Sundi Jo Graham's Blog, page 51
June 11, 2012
Trying to Understand God
I don’t get God. I don’t understand despite what I do, how He can give me so much grace and mercy. Yet He does.

photo credit: matthew venn (creative commons)
A few nights ago I had myself a mini meltdown. I was tired. I wasn’t feeling well. I got triggered during a phone conversation and completely lost it after I hung up. I saw a side of me I hadn’t seen in a while. Through the snot bubbles and not so Christian words, I realized I probably looked like a complete moron. Turns out I’ve got some heart issues to work on I didn’t know were still there.
Does that ever happen to you? All of a sudden something creeps up inside of you that has you asking, “Where did that come from?”
God and I tend to have some good conversations in the shower, so that’s where I headed. Sure enough, He showed me why I had been triggered. I apologized, asked for forgiveness, apologized again, and kept the circle going. I felt horrible for my behavior. I failed miserably at representing Christ and allowed my raging hormones to dominate my actions.
But there He was – full of grace and mercy, waiting for me. Again.
A friend rubbed my feet as I propped my pillows up in the bed and rested. Then I got a text from the sweetest 11-year old boy I know that read, “I love you and good night :].” I didn’t deserve either one of those gifts, yet I got them anyway.
I closed my eyes to go to sleep that night still plagued by the guilt of my actions the hours before. I once again asked forgiveness. Then God reminded me, not only had He already done so, but He showered me with grace. I was the one holding onto my actions, not Him. Just when I think I start to understand Him, He continues to amaze me.
I wonder how often we hold out on the grace of God or don’t even realize He’s trying to give it to us because we’re too focused on ourselves and the guilt that we’re holding onto. We seek forgiveness then don’t accept it.
He couldn’t really forgive me already right? Don’t I have to sit and feel guilty for at least a week? Isn’t there a rule book somewhere that says our actions have to replay in our mind at least a thousand times before we can accept forgiveness?
Nope. Nope. Nope.
as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us. – Psalm 103:12
I’m not closer to understanding God today than I was yesterday. I think He prefers it that way really.
What’s keeping you from accepting God’s grace today?
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June 7, 2012
Sometimes You Have to Let It Die
From Sundi Jo: This is a guest post by Caleb McNary. He is a writer, husband, father of 2, and an employee at Numana, a non-profit. You can read his blog at calebmcnary.com, and follow him @calebmcnary on Twitter.
The power of life and death is in the tongue. This is an oft-quoted verse, but usually with negative connotations. I’ve never heard someone use it as a positive statement, until now.

photo credit: brandon doran (creative commons)
You see, most of us are wired to hang on to things too long. The phrase “beating a dead horse” wasn’t coined but for good reason. Trying to hold on to perpetual youth and phrases like, “I wish this feeling could last forever” are commonplace.
The fact is we are made to move on. Just like the seasons roll through each year, we too are made to let things go. But we have a problem doing that.
A few years back, I was trying to make a season last longer than it should have. I was beating a dead horse. Eventually I came to terms with the fact that my life situation necessitated a change, I had to declare it dead. Slowly, my heart came into alignment and I was able to mourn the passing of that season, and felt refreshed for what was ahead of me.
I’m not a big “name it and claim it” kind of guy, so don’t misunderstand me. I just think that when we say something is over, our heart is able to move on.
The most important aspect of this is the fact that resurrection can’t happen until death is final. By trying to hang on to something that should be moved on from, we are inadvertently restricting the power of resurrection to bring new life.
Jesus spoke of this often, and even used his life on earth as the reference point,
“Unless a seed enters the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But, if it dies, it produces many seeds (paraphrase of John 12:24).
What I’m saying is that it may be time let something go.
Here are a few things that you may need move on from.
Dreams. This is a tough one. Sometimes the dreams we manufacture aren’t the destiny that God has for us. At least in their current form. For me, it was a business I owned. I dreamed of being able to utilize my various talents and started a photography studio. The pieces were there, but the picture they painted was wrong. It died a slow and terrible (and costly) death. I tried to hang on to it too long, and I incurred debt as a result. When I finally declared it over, I was able to move on and, to my surprise, I found a job that utilized the pieces of my previous dream to a greater degree. Crazy, huh?
Hurtful circumstances. One of the strongest human tendencies is to hang on to hurt for too long. It is proper to mourn for a time, and there is no set timeline for how that should go for each person. But, deep down you know when it is time to forgive the hurt, and declare it dead in your life. Your heart is enabled to let go, and move forward.
