Last Sunday at church, before the message, a video played. It was a woman who goes to our church talking about volunteering. She said it doesn't take very long going to Forest Hill (my church) before hearing about the importance of volunteering and she was thinking "Lord, how will you use me?" Then, the next Sunday she woke up and read an article in the Charlotte Observer about Hope Teams (formed by members of the church/community) being paired with families in poverty. Something just really touched her about the idea. She came to church and the Hope Team organizer was there. The woman and her family took on a family (single mother with children) in whom they then invested their time and love. Eventually, the single mother agreed to come to church and was so moved by the sermon that she immediately gave her life to Christ and was baptized the following week. Her life and her children's lives have been completely changed thanks to the woman who read the article and decided to serve.
That article was written by me.
When I heard this video in church and realized the impact my article had (many months ago), I was ecstatic. I have been feeling frustrated with work lately and disheartened with my abilities as a writer (as I got rejection after rejection from grad schools). But this, this showed me that it doesn't matter what anyone else thinks or how tedious my job can feel at times - my words do make a difference.
I get a few thank-you emails now and then from people about article's I've written, but usually from the family I wrote about. But this little glimpse into this woman's life made me realize that if that one article touched so many lives just by that one woman reading it, then surely many of my articles have done similar things in other strangers' lives. That is such an encouragement. :)
No comments:
Post a Comment