#ThursdayThoughts with Carol James
Good Morning!
Last month I introduced to you a new-to-me guest when Carol James shared treasures with us, so please welcome her back to share some thoughts....
The Power of Words “The pen is mightier than the sword.” I remember the first time I heard these words in school. We discussed how, in using words to change a person’s thoughts, you can transform the heart. Words, not swords, have the power to cause heart-change. That one idea began my love affair with words. Several years ago, a friend invited me to a Beth Moore conference. It was a time when my life was in a drought. Certain God had called me into a new ministry, I’d begun writing. After numerous rejections and some harsh critiques, which all writers receive, I began to question my decision. Writing was too much work. Too hard. Too painful. If I wasn’t being successful, maybe I hadn’t been called. In addition to the mental pain, I’d been having unexplained back problems, and the thought of sitting for hours in a stadium seat was torturous. But . . . I went, because time with my friend was priceless. As we entered the huge arena, I recognized the background music. It was a recorded song written and sung by my church’s worship pastor, Aaron Keyes. Sovereign Over Us. What a fun coincidence! Of all the recordings they could have chosen, one by a person I knew. A song I’d sung many times in church. We found our seats. Mine had an envelope on it. I glanced around the huge convention center. Each seat held an envelope. Thousands of seats, thousands of envelopes.
I opened mine. Snoopy. I love Snoopy. Sitting at a typewriter and struggling to find the right words.
Then I opened the card. Someone had handwritten a Bible verse inside. “Heal me, Lord, and I will be healed. Save me and I will be saved, for you are the one I praise. Jeremiah 17:14”
The song about God’s sovereignty, the verse about healing, even the typewriter, for goodness sake. I can’t remember what Beth Moore spoke about that weekend. I’m sure it was fabulous. But I will never forget what God said to me through the song and the card. The words were streams in my wasteland. Oh, the power of words! We all have the responsibility to use our words for good. To encourage, to build up. Especially as writers. I often struggle with finding the perfect word to express an idea, simply because my task is to use words not only to tell a story, but also to show God’s love. When the angels appeared to the shepherds, their words struck fear. Yet, the shepherds were obedient and went to the manger, and the words they heeded changed them forever. Words. Powerful. Life-changing.Maybe that’s why John tells us Jesus is the Word. In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. John 1:1,14
Wow, so true, Carol and how sweet! Thanks for sharing!
Carol James is an author of inspirational fiction. She lives in a small town outside of Atlanta, Georgia with her husband, Jim, and a perky Jack Russell "Terrorist," Zoe.
Having always loved intriguing stories with happy endings, she was moved to begin writing to encourage others as she'd been encouraged by the works of other authors.Her upcoming novel, The Waiting , will be available January, 2019.Her Christmas novella, Mary’s Christmas Surprise , is currently available on Amazon and on the Pelican Book Group website.
Connect with Carol at:www.carol-james.comFacebook.com/CarolJamesAuthorhttps://www.instagram.com/caroljamesauthorhttps://twitter.com/CarolJamesAuth
Thank you so much Carol for sharing with us.
I hope you enjoyed the post friends and that you'll check back for more Tuesday Treasures, Thursday Thoughts and Saturday Spotlights.
Until next time good luck and God's blessings!
PamT
Last month I introduced to you a new-to-me guest when Carol James shared treasures with us, so please welcome her back to share some thoughts....
The Power of Words “The pen is mightier than the sword.” I remember the first time I heard these words in school. We discussed how, in using words to change a person’s thoughts, you can transform the heart. Words, not swords, have the power to cause heart-change. That one idea began my love affair with words. Several years ago, a friend invited me to a Beth Moore conference. It was a time when my life was in a drought. Certain God had called me into a new ministry, I’d begun writing. After numerous rejections and some harsh critiques, which all writers receive, I began to question my decision. Writing was too much work. Too hard. Too painful. If I wasn’t being successful, maybe I hadn’t been called. In addition to the mental pain, I’d been having unexplained back problems, and the thought of sitting for hours in a stadium seat was torturous. But . . . I went, because time with my friend was priceless. As we entered the huge arena, I recognized the background music. It was a recorded song written and sung by my church’s worship pastor, Aaron Keyes. Sovereign Over Us. What a fun coincidence! Of all the recordings they could have chosen, one by a person I knew. A song I’d sung many times in church. We found our seats. Mine had an envelope on it. I glanced around the huge convention center. Each seat held an envelope. Thousands of seats, thousands of envelopes.
I opened mine. Snoopy. I love Snoopy. Sitting at a typewriter and struggling to find the right words. Then I opened the card. Someone had handwritten a Bible verse inside. “Heal me, Lord, and I will be healed. Save me and I will be saved, for you are the one I praise. Jeremiah 17:14”
The song about God’s sovereignty, the verse about healing, even the typewriter, for goodness sake. I can’t remember what Beth Moore spoke about that weekend. I’m sure it was fabulous. But I will never forget what God said to me through the song and the card. The words were streams in my wasteland. Oh, the power of words! We all have the responsibility to use our words for good. To encourage, to build up. Especially as writers. I often struggle with finding the perfect word to express an idea, simply because my task is to use words not only to tell a story, but also to show God’s love. When the angels appeared to the shepherds, their words struck fear. Yet, the shepherds were obedient and went to the manger, and the words they heeded changed them forever. Words. Powerful. Life-changing.Maybe that’s why John tells us Jesus is the Word. In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. John 1:1,14
Wow, so true, Carol and how sweet! Thanks for sharing!
Carol James is an author of inspirational fiction. She lives in a small town outside of Atlanta, Georgia with her husband, Jim, and a perky Jack Russell "Terrorist," Zoe.Having always loved intriguing stories with happy endings, she was moved to begin writing to encourage others as she'd been encouraged by the works of other authors.Her upcoming novel, The Waiting , will be available January, 2019.Her Christmas novella, Mary’s Christmas Surprise , is currently available on Amazon and on the Pelican Book Group website.
Connect with Carol at:www.carol-james.comFacebook.com/CarolJamesAuthorhttps://www.instagram.com/caroljamesauthorhttps://twitter.com/CarolJamesAuth
Thank you so much Carol for sharing with us.
I hope you enjoyed the post friends and that you'll check back for more Tuesday Treasures, Thursday Thoughts and Saturday Spotlights.
Until next time good luck and God's blessings!
PamT
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