Someone recently asked me why when I write about various subjects I generally put my work in the context of what God expects from us. I answered simply that my writing is directed where the Lord leads me. It took me a long time in life to realize what I was supposed to do with the remainder of my life. It just came to me gradually as my faith deepened.
Relocating from urban to rural America as I began to close out my business career, I found that the more open and natural environment clearly began opening my mind to a fresh perspective on life. I had always wanted to write, but just shrugged it off all those years with the excuse that I was too busy.
That's the one beautiful thing about retirement; it gives you the time to devote to those things you never did and I found that opening myself to what really inspired me was critical to satisfying my inner needs. Just because you retire doesn't mean that your need to be busy and fulfilled dies.
I spent several years pondering my subject matter and then it hit me: nature and animals. I think I had difficulty zeroing in on a subject because it was so obvious. I mean my wife and I have rescued and provided home for a lot of animals, including horses, dogs, cats, birds and more, and finally I couldn't escape the obvious. And I had noted for a long time how watching animals and the things they do opened my eyes to the beauty of this world and the obvious conclusion that only a supernatural being could have put this all together. Oh, I had grown up in church and always considered myself to be a Christian, but it was as if a fog had been lifted from my eyes and the connection was so much clearer.
So my first book, Honey We Shoulda' Bought the Ark, was published in paperback form and I just recently added it to the Kindle Store. Sales are picking up and we'll see how it goes over the long run. Will it ultimately be a big success? I can't answer this but I do know that writing fulfills me and I am certain that something bigger than me is directing my efforts. So while I continue marketing and passing the word, my mind has been working on other story lines. My ultimate goal is to present many stories showing God's grace in many different ways and under widely varying circumstances.
Relocating from urban to rural America as I began to close out my business career, I found that the more open and natural environment clearly began opening my mind to a fresh perspective on life. I had always wanted to write, but just shrugged it off all those years with the excuse that I was too busy.
That's the one beautiful thing about retirement; it gives you the time to devote to those things you never did and I found that opening myself to what really inspired me was critical to satisfying my inner needs. Just because you retire doesn't mean that your need to be busy and fulfilled dies.
I spent several years pondering my subject matter and then it hit me: nature and animals. I think I had difficulty zeroing in on a subject because it was so obvious. I mean my wife and I have rescued and provided home for a lot of animals, including horses, dogs, cats, birds and more, and finally I couldn't escape the obvious. And I had noted for a long time how watching animals and the things they do opened my eyes to the beauty of this world and the obvious conclusion that only a supernatural being could have put this all together. Oh, I had grown up in church and always considered myself to be a Christian, but it was as if a fog had been lifted from my eyes and the connection was so much clearer.
So my first book, Honey We Shoulda' Bought the Ark, was published in paperback form and I just recently added it to the Kindle Store. Sales are picking up and we'll see how it goes over the long run. Will it ultimately be a big success? I can't answer this but I do know that writing fulfills me and I am certain that something bigger than me is directing my efforts. So while I continue marketing and passing the word, my mind has been working on other story lines. My ultimate goal is to present many stories showing God's grace in many different ways and under widely varying circumstances.
Next, and this has been quite recently, I wanted to look at the human element and how God can help people overcome sin. After all, whether we like to admit it or not, we are also part of nature. We are also animals but with a difference; we have a soul and the Lord provided it so that we could reach decisions through the free will that he granted. Hopefully we will use it to reach the right conclusions but it is ultimately up to us individually.
We can do what He wants with our lives, or we can live an ungodly life. The choice is entirely up to us, but I find that if we take the time to truly look at life from the perspective of what its purpose is meant to be, it dramatically changes the equation. What would be the purpose of life on earth if it just ended in a black void? And if we believe there is something more upon death, what is it and how do we find it? Pondering that led me to the clear conclusion that the free will we were given is a wondrous gift for those who successfully navigate those questions. If you believe as I do, that successful navigation leads to Jesus Christ.
This has led me to write a second Christian book, albeit a short one. It is currently only available from Amazon on Kindle following the link listed below. Two Lost Souls is just as the title says. It is a very short, chapterless book discussing how a young man and wife, having been guilty of grievous sins against each other, themselves and God and His commandments finally seek Him out and begin seeking the answers to life's puzzle. You can read it in an hour, maybe less, but it hopefully uses this couple to open your heart to what is expected of us. I intend it to be the first in a series of short stories depicting the ongoing struggles and joys that this man and woman face as their faith leads them to the right answers for good living.
Both of my books can be found on my author page at Amazon.com: www.amazon.com/author/jamesdick.
Honey, We Shoulda' Bought the Ark can also be found at the following link: www.outskirtspress.com/honeyweshouldaboughttheark, where links to Amazon, Barnes and Noble and also a link to a different E-Book link can be found. I hope you will check them out when you have a chance.
What will I write about after this project is complete? Well, I'll just ponder that for awhile, maybe a novel, possibly a book of inspirational pieces. I can't answer that yet but I will just have to see where He leads me.
And for you, my online friends? God bless you all and enjoy this wonderful world that only a gracious God could have made. And don't forget to talk with Him and ask Him for guidance in your life. He is always there for us.
We can do what He wants with our lives, or we can live an ungodly life. The choice is entirely up to us, but I find that if we take the time to truly look at life from the perspective of what its purpose is meant to be, it dramatically changes the equation. What would be the purpose of life on earth if it just ended in a black void? And if we believe there is something more upon death, what is it and how do we find it? Pondering that led me to the clear conclusion that the free will we were given is a wondrous gift for those who successfully navigate those questions. If you believe as I do, that successful navigation leads to Jesus Christ.
This has led me to write a second Christian book, albeit a short one. It is currently only available from Amazon on Kindle following the link listed below. Two Lost Souls is just as the title says. It is a very short, chapterless book discussing how a young man and wife, having been guilty of grievous sins against each other, themselves and God and His commandments finally seek Him out and begin seeking the answers to life's puzzle. You can read it in an hour, maybe less, but it hopefully uses this couple to open your heart to what is expected of us. I intend it to be the first in a series of short stories depicting the ongoing struggles and joys that this man and woman face as their faith leads them to the right answers for good living.
Both of my books can be found on my author page at Amazon.com: www.amazon.com/author/jamesdick.
Honey, We Shoulda' Bought the Ark can also be found at the following link: www.outskirtspress.com/honeyweshouldaboughttheark, where links to Amazon, Barnes and Noble and also a link to a different E-Book link can be found. I hope you will check them out when you have a chance.
What will I write about after this project is complete? Well, I'll just ponder that for awhile, maybe a novel, possibly a book of inspirational pieces. I can't answer that yet but I will just have to see where He leads me.
And for you, my online friends? God bless you all and enjoy this wonderful world that only a gracious God could have made. And don't forget to talk with Him and ask Him for guidance in your life. He is always there for us.
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