Relationships. Possibly the toughest of them all. The fact is, there are just some relationships that need to end. We feel, as Christians, that we are to love everyone, and thereby give them access to our lives. I don’t think this is true, though, the access part anyway. There are some relationships that just need to die. Whether it’s an old friend who drags you into depression by their words or actions, or family members who continue to hurt you despite your strongest admonitions, you have to let them go. Their actions are not your responsibility, but your mental well-being is.
I’m not saying the deaths need to be spectacularly violent. It needs to be as gentle as possible. In one of my “time to die” situations, it was a simple as saying, “I’m sorry, I just can’t do this anymore. It keeps me up at night, steals my joy, and is hurting my family.” In other words, move on as gracefully as possible. You don’t want to burn any bridges, and the seeds of grace that you plant may be the foundations of healing.
On the other side.
You’d be surprised at what kind of new life springs up on the other side of death. When you let go of something, you start to see wonderful new possibilities sprouting to life all around you. The dream that you thought was dead may materialize in a new form. The hurt that you moved on from may find a glorious resolution. The relationship that you buried may open you up to meeting and trusting new people. To quote Jurassic Park, “Life finds a way.” I can’t end on that can I? I guess I’ll have to.
What is something that you need to move on from?
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June 5, 2012
but God….
I’m learning these two words in the Bible may perhaps be among the most popular and powerful. It seems no matter what the struggle, God has an answer. Throughout the Old and New Testaments you see the power of but God brought to life.
Sometimes I cry out to God and it doesn’t seem like I get an answer, but God has surely listened and heard my voice in prayer. (Psalm 66:19)
People claim the Jesus who saved me doesn’t exist, but God raised him from the dead on the third day and caused him to be seen. (Acts 10:40)
Sometimes I get an overwhelming sense of loneliness, yet I’m reminded through the story of Joseph that I’m no alone. Because the patriarchs were jealous of Joseph, they sold him as a slave into Egypt. But God was with him. (Acts 7:9)
I used to think I was unlovable. No one could love me, especially God. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. (Romans 5:8)
I’m human, which means I can be a real jerk sometimes. My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever. (Psalm 73:26)
Where do you need but God today?
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May 31, 2012
Jesus, Sex, Dinosaurs and Banana Pudding
This past Sunday I didn’t have lunch with the usual crowd. We didn’t eat at the usual place.

photo credit: odanata98 (creative commons)
I sat around the table at IHOP with a former food addict, a gentleman who served in Iraqi Freedom, a 19-year old girl adopted from the country of Colombia, a three-year old, dinosaur-loving kid, a woman who once chose alcohol and drugs over taking care of her son, and a man who once ruled the streets of his city as a gang member and drug dealer.
It was one of the best meals I’d had in a long time. There was acceptance, boldness, transparency, and most importantly, the fragrance of forgiveness overpowered the smell of butter pecan syrup, which I’m pretty sure will exist in heaven without the sugar and calories.
We talked about Jesus, sex, dinosaurs and banana pudding. Not all in this order.
As I drove away I was reminded that these were the kind of meals Jesus had. He ate with sinners. He let a prostitute dry his feet with her hair. He spoke truth to the woman at the well. He kept a stone from being thrown at an adulterous woman. He turned a tax collector into a disciple. I was reminded that all of us sitting at that table were forgiven. We had been set free. We were cleansed from unrighteousness.
Seven different personalities ate pancakes, chicken salad, pot roast and french fries while we made Jesus the center of our conversation. God is good!
I remember Sundays that used to look very different. Our conversations revolved around the previous night’s hangover, who got “lucky,” and making plans for the next weekend. I can only imagine God shaking his head in sorrow, looking at a table of broken people searching for significance in all the wrong places.
This past Sunday, however, I know without a doubt that God was smiling, knowing that those around the table that day had found their significance in Him.
I want more of this. I want to eat with those I wouldn’t usually. I want raw conversations about real things. I want to sit around the table with sinners and hope they see Jesus in me. I want to get out of my comfort zone and be around the broken.
I’ve been selfish. I’ve been comfortable. It’s easier that way, isn’t it? But that’s not what God called us to do. We are to go out and make disciples.
How can I make a disciple if I’m already dining with disciples?
What about you? Are you staying in your comfort zone because it’s easier, or are you doing the hard things? Eating with the “sinners?”
Let’s change that.
