One of the surprises I’ve experienced releasing three novels and writing a weekly blog for the past eight years has been the reactions of readers. Various individuals have blessed me with their appreciation of and their personal reactions to the messages I post. I never know how often the post gets read, but I believe whoever needs to hear what I’ve written will. This week was no exception.
I had accepted an invitation as guest blogger for a writing friend who needed to fly to Wales to be present for the birth of her first grandchild. I wholeheartedly agreed to fill in. I chose a post I’d used before because I felt confident most of her readers would not have read my work before.
The post originally ran as Resolve to be Renewed in 2011 https://authorpatricialee.net/resolve-to-be-renewed/ and also appeared on the Faith Happenings site, To Shine Like Silver, after that. This piece received many comments from readers, but I believed it merited another read.
I told of the discovery many years before of the leftover silverware my mother once owned and was dismayed at how tarnished it had become. After a vigorous attempt to restore the shine, I had a new set of silverware. I compared the transformation to the one Jesus performs when He rescues us from sin and washes us clean with his sacrifice of blood. http://www.lthompsonbooks.com/blog/silver/
A few days after the post I received a note from the host author telling me of a comment she received from a reader in France. Parts of it are here:
“Am in awe reading such wonderful illustration and so profound.. . Heartily sharing this, and thanking you so much in advance. . . I cherish the moment to shine like silver and trust a new turn.”
I was humbled by this reader’s words, as touched by his response as he was by my post. The Bible says in Isaiah 55:11 that God’s word, that goes out from His mouth, shall not return to Him void. “But it shall accomplish what I please and it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it.”
I had chosen to share God’s words in a parable and He used those words to touch a man’s heart in another country. I am the one, indeed, most blessed.
A great, big thank you to all my readers. You are what make this journey worthwhile.
What a beautiful story Pat. How wonderful you were able to hear this man’s response! It is such a blessing and motivation to hear how your work impacts other people’s lives. It makes all your work worthwhile. I’m always touched when I hear from readers around the world in response to my blog and praise God we live in an age when that is possible. Keep up the good work!
Thank you for writing, Beth. Readers are what makes all of this worthwhile, don’t you think? Keep blogging. Pat