Years ago, I used to write for a certain paper. I wrote what I felt God had put on my heart to write. It didn’t sound like a scholar wrote it, as I am not a scholar. I hold no fancy writing degrees. Though I am a woman who loves God and truly I believe that God has called me to be a writer, for His glory. I stopped writing for this paper, not too long after I began. I no longer felt it right to do so. For in an attempt to edit my work, my words were changed all too often. They were changed because I did not sound as educated. Now normal editing would not have bothered me. However, it went beyond this. My words and sentences were changed to sound more scholar-like, much of the heart and true meaning of my writings had been stripped away. It was more of inspired by my words, but my words were not “good enough.” Not saying that scholarly articles or things of such are bad, they’re not. The problem is, that is not the intention of my writings. For my reader wound up reading something that sounded more like a piece of textbook and not something that they really could connect with. I intentionally want to write in a way in which can reach to the heart of anyone that reads it; not just those incredibly educated. In doing so, I want to connect with everyone from every walk of life, every education level and those that are all on different faith walks. I remember reading one of my articles, stripped away of what once felt like connection and in its place a piece more focused on sounding educated and overly proper. There are places for writing works such as those, though that is not my calling. My words were not good enough. As I have walked on my faith journey I have witnessed much pretentiousness. This behavior can be discouraging on our walk with God and is a total misrepresentation of what real faith is. This is the kind of behavior that can push people away from God. As though God only takes in the perfectly educated person. The perfectly put-together person. Though this is pharisee like behavior. God loves us all, from every walk. Jesus died for the rich as much as the poor. He died for the people that seemingly have it all together and those in their brokenness. He died for the simple and the educated. Friend, if anyone has ever made you feel like you need to be a certain way in order to make a difference, to have value or purpose; they are horribly wrong. God loves you the way He created you. If He puts a calling on your life, don’t let anyone stop you from pursuing it.

Erin Fitts-Brower

Use whatever gift God gave you

Romans 12:3 NIV

For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the faith God has distributed to each of you.

Ecclesiastes 7:16 NIV

Do not be overrighteous, neither be overwise—why destroy yourself?

1 Corinthians 12:4-7 NIV

There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them.There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. There are different kinds of working, but in all of them and in everyone it is the same God at work. Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good.