Create Your Own Opportunities

When I was in college I had the opportunity to write for a publication I was excited to contribute to. Having the opportunity to write for the publication was nice for a season, but I noticed that whenever I offered additional contributions, even when asked, the editor at the time either ignored or dismissed my suggestions. The editor and I were acquainted, as we were both students at the same school. We also had a number of mutual friends in common. So when I met him, naturally I perceived he was a nice guy. It took awhile for me to discover he was rude and unprogressive in his approach to the voices of other writers, and beliefs and opinions that differed from his. Although I didn’t notice this about him on sight, I was reminded that people usually reveal themselves and their true character if you pay attention long enough. When he suggested I write what he thought would be best, I complied, even though the writing topics weren’t great or truly reflective of my voice and the kind of stories I wanted to tell. On one occasion, without my permission, one of my pieces was edited and had a changed title that falsely portrayed what I intended it to be. But I never addressed it. I kept my mouth shut and played the game. I wanted approval and acceptance so I could write for the publication. I’d seen the editor in passing on different occasions and noticed how cold and indifferent he was towards me. What was especially disappointing was that he was a fellow Christian that a lot of people seemed to like and respect, yet his character contradicted that. Did I do or say something that upset him? I thought. I couldn’t think of one thing I said or did that made him treat me as he did. And I didn’t think things were personal, until I saw other people writing about things similar to ideas I’d originally presented. I was frustrated and disappointed about the ordeal, and remember venting about the situation to one of my girlfriends. As she listened to me go on and on, she said “You can still write the story you want.” At the time, I heard her but I wasn’t listening. I wallowed in a mini pity party, thought about how dismissive the editor was, and let my stories and ideas collect dust. To me, the opportunity to write for that specific publication seemed huge. Since my ideas were being turned away, maybe I wasn’t a good writer…or so I thought. It took me five months to understand what my friend had been trying to relay to me about writing the story I wanted to write. Because five months after her and I spoke about the situation, and during what had been a very discouraging and transitional season in my life, I decided to create this very blog you’re reading, Making Waves. I’m writing the kind of stories I want to tell, addressing different things happening in Christian and non-Christian communities, continuing to find my voice, and not stifled by a culture or an editor on a power trip. During my senior year of college I really struggled with rejection whether it was trying to get my foot in the door with the publication I mentioned above, or any career opportunities involving writing, and it never hit me until much later that I could create my own opportunities. And so can you. Especially if you’re in a non-traditional, creative kind of field. You have to understand and know that you have everything you need inside you to build something incredible from the ground up. Don’t be afraid to create your own opportunities. No one can do what you do exactly the way you do it. What are you waiting for? And a final word to any and all unprogressive Christians… understand if you want to be a believer that changes the world, doing so will require a willingness to connect, learn from, and surround yourself with others who don’t look like you, think like you, vote like you, and have opinions that challenge and differ from your own. If you only limit yourself to those who are just like you, then your world will remain significantly small and it’s likely that you’ll have little growth or impact with whatever it is you’re building. A perfect example of someone I believe has mastered this well is gospel recording artist, Kirk Franklin. When Kirk Franklin came on the scene, he was a Christian doing collaborations and productions with secular artists. A lot of believers called him fleshly and weren’t on board with what he was doing, but what he did with gospel music and taking it mainstream, paved the way for others to do the same, and he completely changed the gospel music game. Be a believer that’s intentional about being a change agent that connects with people outside of what’s familiar to you. It’s worth it.