Read the Faithful & Confident Writer Blog. Now, embrace some tips from across the miles to buckle down and write with confidence!
You are a REAL WRITER! Stop referring to yourself as an “aspiring writer.” You are not merely aspiring; you are a GENUINE WRITER. Affirm it – “I AM a GENUINE Writer!”
Strive for Success, not recognition! Success is exemplified by Mother Teresa.Who do you consider a successful Christian writer? I think of figures like John Maxwell and Jan Karon. What steps can you take to emulate the writers you admire?
Tools! Step one. Gather your writing instruments. You already have the necessary writing tools and apps and “all the things!” What steps can you take to emulate the writers you admire?
Embrace the “Block”! Sean of the South said, “Now stare at it (your typewriter) unmoving for 14 hours until you are filled with self loathing and insecurity because you CANNOT THINK OF A SINGLE FREAKING SENTENCE TO WRITE. Perfect. Step two. Cry bitterly about your own un-productivity so that snot leaks onto your shirt. Doing great.” I say, the hindrance or block is going to happen. Instead of viewing it as an obstacle, embrace it and see it as an opportunity and a chance for growth!
Find a writing friend! Welcome to our Cultivating Faith-filled Confidence to Write Page [LINK] and to our weekly, monthly & quarterly opportunities to Write in Community (it’s more fun and very encouraging, as opposed to feeling so alone! Or perhaps you are a member of the National Association of Christian Women Entrepreneurs Group {LINK} where there are also any number of writing opportunities.
Add “writer” to your ministry/entrepreneur description!What is the primary role of a writer? A writer’s foremost duty is to WRITE! Proclaim it proudly! Shout about it from the rooftops!
Schedule “writing” on your Calendar. Just like that, “writing.”
You lack nothing to get started! You have everything you need to begin! Take action now! Sit down and write!
Embark on the greatest adventure of your lifetime!Start now. Go ahead and write.
From Others:
WRITE! – a valuable lesson for us writers who have done just that: WRITE.
START! Whenever I expressed thoughts like, “I want to…,” my husband would look at me, raise an eyebrow, pause just long enough to get my attention, and say, “Why haven’t you started yet?”
The only way to master writing is to sit down and do it. God Bless You!
Write about what you love!
It’s never too late to write! Yes! My first book was published (under duress I might add) in 2011 when I was 53.
Write like you as if you grew up without a television, but read extensively. Begin a journey of discovery to understand that you can write authentically, just for yourself, even if for no one else!
From you: What would you add?
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You are a Real Writer. So Write with Confidence!
Join us!
How might we write together, you ask?
Join our Cultivating Faith-filled Confidence to Write Page [LINK] and to our weekly, monthly & quarterly opportunities to Write in Community (it’s more fun and very encouraging, as opposed to feeling so alone! Or perhaps you are a member of the National Association of Christian Women Entrepreneurs Group {LINK} where there are also any number of writing opportunities.
Prayer of Gratitude for the “glimpse” and asking for direction:
Lord, I do write every working day! I am a real writer! And I want to be obedient to put pen to paper so I can effectively share what You’ve given me with others. I want my work and service to draw others to You first and foremost. I can do this with excellence with Your inspiration and guidance. Help me to hear You, believe You, and obey You as a good steward along the way.
Amen
Download the Part 1 Sampler of this 52-week “Confident to Write” Series, and receive an exclusive monthly update.
Write/Work with us in loving and like-minded communities! Working with others can be an incredibly enlightening, encouraging, and richly equipping journey!
You are never not writing! I love that double negative! It’s true! You may consider yourself primarily a wife, a mommy, a minister, a speaker, not necessarily or primarily a writer. But to do what you’ve been called to do in this life, you are undoubtedly always writing… love notes, responses to school teachers, ministry plans, speeches, and all the other texts and emails and “all the things” that need to be written to contribute to and enhance your life and ministry or business.
As you do what the Lord has called you to:
You are “an instrument in the Redeemer’s hands!”
You are “a pencil in the hand of a writing God”!
So, you are a real writer!
To Write:
In Habakkuk 2:2, the word “write” in Hebrew is (Strong’s Concordance # 03789) כָּתַב [kathab] which means to write, record, or describe something.
If you would’ve told me 10 years ago I’d be receiving letters from people who wanted to be writers, I would have laughed and asked you to refill my Ovaltine.
But the truth is, I receive messages about this very thing from aspiring writers all the time. Nearly without fail, most of them actually use the word “aspire” in their letters…
…I know from my own pitiful experience that there is nothing more frustrating than wanting to BE something but not knowing how.
Which leads to my first point. And this is the main thing I want to tell the good people who have contacted me: Quit calling yourself an “aspiring writer.” You are not an aspiring writer. You are a REAL WRITER.
Simply put, if you write, you’re already the real deal. I truly believe this.
After all, you don’t aspire to be alive, do you? Nobody living in New York aspires to be a New Yorker. Birches don’t aspire to be trees. Episcopalians don’t aspire to be Episcopalians…
Skill has nothing to do with who you are. Who you are is who you are. And if you like writing stuff, you are a writer. Not an aspiring one. A true writer.
Now you say it.
See how easy that was? You’re legit now. Identity crisis solved. Now you can go on with your life.
I agree with Sean, if you write, you are indeed a writer! Do you sometimes feel alone? Do you wonder to whom, what, when, where, how, and WHY to write? Then, let’s write together. Two writers are better than one. Four writers are better than two.
Writing is Your Calling
“I’m a little pencil in the hand of a writing God, who is sending a love letter to the world.”
