More than Writers

I did a double take when I saw the sign pictured below. I was shopping in Dunelm and there, in the middle of the shop, was a sign that read ‘Jesus’. I was quite excited!  Then I realised what it actually said. Keys (!). The Jesus/Key sign brought to mind Revelation: This is the message from the one who is holy and true, the one who has the key of David. What he opens, no one can close; and what he closes, no one can open Revelation 3:7 I googled the definition of ‘key’ -  KEY | English meaning - Cambridge Dictionary Here are a few definitions from the link, you may like to consider more. Key: ‘a set of musical notes based on one particular note’ Wouldn’t it be wonderful if our writing were played/written in ‘Jesus Key’? A set of words based on Jesus. Key: ‘a list of the symbols used in a map or book with explanations of what they mean’ Those of us who write devotionally seek to illuminate the Bible. Writing in Jesus Key means seeing Him in verses...

  By Lesley Hargreaves I was doing a bit of doom scrolling this week - as is my wont. Well done if it's something you never do. It's a bad habit, but there are worse. Mainly, I find myself reading instructions on how to reinvent myself in 5 easy steps or cooking instructions for chicken stuffing balls or watching Victoria Wood be a genius. However, this week I came across a clip of Emma Thompson being interviewed. She was explaining how irritating she found it as a writer when the Internet kept offering to check and correct her work. She also explained that she writes using a pen and paper because she feels that there is a connection between the brain and the hand. Without pretending to have any sort of scientific light to shed on this theory, I would say that she may well be right. For one thing, when you are writing with a pen, it slows you down. That may well make the act more thoughtful and add depth. Certainly, if I want to memorise something, I find that writing it down h...

I have a confession: I forget things. Important things like picking up my kids (more on that later). Brilliant story ideas that come to me at 3am (why is it always 3am?) The perfect turn of phrase that would have made that paragraph sing. But worse than that, I forget spiritual truths. I forget who God is. I forget to be loyal when it's inconvenient and faithful when it's hard. Apparently, I'm not alone in this struggle. The Verse Before the Famous One Everyone knows Proverbs 3:5-6: 'Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding...' It's a go-to verse for many and was the basis for the ACW autumn competition that I'm sure you all entered (ahem). But have you noticed what comes right before it? 'Never let loyalty and faithfulness leave you. Tie them around your neck; write them on the tablet of your heart...'  Proverbs 3:3, CSB This is a command, not a suggestion. Never let loyalty and faithfulness leave us. These ar...

  Photo  by   Taylor Heery   on   Unsplash I took delivery of a very exciting parcel the other day. My favourite online stationery shop was offering Black Friday ‘mystery boxes,’ containing a range of surprise items, from art materials to pens. I do love a fountain pen, and the box contained not one, but two. I also got a beautiful bottle of blue ink, with a slight golden shimmer, which will join the little collection on my desk. I even got a pair of socks with a fountain pen pattern! I suspect I’m not alone amongst ACW members and writers in general, having a quiet love for stationery. I’m pretty sure it’s also a genetic trait. My 8-year-old can spot a shop selling her beloved Legami pens a mile off and, if we are in a hurry, I have to make sure we avoid passing WHSmith.  Writing with lovely tools can be a joy, elevating even mundane tasks. When I was a junior doctor, back in the days when patient notes were paper-based, I always carried a couple of i...

  Do you remember the magic eye pictures so popular in the 90’s? The idea was to stare at a the pattern in a particular way until you are looking through. It’s not always easy and some find it impossible, but when you hit that spot of viewing there is that aha moment when suddenly a 3d image pops out of the chaos of the pattern. This morning was a day off, it didn’t start well, I wasn’t feeling great about my writing. My week had been interrupted by unexpected but important things. Times I’d set aside to prepare a preach had been eaten into. I could feel my stress levels rising.   I decided to get my housework out of the way. I often get through my least favourite tasks by listening to an audio book. It was while I was listening that I was reminded of magic eye pictures. The author was talking about perspective. The way that when we look at magic eye pictures, we need to change the way we look at the pattern in order to see what is within. He reminded me that what ever my ci...

For this month’s blog, on behalf of my group Green Pastures Christian Writers, I thought I’d tell you about a recent workshop I ran, not too far from where I live. Some of you may know that I lead residential writing retreats, and a friend suggested a couple of years ago that I put on something called Writing for Recovery. It was all the encouragement I needed, and this year’s workshop was the third of its kind that I’ve led. I realise I’m probably preaching to the converted here, but writing really does help our mental health and general well-being. The tagline for my event is ‘getting it out of your head and onto the page’ and, of course, that’s literally what it does. When you google the topic, you’ll discover there’s some science behind the connection of our pen to the page. It does something good in our brains, as well as getting those all-consuming thoughts untangled. Any of us who have kept a journal, or done Julia Cameron’s inspired ‘Morning Pages’ will attest to the benefits o...