Fill-in-the-Blank! Screenplays, Ballet & ___ things
It’s Fill-in-the-Blank Day! I know! You love homework as much as I do! Giddy!! Today’s message is a co-written by me and my dear, dear friend, Erika Blank! You’re going to love this!
Me catching Erika up on the Writer’s Conference:
When I was in Brian Bird’s screenplay class, the Lord just kept affirming and encouraging. Like the Holy Spirit was speaking through Mr. Bird’s mouth straight to me. One of the things he kept saying was,
“Any great writer can write anything.”
I just couldn’t shake it. I’m a poet writing a non-fiction book and in a screenplay writing class! And the Lord is opening up the whole way I see and relate to my world! I’ve seen God do the miraculous in my writing this book. I’ve seen my fingers fly and the words come as the Holy Spirit works through me. But this is so left-field, exciting, foreign! However, I was told to “not be surprised when my writing and message takes on different forms.” Wow. To think…
Erika, speaking right into that sense of overwhelm and excitement:
A couple of weeks ago I set out on my longest training run of my life. That sounds dramatic right? The morning of my run I was very nervous. The week prior I had been extremely sick with influenza and had missed a crucial stepping stone long run. My goal was to run my scheduled 16 miles with the option to decrease to a 14 mile run if necessary.
When I was warmed up and finding a good rhythm I thought, “This is going to be really hard, I have a long way to go still.” That is when God popped Philippians 4:13 into my head, “I can do all things through Christ, who gives me strength.” As I was running, I was meditating on this verse and chanting it rhythmically in my head with the cadence of my feet. I felt encouraged, and then God started to lead me in prayer for other people in my life who are doing hard things right now.
As I prayed I felt the Holy Spirit’s permission to personalize that verse by replacing the word “all” with an even more descriptive word:
- I can do “hard” things through Christ, who gives me strength.
- I can do “exhausting” things through Christ, who gives me strength.
- I can do “uncomfortable” things through Christ, who gives me strength.
- I can do “new” things through Christ, who gives me strength.
- I can do “impossible” things through Christ, who gives me strength.
- I can do “scary” things through Christ, who gives me strength.
- I can do “big” things through Christ, who gives me strength.
Then in the sweetest way, she flipped it back to my angst, saying:
- I can write powerful screenplays, through Christ who gives me strength.
- I can write culture-changing books, through Christ who gives me strength.
- I can write films that move people, through Christ who gives me strength.
I held back the tears, we prayed together and I skipped on to ballet class.
- I can learn ballet for the first time at age 34 through Christ who strengthens me.
- I can do a pirouette, through Christ who strengthens me.
- I can fold and put away my laundry piles through Christ who strengthens me.
Gotta tell you. That was one of my best pirouettes yet! Glory be to Christ who strengthens me!
Erika, asking you now:
My question to you is what is God asking you to do right now? Will you move in obedience to His voice? He will not ask you to do anything alone. You can do ALL things through Christ, who gives you strength!
Your turn to fill in the blanks:
- I can do _________________ things through Christ who strengthens me.
- I can ________________ through Christ who strengthens me.
- I can do _________________ things through Christ who strengthens me.
Erika’s Prayer:
God you are so powerful! You alone have the power to strengthen us on our journey. Thank you that I can do the hard things you have called me to right now. Holy Spirit speak to your people, show them the strength they possess to do all that you have called them to do. May your name be glorified as your people live in the power of your strength! Amen.
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