Changes in Appearance, but not the Message.

As I’ve faced challenges over the last few weeks, I’ve spent a lot of time seeking the answer for the challenges in prayer.

As I look through pictures of my time in Israel, I remember when I took my pictures of the pool of Bethesda.

Jesus healed a man here according to John 5:15. A man who learned Jesus could heal him rather than wait for a man to help him get into the pool when it was stirred by an angel.

It still portrays a message to hope. It reminds me God is ready to show me the answer through the work of His Son.

I try to imagine what this looked like in the time of Jesus. I’m sure it was much different than today. Standing at the railing which prevents anyone from climbing down to the pool, I was reminded once more that what this looks like is not as important as the saving message of Jesus.

The pool of Bethesda doesn’t look much like a pool to me. It’s hard to imagine a multitude of people here. I’m rethinking the different definitions of “multitude.”
The water looks brown in this picture and very small. Scripture tells us there were five porches filled with people around the pool. Scientists tell us ground level is higher today than it was in Jesus’ time. But I still think it is a long way down there.

Finding My Way

The last two weeks have been difficult thanks to Covid. Last week I had so much brain fog, I was not able to put together a full, understandable sentence.

This came at a time when I felt I was making progress against three years of deepening depression due to being one of the caretakers for my mom. During this illness, I feel I’ve taken several steps backward.

So what do I do to get fully on track with my writing the things I feel God is calling me to write.

There is a whole list of things I can and will do to regain my physical, mental, and spiritual health. I want to share one major step I’m taking with my fellow writers.

This Tuesday, I’ll start leading a Bible Study based on the book “Write His Answer,” written by my friend, Marlene Bagnull.

I’ve gone through this study twice and each time I’ve grown in my faith and in my writing ability.

Now I’m studying this book again, actually leading this study for others. In my experience, teaching is one of the best ways to learn.

So I invite anyone who feels drawn to reaffirm their calling to write to join me in this study. If enough people are interested, I will create an online study. Let me know.

If you’d like to follow the study up with a writers conference to continue the teaching, I urge you to consider Colorado Christian Writers Conference and the Greater Philly Writers Conference. Check them out at https://writehisanswer.com/conferences.

You can also purchase the Write His Answer Bible Study at the same website.

I’m looking forward to seeing you all next Friday when I get back into my regular blog routine.