This morning an automated e-mail plopped itself into my inbox and as usual, I started to overlook it in favor of personal ones. Curious about the title, I decided to take an extra second to read "What's Your Super Power?" by Seth Godin.

Seth Godin is known for his insightful marketing advice and once again he did not fail to give a clear parallel to the world today. Everyone wants something to distinguish themselves and according to Godin, should have something they can introduce quickly to set themselves apart from the crowd. He says that without that unique personal statement, you are just another handshake.

I was thinking (way too hard) about this and thought about all the blog titles and by-lines that bloggers use to describe themselves. Some are way out of the ballpark and some describe exactly what the person is doing with their site. Some people brand their name. Some people go way out there and simply allude to their passions. For some, their passion is their life as a mom and the daily struggle to wade through the day and feel human.

For me, I started a blog to reflect my desire to be a Christian fiction writer. Sounds so mysterious and glorious. But, I am learning that if I want to write fiction, I have to research a good bit of non-fiction to create a credible, theologically sound base for my fiction writing. And, if I research non-fiction, I should probably get some practice writing that too. But, the unique challenge of non-fiction is that it has to meet a need. If the need is not there, no one wants to read it (much less buy it) because they have some other expert to read who has already written about it. So, where do I carve a niche to meet a need? Hmmm. ..  Thus, the super power contemplation. Where can I specialize? What need is not currently being meet in my sphere of influence?

I think that is a discussion we can all have with ourselves when we are looking to stand out in a crowd, to do something no one else is. I'll say it again, what need is not currently being meet here and now? Do people need a super digger, someone to fly through the air, someone to crawl up walls with amazing strength or throw cars through the air to save a baby? What does the world need? Well, the world needs a lot — but what can I give?

This last week, at a Christian leadership conference for women, I had the chance to talk to Charles Dunahoo, the director of publications at CE&P or Christian Education and Publications. I told him I wanted to use my desire to write to serve the Lord. He said to me, "What do you want to write about?" I had to think about that in terms of my life experiences.I wasn't sure where to start.

I also talked to Susan Hunt, writer of several foundational women's books in the PCA (or Presbyterian Church of America). I asked her where the need in writing is today and how I could use my desire to write to serve the Lord. With utmost graciousness, she said, "I am sorry. I have had that question before. I don't have an answer because I didn't plan on writing the books I wrote. The need was there and so I wrote them."

At first, I was taken aback. Then I realized that I was in love with the idea of writing not about meeting a need. I am a part of a literate generation that wants to use their education. The blogging world has been an excellent outlet for using all those wonderful research skills but now I want to focus in a specific direction and I am struggling with which direction to go. Some people seem to come out of the starting gate knowing which track to run. I have never had it that easy.

Another speaker at the conference quickly negated the use of blogs in a private conversation. She preferred personal interaction over the online world. Yet, another woman, a younger trainer, encouraged us to blog and twitter. I actually expected the first reaction over the second, there on the beautiful mountain away from most civilization. Some writers use their blogs to start the research and material for future work. You can get immediate feedback and yet be building on a theme that will both meet a need and become a book someday. Other bloggers just enjoy the dialogue and interaction and that is okay too – as long as it is not taking precedence over every day life and needs – which has definitely been a hazard of blogging in my life.

And so, filled with mixed messages, I begin to think through the needs that surround me. The churches I serve as PresWIC need a newsletter. The presbytery itself wants a newsletter and has no one to spearhead it. I do newsletters. I have done newsletters for multiple non-profits. I was looking for an avenue into the literati world and it was sitting in front of me all along. I feel like one of those people from the show HEROS who didn't understand what they were supposed to do with their time and abilities until later in life and some choose to use their skills for good and some for bad. I am still trying to understand how to use the opportunity that is in front of me – and make sure it is for good not about ME. It has to be about God or why should I be doing it at all?

Another speaker said, "Use the opportunity God has given you or He might take away the privilege." Wow. that can be focusing statement.There were so many good statements over the week. I hope to keep unpacking those thoughts as I process more and more. So much to think about. . . I still need to figure out what to write about, given the opportunity – my Christian walk, the biblical filter I use on my life as I walk in this world, how to apply the biblical truths I am taught and read in the Bible each week, etc. etc.. . .yes, much to unpack here.