by guest blogger, Dr. Richard "Doc" Mabry
WHAT DO YOU SEEK?
Among the many yard signs decorating
homes in our neighborhood this Christmas season was one that had this simple
phrase: Wise Men Still Seek Him. As I prepared this post for the Seekers blog,
these words kept coming back to me. When we think about the Magi (the three kings
or wise men from the East who came to Bethlehem seeking “the King of the Jews”)
it’s appropriate for each of us to consider the question that it’s so easy to
forget—what do we seek in this journey?
I’ll start with the Seekers
themselves. This blog is over ten years old, and each of the members of the
founding group have gone from Unpublished Island to the shore of Published Land,
waving to us, cheering us on as we strive to join them. I won’t go into all the
awards and honors they’ve accumulated along the way. But I’m willing to wager
the hole in a donut (it’s my Baptist background that prevents me from choosing
higher stakes) that they didn’t get into this for all the awards. Their goal
from the first was “support, encouragement, and information for the writing
journey.” They were seeking to help other pre-published writers, all the while
getting their novels out in whatever form honored the Lord best. Everything
that came along as they progressed in the journey was simply a by-product.
One of the things I was most
impressed with when I started traveling my own road to writing was how willing
established authors were to help others. The farther I was down that road, the
clearer it became (to me, at least) that this was an almost universal trait of
those who write for the Christian market. I have very little experience with
authors who write for the “general” market, but it would be hard to be more
willing to help newbies in the industry than the writers with whom I’ve come in
contact over the past decade and more.
What were these writers—the ones
who became the “big names” in our universe—
seeking? I can’t read their
minds, but it appears they wanted the same thing the original Seekers sought:
to tell stories that were edifying to the readers, glorifying to God, and
entertaining in the process. Scriptures tell us that the harvest isn’t
necessarily our responsibility, but we do have to sow the seed. These authors
were trying to do just that, and in addition were willing to help other sowers
who were sitting on the sidelines waiting their turn. That’s what they were
seeking.
One of the things that was hardest
for me to accept, once I had my first book published, was that people—whether
in an individual setting, a book club, or a Sunday school class—like to talk
with authors. The simplest things that we’ve experienced in our climb are
fascinating to non-writers. In this way, we find ourselves sort of celebrities.
And we have to be careful about that.
Most of my life I’ve considered
that pastors and church staff members were on the front lines of sharing the
Gospel with the rest of the world. It wasn’t until I saw my name on the cover
of a book, fielded my first questions about writing, had someone ask about my
book, that I began to realize that I was part of that group as well. How
various authors shared an aspect of the Good News would be different, depending
on their audience and the way the writers communicated that message, but each
of us in our own way is a preacher, just as much as the person who stood in the
pulpit and proclaimed what the Lord had laid on their heart. As such, in much
the same manner as sports figures and celebrities, we are role models, and
should behave as such in everything we do. We should model what we believe…in
our writing, and in our lives. That should be what we’re seeking.
And what of you, the reader?
Perhaps you’re not looking for publication. Maybe you’re reading this blog
because it’s entertaining and fun. By your very actions every day—what you say,
the things you do, the movies and books you choose—you’re providing a witness
to a world that needs examples. Are you striving to provide a good one? I’ll
end this blog post with a simple question, one that I hope you’ll ponder in
your heart in the days ahead. What are you seeking?
On top of that great question, Richard is offering an e-copy or hard copy of his latest novel "A Surgeon's Choice".
Leave a comment today to have your name tucked into Doc's medical bag...
Dr.
Richard Mabry is a retired physician, now writing “medical suspense with
heart.” His novels have garnered critical acclaim and been finalists for
multiple awards. In addition to one non-fiction book, The Tender Scar, he has written eleven novels and four novellas.
The latest is Surgeon’s Choice.
He and his wife live in north Texas,
where he works fruitlessly to improve his golf game and tries to convince his
family that staring into space is really working. You can learn more at his blog and webpage, as well as
finding him on Facebook and Twitter.
