Keeping Up with OCW

Sep 3, 2011 by Angella

by Pamela Rosales, OCW Secretary

Jim Rubart, keynote speaker at the spring conference in Eugene, attended his first writing conference five years ago. Two years later, his novel Rooms was published. Rooms became a best seller within its first five months. Sounds easy, doesn’t it? But it wasn’t.

Jim had to face his fear first. By the age of 11 he knew he wanted to write. In ninth grade he applied for the high school newspaper team, but didn’t make it. He translated that to mean, “I’m not good enough,” and tried to bury his dream of writing. “You see,” he said, “God plants dreams in us, and the enemy wants to steal our dreams.”

Our desires reveal how God has designed us. His design determines our destiny if we step toward it. In 2003, Jim decided to step into his destiny. He finished Rooms and sent it to four editors. He received three rejections and one reply that asked two questions. Encouraged, he answered the editor’s questions. The next reply was terse; however, Jim wrote back. The editor emailed Jim with a small piece of information and told him not to contact him again. Jim translated that retort as, “I’m not good enough.” Dream destroyed. Eventually, God spoke to Jim through his wife. In 2006, he attended his first writers’ conference, and he’s been going and growing ever since.

The lesson Jim has for a writer is to “step into your fear.” Regardless of rejection, realize that publication does not define you. God defines you as a writer, so keep fighting and believing. Ask yourself: What has taken you out of your dream? What fear do you need to step out of? What is keeping you from your destiny? It’s not the amount of “talents” you’ve been given, but what you do with them (Matthew 25:14–30).

Christian writers have God’s Spirit within, not a spirit of fear (2 Timothy 1:7). Use your ability with words to encourage one another, even if it’s through email. Jesus came to set us free (Galatians 5:1), to bring good news, comfort the brokenhearted, and set prisoners free (Isaiah 61:1), to destroy the works of the devil (1 John 3:8), because the enemy wants to steal, kill, and destroy. But Jesus came to give life to the fullest (John 10:10).

Jim’s message ended with this quote from Annie Dillard (original source is Ray Bradbury): “You’ve got to jump off cliffs all the time and build your wings on the way down.” Jim encourages writers to conquer their fear by jumping off cliffs, while praying for the Builder of Wings to guide their flights.

Fifteen writers stepped into their “flights” by joining OCW at the spring conference; each received a blue OCW tote bag as a welcome gift.

Perhaps part of your “flight” is to become more involved in OCW. Is God calling you to serve in one of the many volunteer positions that keep OCW helping writers use their talents? Contact any board member for more information on volunteering.