX, 281-371-2156
October 16-19: The Christian Writer’s Den Writing Retreat for Women, Todd, NC (We’re currently full, but have a waiting list. You may still be able to go!) Email me for more details.
October 22-26: Glorieta Christian Writers Conference, Santa Fe, NM
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
It's Not Too Late to Plan YOUR Cruise!
I just talked to Emily Hightower of Hightower Cruises and they still have a few rooms available for the Spring in the Son Cruise! I hope you'll join me and lots of Christian musicians, singing groups, comedians, speakers and teachers as we sail the seas and have some good, clean fun. Believe it or not, I'll be emceeing and (hopefully) entertaining you every evening, as well as teaching some classes.
But remember, no one's going to be checking the roll. If you just want to hang out on the deck all week, you just go right ahead! But you can't take part in any of the special Christian activities, including the entertainment, unless you book your cruise through Hightower Cruises.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Well, that does it for another installment of The Christian Writer’s Den. I hope you’ll come back next week as we answer the question: "Do I Need an Agent?"
I leave you with these encouraging words from Paul:
Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Galatians 6:9
I pray God’s blessing on the work of your hands and your hearts,
Vonda
Add a Comment
-
Comment by He Won My Heart on September 8, 2008 at 7:38pm - Amen sister! Moment by moment walking with the Lord!
-
Comment by Vonda Skelton, Celebrate Moms Support Team on September 8, 2008 at 7:23pm
-
Thanks for your comment, Shannon "J". It's a constant evaluation of our hearts and motives, isn't it?
Blessings,
Vonda
www.VondaSkelton.com
-
Comment by He Won My Heart on September 8, 2008 at 7:19pm
-
Vonda,
You are soooooo right when it comes to recognizing what fruit we are actually showing to others. The whole time I read your blog this week one verse came to mind..."I am crucified in Christ therfore I no longer live, but Jesus Christ now lives in me." I know Paul said it, but I can't recall the location of the verse at this moment. Thanks for reminding us to do a self-check being sure our hearts are in the right place for the right reasons!
Love Ya,
hewonmyheart
Shannon "J"
© 2009 Created by Celebrate Moms Admin on Ning. Create a Ning Network!
You need to be a member of CelebrateMoms.org to add comments!
Join this Ning Network