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Jesus, Sex, Dinosaurs and Banana Pudding is a post from: Sundi Jo
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May 25, 2012
The Shapes of Unrighteousness
From Sundi Jo: This is a guest post by Brandon Howard, writer over at Single Roots , a site that offers many resources to singles, including a review of the top Christian dating sites . For more information on Brandon and his career adventures, keep reading.
I’ve always been a little jealous of Adam. I imagine him running around in his birthday suit in a lush, beautiful garden, eating giant grapes, naming peacocks and koala bears, and playing games with the local wildlife.

photo credit: kecko (creative commons)
“Red rover, red rover, let the cheetah come over!”
As soon as that routine grew boring, one Sunday afternoon after the Father delivered a fantastic sermon and he enjoyed a huge meal, Adam plopped down on the couch in his man cave and took a long nap. Afterwards, he awoke to a hot woman in her birthday suit who wanted nothing more than to spend all her time with him. Now that’s my idea of a Sunday. No man in his right mind gets bored of that. He had it made.
As the story goes, Satan manipulated the woman and Adam showed up shortly thereafter, just in time to passively disobey God in order to appease the woman. Both of them quickly figured out they screwed up and afterwards, bought the lie the devil sells along with sin.
“Then the eyes of both were opened, and they knew that they were naked. And they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves loincloths. And they heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and the man and his wife hid themselves, from the presence of the Lord God among the trees of the garden.” Genesis 3:7-8 ESV
I used to think they were sewing on fig leaves because they didn’t want God to see them naked. Then, after reading the sequence of the scriptures, I realized that didn’t make sense. Never have I gotten up in the morning, prayed, and then stopped to say,
“Uh…God…can you turn around? We’ll resume this after I take my shower.”
However, that time in college when my crush walked into the wrong dressing room that I was using and we both screamed like four-year-old girls, that’s when I could have used some fig leaves. I’ve never felt physically naked in front of God, but I certainly have found myself in some embarrassing situations with the opposite sex.
Something occurred to me. Adam and Eve spent day and night hand-in-hand running all over God’s green earth with nothing on but a smile on and they weren’t the least bit ashamed of themselves. The minute sin was introduced; they couldn’t look down fast enough as they suddenly felt insecure, flawed, and inadequate. The intimacy of their relationship was drastically hindered by sin. Additionally, though running from God is a pointless endeavor, their shame caused them to attempt to hide away from Him too.
Christians engage in two types of sin: proactive and passive. Proactive sin was carried out by Eve when she chose the lies of the enemy over the commandments of her Lord. Christians are called to be spiritually naked before the world, living as Christ-like examples of the freedom we experience through the acquisition of eternal life and ensuing righteousness. Some will spend seasons lying to themselves and to others that they can engage in proactive sin without it affecting their witness or relationship. Ultimately, they become masked and unable to achieve the fullness of their relational callings because of the havoc disobedience causes.
Just as harmful is Adam’s passive sin: sin by association, sin that we just “fall into”, or sin that occurs because we aren’t proactive in standing up for righteousness. The devil is a big fan of passive sin because he convinces us of its harmlessness and yet he invades our minds with guilt so that we feel unworthy to approach the Father. Suddenly, one bad choice spawns a regression in our relationship because Satan has begun to lie to us about our ability to face God.
No matter its source or motivation, sin’s purpose isn’t to momentarily derail you. Satan wants to use it as a seed that grows into a tree of doubt, guilt, lies, and hopelessness ultimately intended to isolate you from others and from God. The spiritual fig leaves that we have to wear in front of others when we proactively associate with sin will provide strong inhibitions for exposing God’s work in our lives as its roots are completely contrary to selfishness and disobedience. All relationships can and will be affected.
Whether you turn toward it, away from it, proactively pursue it, or passively allow it to take root, unrighteousness can be bended and twisted in every way imaginable to mentally, physically, and spiritually isolate us, even as Christians. The enemy has been telling the same lie since the beginning of time, but Adam and Eve didn’t have the greatest gift of all available to them. The righteousness of the Lord cannot be compromised for sin and yet, it immediately overcomes it the minute we stop trying to hide and expose ourselves to His love and forgiveness.
Don’t buy the lie. Stop the collateral damage that sin can cause.
W. Brandon Howard lives in Dallas, TX and is a 2004 graduate of Oral Roberts University. His career has ranged from waiting tables and washing windows to devising advertising strategies for Pizza Hut franchises. During an extended stint on unemployment in 2010, he specifically told God that he would do anything but sell insurance. A few months later, he became a licensed health insurance agent, a position he still holds today. You can follow Brandon on Twitter @brandon_howard.
