beauty (2)

WRITING FORCEFULLY

I am not sure forceful writing is something all of us strive for. But I do believe many of us would like to know how to add impetus to the words we write.

How do we write with overwhelming influence on our readers, on our culture? I have thought a great deal about this and I think I have some things to say about writing forcefully. However, before I begin I suppose I should grant you a disclaimer. My books are not, nor are they likely to be, on the New York Times best-seller list. My writing is hardly shaking the world. My lack of authority on this issue opens these suggestions up for discussion. What do you think about each of them? I suspect all of us thinking about our writing, would come up with some principles that could transform our writing and possibly the lives of our readers.

Let me begin with my oldest principle.

Brevity is Force.

Especially for young writers, this may sound counterintuitive. “You are saying, 'The less I write, the greater the impact,?’” Well, that is close to what I am suggesting. I am saying, “Expressing the same thought in fewer words will say it better.” I have a friend who is a riveting preacher. His exposition is brilliant, his illustrations are moving, his logic is cogent and often humorous. But it often takes him over an hour to preach one of them. I have been in some places in the world where that would be ideal, but he does not preach in any of those places. The length of his sermons takes much of the force out of what he has to say. This is every bit as true of writing as it is of speaking.

Clarity is Force.

Most of us would like our writing to be impressive. I remember a comic scene on the old Lou Grant show where someone found an article written 30 years before by their managing editor, Charlie Hume, when he was a cub reporter. The byline on the article read “F. Charles Hume.” He defended himself by saying, “All of us have been pretentious from time to time.” When one of the other characters asked him what the F stood for, he answered, “Nothing, unless you count F. Scott Fitzgerald.” It is always tempting to use big words and try to sound impressive. But the main issue of writing is clear communication. One of the passages of Scripture God has used to speak to me about my writing over the years is Habakkuk 2:1-3. Verse 2 calls us to “write down the revelation and make it plain on tablets.” Great writing is always understandable. A good writer makes what may be complicated plain for people to understand.

I am intimidated by the next of these.

Beauty is Force.

I never feel like my writing can be beautiful. And, indeed, I'm no C.S. Lewis. But writing is an art as well as a craft. Beautiful writing will affect people's lives. Most of us have a sense of beauty when we see it on a printed page. And while I will never be C.S. Lewis, Malcolm Muggeridge, or Philip Yancey, I can read such authors in the hope that their beauty will rub off. And I can strive to improve the beauty of what I have to say and how I write it.

Truth is Force.

I'm not sure this is not the most important of these principles. One of the best writing prompts I have ever seen, especially for poetry, says, “Write the truest sentence that you know.” I am writing primarily to Christian writers. You actually have an advantage over others in this area because you have a grip on ultimate truth.

Conviction is Force.

You need to know why you believe what you believe is true. A good writer is a clear thinker. A good writer is always asking why. You will spend time thinking through things until you come to a bedrock of conviction. A good writer knows what she thinks and why she thinks it, what she knows and how she knows it, what she believes and why she believes it.

Compassion is Force.

Good writers care about their readers. Christian writers pray for the needs of people who will read their work. The importance of what you have to say relates directly to the needs, sometimes the deepest needs, of those for whom you are writing.

God's Moving is Force.

The most life-changing force in writing is the hand of God on your words. At this point I'm talking about something that goes far beyond your craft. The hand of God on your writing flows from the depth of your relationship with God, and the effect He has on all of your life. I believe this is true whether you are writing a devotional book, a theological treatise, or a baseball story. What God is doing in your life we'll impact the lives of your readers.

http://theanchorofthesoul.blogspot.com/

http://thinkinginthespirit.blogspot.com/

http://watchinginprayer.blogspot.com/

http://writingprayerfully.blogspot.com/

Website

http://daveswatch.com/

YouTube

https://goo.gl/PyzUz7

Read more…

PTAP: City Focus - Rustaq, Oman

Rustaq is an important regional center in Oman that is located in the South Al Batinah region of the country.  It has a population of 120,000.  It became one of Oman's capitals when Imam Nasser bin Murshid Al Ya'rubi started his efforts to unify the country by repelling the Portuguese in the 17th century.  The city later developed into a major center for local commerce, craftsmanship and other trades.  It was home to some of the country's finest metalworkers and silversmiths.  Today, Rustaq still produces metalwork along with textiles and food, notably Omani Halwa (a famous Omani sweet) and honey. Bee-keeping remains a popular, local occupation to this day.
 
Rustaq is beautifully surrounded by the central Al Hajir mountain range and an abundance of date palm groves and wadis (valleys).  Some of Oman's most beautiful wadis such as Wadi Sahtan are here.  Rustaq also has natural, hot springs, the most notable being Ain al Kasafa. Its waters runs at 45 °C and are regarded as a cure for rheumatism and skin diseases.
 
The majority of the population is Omani who still maintain traditional lifestyles in spite of Oman's rapid development as a country.  They are proud of their heritage and hope to keep it alive for generations to come. 
Prayer Points:
 
1.  Rustaq is one of the least engaged cities in Oman.  Please pray that the Lord would send laborers into the harvest fields of Rustaq, to proclaim Jesus Christ and Him crucified with all of God's power (1 Corinthians 2:2-4).  And pray for the few Indian and Filipino believers who already live there.  Pray that they would be powerful witnesses as well. 
 
2.  Rustaq is known for its natural beauty.  Pray that the Omani people in Rustaq would see the beauty of our Lord, that they would gaze upon His beauty in the radiant face of Jesus Christ, and to seek Him all of the days of their lives (Psalm 27:4, 2 Corinthians 4:6).
 
3.  Rustaq is also known for their hot springs.  Pray that the Omanis would drink of the living water that only Jesus can provide.  Pray that they would be led to eternal life and thus never thirst again (John 4:14).  Pray that they would find complete satisfaction in Christ alone, and that the springs of water that well up in them would spill over to other Omanis who are also thirsty for new life.
Read more…