Psalm 19:14 “Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart Be acceptable in Your sight, O Yahweh, my rock and my Redeemer.” (Legacy Standard Bible)
Our pastor recently switched from using the New American Standard Bible to Legacy. There isn’t a whole lot of difference except LORD in the Old Testament now reads Yahweh. I used that formal address often in my Worship Through Verse series. To me, the Word is like a breath.
During one of my notebook and paper purges from my study, I combined computer files and came up with a process for beginning a new writing project. Since I’m struggling with my current Work in Progress, I’m going through my remaining papers.
I have no idea where this originated, or if I composed some of it while taking notes along the way on my writing journey, but the following struck me as something to think about as I copied it for my readers this month.
Our pastor recently switched from using the New American Standard Bible to Legacy. There isn’t a whole lot of difference except LORD in the Old Testament now reads Yahweh. I used that formal address often in my Worship Through Verse series. To me, the Word is like a breath.
During one of my notebook and paper purges from my study, I combined computer files and came up with a process for beginning a new writing project. Since I’m struggling with my current Work in Progress, I’m going through my remaining papers.
I have no idea where this originated, or if I composed some of it while taking notes along the way on my writing journey, but the following struck me as something to think about as I copied it for my readers this month.
Touch God First
The type of mindset that allows God to use other people to guide, nurture, educate—and yes, correct—is transferable to all areas of life. Such spiritual growth will be directly recognizable in one’s writing. It is hard to write something that will move others spiritually if our own spiritual life is nominal or “on the rocks.”
Ultimately, then, it is the true spirituality and maturity of contributors that gives a Christian publication content God can work with. And here we have the full cycle of our Lord’s watch and care over us. We read and study from the material we can relate to and receive from. Then we turn and create material we have a burden and desire to create. And that becomes food for others.
When we are at our best spiritually, God can best use what we write. And I believe [LoRee’s note: I wish I had noted who said this.] it is only then that we are the most creative.
Our goal as Christian writers and communicators should first be to become better Christians. If the Word isn’t firmly lodged in our hearts, it can’t find its way to the surface of our expressions. We can’t just gush some “God words” and expect Him to bless them because they sound good. As we grow and mature in Christ, though, we find we have more to share and, somehow, find it easier to express and to be heard. In our eyes, our writing always needs fine-tuning. In God’s eyes, we need fine-tuning first.
The type of mindset that allows God to use other people to guide, nurture, educate—and yes, correct—is transferable to all areas of life. Such spiritual growth will be directly recognizable in one’s writing. It is hard to write something that will move others spiritually if our own spiritual life is nominal or “on the rocks.”
Ultimately, then, it is the true spirituality and maturity of contributors that gives a Christian publication content God can work with. And here we have the full cycle of our Lord’s watch and care over us. We read and study from the material we can relate to and receive from. Then we turn and create material we have a burden and desire to create. And that becomes food for others.
When we are at our best spiritually, God can best use what we write. And I believe [LoRee’s note: I wish I had noted who said this.] it is only then that we are the most creative.
Our goal as Christian writers and communicators should first be to become better Christians. If the Word isn’t firmly lodged in our hearts, it can’t find its way to the surface of our expressions. We can’t just gush some “God words” and expect Him to bless them because they sound good. As we grow and mature in Christ, though, we find we have more to share and, somehow, find it easier to express and to be heard. In our eyes, our writing always needs fine-tuning. In God’s eyes, we need fine-tuning first.
Following this quote I jotted these notes:
Prayer should be a Foreword rather than an afterthought
A story is not everything that happened—it’s everything important that happened
Writing is a gift
Writing takes discipline
Writing takes responsibility.
And I’ve always liked this for motivation to write:
DESIRE to write
DRIVE to write
DETERMINATION to stick with it
DEDICATION to see it through
For the first time, I realize the same can be said for growing in Christ.
Prayer should be a Foreword rather than an afterthought
A story is not everything that happened—it’s everything important that happened
Writing is a gift
Writing takes discipline
Writing takes responsibility.
And I’ve always liked this for motivation to write:
DESIRE to write
DRIVE to write
DETERMINATION to stick with it
DEDICATION to see it through
For the first time, I realize the same can be said for growing in Christ.
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