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May 22, 2012
This World Has Nothing For Me
This has been a very interesting last two days. I barely have recollection of the last 48 hours and I’m not sure what do with that. Tonight I’m finally starting to make heads or tails of what I can remember. I’m still trying to figure out what’s reality and what’s not.

photo credit: meneer zjeroen (creative commons)
Sleeping almost completely through two consecutive days can take its toll on you believe it or not. But right now I’m choosing to celebrate the fact that I’m awake and starting to function again.
But I’m also thinking..
That can be good or bad.
Thinking about death.
Hold on before you think I’m getting all dramatic and pretending these last two days were “the end.” That’s not it at all. But it is on my mind. The last thing I remember is my right side shaking uncontrollably and hearing the nurse say something about a shot. My next memory was almost 24 hours later, seeing my mom holding a spoon full of chocolate pudding, begging me to wake up long enough to eat it. Then I was out again.
So, what does that have to do with death?
While I lay there clueless as to what was happening in the world around me, actually clueless to my own existence, the world kept moving. Cars kept driving. Dogs kept barking. I’m sure a baby or two was born. Television programs stayed on the air. People died. Someone, somewhere went to be with Jesus. It wasn’t me… yet.
Someday it will be. Someday Jesus will call me by name and say, “Sundi Jo, it’s time to go home.” That excites me. If you know Christ, it should excite you too. One of the greatest parts of writing that statement – I’m not afraid.
I used to wake up everyday for years wondering if I would die that day. The word death “scared me to death.” After the drowning of a junior high classmate I waited for the day. I didn’t know Jesus then so I’m pretty grateful the day didn’t come.
But now death doesn’t scare me. Why? Because from the words of Jared Anderson in “Rescue Me,” this world has nothing for me.
I’m reminded of being with my aunt Terra in the hospital as she lay in a coma. The St. Louis Cardinals continued in the World Series. Nurses ended their shifts and went home to be with their families. Radio stations continued to play music 24/7. But she didn’t move – her body didn’t anyway. Why? Because this world had nothing left for her.
Eternity had everything for her.
Someday my eternity is coming. An eternity without pain. Without tears. No guilt. No shame. No secrets. No sadness. Only love. Celebration. Dancing with Jesus. Oh.. and my mom’s fried chicken. Heaven will certainly have her fried chicken.
I still don’t understand everything. The fact that the drugs aren’t completely out of my system may soon reveal this blog post isn’t understandable either. But I’m thanking Jesus for spell check.
Are you excited about eternity or is fear still holding onto you?
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May 16, 2012
Our Last Great Hope [An Interview with Ronnie Floyd]
This is an interview with Pastor Ronnie Floyd, author of Our Last Great Hope and pastor of Cross Church in Northwest Arkansas. In this interview, Ronnie and I talk The Great Commission, taking missions overseas, using social media to teach others about Christ, and more.
Sundi Jo: What inspired you to write Our Last Great Hope?
Ronnie: For most of my ministry, I have been very passionate about telling every person in the world about Jesus Christ and making disciples of all the nations. However, the year that I led the Southern Baptist Convention’s Great Commission Resurgence became a pivotal life-altering moment for me regarding the inspiration that moved me to write this book.
Sundi Jo: You say in the book, “There is one last great hope—for our world, our nation, our children, and our churches. That hope only becomes visible when we become honest, when we define reality rightly.” Can you elaborate on that?
Ronnie: I believe it is easy to deceive ourselves and think more highly of ourselves than we ought to think. Honesty about our spiritual condition is imperative. It is imperative for us personally and as a church. We cannot go where God wants us to go if we do not understand where we are today. We do not need to re-define the reality of our condition, but face the music about where we are today. When we reach that point, we will have the spiritual capacity to go forward with God in an unprecedented manner.
Sundi Jo: What would you say to those who think we need to stay on “our own land” before taking missions overseas?
Ronnie: The world is here in America, but not all of it. The number one issue is not “Who is more lost – someone in Africa or someone in America?” Both are lost. Therefore, THE #1 issue is ACCESS. Each person in the world deserves the privilege of having access to the Gospel. This is why we must go to all the nations, the people groups of the world. We must do all we can to share with them about Christ and, when possible, plant Gospel churches that can carry forth this message for generations to come.
Sundi Jo: How do you handle the opposition from that?
