The Writer’s Bread of Life by Nina Faye Morey

Then Jesus declared, “I am the bread of life.

Whoever comes to me will never go hungry,

and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.”

~ John 6:35 NIV

The Word of God nourishes and supports me so that I am able to remain faithful, focused, and fruitful on my writing journey. I look to God’s Word for:

Inspiration

My heart is stirred by a noble theme

as I recite my verses for the king;

my tongue is the pen of a skillful writer.

~ Psalm 45:1

Scripture is a great source of inspiration for my writing—both fiction and nonfiction. I often draw on Jesus’s parables for short story ideas, and I regularly employ His technique of using everyday experiences to illustrate my messages. The themes and plots Jesus employed in His parables could certainly form the heart of many insightful, present-day novels. For instance, the Parable of the Prodigal Son (Luke 15: 11-32) provides the essential plot for a coming-of-age story. The Book of Revelation formed the foundation of possibly the best-selling Christian fiction of all time, the Left Behind series by Tim LaHaye and Jerry B. Jenkins. The Saviour’s Second Coming, the Pretribulation Rapture, and the End Times all served as the backbone on which they built their plots. Many of the themes, ideas, and characters contained in the Bible provide wonderful sources of inspiration for powerful and profound stories.

Guidance

Your word is a lamp for my feet,

a light on my path.

~ Psalm 119:105

There are times in the middle of a piece when I’ve lost my sense of direction and feel uncertain about the path I’m taking. No matter how lost I feel, God’s Word always points me in the right direction. It shines a light before me, so I don’t stumble down a treacherous path and fall in the darkness. There are also times when Scripture counsels me on how to deal with those cynical critics who make disparaging comments about the references to Christian faith in my writing (1 Peter 3:15).

Reassurance

Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible,

but with God all things are possible.”

~ Matthew 19:26

Whenever I’m plagued by self-doubts, this verse bolsters my spirits. My attempts to write may be going nowhere and success might seem beyond my reach, but I know I can rely on God’s help to do what appears impossible. I may be an imperfect vessel, but His Light will shine through the cracks (2 Corinthians 4:7). Another Bible verse that helps me persevere when I encounter those inevitable potholes on my writing path is Philippians 4:13: “I can do all this through Him who gives me strength.”

Affirmation

Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm.

Let nothing move you. Always give yourself fully to

the work of the Lord, because you know that

your labor in the Lord is not in vain.

~ 1Corinthians 15:58

It is easy to get discouraged when I experience rejection after rejection. But if I wish to serve the Lord and truly believe in what I’m doing, it’s much easier to maintain my resolve. As a Christian writer, I believe that God has blessed me with this gift and called me to create (Ephesians 2:10). He plans for me to prosper, giving me both hope and a future (Jeremiah 29:11). While those who consider themselves worldly give me cold shoulder, I must remain firmly committed to my purpose (Proverbs 16:3). Since the Lord desires that I serve Him through my writing, I must put on His armour of light so that it may shine within me—and through me light the darkness of the world (Romans 13:12).

These are just a few of the Scriptures that sustain me as I pursue my writing path. What verses provide nourishment for your writing journey?

Photo Credits: Pixabay

On Affirmation - by Susan Barclay

Writers crave affirmation, and I've been blessed to be surrounded by people who've believed in my gifting. From my mother, who encouraged me to write down the songs and stories I verbalized at a very young age, to my husband, who said 'yes' when I talked with him about quitting my 'day job' to pursue the dream. And to those in between and beyond.

There was my grade three teacher - Mrs. Weiss - who, years later, could still recite the conclusion to a story I wrote in her class. There was my grade ten and twelve English teacher, Mrs. Michna, who with her enthusiasm, enlarged my passion for literature. And what would the discussion be without referencing my grade 13 Creative Writing teacher, Mr. Weir, who told us all to forget about writing? Plumbing was certainly a respectable profession. Not quite affirmation, but he explained privately that it was his way of motivating us to prove him wrong.

Writing for pleasure took a back seat during my university years, and it was only after I married and was on maternity leave with my first child that I started writing again. Perhaps not surprisingly, my efforts turned to children's picture books. Fast forward a few years, and the decision to pursue the dream meets up with the formation of a local writers' group. With the first meeting just hours away, I manage to drum up a page-worth of words for an initial submission. At the evening gathering one of the writers seems awestruck after reading my piece. "You have enough substance here for a novel," he says.

A novel? The thought hadn't entered my mind. But now it does, and it lingers there, urging me on. Fast forward again; the writers' group membership has shifted and changed, morphing into something new, something good and solid. My novel too has taken shape. One evening, Jenn, one of the other writers says, "I could see this being a One Book, One Community read someday." I am stunned.

I pass my work under the eyes of various Writers-in Residence. Wayson Choy, famed Canadian author of The Jade Peony among others, meets with me. "You are a writer," he says. Wow. He probably says that to all the participants, but still. Wow.

In grade 7, my son misses a visit with author Eric Walters at his school. His classmates tell him he missed an amazing event, but he just shrugs. "I live with an author," he says. "My mom writes books." I love my son :) Who else his age would prefer me to Eric?

I hope you have people in your life who encourage your writing, as I have. We writers can be very hard on ourselves and need others to believe in us and spur us on. With all those rejection letters, we discourage easily. But if God has truly given us the gift of communication and imagination, we need to keep going, trusting that He will open doors for our work to find readers. We have to rely on His affirmation most of all.

Be assured, if you walk with Him and look to Him, and expect help from Him, He will never fail you. ~ George Mueller

----------------

For more of my writing, please visit my blog Notes From Innisfree and my website.