Recently, North Texas Christian Writers honored me by asking me to take on the role of Writing Coach. After I accepted and was talking with my wife about it, a reality about the position hit me: Now there’ll be more meetings I’ll have to go to.
God caught me by my spiritual ear and told me, in His loving way, I needed to make an attitude adjustment. He reminded me of a blog posted by Michael Hyatt on December 12, 2011.
My words have power. What comes out of my mouth impacts how I approach my life. If I “have” to do something, it can quickly become the attitude of a chore or burden. As Michael Hyatt phrased it, it is the language of duty.
A better approach, and what the Lord wanted me to see, is to view the task with the attitude and the perspective that I “get” to do something. This is the language of privilege, according to Mister Hyatt.
I get to do things that bless me and, hopefully, help others.
I get to coach writing groups, to encourage, to share what I’ve learned, and to learn from them. I have the privilege of sitting with other writers and sharing ideas and successes and rejections, of building them up and urging them to keep writing.
This change of attitude and perspective extends beyond my writing.
I don’t have to walk on the treadmill every morning; I get to walk on it, to use it as a tool to keep my body healthy.
I don’t have to meet with my weekly critique group; I get to meet with them and share ideas and discuss my stories and get valuable feedback.
I don’t have to go grocery shopping with my wife; I get to shop with her, to take time from my work to spend time with her, to plan our menu and make wise decisions, grateful we can go to a grocery store and not have to hunt for our food.
God showed me that He puts me in places to serve Him by being involved with and serving others. I don’t have to serve Him; I get to serve Him and He gives me the time, the wisdom and the grace to do it.
You may have to go to meetings–but you’ll be with us and we’re awesome. And fun.
Lori,
Actually, I now get to go to meetings with you and they are so much fun.
Our lives ARE a matter of privilege, getting to do things everyday! Thanks Henry!
I get to be your friend and I’m very grateful to God for that privilege!
And I’m grateful that you are so very, very good at it.
I am not able to come to Texas for this conference, but you are right – you are in a good position to speak blessings and encouragement over writers, and that means a lot. I pray that you touch many lives during this time.
Thank you, Heather
I very much appreciatd and value your prayers.
I like the new plan at NTCW where we have writing coaches. You get to be a coach and help others who struggle with the paths you have already taken.
Thank you, Dorothy.
I think part of God’s plan of being a Christian author is to be ready and available to help others on the same journey.