Ronnie: Biblically is the best way to handle opposition. Jesus has told us what to do. Who are we to debate that?
Sundi Jo: You talk about being the child’s model of what it means to believe in God. What changes could parents make in their lives today to make sure that’s happening?
Ronnie: Parents need to be discipling their children. They cannot lead their children to spiritual growth if they themselves are not growing spiritually. A child needs to “catch the faith of their parents” as much as be “taught the faith of their parents.” If we want them to get it, it will be caught more than taught.
Sundi Jo: In a world full of technology and social media, how can these be used as a tool to bring others to Christ, not only in the United States, but also all across the world?
Ronnie: We have access to the world. We need to use it. Gospel opportunities can be created on the web. Gospel communities can be created on the web – groups of people who have questions about God and are seeking the Lord. War rooms can be set up by churches and denominations for the purpose of strategizing to reach the world. Instantaneous interviews can happen globally at any time with missionaries around the world, all for the purpose of creating an appetite to win the world to Christ.
Sundi Jo: You said, “Jesus didn’t teach casual discipleship. He taught that it had a cost, that it required painful decisions, and that at times we need to walk away from other things we might have intended to do.” Have you experienced this – having to walk away from something else and make that painful decision?
Ronnie: I believe any growing Christian pays a price to serve the Lord. We may have to walk away from our own interests, relationships that are non-productive for the Gospel, or habits we inherited or created that have gotten in the way. As people grow, our hearts change, our priorities change, and our desires change. Being a disciple always has a price tag.
Sundi Jo: You’ve authored 20 books. That’s quite an accomplishment. Do you have a favorite?
Ronnie: I have two favorites . Our Last Great Hope is my heart for the most important thing, the Great Commission of Jesus Christ. Ten Things Every Minister Needs to Know is my heart for equipping leaders, and this book has helped thousands of leaders globally.
Sundi Jo: Your story of The Invisible Harvest gave me chill bumps. What would you say to those who think sharing Jesus with others is too hard or won’t have an impact? Or those who don’t feel adequate enough to share the Gospel?
Ronnie: If they will do it, their lives will change. I have just returned from Brazil. I saw college students, high school students, an elite attorney and his wife, and many others share the Gospel and win people to Jesus Christ. Many of these have never had that experience before. God has the harvest ready. He wants us to participate in this harvest. We can pray. We can go. We can win. We can mobilize others to do the same.
What are you doing today to share the Gospel? What tools have you utilized to do so? Comment below…
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Our Last Great Hope [An Interview with Ronnie Floyd] is a post from: Sundi Jo
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May 15, 2012
Beer Bongs, Baseball, and Log Functions
I quit. Again.
I’m a 28-year old college student in a college algebra class with 18-year olds who talk about beer bongs and late nights, while I avoid a nap and dread another talk about log functions. Someone stop the insanity! I think for a moment that maybe I should join the insanity, but memories from my high school partying days make my stomach turn and I’m quick to change my mind.
Today I’m guest posting over at Single Roots. Click here to read the rest of the story.
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May 14, 2012
The Convictions of a “What If” Heart
Right now my heart is hurting. I’m trying to decipher what is guilt and remorse. I’m not sure at this point.
I’m convicted – I know that.

photo credit: shannonyeh.photography (creative commons)
Last night I learned that an old friend of mine from high school was arrested in a drug bust. We’ll call her *Suzy*. She’s a mom. Though I’ve never seen her be a mother, something tells me she is a great one. I remember her heart – she had a big one. When I heard the news, flashbacks of our last day of “friendship” went through my mind and I could feel the stabbing pains in my heart.
I missed her. I prayed for her. I felt horrible.
Today I’m asking myself how much responsiblity I must take for Suzy’s actions. I understand she is responsible for her decisions, as we all are, but that doesn’t mean my choices didn’t affect where she is today.
You see, my selfishness led to the end of our friendship. It was nothing she did. It was all me. My desire to please others. My focus on what others thought about me. My complete stupidity.
In high school our friendship grew pretty tight. We spent a lot of time together. She came from a broken home and I had a mom who loved to be everyone’s mother. She was at my house all the time. She grew to trust me. She told me secrets she didn’t tell others. I did the same. We did good things together, and we also got ourselves into trouble together.
Then came my junior year in high school. The “best” year of my high school life. More parties. More fun. Though I had always hung out with crowds of all kinds (I was a mingler), I started to put my focus more on the “cool” kids. That was never me before. I hung out with the “stoners,” the “preps,” and the in-betweens. But this year was different.
