What Others Think

March 12, 2024February 24, 2024 / Mark Brady / Leave a comment

One of the things that kept me from writing for many years was “the fear of men.” I didn’t want to be judged, made fun of, or laughed at behind my back. (Or to my face, for that matter.) It didn’t help either having someone close to me ask, “What makes you think you’re a writer?” I would have thought they would have, instead, been my biggest fan! A cheerleader encouraging me to pursue writing with everything I’ve got as if on fire. That wasn’t to be.

But their words, as hurtful as they were, didn’t extinguish the flame that God had placed inside of me to be a writer. I shared my desire with a friend, and he encouraged me. I told him, “I know I may not ever be the best writer, but I was going to do it and try my best.” After all, writing is an art form, and any art is subjective to an individual.

People, for whatever personal reason, jealousy, past hurts of their own, or any other many reasons, can be so cruel when they pass judgment on another person. Even though we know this truth, it can be challenging to look past it. I mean, let’s face it: even though we want to be liked, accepted, or famous, why do we put so much weight behind the words of someone else?

Instead, we should only be concerned with what God thinks of us.

Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell. Mat. 10:28 (NIV)

He replied, “Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and obey it.” Luk 11:28 (NIV)

But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” 1 Sam. 16:7 (NIV)

True happiness is doing what God has called us to and being content knowing we have done our best with His help. Even if we have challenges or difficulties, we shouldn’t let them define us; rather, we should let God write our success story.

So, child of God who has been called, do it! Go and be the person you were meant to be. The one He has specifically made to do a specific task in a specific way. True, there may be someone else who is perhaps more qualified than you, but they’re not you. They don’t have the past, the experiences, the heart that you have. I have this knack for remembering stories and events from the past and then drawing from them when I need to. Others may not have that ability. And know that you may seldom or even never get a satisfaction survey that speaks truthfully about how God used you in someone’s life, but you will one day hear God say, “Well done, thy good and faithful servant.”

Story Time

September 19, 2023August 20, 2024 / Mark Brady / Leave a comment

I used to wonder why I remembered most events in my life. And it seemed as if in great detail. Or why would I remember other’s events or stories? Or how I could recall a profound statement years later. In the past, I would say, “Oh well.” But as I started writing, I realized I tapped into those memories to introduce a topic or illustrate a point. Like I am about to do now.

Today, I recognize it is the way I am wired. I recall those “stories” in living color, and I would dare say, with accuracy. I know others tend to “twist” or “change” some details of an event or conversation, usually to make themselves look better. As difficult as it may be, I do my best to remember the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, so help me, God. I do this because I strive to be honest in my heart about facts and myself. Therefore, I am not tempted to “edit” the story.

God knew someday I would use how He wired me to write. Usually, I will see or hear something, triggering a memory of an event, statement, or story. Shortly after that, a spiritual value will come to mind. I pray over it to see if it is something God wants me to share in a blog. If so, I have to write it down immediately or risk forgetting it. You should see how many “Post-It” notes I have pinned to a corkboard on the wall beside my desk. I am a Storyteller. One of my favorite stories to tell is, Jesus’. From his supernatural birth to unselfish death and between the start and finish of his life, is love.

So, how has God wired you? What gifts, talents, or skills has He placed inside of you that He hopes you will give back to use for his glory? Don’t think for a minute that you aren’t good enough. If you place it in his hands, He will bless and multiply it. The Holy Spirit will hover over it, and God will say, “It is good.”

For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Jer. 29:11 (NIV)

Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, Jer. 1:5 (NIV)

Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms. 1 Pt. 4:10 (NIV)

Experience Writing

October 28, 2022October 25, 2022 / Mark Brady / 3 Comments

I was at a book signing event the other day. As people came by my table and checked out my novel, “Kill The Preacher Man,” without fail, a discussion would begin. I found it intriguing how many of those conversations turned to writing. Some of those who stopped by would say, “I should write a book.” Or “I feel as if God wants me to write a book.”

No matter how they revealed what the Holy Spirit was stirring in their hearts, I encouraged them to pursue it and rise to the challenge. There can be several hurdles to overcome when considering going on the journey of being a writer. For me, it was the fear of criticism. I used to wonder, “What will others think of my writing skills? What if it’s not good enough? Who am I that anyone should want to read what I write?” There were probably several other hurdles, but those were the main ones.

A hurdle is nothing more than “fear.” Fear; a four-letter word that is so small, yet it can stop people from trusting God to join him in doing the impossible. What if David had told God his aim was not perfected yet, and there was no way he could defeat Goliath? Moses tried to convince God that he was not an elegant speaker, so God gave him a spokesperson but still expected him to confront Pharoh and lead the children of Isreal out of bondage. Why? Because Moses had the faith needed to believe the impossible could be done. So did David and countless others in the Bible.

