Some people are foodies. I, on the other hand, am a wordie. I love words and if I let myself go, I would have a home decorated with inspiring quotes and zero open wall space.
Luckily for me, I get my wordie fix through my work here at the ministry. I have to admit it, though: There are those days when writing doesn’t come easy.
As we enter the home stretch of Blog Month, you may be feeling a little low on creativity and words. So I want to give you a little exercise to help get those creative juices flowing.
And while this exercise may seem a bit repetitive, bear with me. There’s a method to the madness. To begin, choose to write about either the following quote or sentence:
Quote: “Poverty is not necessarily an issue to solve; it is an opportunity to serve. As we go through each day, our heart’s cry should be, ‘Lord, where would you have me give, serve, and invest myself to bring hope to the poor?’” — Orphan Justice author, Johnny Carr
Sentence: The presence of dignity doesn’t mean poverty is absent.
Then,
- Find a place where you can get quiet. Take a few minutes to tune out the world, pray and ask the Lord to show you something unique about the quote or sentence you want to write about.
- Read your quote or sentence out loud and take a few minutes to get quiet again.
- Read the quote/sentence aloud a second time, but this time pay attention to any words that grab your attention and why. Write them down. Take another minute of quiet.
- Read the quote/sentence aloud a third time, and flush out ideas and emotions that sometimes get stuck below the surface of our writing. Let the repetition of this exercise reveal a particular word, phrase or emotion that becomes your blog-post inspiration.
Like this …
The presence of dignity doesn’t mean poverty is absent.
Presence.
One of the names of God in scripture is Presence. When reflecting on this one word, I think of Him hovering over me, lingering, never leaving.
The presence of dignity.
When I reflect on the first half of this sentence, I see a picture.
A picture of the very Presence of God, the Creator of all things hovering like a cloud ever so closely to the poor. That while poverty is not absent, as the second half of this sentence states, neither is He.
And, while poverty stands next to a child whispering lies into her ear, the Presence is even closer, boldly speaking truth.
What is truth?
The presence of dignity doesn’t mean poverty is absent, yes. But the presence of poverty does not have to rob a child of dignity.
This is an example of Blog Month assignment number four. Get the full details for this week’s assignment at compassionbloggers.com.
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8 Comments |Add a comment
Amen Jacquie,
His presence is over us especially when we are weak 🙂
2 Corinthians 12:8-10
Amplified Bible (AMP)
8 Three times I called upon the Lord and besought [Him] about this and begged that it might depart from me;
9 But He said to me, My grace (My favor and loving-kindness and mercy) is enough for you [sufficient against any danger and enables you to bear the trouble manfully]; for My strength and power are made perfect (fulfilled and completed) and [a]show themselves most effective in [your] weakness. Therefore, I will all the more gladly glory in my weaknesses and infirmities, that the strength and power of Christ (the Messiah) may rest (yes, may [b]pitch a tent over and dwell) upon me!
10 So for the sake of Christ, I am well pleased and take pleasure in infirmities, insults, hardships, persecutions, perplexities and distresses; for when I am weak [[c]in human strength], then am I [truly] strong (able, powerful [d]in divine strength).
Yes and Amen Mike!!!
This is a beautiful post! Thanks for such great advice and inspiration.
Thank you Erica!
What an awesome profession Deborah. I too have much compassion for those less fortunate that I. I have been in the position where I have had to partake in a food pantry and have had to have assistance. This ministry is a wonderful way of humbling people to see what they truly have. It does me at least. God has blessed me with so much.
Beth
Hmm. Your process looks something like my approach to study and meditation on scripture. It’s not exact, but there’s a lot to be said for reading, re-reading, and reading again until a question comes up, a word or phrase comes into focus, or a truth dawns. Thanks for the post!
It is probably very similar. I use that in my quiet time too. Probably not enough as I should though! 🙂
I have been blessed by God to be a nurse. In all my years no matter who I cared for: no matter how poor, what disease they had including aids, no matter how over weight, and I had several patients over 500 lbs! no matter how old and fragile, alcoholics, mentally ill etc.etc.. NEVER did my lord tell me NOT to treat them w love, respect and dignity!! blessed beyond measure…