Valerie Graham

Why Do I Write? (Part 3)

Firstly, I write to crystallize my thoughts to understand the convictions of my heart.

Secondly, I write to express the faith and hope that abides within me as an anchor for my soul.

Now, thirdly, I write to encourage others in the faith and hope that abides within me.

“Joseph, who was also called by the apostles Barnabas (which means son of encouragement)…” [Acts 4:36 ESV]

Barnabas is given a name according to his character, how he lived his life: as an encourager. His interactions with others focused on encouraging them in a myriad of ways: build up in confidence, inspire with hope, comfort in sickness, strengthen in resolve of character, console in loneliness, breathe words of living hope, etc. In this mindset Christ walked as the example He would have us follow.

Paul, also, calls us to this example. So I, too, strive to walk in this example as an encourager to others to be pleasing to God.

“Therefore encourage one another and build one another up….” [1 Thessalonians 5:11 ESV]

One way I desire to encourage is through writing about faith and hope in the Lord Jesus Christ in various forms. In Bible studies, the writing is to present organized thoughts about God’s word that it is true and faithful in all He says and all He does. In poetry, the aim is to show my faith and hope in pictures and verse. In Bible nuggets, the idea is to present a thought to ponder and meditate upon for the day. Then there is the occasional devotional or short story to advance a theme to encourage in God’s holy word.

In choosing this path to tell who God is, I hope to encourage others to see God as the God of encouragement and comfort, and then they share it with still others as He purposes.

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.” [2 Corinthians 1:3-4 ESV]

Therefore, I write to encourage others with the comfort in which I have been comforted by my God. I write to encourage others in the faith and hope that abides within me because of God’s great comfort.

Next time: Why do I write? (Part 4)

Why do I Write? (Part 2)

We have examined the first reason I write: to crystallize my thoughts to understand the convictions of my heart. From this it follows that my writing will be to express these convictions of my heart: what I believe and what is my hope in life.

Secondly, I write to express my faith and hope.

“Keep your heart with all diligence, For out of it spring the issues of life.”
[Proverbs 4:23 NKJV]

The heart is our inner soul from which our thoughts are solidified, emotions are poured forth, and actions are performed. It is truly the center of our being which shapes everything we do. So in a sense what we hide in our heart is who we really are. We do live what we believe in our hearts.

As for me:

“I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.” [Galatians 2:20b NKJV]

And through this faith in Jesus Christ, the Son of God who died for my sins, I rest in His eternal hope:

“For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age, looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself His own special people, zealous for good works.” [Titus 2:11-14 NKJV]

Secondly, I write to express this faith and hope that abides within me as an anchor for my soul [Hebrews 6:19]. It is the greatest treasure and delight of my life to be persuaded that God loves me, desires my highest good of His holiness, and will complete the work of grace He has begun in me. Yes, in Him I live and move and have my very being [Acts 17:28].

Next time: Why do I write? (Part 3)

Why do I write? (Part 1)

As I start this journey, this is a valid question.

Writing is about choosing and collecting words to present thoughts for others to read. Through this process I am hoping to capture words to paper as a way to sort, organize, and develop a flow of meaning to these words for myself that can be presented to others.

I have often noted that I can think thoughts that appear in my mind as perfectly reasonable. Then in my excitement, I pick up my pen and start writing that fantastic thought, only to discover it made no sense at all. That is a letdown. But it is very much a part of writing.

Writing is a means to slow down the thoughts and streamline them to express refined ideas – especially ideas that form tenets of what I believe. It is a means by which I may crystallize my thoughts to understand the convictions of my heart. As I fully understand them for myself, only then can I venture to communicate them to others.

The understanding I seek is rooted in the Lord, His word, His precepts. He must give the understanding. So in seeking this understanding my prayer is: “Lord, Help me understand the meaning of your precepts. … For you broaden my understanding.” [Psalm 119:27, 32 CSB] Unless the Lord gives the understanding to my heart, there is no true understanding. So I write to understand the convictions of my heart toward God.

So, why do I write? Firstly, I write to crystallize my thoughts to understand the convictions of my heart.

Next time: Why do I write? (Part 2)

Sharing a Passion and an Interview

Reading and studying the Bible is exciting to me; it stirs my soul with passion to share what the Lord is graciously teaching me. So leading women’s Bible studies is an outlet to share and learn at the same time. In God’s Word we share its truth from our faith and hope. Then, hopefully, we are challenged by the truth we learn so that our character is transformed to more fully reflect our Savior.

“Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” [2 Timothy 2:15 NKJV]

How we teach God’s Word is of vital importance. It cannot just be a passion, an emotion, an excitement for excitement’s sake. It must be a passion in the right understanding of this holy Word. Because our hearts are so quick to be deceived (Jeremiah 17:9), it is important that we are seeking the Spirit’s wisdom and understanding in rightly handling God’s Word. Therefore, the preparation for leading is time to be guarded that the Lord might fill one with His understanding. Yet, a vital part of the preparation is to marinate in His Word, so that it seeps into the mind and the heart to impact the very foundation of the belief system of the soul.

Often in these times of marinating, soaking, and meditating upon God’s Word my heart is stirred. It overflows with the richness of God’s mercy, grace, love, peace, and abundant goodness. From this outflow I write poems as an expression of the truths that God is instilling deep in my very being.

I collected twenty of these poems for editing by Tell Tell Poetry (Kallie Falandays). This process has now been completed and the collection of poems is titled, “Yet I Will Joy: Poems of Faith and Hope.” (The collection is now at Wipf and Stock Publishers going through the various publication stages.) Kallie did an interview (16 minutes) with me of the editing process of Yet I will Joy and about the book itself. Check it out!

I continue to marvel at God’s goodness as He carries me step by step through this dream of many years of being published. It is truly a work of His abundant mercy and grace to me. My utmost desire is that God be magnified through the work and through me His daughter.

Next time: Why do I write?

Finding Joy in the Word

Thank you for joining me in this blog adventure. It is a journey of “Finding Joy in God’s Word.”

“Your words were found, and I ate them, And Your word was to me the joy and rejoicing of my heart; For I am called by Your name, O Lord God of Hosts.” –Jeremiah 15:16 NKJV

For many years I have had a personal mission statement: “Excite others with a passion and joy for God’s Word and for a desire to live in holiness.” Coupled with this desire in life is a prayer to my Heavenly Father that I might be one who encourages others in their faith in our Lord Jesus Christ.

Therefore encourage one another and build one another up… (1 Thessalonians 5:11 ESV)

So in this journey my desire is to present God’s Holy Word as revealed in the Holy Scriptures in various ways such as lessons, nuggets, stories and poems to encourage your hearts and minds to focus on the Lord Jesus Christ, without Whom we have no hope or joy in life.

Consider this Bible Nugget:

“Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good; Blessed is the man who trusts in Him!” (Psalm 34:8 NKJV) “Your words were found, and I ate them, And Your word was to me the joy and rejoicing of my heart; For I am called by Your name, O LORD God of hosts.” (Jeremiah 15:16 NKJV) Yes, Lord, let me taste Your goodness in Your holy Word today.

Come journey with me in God’s Word as we look at treasures from that Word to find His joy through our life’s journey.