By DiAnn Mills @diannmills
Today begins our first Faith Friday post. For the next nine weeks, we’ll be exploring our relationship with God as writers for Him by using the acronym A-D-V-E-N-T-U-R-E
Today, we want to dwell on the letter A: Accept the call from God as a personal invitation to follow Him. A writer cannot write for God unless he/she first establishes God as priority.
This has a two-fold meaning for us: we embrace God’s gift of eternal life through faith in His Son Jesus Christ and His work on the cross, and we believe Jesus is the only way to heaven.
This isn’t a get-out-of-the-other-place-free card. Accepting the call to trust our Lord and Savior forever means a commitment and a responsibility that carries on into eternity. We’re pumped! Ready to begin so we can finish strong.
The time in-between yes to God and welcome to your new home in heaven can be a challenge. When our family and friends ridicule us for our beliefs and our stand against evil, eternity seems like a long way off. Sometimes in our misery, we forget God is with us. Guilt and shame send us running for cover, much like Adam and Eve did when they sinned. But there is always assurance because our acceptance comes with unconditional love. We humbly ask for forgiveness and focus on obedience. We strive to live our lives as we want to be treated with love and respect.
Our writing isn’t easy, and the family and friends who ridiculed us for our faith now sound like a chorus of naysayers in our commitment to learn the craft of writing.
You’re not alone. The Creator and Author of the Bible is with you.
Here are a few more A’s to help you when the path is riddled with rocks.
- We acknowledge our need for a Savior who will not desert us in times of crisis.
- We adopt God’s ways as our own.
- We adhere to Scripture as our handbook of life.
- We adjust our thinking to the way of our God and Savior.
- We agree our rebellious ways only push us farther from God.
Prayer – Heavenly Father, I accept what Jesus did on the cross for my sins. Help me to live as You purposed. Thank You for loving me. Amen
What can we do to ensure our acceptance of Jesus as our Lord and our calling as a writer are not an emotional moment?
DiAnn Mills is a bestselling author who believes her readers should expect an adventure. Her 
titles have appeared on the CBA and ECPA bestseller lists; won two Christy Awards; and been finalists for the RITA, Daphne Du Maurier, Inspirational Readers’ Choice, and Carol award contests. Firewall, the first book in her Houston: FBI series, was listed by Library Journal as one of the best Christian Fiction books of 2014.
DiAnn is a founding board member of the American Christian Fiction Writers, a member of Advanced Writers and Speakers Association, Suspense Sister, and International Thriller Writers. She is co-director of The Blue Ridge Mountain Christian Writers Conference and The Mountainside Marketing Conference with social media specialist Edie Melson. She teaches writing workshops around the country. DiAnn is active online and would love to connect with readers on any of the social media platforms listed at www.diannmills.com.
The Conversation
Amen! Without Christ I would have no reason to write. He is my Lord and Savior, my Rock that I stand on!
Answer: We can foster intimacy with Christ so we will stay the course for Him.
Your obedience to post this series is helping this writer for Christ. Thank you for hearing Him and following through!
DiAnn, Your confidence in Christ is always refreshing. Regarding your question, the assurance we need that our calling and salvation are not emotional is proved in your acronym. We can do none of these things unaided by the power of His Holy Spirit – Acknowledge our need of Him; Adopt our ways; Adhere to Scripture; Adjust our thinking; Agree with God. Amen! Ruth
Answer: When emotions leave, any relationship or duty faces the challenge of proving itself as a real commitment. Will I follow when I don’t feel Him like I did in church on Sunday morning or when His path for me is hard? Will I write when the days get busy or the voices of opposition are loud? If it is a real commitment, He will help me to “will and to do of His good pleasure.” The writing or my commitment to Him becomes the thought I can’t get out of my head or the passion that runs underneath that sustains me when words don’t come or my emotions are dulled.
This is the first time I have read your posting. I really took some time thinking about “We adopt God’s ways as our own.” That seems to be a message God has been putting in front of me lately. Thanks for putting it in front of me again.