Wednesday, April 9, 2014

Moved with Compassion by Diana L. Flegal


All of us are drawn back to our favorite authors. We like their particular voice, how they build their suspense or weave the happy ending to their love story, place us into an historical event, or construct a world we could never imagine ourselves but enjoy all the same.

My favorite authors, fiction and nonfiction, are skilled at putting into words my thoughts I couldn’t have expressed. They also teach me something of myself, providing me A-hah moments. Yes, I do feel that way or stoop that low at times. A light is shown in a corner of me and I am usually the better for it if I allow the words to do what words can do.

Well said/placed words can convict and set free the reader/listener.

One of the best examples of a convicting word is found in 2 Samuel 12. “Thou art the man.” Powerful.

In Sundays message my pastor, Nick Honerkamp, shared a picture of Jesus that I knew I appreciated but he boiled it down to three things.

He saw

He was moved with compassion

And He prayed.

Not everyone sees us. We scurry about, pass our neighbors, our coworkers, and fail to see the heartbreak in their eyes, the questions they desperately seek answers for. Maybe we avoid them on purpose. Our lives already overwhelmed with personal troubles. Our light hid under a bushel basket.

Sunday, after that message, I pulled onto my lap Christa Parrish’s recent release, Stones for Bread.  And I realized why I love her writing and anticipate her next books release. She helps me see, moves me with compassion and I pray- for those around me, in a fresh way. These are the stories I am drawn to.

A reviewer of this book of Christa’s said…’this book is not an easy read, I struggled through it…

I agree, It pained me reading of her protagonists painful childhood, yet I celebrated each baby step forward, fell in love with the various members of the community that enfolded her, and the unexpected love that broke through her defenses. I saw, I was moved and I was prayerful, even brought to worship as I closed the book at her stories end. God is good. He sees us and waits to meet us.

I encourage you to write thoughtfully.

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