Someone Else’s Work

 “Will you come again?” 

Today, perhaps even as you read this, I will be visiting a nursery school. 

I’ve visited once before, to read them my book, Also Made. 

And they invited me back. 

Trouble is, I don’t have any other picture books. 

I replied saying that I’d be happy to come and read to the children again, but that I’d have to read someone else's work. 

That was fine with them, which is why – perhaps even now – I am reading to the children. 

 

They were happy for me to read someone else’s work. 

Are we happy to write someone else’s work? 

 

I’m currently working on a devotional book. 

(Probably not literally currently, see above.) 

The other morning, God said to me; 

“I’m excited to show you what we’re going to write today.” 

Just like that. 

As I cleaned my teeth. 

I’m glad I have a God who speaks into normal. 

Who magnifies the mundane. 

 

Later, I sat down to write, and I caught His excitement. 

 

Are we happy to write Someone Else’s work? 

I am. And I’m so grateful He lets me do so. 

 

I was recently discussing signatures with my 8-year-old niece.

Her name, like mine, begins with an ‘E’.

We both signed our names on a piece of paper. She took it, comparing our signatures.

She scrutinised mine for a while, then picked up the pen and wrote an ‘E’ in the way I had. 

A while later, I spotted the following, in a family birthday card: 

 

The ‘E’ looks familiar. Our signatures are merging! 

The starting point is becoming increasingly similar. 

 

I’m excited to show you what we’re going to write today.

 

How similar is our starting point to God’s starting point when we write? 

How similar are the after-starting points, too.... 

 I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go;

I will counsel you with my loving eye on you. 

Psalm 32:8