All of a sudden Suzy wasn’t cool anymore. She was in my way. I didn’t have time to be there for her. I didn’t have time to focus on her life, I needed to focus on mine. I saw that others didn’t like her, so I assumed that I couldn’t anymore either. Appearances and popularity started to look more appealing to me for the first time in my life.
I remember the day like it was yesterday and it’s been 12 years. She hollered at me down the hallway and I didn’t even acknowledge her. Three times she said my name, and three times I brushed her off. I remember her saying, “Ok, fine.” That was it. That was the end.
I bailed. I quit. I walked away. For what? Selfishness, pride, people pleasing – the list goes on.
I began to judge her. For what reason? I have no idea. She wasn’t good enough. I judged her actions as I sat in front of my friends’ house in the mornings before school getting stoned. I refused to make eye contact with her as I snuck vodka into the locker room before practice. I didn’t bother to wonder what her struggles were as I stood around a campfire filling up on liquid courage and doing what I did best, making others laugh by being a complete idiot.
I find myself asking, What if? What if I hadn’t given up on her? What if I could have stopped thinking about myself for a minute and remembered all of those intimate moments of friendship we had together? It was all about me.
I miss her. I have missed her for 12 years. Oh how I just want to get on my knees and beg for her forgiveness. To take back the stupidity of my actions. To hug her and tell her how much Jesus loves her. To hurt with her. To laugh with her.
I don’t deserve to be where I am today. I don’t deserve the love God has poured out on me. The forgiveness he has given me. The beautiful, safe friendships he has blessed me with. The parents that love me so much. The talents he has allowed me to use. The comforts he has given me.
I deserve none of it, yet he has given it to me anyway. Today I’m asking for God’s direction. I’m praying for Suzy. I’m begging for her to know God’s love for her. I’m pleading for her to seek God’s face. I desperately want her tomorrow to be better.
Never take your friendships for granted. Stop caring about what others think. None of it matters! It’s all stupid. It breaks hearts. It ruins lives. It causes destruction that could last through generations. It makes the devil smile and that ticks me off.
Have you been there?
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The Convictions of a “What If” Heart is a post from: Sundi Jo
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May 11, 2012
You Are A Writer [Book Review]
It’s a choice, writing is. One that belongs to you and me. We get to choose it (or not) every single day. So whether or not the world hears your message — whether you leave the impact you were born to make — is entirely up to you.” – Jeff Goins
He’s right. This powerful statement doesn’t just pertain to writing though. It goes beyond putting the pen to the paper, or your fingers to the keyboard. It relates to our lives. Our hopes. Our dreams. Our goals.
We make a choice every day whether we will give up or keep going.
To be honest, there are days I give up on writing, then I pick myself back up and keep going. Why? Because whether or not the world hears my message, writing is in my blood. It’s something I was born to do.
In Jeff Goins’ new ebook, You Are a Writer (So Start Acting Like One), he’ll give you a few good punches in the gut with his authenticity and proven steps to not only calling yourself a writer, but actually acting like one.
My gut punch came when I read these words:
At some point in your journey, you find yourself writing for the approval of others, not for pure love of the craft. You’re no longer satisfied with your passion, and there’s nothing you can do about it.”
He read my mind in the process of writing the book. Not long ago I found myself writing for the approval of others. My passion was turning into the need to please others, to live up to unmet expectations I had placed on myself.
But there was something I could do about losing my passion. Stop writing for others and starting writing for myself. So I did that. I quit following the rules. I feel so much better!
Some other topics Jeff covers in the book:
Fear of Failure
Real artists risk failure every time they release their work into the world. If your words are going to matter, you will have to do the same. You will have to let go.”
Branding Yourself
A brand is who you are. But it’s more than that. It’s your truest self. The part people remember.”
The Deception of Multitasking
Multitasking is a myth. You can either create or react. But you can’t do both. Choose wisely.”
Being You
You have to be yourself, to speak in a way that is true to you.”
The book is pretty great. You get the idea. Read it for yourself. Don’t just take my word for it. You won’t regret spending the $4.99.
Here’s my review in short:
Great book full of practical steps and great truth! Whether you’re struggling to call yourself a writer or pursue any dream, You Are a Writer will motivate you to get your butt in gear and stop messing around.
What choice are you making today? To give up or keep going?
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You Are A Writer [Book Review] is a post from: Sundi Jo
P.S. YOU'RE AWESOME!




