If You Want to Change the World

I’m blown away at what God does when we say yes and do it afraid,

says Grace Fox, author of eight books, including Moving from Fear to Freedom, which is both a book and an award-winning DVD-based Bible study.

From writing her first book to her first magazine articles, producing her Bible study DVD to working with an agent and arranging for her own publicist, Grace continues to take one step of faith after another as she seeks to “connect the dots between faith and real life.”

As the guest speaker for last week’s Fraser Valley Christian Writers event, Grace shared story after story of saying yes to God and moving ahead through her fears to follow God’s leading.

I could easily identify with some of the fears she described:

• What if I write and nobody likes it?
• What if I get a contract and can’t fulfill it?
• What if I get a publisher and they never want me again?

The solution, she said, is to “keep our eyes focused on the One who has called us to write anyway.”

As I listened to Grace, I realized that so much of what she had to say applies equally well to writers and non-writers alike.

Whatever our fears, whatever our challenges, whether we write or build houses or pastor or parent or whatever God has placed before us, we find the way forward as we keep our eyes focused on the One who has called us.

I can’t re-produce Grace’s enthusiasm and her wonderful story-telling here, but in between the laughter and marvelling at God’s work in her life, I managed to jot down the following notes to share. Thank you, Grace, for your talk on “Changing the World with Words,” and thank you to the Fraser Valley Christian Writers group for an inspiring evening.

On the power of words, whether spoken or written, to change lives and change the world:

From a wise mind comes wise speech; the words of the wise are persuasive. – Proverbs 16:23

On the power of writing:

If you want to change the world, pick up your pen and write. – Martin Luther

On being a writer:

Even if you’re not writing for publication “out there,” if you’re writing at all–in a journal or the church newsletter–if you’re writing at all, you’re a writer.

On perseverance in writing and in whatever God has called you to:

If God has called you to write, then write and don’t stop until God says so.” – Matt Anderson, Dayspring Cards

On changing the world:

If we’re going to change the world with our words, it’s all based in the fear of the Lord and in our walk with him.

As Grace pointed out, Jesus was the greatest world changer of all time, and even he said his words had been given to him by the Father (John 12:49-50). Jesus used stories and simple words to communicate, words that were truthful, life-giving words that promised rest, peace, comfort, forgiveness, and hope.

How did Jesus know that the words he received were from the Father?  By spending time in God’s presence, abiding as in John 15.

We can be experts at serving God but novices at being His friend.” – Bruce Wilkinson

Writing a Reader’s Digest true life story gave Grace the opportunity to talk with people who had experienced trauma and who poured out their heart to her:

There’s a whole lot more to writing than writing. It’s being there for people who have been through trauma.

I especially appreciated Grace’s affirmation that ran throughout her talk:

I’m blown away at what God does when we say yes and do it afraid. If you need to talk to someone, then do it. If you just need to step out of the boat, do it. Do it well and leave the results up to God. I did it afraid.

Your Turn: What is God calling you to, and are you doing it afraid? May you continue to abide in Christ and draw strength from the deep well of the Holy Spirit. May God give you courage to take that next step, and faith to leave the results to God. May the Lord bless you and keep you, and lead you forward. Amen.

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