![\"\"](\"https:\/\/fullmeasureofjoy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/12\/Billys-Vacation-2010-024.jpg\" "\\"i1035")
<\/a>I wrote approximately 4,000 words in my NaNoWriMo novel. Nowhere near the goal of 50,000 words.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
I wrote 339 words for my non-fiction book. I didn\u2019t get chapter one finished on this one!<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Well, I did write a blog post every day through November, so I didn\u2019t fail at every goal I set.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
So what happened? Right after my big commitment, I needed to create two presentations on my trip to SE Asia. By the time I completed these two projects, I really felt I could never catch up, so I gave up.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
That\u2019s not so pleasant to admit.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
I gave up.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
So here I sit on December 3rd<\/sup> wondering why I thought I could do it all in the first place.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Several years ago when I first decided to try my hand at writing a novel, I was so excited. At the time, I wasn\u2019t writing a daily blog, so it was the beginning of getting words to flow from my mind to my hands.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n But through these years, I\u2019ve discovered that writing a novel wasn\u2019t as satisfying as writing my blog. I\u2019ve lost interest in writing a novel. I\u2019ve certainly not sold many copies of the one that is published.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n So I\u2019ve come to the conclusion that, while it is exciting and pleasurable to say, \u201cI\u2019ve written three novels,\u201d it isn\u2019t where God wants me to spend energy.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Yes, I gave up on writing something that isn\u2019t as meaningful to me (and perhaps others), but I\u2019ve renewed my commitment to writing about God daily. And that is exciting.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n I\u2019ve often wondered what it would have been like for New Testament authors as they wrote what they were told. They for certain had God\u2019s Spirit to lead and guide them in their writings. He also helped them to remember all that Jesus had taught them. It must have been thrilling to see words form that were truly inspired by God.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n And the Old Testament authors must have felt the same way. Reading the history of Israel penned by their own hands must have been exhilarating.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Now I would never profess to have the same gifts that the authors of Scripture possessed, because God\u2019s Word is the infallible word of God. He chose specific men to write what He wanted mankind to know about Him, His created world, His plan of salvation, and our eternity with Him. But I do believe God leads me in the direction He desires my writings to go.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Another large and important part of my writing revolves around God\u2019s Word. I spend time reading the Bible and searching for the right Scripture to validate my writing. If it isn\u2019t in God\u2019s Word, I won\u2019t write about it.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n And then there is the idea that we are to live out what we read in Scripture and obey all that we\u2019ve learned. We can gain all the knowledge in the Bible, but if we do not put it into practice, we are a like a resounding gong or clanging cymbal (1 Corinthians 13:1).<\/p>\n <\/p>\n I want to share some passages about God\u2019s written Word. I pray that you\u2019ll be inspired by His words. That you\u2019ll have a deep desire to read it, study it, live it, proclaim it, and share it with others. It has become my greatest joy to do so.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n We Must Know and Obey God\u2019s Word<\/strong><\/p>\n Joshua shared this message with the Israelites. He knew the power of God\u2019s Word. \u201cDo not let this Book of Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful.\u201d<\/em> (Joshua 1:8 \u2013 NIV)<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Jesus also had something to say about obedience. \u201cBlessed rather are those who hear the word of God and obey it.\u201d <\/em>(Luke 11:28 \u2013 NIV)<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Jesus Fulfilled God\u2019s Word<\/strong><\/p>\n All of the Old Testament prophecies about Jesus were fulfilled by and through Him. His words to the disciples show this truth. \u201cThis is what I told you while I was still with you: Everything must be fulfilled that is written about me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets, and the Psalms.\u201d<\/em> (Luke 24:44 \u2013 NIV)<\/p>\n <\/p>\n God\u2019s Word Leads to Salvation<\/strong><\/p>\n I love these verses, because it leads us to understand that the Bible is God\u2019s way of showing us life. Where our life comes from. Jesus. \u201cJesus did many other miraculous signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not recorded in this book. But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.\u201d<\/em> (John 20:30-31 \u2013 NIV)<\/p>\n <\/p>\n God\u2019s Word Changes Us<\/strong><\/p>\n When we know God\u2019s Word, we cannot help but do what the Bible says. These verses show that God\u2019s Word is working on us. \u201cAll Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.\u201d <\/em>(2 Timothy 3:16-17 \u2013 NIV)<\/p>\n <\/p>\n God\u2019s Word is Our Weapon<\/strong><\/p>\n As we are attacked spiritually, we can pick up God\u2019s Word and use it against the forces of evil! \u201cTake the helmet of salvation and sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.\u201d<\/em> (Ephesians 6:17 \u2013 NIV)<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cFor the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword\u2026\u201d<\/em> (Hebrews 4:12a \u2013 NIV)<\/p>\n <\/p>\n The written word is powerful. It can be used for good or for evil. My goal is to use my writing for God\u2019s use. For His purpose. For His glory. If I ever miss that mark, I pray that God will bring someone into my life to show me the error of my ways.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Perhaps November wasn\u2019t as unsuccessful as I once thought. For while I didn\u2019t reach all of my goals, I believe I completed the most important task I set before myself. To share God\u2019s Word with others.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n How are you sharing God\u2019s message?<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Grace and peace be yours in abundance,<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Donna<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Do you remember my big plans for November? I failed at all of them. I wrote approximately 4,000 words in my NaNoWriMo novel. Nowhere near the goal of 50,000 words. I wrote 339 words for my non-fiction book. I didn\u2019t get chapter one finished on this one! Well, I did write a […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"_s2mail":"","_uf_show_specific_survey":0,"_uf_disable_surveys":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[22,16,20,15,17,10,9],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-489","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-believing-god","category-following-god","category-hearing-god","category-knowing-god","category-obeying-god","category-proclaiming-god","category-sharing-god"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/fullmeasureofjoy.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/489","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/fullmeasureofjoy.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/fullmeasureofjoy.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/fullmeasureofjoy.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/fullmeasureofjoy.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=489"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/fullmeasureofjoy.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/489\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":492,"href":"https:\/\/fullmeasureofjoy.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/489\/revisions\/492"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/fullmeasureofjoy.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=489"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/fullmeasureofjoy.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=489"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/fullmeasureofjoy.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=489"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}