Category: Writing

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Learning From Rejections

One of the best rejections I’ve ever received is, “You’re piece made it to the penultimate round. Unfortunately, we will not be publishing it.”

Sadly, not all rejections offer a touch of encouragement, but I believe we can learn from them anyway. For instance, rejections teach us the humility to lean into our critique groupers’ suggestions, rewriting a rejected piece provides a lesson in perseverance, and praying for our writing helps us to rely on God’s plan.

For each lesson learned, we can lean into God’s plan with an attitude that marks us as writers who follow God. Yes, when someone declines our precious words, we feel the sting. Nevertheless, every turned-down piece helps us to grow both as writers and as God’s people.

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Boasting in Weakness

A color drawing of a cross on green hills and a sky of golden yellow clouds. The text reads: I boast in my weakness because I believe God's grace is sufficient. 2 Cor. 12:9. #writingaffirmation amydagit.com
2 Corinthians 12:9 (ESV)—But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.

Do you ever feel awkward sharing your writing with others? I sure do. Especially when I write devotionals and share intimate moments of my life, that is, those occasions when I display weakness.

After reading this verse, though, I feel better about sharing. When I write and share about my weaknesses, I am boasting in God’s power and the effect it’s had on my life. Moreover, through examples of my weaknesses, God can strengthen the faith of others and draw them nearer to him.

Think about his power the next time you’re biting your lip, wondering if you want to share a personal moment with an audience. Whose life might he change by drawing upon your weakness to perform his work? Indeed, by his grace, our weakness is powerful.

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Writing for God

I please God with my writing
Psalm 19:14 (ESV)—Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer.

Let’s pray this verse

  • when we feel discouraged in our writing progress,
  • when we receive a rejection,
  • when we have a message to share but not the words to put on paper,

or

  • when we write with ease,
  • when we make the biblical connection in hours rather than days, and
  • when we receive an acceptance.

May we strive for our words to be acceptable in God’s sight.

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Writing to Obey

I write to sort through my feelings and to clarify parts of the Bible I don’t understand. I write because it’s my heart’s desire.

Most important, I write because I believe my writing is part of God’s divine plan.

Yes, our writing is a part of God’s plan. Like Noah gathered animals to house aboard the ark, we write stories, blogs, plays, and other forms of the art to obey God’s command.

Obeying the God who releases the rain from the clouds helps us to grow as writers. He gives us a safe space to express our feelings. He helps us to understand his Word better. He instructs us how to best use our heart’s desire.

Let’s do as Noah did and commit to write everything God commands.

Genesis 7:5 (ESV)—And Noah did all that the Lord had commanded him.
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Writing Under God’s Authority

Writing for God, we put on paper or online moments of our lives for all to read. When we have faith in his purpose for our words, like the centurion had faith in Jesus to heal with a word, God works wonders. He heals. He encourages. He clarifies.

He uses his authority for a purpose, and our words become more effective under his authority. As we publish, we can pray, “Lord, I am not worthy, but only say the word, and someone will experience your might through my writing.”

Matthew 8:8 (ESV)—But the centurion replied, “Lord, I am not worthy to have you come under my roof, but only say the word, and my servant will be healed.”

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Waiting for God’s Answers

To stand watch on the ramparts is to commit oneself to the protection of others.

Habakkuk stood on the ramparts to await God’s answers to difficult questions. Questions such as “Why do you idly look at traitors and remain silent when the wicked swallows up the man more righteous than he?” (Habakkuk 1:13, ESV). He asked these questions to seek answers for the Israelites about their delivery from slavery.

Like Habakkuk, we can stand on the rampart to wait for God’s answers to the difficult questions we want to write about. Our commitment to seeking answers from God can lead to stronger writing with clear explanations for others seeking the same answers.

Before we write, let’s ask God our difficult questions and wait on the rampart for his answers.

Habakkuk 2:1 (ESV)—I will take my stand at my watchpost and station myself on the tower, and look out to see what he will say to me, and what I will answer concerning my complaint.

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Sharing Our Hurts

Hurt, such a small word for such a big emotion. Hurt comes in many shapes and forms, from a harsh but true critique of our writing from a trusted friend, to feeling like a failure when we receive yet another rejection.

Hurt, however, drives our spirit toward God. When we share our cry to the Lord in our writing and, more important, God’s healing result, other people receive a truth about God. Indeed, our proclamation of God’s truth makes others aware of God’s power to heal hurt, driving them toward the Healer.

So let’s share our truth, our cry to God, remembering he can bring our words to life for others.

1 Kings 17:21 (ESV)—Then he stretched himself upon the child three times and cried to the Lord, “O Lord my God, let this child's life[a] come into him again.”

1 Kings 17:24 (ESV)—And the woman said to Elijah, “Now I know that you are a man of God, and that the word of the Lord in your mouth is truth.”
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Offering a Broken Spirit

I am a broken spirit loved by God.

Our sin runs deep, yet despite our faults God remains faithful. Faithful to demonstrate his love when we reveal our broken spirit in our books. Faithful to provide wisdom to others when we divulge our deepest thoughts in our devotionals. Faithful to comfort others when we share our stories in blog posts.

Because he is faithful, we can write with a broken spirit and offer our brokenness to God. Then he can use our words for his good.

Psalm 51:17 (ESV)—The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.
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Sharing Our Story

Your story, in print, for anyone to read. How does this make you feel? Intimidated? Uncomfortable? Like hiding under a blanket and never coming out?

When writing for God, we don’t have to fear sharing our story. Why? Because God can use our story as a lesson for future generations, providing a glimpse of his glory through our writing.

Isaiah 30:8 (ESV)—And now, go, write it before them on a tablet and inscribe it in a book, that it may be for the time to come as a witness forever.
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Helping Others Learn

My insights help others learn

It’s a big job being called to write for God, one in which we search and study the Scriptures for insight as well as read commentaries and others sources to ensure his messages shine through our words. And our hard work pays off! The wisdom we gain from our careful discernment of Scripture can be crafted into sentences that help others learn about Christianity.

Proverbs 16:21 (ESV)—The wise of heart is called discerning, and sweetness of speech increases persuasiveness.