Little did I know I was living a yellow-pen life. 

“Aww, these are nice.” One daughter had gifted me my favorite journaling pens, and my oldest presented a full set of eight Bible marking pens. I held up a yellow one from each set and said, “Interesting.” 

They both knew I enjoyed a lot of color in my life, and, quite honestly, yellow is one of my favorites. But, yellow pens? It only took one trial run to realize that a line or letter of yellow ink is nearly invisible on any page. Those pens were pretty, bright, and cheerful, but pretty much of no use or purpose. I kept them, but they rolled around in the bottom of my pen bag.

The pens remind me of times in my life when I’ve felt like a yellow pen. Times when I looked bright and valuable—like I had a lot of potential but wasn’t making myself useful or impacting anyone around me.

In my late fifties, I felt stuck in life and my work. I wasn’t happy and couldn’t make big changes happen, so I quit a lot of things. Discouragement pulled my focus to myself and my selfish whims. I was tired of being used and useful, so I settled into a yellow pen way of life. I looked all pretty and bright but only rolled around in the bottom of life’s pen bag. The opposite should have been happening.

The more you grow . . . the more productive and useful you will be.

1 Peter 1:8 AMP

Of course, not all yellow pens or seasons are useless. The highlighter was invented in 1962 and initially only available in yellow, which is still the most popular color. Think how much change this yellow pen has made to the world of reading and writing.

Those who have believed God [that is, those who have trusted in, relied on, and accepted Christ Jesus as Savior,] will be careful to participate in doing good and honorable things. These things are excellent [in themselves] and profitable for the people.

Titus 3:8b AMP

So, we can be yellow at our core and yet have a purpose when we do what God designed us to do as long as we highlight our way and the journey of others.

Recall a yellow season in your life and use it to measure the yellowness of your life now.

Dear Heavenly Father, I praise you for the opportunity of sharing your light and love in this world. Help me to remain useful to others and your Kingdom. Use me to make an impact on those you place in my path. In Jesus’ name, amen

Genre: Nonfiction

Copyright 2023: A Yellow-Pen Life: Cynthia Mendenhall: All Rights Reserved