Why Every Writer Needs a Vision
By Andrea Merrell
As writers—especially Christian writers—we need to know the Bible is filled with Scriptures that talk about God speaking to His
children through dreams and visions. In fact, Proverbs 29:18 (KJV) says, Where
there is no vision, the people perish.
Let’s look a
little closer and find out what that means for us as writers.
Vision
Some people look
at this as mysterious, something that doesn’t happen in our modern society.
Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary says it can be something seen in a dream or trance; a thought or concept formed in the
imagination. But vision, simply put, is what can be rather than what is.
Without vision—like that of Thomas Edison, Albert Schweitzer, Benjamin Franklin,
and many others—we would not have advanced as a society to where we are today.
But what happens
when you have a vision? You create a plan … a mission.
Mission
Webster’s defines
mission as a pre-established and often
self-imposed objective or purpose. Basically, your mission is a set of
small, achievable goals that will propel you toward your vision. These goals
are generally specific and measurable.
Setting Your Goals
The
first step is knowing and being confident in your vision. What has God placed in
your heart? What do you see yourself doing next year? Five years from now?
Once
you’re confident in your vision, create your mission statement. Write the vision and make it plain (Habakkuk 2:2 NKJV). Sometimes, writing
things down will solidify what’s in your mind and heart and give you a
benchmark to focus on.
Do you have a vision? Maybe it’s:
- Writing a devotion
- Writing a best-selling
novel
- Winning a writing contest
- Teaching a writing class
- Attending a writers’
conference
- Designing your own website
- Speaking to students about
writing
- Traveling the world for
inspiration
Whatever your vision—no matter how small or large—do you
have a mission? Have you broken it down and created a set of bite-sized,
achievable goals to get you there? If not, why not begin today.
If you don’t have a vision for your writing career, ask God
to give you one. He will, I promise. And when He does, He will give you the
wisdom, resources, and connections to get you to your God-given destiny.
(Photos courtesy of FreeDigitalPhotos.net/Stuart Miles/Sattva.)
TWEETABLES
Comments
Post a Comment