The Writing/Faith Connection by Sharon Espeseth

In the Image of Our Creator

In the beginning was the Word

"Then God said, "Let us make mankind in our image, according to our likeness." If any of us should forget we are made in God's image, we can read Genesis 1:26a*.

As for the gift of writing in particular, consider this: "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God." (John 1:1)

Over the years, God called many to be writers of his Word. He chose people from all walks of life--shepherds, prophets, poets, kings, fishermen, a tentmaker, a doctor, a tax collector. . . Given the calling and the direction of God, they became writers. God is still calling writers to write for him.

If you doubt that you've got what it takes, Julia Cameron in her book The Artist's Way will help
convince you that you do.

I ask myself, Why do I write? 

1. To create clarity. 

I don't have to look far in my journals to find myself sorting out a problem, concern, or situation. I state the situation, do my whining and worrying, try to figure things out, and then, hopefully, turn my concerns over to the Lord. Looking back in my journals, I see that I could save time by talking to God sooner.

Morning Pages often become prayers

Beginning last June, I tried Cameron's Morning Pages, where you write down what's going on in your head when you first wake up. I was on a roll until I hit a period of sleep disruption. After a poor night's sleep, I couldn't bounce out of bed in time to get those quiet, solo moments for writing.

What happens when I don't write these things down? As you may guess, I carry them with me through the day. Writing reduces worry and grows my faith. When writing regularly, I am reminded to "Cast all (my) anxiety on him, for he cares for (me)." (1 Peter 5:7) As I write, my thoughts turn from worry to words of prayer.

2. To understand my gifts. 

If I ignore my gift of writing, I will not learn more about it. If I'm not practicing my faith, that too grows weaker. Did you know that the Holy Spirit can help us understand our gift of writing? "Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit that is from God, so that we may understand the gifts bestowed on us by God." (1 Corinthians 2:12) To get the full context of this verse, read 1 Corinthians 2:10b-16.

Although Paul was a prolific writer himself, he doesn't list writing as one of the charismatic gifts. I believe it would fall under "teaching."  I find it interesting that Paul kept his day job of tent making. He also wrote in prison. (Remember: "Bring the scrolls, especially the parchments.") He wrote letters to the churches that have a strong bearing on what it means to be a Christ-follower and a member of the Church.

3. To share my faith.

"One generations shall laud your (God's) works to another, and shall declare your mighty acts." (Psalm 145:4) In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus says, "You are the light of the world. . . "No one
after lighting a lamp puts it under the bushel basket, but on the lamp stand, and it gives light to all in the house." Then Christ admonishes us to let our lights shine before others--in our lives and in our writing. The two activities are complimentary and necessary.

4. To praise and thank God.

This verse I'm quoting in KJV, because it's hard to write it without singing it. "I will sing of the mercies of the Lord forever: with my mouth (and my pen) will I make known thy faithfulness to all generations." (Psalm 89:1)


Faith-Writing Connection: When I spend time writing, reading God's word, reading other good books, taking time to walk, listen to music, sing, socialize with friends, treat myself well in general, I feel more alive. When I get the work/life balance going better, creativity seems more available to me. That is, I believe, when my writing about faith comes out better too.


* All Bible verses, except this last one, are quoted  from the New Revised Standard Version.

Overcoming Perfection Paralysis by Karma Pratt

The writing life. Le sigh. It seems so romantic when viewed from a distance. Notions of idyllic settings from which to draw inspiration, dedicated time without interruptions, the peace of God's presence, and the unending flow of all things creative and writerly. Personally, I imagine an ocean view, a desk with zero clutter and time... glorious time.

When it comes to writing, there are many practical elements to take into consideration and the idyllic seems non-existent except, perhaps, within the realm of day dreams. I find that perceptions versus reality can impact my writing in a negative fashion if left unchecked. So, with that in mind, here are a few thoughts on the ways that faith transcends fear and has the potential to create the ideal atmosphere for writing.

Perfection Paralysis

Have you ever suffered from perfection paralysis? That sinking feeling that, if you don't get everything just right then there will be no opportunity to write? If you're like me, this level of perception vs. reality can lead down a path of procrastination at best, and full on paralysis at worst. 

In the past when my to-do list began to overwhelm me, my go-to coping mechanism was to just shut down. I couldn't get past the idea that my to-do list was my purpose. If I wasn't ticking the boxes in a timely fashion, I wasn't achieving my purpose or reaching my goals. If I couldn't "get it right" then I wouldn't do it at all for fear of getting it wrong. 

Oh, boy. Talk about a path of destruction. This type of cyclical thinking can only end in a tornado of tears. Thankfully, God continues to show me a better way daily. 

Passion, Purpose, Peace

There's a method to ending the madness of perfection paralysis. 

I recently started listening to a podcast called Encounter. It's a Christian guided meditation that focuses on daily connection to God through His Word. A recent podcast I listened to is called Discover Your Peaceful Purpose. 

"Ah, how lovely," I thought. "Finally I will learn the secret to mastering my to-do list." 🙂 

Turns out, my peaceful purpose as a writer has much less to do with to-do's and far more to do with to-be's. As in be thankful, be conscious of God's grace in my life, and be ready and willing to follow His call. 

Quite simply, if I turn my focus back to God, the desire to "get it right" falls by the wayside, replaced with the desire to take the next right step to honour God. The to-do list loses its power when I turn to face the One who promises true peace. The pressure releases and I am free to write because I am passionate about following God's call on my life, not because I have finally attained perfection. 

Faith-Filled Writing Life

My faith continues to inform my writing and God keeps helping me take steps to the next level. 

I am stepping out in faith this fall by attending a writer's retreat in Hydra, Greece. 

