Delight!

Did you know that the Lord God delights in those who fear him, who put their hope in His unfailing love? Psalm 147:11 says so!

If I’m asked what gives me joy, I’d have to say that creative writing delights me! When I write, something amazing happens. I receive inexplicable joy. Don’t think for a minute that it’s because I am a great writer. I’m not. It’s just joyful for me to create something, from an inspirational well inside of me, and it’s delightful and liberating. No one person’s writing is like another’s. It as individual as our DNA.

According to Holley Gerth, and her book “Coffee for Your Heart,” if we asked God that same question, one of God’s answers would be “you.” “The Bible tells us in several places that the Lord delights in His people,” Gerth says.

As a volunteer, I signed up to teach creative writing to Catholic sisters at the place where I work. Keep in mind that many of these sisters have Master’s Degrees and Doctorate Degrees in English and Theology. I do not. But, I signed up because I thought I could possibly get the creative writing juices flowing, that I could be a tiny instrument of creativity and that the sisters and associates might have a bit of fun.

What I didn’t count on was the encouragement and edification that I received from the sisters in hosting the creative writing class. Our largest class size was five – and it was perfect. We had timed writing exercises (I participated too) and then, if folks wished, we shared our writings. The time flew by and it was wonderful!

Some participants wrote about the specific exercise and one sister in particular was prompted to write something different almost every time. However, she was prompted to write! And, she shared her thoughtful writings with all of us.

Gerth says, “It’s reassuring to know God can delight in us now, just as we are …” As one of the exercises, I talked about how God delights in us and read from Gerth’s book, “Coffee for Your Heart.” After class, a woman came up to me and said, “I’ve never thought about that before. That God could delight in ME.” Honestly, I hadn’t thought of that either until she honed in on that aspect of the writing lesson. How awesome is that!

I used the two reflection questions from Gerth’s book: What brings you joy? How does knowing that God delights in you make you feel?

This person brought this lesson to life for me. I am grateful for her insight and sharing. During these stressful times in life, we all need to remember that God delights in us. Not as God wishes us to be, but as we are right now. How do I want to live my life knowing this? Does this change how you wish to live yours?