By Rae Lynn DeAngelis
When proper punctuation is added to a compelling story-line, playwrights are able to unlock the mind’s movie reel within a few short sentences. It has been my experience that talented authors paint pictures worth far more than the thousand words for which the old adage gives them credit.
I don’t know about you, but I love to journey to foreign lands and faraway places without ever leaving home. Well written books afford me that privilege.
As a writer myself, I’ve come to appreciate the skills of other authors and find myself studying their work to see how they string together words, emotions, and ideas. I aspire to learn from those more experienced than myself and hope to improve my performance.
Although I love to write, I’m not what I would call a “good” writer. What I mean by that is I need an editor to review my work before it goes public. Let’s just say I’m a work in progress when it comes to punctuation. There are so many rules, I can’t keep them all straight!
I’m not going to lie. I get a little comma happy. Thank goodness for my editor! She has a Master’s degree in English and knows all the dos and don’ts of the English language.
Putting a comma where it doesn’t belong can trip-up the reader. Eliminating a period, question mark, or exclamation point at the end of a sentence creates confusion and can even misdirect the reader’s interpretation.
I love this quote from the Christian author, Mark Batterson, who frequently says, “We must be careful that we do not put a comma where God intended a period, or a period where God intended a comma.”
Now that’s some great advice!
I wonder how many times I’ve stopped short of God’s original plan simply because the path became difficult to travel, or worse yet, I gave up altogether, thinking the path was leading me nowhere.
Sadly, I am far too easily persuaded to stop, turn back, or go in a different direction.
You too?
Thankfully, our God is a God of second chances. Like the Israelites in the desert, God eventually offers up another opportunity. (Let’s just hope we don’t have to wait forty years to get there.)
I must admit that Mark Batterson’s advice inspires me to live differently. I want to live my life with intentionality, paying careful attention to detail. After all, the One for whom I am living deserves my very best.
Instead of charging ahead, assuming I know God’s timing, will, or direction, I need to slow down, be less reactive, and spend time seeking God’s step by step instructions along the way.
“You make known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand.” (Psalm 16:11)
Reading a book and following God’s will are both more enjoyable when all the periods and commas have been put in their proper place.
Do you find yourself getting discouraged or stopping short of the goal God has placed before you? Perhaps you too are prone to impulse, bypassing heartfelt conversations with God, assuming you already know the way.
Allow God to edit your life journey. Like my editor does for my writing, God will bring you much needed clarity along the way.
