For the past five years, I’ve written a monthly inspirational column called Through a Woman’s Eyes. I’m very thankful for the opportunities God’s given me to write for Him. Like most women, however, my schedule is packed and finding time to write is often a challenge.
Recently, I’ve felt God leading me to make a life changing decision which will allow me to have more time to write. I’ve been praying for God to provide encouragement and confirmation in this decision. On a recent Saturday afternoon, with this on my mind, I sat down to look over some of my past articles in preparation for the upcoming conference. As I did, God used my own writing to remind me of a lesson I learned long ago. I want to share part of an article with you in the hopes that you might be encouraged by it, as well.
When my children were little, I attempted to sew for them. I say attempted because I wasn’t a very talented seamstress. After a while I began to ask myself why it was so important to me to make my children’s clothes. Was it because my mom had made my clothes? Wasn’t that what good mothers did? As a stay-at-home mom, I felt I should save money wherever I could. Wasn’t sewing my children’s clothes a smart way to do that? Maybe I could even sew for others and earn some money. All these reasons kept me stitching and ripping, but there was something more. Even beyond all the reasons I felt I should sew, I kept at it because there was a longing in me to create something of beauty.
One day, as I chauffeured kids from one activity to another, we passed a sign for a children’s consignment sale. I stopped the car and turned around. Thirty minutes later, I left with my little girl’s summer wardrobe (bought at a fraction of the retail price) and plans to consign her outgrown clothing at the next sale.
I was so excited about the concept of consigning that I submitted an article about it to a parenting magazine. To my delight, I not only sold the article but also went on to write for the publication on a regular basis.
I was amazed at how God had provided. I was able to dress my daughter beautifully, without busting the budget. In fact, I was earning money by consigning her clothes and by selling articles. Through my writing, I’d even found an outlet for my creativity. Who would have guessed that all the things I’d tried to accomplish with my sewing were within my reach without my ever having to pick up a needle and thread.
It finally began to dawn on me that, although sewing is a wonderful gift, it isn’t mine. God simply did not stitch me together to stitch things together.
God has a pattern for each one of us. He has designed us all to be unique and special and He doesn’t expect any of us to be someone other than who He designed us to be. Ephesians 2:10 says, For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.
I’ve spent plenty of time trying to accomplish things that God never intended for me accomplish. It took me a while to understand, but it was only when I finally let go of what I thought I should do, that I found what I was truly created to do.
I am a writer.
Martha Hynson writes “Through a Woman’s Eyes,” a monthly inspirational column for women. Her column is printed in The 400 Edition, a North Georgia magazine, as well as The Shelby Shopper, a North Carolina regional publication.
