By Gerry Wakeland
Words have the power to change lives. This is something that speakers and writers are well aware of.
When I was in the eighth grade we were given an assignment in English class. We were to select an article from a magazine and write an opinion piece on it. The only magazine we received in our home was the Reader’s Digest. I went home, poured over the current issue, selected an article and wrote my opinion.
On the day our essays were due, I was called on to stand and read mine aloud. As I began the second paragraph my English teacher loudly interrupted my reading and told me to sit down. She then told me in front of the entire class that I had no business writing on that subject. “You have no idea what you’re talking about.” The subject was abortion. After carefully reading the Reader’s Digest article I did, indeed, have an opinion. It was not the same as hers.
I received a failing grade on that assignment but what impacted me far more than the grade was her words, words that echoed in my mind for years to come. Words that told me I could not have an opinion, especially if it were different. Words that told me my writing did not measure up.
Words have power. They can speak life or they can speak death. I wonder how many dreams have been killed by words. It took me years to get over the hurtful words said by my teacher that day. Thankfully God placed many encouraging people in my path to help make that happen.
Recently I received in the mail a new book co-authored by my friend and the Director of the CLASS Writers Contreat, Linda Gilden. The title of the book is, Words to Live By. Linda and her co-author, Dalene Parker, take 52 ordinary words that we use every day and reveal biblical truths by using personal examples.
This book is encouraging and engaging. It is thought provoking. It made me stop to think about words we use frequently in many different ways and to think about what those words really mean and how others hear them when we use them. Some of the words they have written are but mere reminders of things I already know but I find that I need those reminders especially when I’m caught up in the busyness of life.
When I attended CLASS for the first time in 1986 I remember Florence Littauer standing on the platform and asking this question, “Do you have anything to say and does anyone need to hear it?” I think you will agree that we all have lots to say, lots we want to say. The real question is, “does anyone need to hear it.”
Words to Live By is proof that we can hear the same thing, something as simple as a single word, over and over again and still need to hear it once more. I think the messages contained in the pages of this book have the power to transform lives. Perhaps that life might be yours.
To find out more about the authors you can contact them at [email protected] or [email protected]. To purchase your copy of Words to Live By visit www.amazon.com or shopbetterbooks.com.
Words have the power to change lives. This is something that speakers and writers are well aware of.
When I was in the eighth grade we were given an assignment in English class. We were to select an article from a magazine and write an opinion piece on it. The only magazine we received in our home was the Reader’s Digest. I went home, poured over the current issue, selected an article and wrote my opinion.
On the day our essays were due, I was called on to stand and read mine aloud. As I began the second paragraph my English teacher loudly interrupted my reading and told me to sit down. She then told me in front of the entire class that I had no business writing on that subject. “You have no idea what you’re talking about.” The subject was abortion. After carefully reading the Reader’s Digest article I did, indeed, have an opinion. It was not the same as hers.
I received a failing grade on that assignment but what impacted me far more than the grade was her words, words that echoed in my mind for years to come. Words that told me I could not have an opinion, especially if it were different. Words that told me my writing did not measure up.
Words have power. They can speak life or they can speak death. I wonder how many dreams have been killed by words. It took me years to get over the hurtful words said by my teacher that day. Thankfully God placed many encouraging people in my path to help make that happen.
Recently I received in the mail a new book co-authored by my friend and the Director of the CLASS Writers Contreat, Linda Gilden. The title of the book is, Words to Live By. Linda and her co-author, Dalene Parker, take 52 ordinary words that we use every day and reveal biblical truths by using personal examples.
This book is encouraging and engaging. It is thought provoking. It made me stop to think about words we use frequently in many different ways and to think about what those words really mean and how others hear them when we use them. Some of the words they have written are but mere reminders of things I already know but I find that I need those reminders especially when I’m caught up in the busyness of life.
When I attended CLASS for the first time in 1986 I remember Florence Littauer standing on the platform and asking this question, “Do you have anything to say and does anyone need to hear it?” I think you will agree that we all have lots to say, lots we want to say. The real question is, “does anyone need to hear it.”
Words to Live By is proof that we can hear the same thing, something as simple as a single word, over and over again and still need to hear it once more. I think the messages contained in the pages of this book have the power to transform lives. Perhaps that life might be yours.
To find out more about the authors you can contact them at [email protected] or [email protected]. To purchase your copy of Words to Live By visit www.amazon.com or shopbetterbooks.com.