Mount Hermon: Follow Up
Where do I even begin? I don’t know exactly how to sum up in words everything I learned and experienced. For me, this conference was more about spiritual growth and myself as a writer than it was specifically about the craft of writing or the publishing industry. But as I mentioned before, I think it was a necessary part of my journey in being a writer. I walk away from the conference with three main things:
1) New friendships that I am excited about growing and deepening
2) A heart focused on writing for God’s glory and not for publishing. Yes, I would love to be published one day. However, the difference now is that it’s not about seeing my name or my words in print, but having the opportunity to share God’s story to a wider audience. I am also at a place where if that audience is an audience of one, then that’s exactly what God intended and it still means He wants me to write.
3) An awareness that sin in my life prohibits the flow of words from my pen. Jesus cannot overflow out of a heart that is barricaded by sin. That definitely means that my time with Jesus takes priority over my time writing. Any time spent writing apart from Him, is wasted anyway.
Not directly from the conference, but definitely as a by-product, I’m also starting a writer’s group with my friend TJ and a couple other girls from my church. I am way excited about that, as it has been my desire since the last Mount Hermon I attended. I’m also excited to already be considering going to Mount Hermon again next year. We’ll just see.
I wanted to type up all my notes from specific sessions and our keynote speaker for you, but I’m trying to wrap this all up in the next ten minutes, so let me share this in closing. Our keynote speaker, Dick Foth, shared a story with us about a friend who had a stroke. While his speech and his mind never fully returned (he suffered from total amnesia as well), the Word of God he had memorized and the songs about Jesus he knew remained. Dick’s point? The Word of God penetrates deeper than even the core of the brain. I want to write words that have eternal significance. I’m not satisfied with words that end at the core of the brain; I want them to penetrate deeper. Not for my glory, but that His glory might be declared to all nations and His righteousness among all peoples.
Here’s a link to little slideshow of most of my pictures from Mount Hermon. Hope you enjoy.
PS - I have one last interview to post from Mount Hermon. I'll get it up this week.
7 comments:
Fantastic slide show T ! I loved it! And since I didn't bring a camera, now I can show my family what it all looked like.
Thanks for sharing!
This is one reason I've decided to teach my children some of the traditional prayers (as well as memorizing scripture). I want them to always have a way to express to God and experience Him, even if their minds eventually begin to fail them.
I'll never forget sitting with my grandmother at a christmas eve service, several years after she'd had a series of strokes that left her unable to speak. We began to sing, "Silent Night" and her beautiful voice began to sing out. Our family was silent, taking in the sound of her voice. She couldn't communicate with us verbally, but her soul was filled with vibrant song. Oh, our Creator is so good, isn't He?
Thank you for sharing about your time at Mt. Hermon. I would love to go some year, but it will probably be a few before I get there.
MR - I'm glad you enjoyed it. I didn't bring my camera the first time I went and regretted it. Glad we had such gorgeous weather!
LL - I had similar convictions about teaching my daughter God's word (and being more diligent to hide His word in my heart as well). It's so amazing to think that when we memorize Scripture it is written in a place other than just our brain. That's hard to get my head around.
LM - What a beautiful memory; thanks for sharing it. I hope you do go to MH one day. I know you're busy, but just remember, if God wants you to go He WILL make the way. Plus, then we could get that coffee...
SP - Eventually I'll get there! It's not that I'm *so* busy; it's more that I've got to space out my time away! (My husband usually has to take vacation time so I can get away.) And next summer is the Festival of Faith and Writing, which I've already got on my calendar! For this year, I'm thinking about doing one of the Iowa writing workshops this summer.
We'll catch up with eachother eventually for that cup of coffee! (Though I don't know if I could handle the "party cabin." Seriously. I go to bed at, like, 8:30...and I don't drink...how much fun am I???)
So cool! :D The song was perfect for the pictures.
BJ - Glad you enjoyed. You don't know how long it took me to pick that song, too!
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