This God-sized dream is being made possible because I heeded the call in my heart and asked God to help me iron out the details. I am putting in the work and He is showing me the way. 

I do not know what to expect when I get to Greece, but I know that God will meet me there, and I pray expectantly that He will continue to reveal Himself to me in new ways. 

Come to think of it, this trip may just give me a taste of that idyllic, ocean view. At least for a short time I will retreat from the everyday and enter into a focused period of writing and meeting with God. 

I am thankful for the opportunities to let go of my own notions of what's right to write, and I look forward to seeing how God continues to move in this season. May you also be blessed with freedom from perfection paralysis in your writing and your faith journey. 

***

Karma writes from the golden house in Northeastern BC. You can connect with her online at redraincoatcreations.com

Encouragement for the Daunted [And a Tip for Memoir Writing] Kim Rempel

What kind of memories did you make this summer? 
(Can you remember? haha... )

As I've been working hard on my memoir these last few months, (hoping to finish it this winter so you can finally read it!!) I discover an important truth: memories are our own. No one else can enjoy them unless we TALK about them - unless we SHARE them somehow.

There are lots of things I wish I could ask my Mom.
Things no one else on the planet knows.
Things I'll never know now.
They are lost forever.

As a writer, a communicator, and a human, that makes me sad.

The good thing about it is that it reminds me how powerful storytelling is, and motivates me to keep writing down stories. Recording my observations, thoughts, and even the everyday happenings and goofy stories that are part of our family (like my weird jellyfish experience) So we remember! (I'm sure half the reason I'm a writer at all is because my memory is terrible.)

All that to say two things.

First, I want to encourage you to SHARE your memories. Record them somewhere. It doesn't have to be a book or even a cohesive story. Just write down or voice record memories as they come to you. Take notes. At least they're down then, and can be shared later if not now. At least it will be an option.


Recently I was chatting with a woman who has wanted to write her memoir. For years she's wanted to. For years, I've heard her tell interesting stories that I agree, should be recorded. And for years, she's put it off. As I explored her reasons for being stalled, I discovered several. One of them was this idea that to write a memoir required deciding to sit down and plod through almost without stopping until it was done. In her mind, it was a giant undertaking, so she put it off until 'one day' when she 'had time' for that kind of dedicated time investment.

But 'one day' is a day that never comes.

Never.

"It doesn't have to be about sitting and writing a book," I said, "You tell interesting stories to your family and friends all the time! It can be just writing down one. Just start with one. That's it. Put it in a folder, and you're done."

"Oh! I never thought about it like that," she said, seeming less burdened.

"It's not about a big project. Just getting down the pieces so the memories don't fade away or die with you."

I'm saying it to you too;  if you're putting off writing your memoir or even just jotting down some of your memories, please don't. Get them down. Even just one memory stuffed in a folder is better than none.


The second thing I'd like to tell you is a secret about writing. 

Whether you're documenting memories, analyzing a process, or spinning a tale, writing can feel like a big undertaking. And getting that writing into readers' hands (aka marketing), is the Goliath we all face.

It's all so DAUNTING sometimes, isn't it?
It's enough to make a writer dream of the hermit life.

Here's the secret I've discovered.

Action is the cure. 

It really is. Especially when we're moving with the trust that God will open doors that need opening and close doors that need closing.

Listen, whether you believe in God or not, the truth is a static object can't be steered.
Get moving - pick a direction - and you'll start to see a path unfold.
It won't feel safe, certain, or even sane necessarily, but doors will start to open and close around you.

God said he'd part the water for Moses and the Israelites all those years ago in the desert,
but Moses had to first step into the water. He had to literally take that step of faith. This is often how God operates.

Don't know what your writing 'voice' is yet? Write anyway.
Not sure how the story you're writing will end? Keep writing.
Wondering if anyone will even read it when it's done? Keep going!

Because things will become clearer as you move forward.
Jeff Goins would call this process 'Practicing in Public'.

Jim Watkins would say 'a river cuts through rock not because of its power, but because of its persistence.'

If you want to get somewhere, it requires moving.



In the meantime, what's one highlight (memory) from your summer?

Consider it a writing challenge ;)

Comment below! I'd love to read it. 

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Stories to Tell by Susan Barclay

Martin Luther, that great theologian of the Protestant Reformation, described faith as a “living, bold trust in God’s grace.” It is an act of the will. We choose to put our faith in God. Hebrews 11:6 tells us that “without faith, it is impossible to please [Him].”

But when someone says that “faith feeds writing and writing feeds faith,” what does that mean? I think the first half of that statement means that the experiences of a faith-filled life give us stories to tell. When we trust God, He rewards us. He may reward us with opportunities, He may reward us through the adventures on which He takes us, He may reward us with answered prayers. The rewards are as limited as our limitless God’s imagination. That is, only He knows all that He has in store for those who believe!
 

When we put our stories in writing, they feed our faith. If in a journal, they can provoke reflection on God’s character and the truths we find in His Word. If written for others, our stories often resonate in ways that prompt sharing. Knowing that God is at work in similar ways in the lives of other people builds our faith and prompts us to praise Him even more.

 Sometimes God rewards us through trials. How are trials a reward, you ask? Often it is through them that our faith grows. They cause us to press into our Father more than ever before. My husband and I are going through a difficult situation right now. We are trusting God completely, believing boldly in His grace and what He is going to do, what He is doing. We feel assured that a positive outcome is on the way, but it’s not easy in the meantime.

 I believe we are in the making of a faith story. Right now I’m only journaling about it. But assuming Jesus tarries and He spares me, I wouldn’t be surprised if one day there’s a book. Maybe God will use it to feed others; His stories seem to work that way.

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Susan Barclay maintains a website and currently blogs infrequently at www.susan-barclay.blogspot.com