Hope and faith are the only things greater than fear. They can even help a kid from Oklahoma, whom no one has ever heard of, to write a novel and a weekly blog that has now been read by someone in 122 different countries worldwide. Have I done it in my own strength and power? No way! Only by using a measure of faith and having hope have I written what I have felt the Holy Spirit lead me to write.

So if God is leading you to write a story, perhaps your story then go for it with hope and faith and without fear. Only be concerned about what God thinks of your writing. Simply do your best. Focus on God and then write what is on his heart. That is how to overcome any hurdle and be a successful writer. I assure you, someone who needs to read what you write is out there. I am convinced that my first book was for only one reader, my son. If that turns out to be the case, all that work was worth it.

He said to them, “There are a great many people to harvest. But there are only a few workers to harvest them. God owns the harvest. Pray to God that he will send more workers to help gather his harvest. Luk. 10:2 (ICB)

The above scripture could be written as:

He said to them, “There are a great many readers to reach. But there are only a few faithful writers, who will listen to me lead them as to what to write. God owns the readers. Pray to God that he will lay it on people’s hearts to write to help reach the readers. Luke 10:2 (The Writer’s Bible)

I asked God one time, “Why do you ask me to write when you already have the Bible?” God spoke to my spirit, “I love my people so much. They won’t pick up and read my word, but they might pick up your book and if it has my word in it then they will still learn of my love for them.”

If you need help getting started, you can reach out to Experience Writing. A company dedicated to helping new or frustrated writers. Email them at: admin@expwriting.com. Or go to their website, expwriting.com.

Tomorrow, March 03 by 7:00 P.M.

March 18, 2022March 20, 2022 / Mark Brady / 2 Comments

Journeys vary in length! Duh. Everyone knows that! But this particular journey took eight years. I’ll never forget how it started. My friend asked me, “What’s stopping you?” After much thought, I answered his question the following week. “Fear!”

Fear paralysis a lot of people before their journey actually starts sometimes, and that is sad. There is greater joy in overcoming than in feeling scared. The other thing I had to overcome on this journey was when someone extremely close to me asked, “What makes you think you’re a…” It hurt, a lot, and I almost believed them I wasn’t. Then, God put in front of me a wise, spiritual man who simply said, “Mark, you are.” And those words I did believe, and so my journey took off. I went from baby steps to running.

I came up with lots of excuses why my journey was taking so long. I stumbled when another person’s own hurts and past were projected onto me. This person should have supported me and guided me while setting their own issues aside. I understand, now, but back then, I didn’t. I did stop the journey for two months, and blamed them. Then God got tired of me feeling bad for myself, and whispered, “Mark, no one can finish this, but you. Because I gave it to you to do.” I heard him, and started my journey again.

My journey is getting longer and taking on more of an influence, but one key part of it is ending Tomorrow, March 03, by 7:00 P.M. My first novel, Kill The Preacher Man is being delivered. I am beyond excited.

This blog is being written on March 02, but it won’t post until March 18^th, which happens to be part of that growing influence. When you read this, I will be in the middle of hosting my first writer’s conference with my business partner. I hope by the end of it I too will have been used of God to empower someone else on a journey, to believe they’re a writer.

You can check out the book at bradymarka.com/books

Ask God

February 15, 2022February 12, 2022 / Mark Brady / Leave a comment

I just finished editing my novel, with its cover design, and got it successfully sent off to the publisher. A huge undertaking to say the least. There were more issues that I ran into than there were tissues in the box. “Honey, we need more tissues!” Sorry, but I think she was making out the shopping list for the week. Yes, quitting, or giving up came to mind, more than once.

You see, this novel has been a seven year journey. I enjoy the story every time I read it. And even though I know what is coming next it still makes me laugh, or tear up. Knowing how I felt about the story I didn’t just want to throw it away.

So how did I get it completed? I asked God for help, a lot! He gave it to me too, It came in the form of wisdom not to run and buy software in order to load a tool I was in need of using, but He directed me to go to April’s computer and it had the necessary system requirements. He guided me who to reach out to for technical help. Not buying new software saved us money and that was a great thing! There was several other ways He helped as well.

I believe in “asking” God for help. In fact, it is one of the subjects in my next book I am going to start working on and finishing. I have been making this principle a part of my renewed mind in order to “ask” quickly, so I am not wasting my time struggling on my own.

He has even directed me to the internet to seek out answers. Isn’t that cool to know God knows about the internet? He will also help you find things that are lost, or misplaced, and you just can’t seem to find them. There seems to be a special anointing on items that are lost. I even asked God why He helps us find things that are lost and immediately I sensed in my spirit, “Because you were once lost!”

So the next time you need to know something, seeking wisdom and understanding, or are looking for something you can’t find, ask God for help! You will be amazed at the results. This is just another way God demonstrates how much He loves us and cares about the everyday things that matter to us. Also, remember to ask God to help your friends, and family members, loved ones to come to know him and accept him, for until they do, they are lost.

