Does Originality Still Exist?

*Originally published January 2016* 

When I went to college in the Fall of 2009, my creative writing professor quickly introduced me to Anne Lamott. This quirky, fiery author speaks boldly about her faith, being a single mom, and some other tough issues, but she also talks about finding our voice through writing. Anne Lamott first made me realize that everyone out there has something to say, whether they know how to say it or not. She also showed me that every writer has originality, because we all have our own writing voice.

“If something inside of you is real, we will probably find it interesting, and it will probably be universal. So you must risk placing real emotion at the center of your work. Write straight into the emotional center of things. Write toward vulnerability..."
-Anne Lamott, Bird by Bird

This truth has stuck with me as a blogger. When I have a post idea that I'd like to write about, but then I see that someone has already written on the subject and done a very good job, my natural reaction is to shrink back and decide that I could not write it as well as the other person did. I also tend to feel that if I write the "same" post as someone else, then I am not being original. But I could never write the same post as someone else. This is because no one can write something the same way that I do. I am not the same as another blogger, which is precisely why I have something to offer.

It's easy to feel like we can't measure up, but we can. There is always a risk when we put ourselves out there- allowing the whole world to peer into our souls through our written words. But when we realize that our words are powerful, and that we have the ability to make a real difference, then it is much easier to keep on typing. We can't (and shouldn't) write a post in the same way someone else did, but what we can do is write a post with honesty-with love- and we can share it in hopes of reaching someone who needed to read what we wrote, in the way that we wrote it.

Different people connect with and understand different styles of writing. My husband can read something and report to me that it was excellent. However, I may read the same thing and get absolutely nothing out of it.

Why is this?

It's because every author writes in their own voice. This means that every single writer out there has originality, because no one else can write exactly the way they do. And in the same way, each reader is going to connect with the text in a different way. What speaks to me will mean nothing to another. What helps someone else may not help me at all. And that's ok.

The fact of the matter is, originality does still exist. We may write about the same topics, but we will never bring it to life in the same way. There are some people that my writing will never help, but there are other people who need my writing. They will be helped by me (really by God) in a way that no one else has helped them.

So next time you are tempted to put down your pen or close your laptop because you feel like you have nothing left to say, remember that you do have originality, and you absolutely have something important to say. Harness it, write it, and share it.


Do you believe you have something important to say? Why or why not?

The Problem is Not Black and White

By the time this post goes live, I'll probably be one of 20 zillion bloggers who have chimed in about all that has been going on with police brutality and all that has followed. As bloggers, we sit behind our computer screens and write about things that we only see at surface level. Most of us are not experts, and can only see what the media lets us see. So before I dive into this topic, I'd like to say that I am only human. I have ideas, standards, and beliefs. I wouldn't believe what I believe if I didn't think it was true. But just because I type up some words about a very difficult subject, doesn't mean I have it all figured out.
I simply want to offer some food for thought.

Police Brutality and #Blacklivesmatter

I am so sorry to all the families who have lost someone dear because of police brutality. I wish I could tell you that everything will be ok- but your worlds are turned upside-down forever. I know that.

I'd like to say that you absolutely do matter. Black lives do matter. And yes, all lives matter. Those are both very true statements, and I believe them both with all my heart.

You do not deserve to be treated poorly because of the color of your skin. And when this happens, it disgusts me. I am so sorry!

But I do think that #blacklivesmatter is actually doing you injustice. When someone says "Black lives matter", it places you in a separate category, which only serves to re-segregate you. Equality comes when we don't see color. It comes when we stop putting ourselves in separate categories. You have fought for so long not to be segregated, but now a simple phrase is actually serving to re-segregate you in a sense.

The travesties going on right now are very much racial. And that is a terrible, disgusting thing. But I am not convinced that doing more talks about "those blacks" or "those whites" is doing anyone any good. Should we acknowledge racism? Absolutely. But some people are way past acknowledging it- they are cultivating a war of the races.

There are thousands of people- black and white alike- that are on your side when it comes to police brutality. We want to support you and help you.

Evil

The fact of the matter is, evil people are going to do evil things. Prejudice is evil. The shooting of men who don't deserve it is evil. It's evil whether it was done by a white cop, a black cop, a terrorist, etc. Just like the shooting in Orlando was evil. And equally evil was the attack of cops- especially since they had nothing to do with the other incidents.

Assuming all white cops are corrupt is just as evil as assuming all black people are criminals capable of violence.

But honestly, we can expect evil from a world filled with sadness, despair, and anger. We cannot change what other people do. We cannot protest the evil out of the world. We cannot shoot evil out of the world. We can't even get rid of evil through acts of kindness.

The Answer

I bet you weren't expecting that last one. Chances are, you might even be a little bit mad that I said that. But it's true.

No matter how many "good deeds" or "kind acts" you perform, you aren't going to change the world. Sure, you're doing more good than harm, but you still can't fix it.

The problem is not (and never will be) corrupt cops or violent "blacks". The problem is not racist whites OR racist blacks. The problem is not gay or straight, transgender bathrooms or "bigoted Christians". The problem is not Hilary Clinton or Donald Trump. The problem isn't an issue or cause. The problem is a lack of Jesus.

Jesus is always the answer, but most people never get that. Even people who claim to be Christians have no idea what that means. And I'm not just talking about the "flaming liberals" who want more gun control. I'm also not just talking about the "conservative bigots" who want the freedom to refuse a wedding cake to a homosexual couple.

I'm talking about about the little old lady who's been in church her whole life, but has no concept of her own sin. I'm talking about the 30-year-old man who donates his time to all the good causes and social justice organizations he can find, yet has no interest in what God's word says about his own life. If we are not for God- truly, deeply for Him- then we are against Him (Matthew 12:30).

Jesus is the only way for our salvation. And that is the crux of the whole thing. But Jesus is more than just our "ticket" to Heaven. He also instructs us on how to handle evil and injustice in the world:

"Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them. Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. Live in harmony with one another. Do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly. Never be wise in your own sight. Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all. If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all. Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.”

(Romans 12:14-19)

Make the Choice

Again, you cannot control what someone else does. And even your feeble acts of kindness cannot change the world. But- and that's a big but- with God, you can make a world of difference.

You see, kindness done for the sake of kindness is futile. But kindness and love shown for the sake of Christ, and out of our gratitude to Christ is everything.
The world needs to see us bringing forth love. The world needs to see us loving black people, loving cops, loving homosexuals, loving drug-addicts, prostitutes, and yes, even Hilary, Bernie, Trump, and Obama. They need to see kindness towards everyone, a lack of hateful speech, and a consistency in the way we live our lives.

They need to see followers of Christ who don't take sides, but show love to all. They also need to see followers of Christ who know how to stand firm on God's word without acting like idiots towards those who oppose them.

If we commit to living like this, many of us will find ourselves ostracized, even by fellow Christians. There are plenty of Christians who think it's their job to change the world through their "loud" Facebook posts. Others who think it's their job to rid the world of "closed-minded", conservative Christians who "take the Bible too literally". And others will take it upon themselves to bible thump "the gay" out of the homosexuals they know. Those sound like great ministry tools, huh? *insert slow eye-roll*

You can be as loud as you want, as articulate as you want, and as rude as you want, but that isn't going to change the world. What will change the world is Jesus. What will change the world is people seeing love shown by the followers of Jesus.

So we can either keep failing with our methods for "bring peace", or we can do it God's way. Take your pick.

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