Kindred Spirits
Anne of Green Gables is one of my favorite books—and movies. The book was a bestseller in 1908 and has been made into movies, cartoons, stage plays, and more. It’s a literary classic that tells about the adventures of an orphan girl named Anne Shirley who ends up living with—and becoming family with—an old maid and bachelor siblings, Matthew and Marilla Cuthbert, who live on a farm on Prince Edward Island, Canada.
It’s a simple story about the journey of a girl finding her way in a small town, in school, and in relationships. Anne is always looking for “kindred spirits”—people whom she can relate to and love—whether it’s a best friend, a caregiver, or her future husband.
As a novelist, my job is to create characters who become kindred spirits with the reader. Characters who come alive, inspire the reader, and provide life lessons along the way. As readers, we want to relate to the characters, whether they are contemporary, historical, or fantasy.
Just like us, these characters are on a journey of change, and the reader gets to go on a journey with them. They evolve and grow, have successes and make mistakes, just like us. And we become kindred spirits with them as we learn from their story.
In my novel, readers experience the journey of two women—one, an 1850s Irish immigrant and the other, her great-great-granddaughter. Both face many challenges and changes, just like us. And both experience growth, successes, and failures, like us. And, I hope, become kindred spirits to the readers.
The book characters who become a part of our lives are ones who live real lives, face real sorrow and heartache, experience love and loss. And, I believe, draw closer to God in the process—ideally, just like us. How all that happens is as unique in our own individual lives as it is in the hundreds of thousands of book characters’ lives. That’s what makes reading fun, exciting, and inspiring. And that’s why we love to read.
Who are your favorite book characters, and why? I’d love to know!
Write Your Story
I’ve got an earworm that just won’t leave. It’s a song that won’t stop repeating in my mind and in my heart, day and night. But I don’t think it’s just because it’s a catchy tune. It is truth. Profound truth, at least to me.
Ever since I became a Christian over three decades ago, I’ve desired for God to write His story on my heart and in my life. Each chapter has held lots of ups and downs, just like any good novel does.
I’ve owned an operated a Christian preschool, teaching little ones to love Jesus and know His word. Then, as a Language Arts teacher, I taught 4-8th graders to love words and love writing, all the while raising two wonderful children.
Later I wrote missions curriculum, had my own newspaper column, became a magazine editor, and then was the editorial director of 12 publications. But it’s never been about the jobs I’ve done; it’s been a journey of letting Him write His story with my life. From the day I turned my heart over to Him, I knew that my life has never really been mine—and His plans have always been good.
And now, with two published non-fiction books, He is writing a new chapter in my story. As a novelist. He is “the source of the rhythm that my heart—and my imagination and my pen—keeps on beating”, and it sure is fun.
As Francesca so aptly sings, I am an empty page. I am an open book. And I want my history to be His legacy. So, when all is said and done, all I can say is “Lord, let me be Your work of art!” Thanks, Francesca!
“Write Your Story”
by Francesca Battistelli
They say
You’re the King of everything
The One who taught the wind to sing
The Source of the rhythm my heart keeps beating
They say
You can give the blind their sight
And You can bring the dead to life
You can be the hope my soul’s been seekin’
(chorus)
I wanna tell You now that I believe it
I wanna tell You now that I believe it
I do, that You can make me new, oh
I’m an empty page
I’m an open book
Write Your story on my heart
Come on and make Your mark
Author of my hope
Maker of the stars
Let me be Your work of art
Won’t You write Your story on my heart
Write Your story, write Your story
Come on and write Your story, write Your story
Won’t You write Your story on my heart
My life
I know it’s never really been mine
So do with it whatever You like
I don’t know what Your plan is
But I know it’s good, yeah
(repeat chorus)
Author of my hope
Maker of the stars
Let me be Your work of art
Won’t You write Your story on my heart
Write Your story, write Your story
Come on and write Your story, write Your story
Won’t You write Your story on my heart
I want my history
To be Your legacy
Go ahead and show this world
What You’ve done in me
And when the music fades
I want my life to say
I let You write Your story, write Your story
Write Your story, write Your story
(repeat chorus)
Author of my hope
Maker of the stars
Let me be Your work of art
Won’t You write Your story on my heart
Write Your story, write Your story
Come on and write Your story, write Your story
Won’t You write Your story on my heart [x2]
Creating with the Creator
When I coach aspiring Christian writers, one of the first things I encourage them to do is to form a writing life that’s based on biblical values. In the secular culture we live in, that is often not on the top of the list, yet it is a critical part of making your writing life strong and healthy. But how do we do that?
