Article by: Sarah Koontz, Founder of Living by Design Ministries
I am so glad I decided to take the #write31days challenge!
I remember when I first read about it back at the beginning of September….
A whole month of blogging on the same subject, how could I possibly?
If you don’t know me all that well, let me clue you in on some of my personality flaws.
I get bored, easily.
I lack patience.
I crave variety.
So, at first glance, it didn’t seem like this challenge would be a good fit for me.
Also, I just started this blog…like 5 minutes ago!
But when I came up with the idea to study the spiritual giants of the Christian faith, I just couldn’t resist the urge to dive in with reckless abandon!
And it was so worth the sacrifice!
Oh, yes…ever blogger would agree that it is a sacrifice to write every day for 31 days (on top of all the other stuff we are expected to do…you know, feed our families and whatnot)!
A big virtual hug and thank you to my friend Todd White, for generously allowing me to use his beautiful photography throughout this series.
You rock, Todd!
It may sound weird, but I feel like I have at least 5 new friends this month….
Katherine Luther, my stubborn, brave, and outspoken mentor; who I am convinced must have slapped her husband Martin Luther the first time he called her, “My Lord Kate, Mistress of the Pigsty.”
My long-suffering friend, Aunt Fanny, who overcame so many obstacles yet never lost faith in her beloved Savior!
The wisest man I have ever had the privilege of knowing, Oswald Chambers, and his beautifully persistent wife, Biddy.
And, of course, Dr. Wiersbe. The man who wrote the book that inspired this series (who happens to be a dear friend and mentor to my real-life pastor; a fun fact I discovered half-way through the month).
I also want to personally thank each and every person who took the time to not only read my (reeeaaaalllllllly long) articles but also took the time to leave thoughtful comments.
Your comments fueled up my tank when it was running on empty; each one was so precious to me.
I would like to wrap up this #write31days series by sharing the three lessons I learned from the spiritual giants of faith this month.
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I spent the first week studying the life of Martin and Katherin Luther.
I was so blessed when I came across this quote.
What a powerful statement, and a lovely encouragement to those of us who feel like we were born to write.
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The spiritual giants made it a priority to get alone with God each and every day.
They cherished and craved time alone with the scriptures, and built their lives on the truth they found there.
Their lives and their words reminded me of the importance of a daily quiet time, and I am working on creating a routine that prioritizes time in the Bible.
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My favorite thing about studying the lives of the people who walked before us is the fact that we get to see the big picture!
We get to study their life from beginning to end and beyond the finish line.
Many of the people whose lives I visited this month were not especially famous or well-known during their lives.
They picked up their pens and wrote (both literally and figuratively), and God has done amazing things through their stories!
What is the most valuable lesson you learned from the #write31days challenge, either as a reader or a writer?
If you’ve enjoyed this series I would love for you to share it with your friends.
31 days of interesting people, inspirational quotes, and beautiful photography. #write31daysAnd I’d be honored if you’d sign up for my email list and join me in embracing the story God has written on our hearts.
Find inspiration on a wide variety of subjects by visiting the other #Write31Days Series!