“If you don’t know what you’re doing, pray to the Father. He loves to help. You’ll get his help, and won’t be condescended to when you ask for it. Ask boldly, believingly, without a second thought. People who “worry their prayers” are like wind-whipped waves. Don’t think you’re going to get anything from the Master that way, adrift at sea, keeping all your options open.” James 1:5-8 (MSG)

Only God

December 3, 2021December 3, 2021 / Mark Brady / Leave a comment

“God, you want me to do what?” What in the world does a kid from Oklahoma know about hosting a writer’s conference? I mean, I have been to a few, but put one on? One thing I have learned, the hard way, is simply be obedient and do what God is telling you to do, whether you know how, or not! Truth is, sometimes it’s better if you don’t know what you are doing, because then you are more likely to rely on God.

So, for the last several months my neighbor, Janice Buswell and I have come together, fasted and prayed, listened to the voice of God, developed a writer’s conference, built a website, and formed a company. I give you, “Experience Writing”.

At the conference, Janice Buswell, Jane Rubietta, Tara Lynn Thompson, yours truly, and the legendary, Jared Buswell will share what the writing experience can be, could be, and should be. Through our combined journeys we will share the truth concerning publishing. There are a lot of people who will tell you how to write, what to write to be successful, and what they feel is the only path to getting published, but each writer needs to discover their own story, and find the personal method to put that story on paper and present it to the world, who is just waiting to read it.

If you are a writer, or have ever thought about getting that story in your spirit out then you should consider attending the Experience Writing Conference. All the important information is included in the website:

expwriting.com

As Jared Buswell would say, “It’s going to be epic!”

Love at First Sight

June 22, 2021June 23, 2021 / Mark Brady / 1 Comment

“No! I won’t allow it,” said the editor of my novel, “Kill the Preacher Man”. (Not yet published.) “I write romance novels, and love doesn’t happen that fast,” she went on to say. I considered her chastising comments and thought, I’m not writing a romance novel! Besides, over my many years, I have heard several stories where one, or the other of a married couple knew early on they had met their mate. I myself have fallen in love with a woman at first sight. Twice! The second one, I married.

My current wife, I first saw a postage size photo of her, and said, “Wow! Who is that?” I wanted to click on her profile first and find out more about her. I know now, what I saw that Friday afternoon, was the love of God in her. I have written about it before in a post titled, “The April Affect”. God’s love is so strong in her that people who have never met her are attracted to her. Especially children.

So if it is possible to fall in love with someone at first sight, then shouldn’t it be possible to fall in love with God at first sight? After all, we are made in his image. Now not everyone acts like God, but that’s the individual’s fault, not Gods.

Yes, there are some that are crazy about God right after they meet him. They accept his free gift of salvation and feel instant relief from the burden of sin, and they go around telling everybody about their new love.

For others, it seems as if their love of God grows as the relationship grows. As they learn, or discover the benefits of being in a relationship with God they appreciate and their love for him grows.

A popular church proclaims, “For whoever finds God, finds life.” I like to say, “For whoever finds God, finds love.”

Wisdom from God’s Word

October 30, 2016October 30, 2016 / Mark Brady / Leave a comment

Work is tough. Ever since Adam and Eve disobeyed God, and He told them that work would be hard, it has been just that. I grew up believing in the American dream. That a person could find employment doing something they enjoyed. At first I did, but over the years things have changed. Now, work is hard and it isn’t enjoyable at all. There are good moments, but mainly those moments are on a personal level.

In these current times we, who try our best to be Godly, are often thrown under the bus, lied about, ridiculed, and mistreated even though some of the treatment goes against the business code of conduct. rev-1

If I had things my way I would be living in an RV, traveling across America, writing. I want this kind of life. I desire this life with everything in my heart. Then I read Proverbs 16:9:

We plan the way we want to live, but only GOD makes us able to live it.

My faith in God requires that I believe this from God’s word. More importantly, I live it. The worst thing I could do is try to make the life I so desperately want happen. I yield to the truth that if God wants it to happen, then it will, but in His timing, and in His way. Hopefully doing so will help me to be wise.

The Final Edit

June 7, 2015 / Mark Brady / 2 Comments

As I mentioned last week I was going to a writer’s conference. I did. As a result the mechanics of writing is in the fore front of my mind. As I was walking around the campus, and thinking on what those that have “been there and done that” taught me, I was also searching God concerning a host of thoughts. One of those was about you.

One of the nice things about writing is the fact there is usually time to re-write. This act creates many drafts of our first words. Even up to this point I have hit the backspace key seven times. During my walk God reminded me life is different than writing. In life we only get one draft. No rewrites, and there is no backspace key! Wouldn’t it be nice if there was? You could take back what you said, or did.

You only get this one time, now, to live life. This is why life is so precious. How you choose to live your life is important. For there will be a day when you stand before God to give an account of how you chose to live your life. It is at that time God will perform the final edit. As it says in Hebrews 9:27 “Everyone has to die once, then face the consequences.” (MSG)

brady, mark a.

Words to inspire you

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