Great Writers Series: Serve

~~ 1 Peter 4:10-11 (NIV1984) ~~  Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God’s grace in its various forms. If anyone speaks, he should do it as one speaking the very words of God. If anyone serves, he should do it with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen.   



by Carley Cooper

Yay!  I made it to the end.  It’s the fifteen, and final, habit in the 15 Habits of Great Writers challenge.  The habits we talked about were: Declare, Believe, Initiate, Practice, Prepare, Steal, Start Ugly, Build, Connect, Share Others Work, Declutter, Provoke, Publish, and Brand.  The final habit of great writers, our challenge host, Jeff Goins, tells us is to Serve.    

He says “It takes more than words to make a writer great.  A great writer is selfless.  He doesn’t look to his own needs, but finds a way to help others.  He’s a servant.”   I read that statement in the daily challenge email and my first thought was “Wow.  That’s the description of  a disciple of Jesus.”  He continues on to say that “One of the biggest questions other writers ask me all the time is, “What do I write about?”  The wrong answer is whatever you want to write about.”  We are to write for ourselves but with the purpose of serving others. 

This description is what Worship Melodies is all about.  I pray, and try very hard, with each and every post, to let God lead me.  He even picked out the website theme!  This is one way that I choose to do a ministry to Jesus; to use my talent for words, that He gave me, for His purpose.  I want to do my part to further His kingdom, to fulfill my responsibility as His disciple by spreading the gospel.  Showing others, who are on their own road leading to God, my insight or how I have overcome a speed bump they’re currently caught on is how He has led me to help other people.  

I am helping others, which means I am serving them, but I am doing that because I am serving Him first.  I didn’t have to ask “What do I write about?” because I knew the answer already.  I write about God’s Word.  The old saying “write about what you know”, and a book called If You CanTalk, You Can Write by Joel Saltzman, led me to write about my life, and how I am trying to understand and apply God’s Word.  When people see that others are going through problems similar to their own, they don’t feel so alone.  It’s not only the habit of a great writer to be selfless, it’s the habit of a great human being.  It’s what we are called to be if we are to truly live according to how God wants us to live.  Helping others through writing about the Bible gives me a never ending source of subjects to write about.  Literally.  There is nothing that we need to know about in this lifetime that God doesn’t answer for us in the Bible. 

The challenge for today was to serve the reader by being generous.  Do this, Goins suggested,  by giving away a product or service (which, as it turns out I just did recently in my Birthday Gift Give-Away), or to write something important and give it away as an ebook (again, this was something I’ve already planned.  I have a couple of ebook projects started, and ideas for a couple more.  They are just not completed yet). 

I have made it to the end of this challenge.  I am happy about that.  It’s been enlightening, encouraging, and challenging.  Each day in this series has  shown me that I am on the right track, which is confirmation from God that He is indeed leading me.  Every day has also taught me a lesson, which I have in turn used to help others by writing about it; which means singing His praises, and thereby fulfilling Worship Melodies purpose.    



~~ Dear God ~~  Thank You for the gifts of enlightenment, encouragement, and for the challenge.  Serving others as a way to serve and honor You is a blessing.  Please continue to lead me on this journey, and I pray that I will get closer to You with each and every day.  In Jesus name, AMEN.



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