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Previous Challenge Entry (Level 2 – Intermediate)
Topic: The Writer’s Skill/Craft (04/22/10)
The Lord knows all, and as I consider the challenge before me, He drops a word into my mind and soul. He says, “Flounder”. I wonder what that has to do with the writer’s skill/craft, which is the challenge topic given me to write about.

Um, flounder? First thought that comes to my mind is, that is exactly what I am doing with this assignment, just floundering around. Also known as struggling, wallowing and awkwardly struggling through. As a matter of fact, that seems to be what I do every time I put pen to paper, or fingers to computer.

I type the word into Google and that brings up facts on the flounder fish including its life, how to catch them, and of course how to prepare very edible dishes from them. One online article mentions how in 2003 the flounder were being over-fished and threatened to become scarce. This brought to my memory a world ecological problem that has arisen around the world. And that is the contamination and damage being done in the waters of this world; ocean, sea, lakes, and rivers. Add over fishing to the mix, and many of our giant fishes are in danger of extinction, affecting fishermen livelihood, and our food supply.

The memory rushes back to my mind of a God given dream that I had a few years ago. In the dream a man was bobbing in muddy water while clutching the neck of a giant fish. Around the fish swam several smaller fish. First I asked, “What is that?” In my spirit, I heard, “Cambodia catfish”. Then also in my mind I asked, “Why are they not fishing?” Then in my spirit I heard, “the quota has been met.”

It was sometime later when I saw a picture online of an ecologist working in Cambodia, for a popular magazine. He was in the water with his arms around a large fish, just like I had seen in my dream. The purpose of the man having hold of the giant fish was to tag it, and release it back into the river. He is part of a program to save the demise of giant fishes around the world by the contamination of the waters, and from over-fishing. In this particular area that the man was working, there was a quota for catching catfish, and that quota had been met.

Being a prayer warrior, I did the only thing I knew to do about the situation, and that was to pray. I prayed for the man, and I prayed for the fishermen, and for the catfish to be saved.

I thought that my assignment from God was finished. That is, until now, as I write this article. I believe that God placed a type of fish name, flounder, into my mind, as a way of opening up an avenue for me to bring to light an issue that affects us all.

So now I can see even more how the word, flounder, fits into the writer’s skill/craft assignment. We must always be open to the unexpected turns that we all take in our writing. It’s not always as it may appear to us when we first take on an assignment, or tackle putting a thought, story, or account to the readers page. For the Christian writer, it takes always hearing God’s voice. He is always there leading us on, and using our talents to bring Him honor and glory. He loves and cares for us. Even the fishes of the world fit into His plan for us.

My advice to anyone wanting to write is to do it for the Lord. He will take care of the talent, skill, and craft. He will use it to bring people to their salvation, to save the waterways of the world, and our source of food. Through our writing, He will bring love and joy into our family and friends lives, even to strangers who we may never meet. Not even our floundering ackwordly, through, and around, will stop our success. Our assignment will be complete in Him.
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Member Comments
Member
Date
Mildred Sheldon
04/29/10
I enjoyed reading your article. Isn't God amazing how he puts things in our heart and before you know it the article is written. Keep writing.
Charla Diehl
05/01/10
One of my writing instructors emphasized that every writer should pray before they begin any assignment. And then, as you have shown, God will guide our thoughts and help us through the task.
. . .and with His help, nothing is impossible.
AnneRene' Capp
05/02/10
Thoroughly related to your floundering and asking God why He gave you "that" word and instead of side stepping it...you followed through with it. Writing for a cause or any other reason, as you say, needs God in it from start to finish. Good message.
Jan Ackerson
05/03/10
I really enjoyed reading about your writing process.

I'd love to have you pop in to my thread in the forums (link at the top of this page). One of my recent lessons dealt with referring to the topic itself in your entry--it's a bit of a no-no (and the lesson tells why). You're a fine writer, and you'd be a great addition to the lessons!