First, put God first in your writing life. Talk about Him as if He’s right there with you, because He is. Make Him an active member of your writing journey. He’s there with you at the dinner table, when you watch TV, when you play, work, talk, or write. He’s there when you go to bed, when you dream, when you create.
Be sure the Bible is your primary source of information about doing life and communicating through your writing. Keep it on your coffee table or on your kitchen counter, and use it often. Grab it and read a Proverb or Psalm at breakfast. Memorize a verse. Talk about it.
Make church one of your primary social activities. If you have children, find a child-friendly church, and let it be an important part of your community. Make friends with other families in the church, and participate in the life of the church. And if there are other writers in your faith community, fellowship together often.
Worship at home, because worship just isn’t for Sunday. Prayer and worship should be a part of each and every day. Pray at meals and bedtime, but also pray in the car and other times. Play worship music and enjoy a time of praise and worship as a normal part of your writing life.
Enjoy creation. Creation and the Creator’s beauty are all around you. And because you are a writer, learn from the Creator how to create! Talk about God’s creation regularly. Acknowledge who made your fingernails or your eyelashes or the bird that flies outside your window. Touch, feel, smell, see—experience creation and worship the Creator. And make it all a part of your writing.
Appreciate life. Instill a deep sanctity of life in your relationships and in your children. Talk about how God made each of us unique and special. Intentionally counter the lies of our culture that says preborn babies and old people are expendable and that life is cheap. Talk about how precious life is; don’t just think it, say it! And write it! When a baby is born or a person dies, talk about what God thinks about these events and what it means to our world.
There is a multitude of ways that you can create a Christian culture in your writing life. What are some ways you do this? I’d love to know!
Teamwork
The characters in my novel faced lots of changes in their marriage, and I’m guessing you face lots of changes in your marriage as well. But as we embrace those changes together, seek to understand ourselves and our mate, and work with God and each other to walk through our adventures of change, we can be a blessing to each other and to those who are watching our lives.
But beware! When you’re in the midst of adjusting to all the changes that come in married life, it’s easy to hurt one another—to over react, accuse, get angry, deny, and more. You’ll read about how my characters experienced these things—once the book comes out.
But as we learn how our personalities work—our strengths and the weaknesses we have—we can learn to rely on the strengths, work on our weaknesses, and work together to walk through life as a team. And it’s so important to not let the hurts linger, fester, and infect your relationship. It’s a skill to be learned, but having those skills will help you care for each other better.
From being first-time parents to the preschool years and beyond, when children are involved, change is a given. As you discover how each of you are wired, including the personalities your children have, you’ll find yourself more equipped to make good transitions on a regular basis. My character had six kids. Yikes!
In the midst of change, a couple also has to make lots of decisions. To do that, they must communicate and resolve conflict well, but that’s not always easy in the heat of the moment. People have very different ways of coming to a decision, disciplining the children, or resolving conflict. So it’s helpful to understand how you’re wired before you’re in the mist of an unexpected situation.
All the little changes that come with daily life in a family can simply exacerbate the weaknesses we have in dealing with change. Not only do we need to understand how each of us is wired and work to overcome our own weaknesses, but we also need to learn how to compensate for each other’s weaknesses. When we do this, we’ll have an easier pathway to family peace and compatibility.
What have been the greatest changes in your marriage and how have you worked as a team? I’d love to know.