Ask the Author: Matthew Milam II
Answered Questions (5)
Matthew Milam II
Every writer reaches a point where the words and or thought flow seem to dry up. At least for the project at hand. When it happens to me I rely on a number of tactics to get through the slump. More often than not... I simply stop, walk away and take a break from the project. If you're standing at a mirror with your nose on the glass it's kind of hard to see your face. By comparison, we can find ourselves too close to a subject to see it clearly. Taking a step back is the only way to adjust the view. What's interesting is the way I try to spend the time in the interim. That's where the laundry list comes in. I spend time with friends and family, catch up on my reading, revisit projects that I've previously walked away from, or start a new one entirely. You can't drive a stick shift with just one gear, and you can't open your mind without moving it around a bit. Leave the box and go sight seeing. It does wonders for your train of thought.
Matthew Milam II
Writing is personal as well as public. It allows the individual to express those things that are uniquely their own creation. At the same time, giving the potential to reach others, far beyond the limits of time and physical restraint. That's an extension of power. Power to impact and influence future posterity. Being a writer places a lot of ability on the hand of those who use pen and paper... or in today's case, electronic medium.
Matthew Milam II
My suggestion for anyone with hopes of being a writer is simply this...
Stop thinking about it and get to doing it !!!
Whatever thoughts, or discussions, whatever stories, or subjects you want to explore... start writing them down. You can always make revisions, improvements, as well as change your mind and start fresh, but if it's not out of your head, recorded through some medium... you're just delaying your start. Don't put it off until tomorrow. Tomorrow becomes someday, and someday turns into never.
Stop thinking about it and get to doing it !!!
Whatever thoughts, or discussions, whatever stories, or subjects you want to explore... start writing them down. You can always make revisions, improvements, as well as change your mind and start fresh, but if it's not out of your head, recorded through some medium... you're just delaying your start. Don't put it off until tomorrow. Tomorrow becomes someday, and someday turns into never.
Matthew Milam II
It is often said that the Lord works in Mysterious ways. Although you won't find that exact wording anywhere in the Bible, it's still a valid point.
I believe my book, "The Jesus Command" was Spirit led from the start. The idea developed over time as a result of my weekly Bible Study. The topics which I had selected were hindered due to mixed ideas and previous understandings of my attendees. These problems mostly arose from the diversity of their backgrounds and the variety of teachings they had been exposed to. Different denominations have different viewpoints and the doctrine can easily get lost in debate and confusion. Out of necessity I had to find a common ground from which to build. The thing that kept coming to mind was this.
As it relates to "Discipleship", how did Jesus use the term, and... what did He intend for us to understand about it?
No matter what we've been taught, or what we'd like to believe, the only thing that matters is a clear understanding of what Christ wanted from us in obedience. With that understand and the effort to find the answer... the book was born.
I believe my book, "The Jesus Command" was Spirit led from the start. The idea developed over time as a result of my weekly Bible Study. The topics which I had selected were hindered due to mixed ideas and previous understandings of my attendees. These problems mostly arose from the diversity of their backgrounds and the variety of teachings they had been exposed to. Different denominations have different viewpoints and the doctrine can easily get lost in debate and confusion. Out of necessity I had to find a common ground from which to build. The thing that kept coming to mind was this.
As it relates to "Discipleship", how did Jesus use the term, and... what did He intend for us to understand about it?
No matter what we've been taught, or what we'd like to believe, the only thing that matters is a clear understanding of what Christ wanted from us in obedience. With that understand and the effort to find the answer... the book was born.
Matthew Milam II
In some form or another I've been writing all my life. There was school work, essays, letters, and then came the reports in association with my business and profession. Very early on I knew that I would one day put a book together. Although I made many attempts... one day kept getting further and further away. Then my life got in the way. I had little motivation to live, let alone the inspiration for a book. This work, "The Jesus Command" didn't start as a book at all. As a result of my teaching scripture, I found my biggest hurdle was in the many different perceptions of faith, Christianity, and discipleship in general. You could say that my inspiration was born in frustration. I sought a way to bring clarity of these basic principles. At the same time I wanted to move more closely to the intentions of Jesus and not my or anybody elses notions of His intent. This was the force that became my passion.
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