A Christian who writes or does art or Called to write or do art?

Is there really a difference?

I think so.

For instance, if I am a Christian who writes or does art, then making money will probably be close to the top of my priorities.

On the other hand, if I have been called to write or do art, then money may not even be in the picture.

I have been called to write. I can name the day and place this calling came about as I stated in an earlier blog entry, but I still need to make money in order to be able to keep that calling.

If a Christian making money sounds like an oxymoron to you, think again. The Bible says the workman is worthy of his hire. Another cool thing is that artists, writers, and musicians were often taken care of in the Old Testament so that they could focus on their craft.

Although many of us are supported by our churches in order to do just that, many more of us must make money in order to continue in our craft.


Here’s the deal. I’m called to write. So I write whether I make money or not. Even if my writing business goes downhill, I must continue to write. It also means that certain projects, such as >Wild Women, A Real Walk in the Woods, are more about God’s calling on my life than about my writing business. I will be willing to compromise little on the Wild Women book because it is inspired through God’s call upon my life. (Please note that the above photo is by my friend, Garret Harrington.)

Not so with my articles. I market most of my articles in order to support my writing business. I will often change the theme or tone in order to fit the market. In this respect, I am a Christian who writes, and I most often write for outdoor magazines because I enjoy everything wild.

So, I am both . . . a Christian who writes and one who has been called to write.

The same with my art . . . in order to be able to buy materials and continue in my art, I must sell some of my works. So, on one hand I paint for pleasure, while on the other I consider what might be marketable. It isn’t necessary to sell my soul in order to market. I simply match my expertise and skills with current publishing needs.

In conclusion, I don’t believe every Christian is called to write.

But stay tuned.

Tomorrow, I’ll talk about why being called to write doesn’t make one Christian more spiritual than another and why it is important to know where you fit in this equation.

Enjoy the Son!