Mary Harwell Sayler's Blog: In a Christian Writer's Life

One of the characteristics of very creative people involvesthinking outside the line, the circle, and, yes, okay, the box. These men andwomen typically include writers, poets, scientists, composers, philosophers,artisans, and gifted children, especially those with empathy or sensitivity toothers.Often, these gifts overlap, for example, a poet might alsowrite, create music, or paint. Or a

 “Ouchy! Ouchy, I stubbed my toe!” Hopefully, such words donot need an audience. Even if we’re in a room with a compassionate person, who says,“Oh, Poor Baby!” we really don’t need to commemorate those words in writing.Unfortunately, many writers, including Christians, craveattention for every woe and complaint, often going on and on as though no onewill understand without lengthy

 Church-goer or not, anyone who’s watched football on TV orbeen to a game has surely heard of John 3:16: “For God so loved the world thatHe gave His only begotten Son that whoever believes on Him will have everlastinglife.” That’s a promise –the most vital one the Lord gives, assuring us of Hisplan for our salvation.Unfortunately, many people do not believe they’re worthy ofsuch a

 At the crucifixion, all the sins of the world landed onJesus, the ultimate sacrifice freely given by the unblemished Lamb of God – God’sSon, Who took all our blemishes to His grave, left them there, and, on Easter,arose without them.If, however, we think all the blame of this landed on Judas,the definitive betrayer, we would be wrong. For, as Jesus carried our sins,Judas carried our

Since I grew up in church, hymn lyrics provided the primarypoetry in my life. Well, that and Robert Lewis Stevenson’s A Child’s Gardenof Verse. Decades later, I can still recite some of the latter. And I stilllike to swing and eat animal crackers but without the cocoa. However, the wordsto hymns escape me until the music begins and kinetic memory beckons me to singalong.During the day, I