Thursday, September 22, 2011

Living with passion

Last week I spoke at a women's conference about living with passion, one of my favorite topics. At the same time a difficult one as well, because I sometimes have to dig through layers of discouragement, disappointment, fear, and anxiety in order to touch the heart of the audience. I am so grateful it is the Holy Spirit who gently takes care of this.

Apart from my personal testimony I used bits and pieces of biblical advice and books I have read on the subject. Like something I read the other day by poet William Arthur Ward. He wrote about passion as being one of the keys to success and broke it down into manageable tips we can start practicing tomorrow. I don't know what you're working on at the moment, maybe it's a book or an article. Maybe a new blog or a letter to an agent. Whatever it is, make sure you do it with passion. I know the following will somehow encourage you, as it did me. Living with passion means, you

Believe while others are doubting
Plan while others are playing
Study while others are sleeping
Decide while others are delaying
Prepare while others are daydreaming
Begin while others are procrastinating
Work while others are wishing
Save while others are wasting
Listen while others are talking
Smile while others are frowning
Commend while others are criticizing
Persist while others are quitting

11 comments:

  1. Anonymous12:23 PM

    Hi Marja - what an awesome poem. Very inspiring. Thank you
    God bless
    Tracy

    ReplyDelete
  2. It spoke to me Traci, there is always something I can do different!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Thanks Marja!
    Awesome poem. Especially for this daydreaming procrastinator ;D

    "Prepare while others are daydreaming
    Begin while others are procrastinating"

    ReplyDelete
  4. Hi Marja -

    I like this! There are so many people who say, "I'd like to write a book," but few actually do it. I want to be a doer not just a wisher. (Hmm, is that a word?)

    Blessings,
    Susan :)

    ReplyDelete
  5. Anonymous3:43 AM

    You just don't know.
    thank you,
    bp

    ReplyDelete
  6. Lorrie11:13 AM

    YOU are the biggest encourager I know!! Appreciate you so much. Tonight is the first night of our church's womens retreat that kicks off our yearly women's studies.

    I hope you don't mind but I am printing this out to take with me so I can read those positive and encouraging words to the other gals. It will help inspire them to follow through with the study too!!

    Thanks tons :-)

    ReplyDelete
  7. Marja:
    Did you write that poem? If not, do you know who did? I want to use it somehow, even if I print it out and decorate it for my writing room and give as a gift or two.

    PS, Thanks for the encouragement.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Anonymous3:16 PM

    hello quietspirit

    I do believe that William Arthur Ward penned that poem.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Thank you for that Marja!

    I have printed it to hang by my computer.
    What a life lesson that is!

    ReplyDelete
  10. Nice post, Marja. Thanks for sharing! (I noticed that Ward's poem looks a bit like the Prayer of St. Franciscus)

    ReplyDelete
  11. Thanks everyone, for your precious comments, I am so glad I was able to encourage you. God alone knows how much we need that!

    ReplyDelete

Thanks for your visit, it is my hope and prayer that this post was an encouragement to you! Feel free to leave a comment.