Mother Teresa
Writing is an integral part of your service. It is His calling for you. You write from a place of obedience, hopefully from a place of joy!
Mother Teresa used this metaphor to illustrate her role as a humble servant of God, acting merely as an instrument in His hands to spread love and compassion across the world.
Writing is a transformative process for both you and your audience. Each time you write—whether by hand or by typing (or, if you’re like me, by dictating into your device)—seeds are sown, taking root, sprouting into sentences, paragraphs, and ultimately evolving into entirely new concepts! I used to read Alice in Bibleland books to my children, where Alice (modeled after Alice in Wonderland) is transported to biblical times as she reads her Bible, witnessing God and His people in action. She always returns with invaluable life lessons. Before her journey to Bibleland, a little bird tells her, “Reading is the magic key to take you where you want to be!” I didn’t need to look that up; it’s etched in my memory and remains with my children to this day! Your words weave spells, casting enchantments upon the reader, transporting us to distant realms, evoking either laughter or tears, and even sparking revolutions.
Writing can lead to transformationfor both you and your reader, offering a powerful means to process emotions. It can help clarify insights about lived experiences. The act of writing allows your thoughts to crystallize, presenting them in a manner that reveals what your heart is striving to express.
Writing is Therapeutic/Cathartic
Writing is therapeutic, an outlet if you will. As emotions rise and become tangled, jumbled thoughts, it can be relieving to find the words to untangle them and put them on paper.
When Tim, my husband of 11 years and the father of our three Lindwall children, died, I journaled more fervently than ever before or since. I couldn’t not write about my grief and my journey through bereavement, and particularly about how gracious and merciful God was through that forest of physical, soulful and spiritual turmoil and pain. Those heartfelt written words brought me much comfort and ultimate healing.
Writing is Your Act of Obedience
Tasha Glover said the Lord laid on her heart years ago that “ROO is more important than ROI.” Your return on obedience is more important to the Lord than your return on investment. As you are obedient to the Lord in your specific ministry or entrepreneurial calling, and as you realize it takes a lot of writing “all the things” to share who the Lord has called you to be and what He has called you to do, you experience freedom and rest.
The Lord says, if you love Him, you will obey Him. John 14:15; 1 John 5:3
You obey God and follow Him, not your own former passions and desires or the guidance and directions of other men. Acts 5:29; 1 Peter 1:14.
Obeying God and being willing to follow Him comes with a great reward. Exodus 23:22; Isaiah 1:19; Luke 11:28; and John 14:23 states, “…, if anyone loves Me, he will keep My words; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make our abode with him.” NASB
In this new season and with the launch of our new RHEMA Writing Seminary and NACWE Writing Academy, we’re inviting you to be obedient to the Lord in all He has called you to, especially as you write to share what He has taught you to reach others for His Kingdom. [Word Count ~1221]
Next Blog: “Tips for a Faithful & Confident Writer” | Now, let’s share some writing tips to catapult you to obedience and success.
Download the Part 1 Sampler of this 52-week “Confident to Write” Series, and receive an exclusive monthly update.
Write/Work with us in loving and like-minded communities! Working with others can be an incredibly enlightening, encouraging, and richly equipping journey!
How blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked, Nor stand in the path [or way] of sinners, Nor sit in the seat of scoffers!
But his delight is in the law of the Lord, And in His law he meditates day and night.
He will be like a tree firmly planted by streams of water, Which yields its fruit in its season And its leaf does not wither; And in whatever he does, he prospers.
Psalm 1:1-3, NASB
What does it even mean to meditate on God‘s word? You listen to sermons at church and online. You sing along with worship music. You read the word of God. You pray.
Meditation on God‘s word goes beyond passive listening or singing or reading or praying. Meditation is deeply intentional and purposeful. It involves profound and meaningful reflection, deliberate engagement, and focused application. Karen Lindwall-Bourg
Here are some examples from my own life.
Michelle:
I met Michelle when she was only 10 and was amazed at her spiritual maturity, even then. I could tell she loved the Lord, and I marveled as she read her Bible and listened to worship music. The words from her mouth seemed wise for such a young one. I have watched her grow from afar and a few privileged times close by for over 40 years. Once when we were together I was so thrilled with her deep relationship with the Lord, I asked her how she spent her time with the Lord. She explained that she started out in prayer, asking God for wisdom, then went to the Scriptures to read. Most of the time, she read slowly until she received a rhema from the Lord. She stopped at that special word from the Lord. She paused when she felt the Holy Spirit take her breath away. She took note of that place in the word of God where she felt Jesus was speaking directly to her. And for the rest of the day, she meditated on those particular verses. She wrote them down, she memorized them, she repeated them throughout the day, she prayed over them, she considered their deeper meaning, and she asked the Lord for unique application of those words just for her. That’s meditation!
Jamie:
I met Jamie at university. We both taught upper classmen Bible studies from our sophomore years through graduation. Somehow, praise the Lord, we ended up meeting four nights a week in a corner of the women’s dormitory foyer. I had accepted Christ into my heart and life at age 9, but realized that I’d never really been taught how to dive deep into the Scriptures for myself. We sat with our Bibles and notebooks and pens and highlighters; we sat close together with our heads titled toward one another for hours each night. We prayed, we read, we discussed, we cried, we laughed, and we prayed some more! That’s meditation!
I’m so grateful for the hours he spent discipling and mentoring me.
Jamie once told me that he had flunked out of college to the point that he wasn’t allowed to enter college, even under probationary status! He had taken time away from school and painted houses for a few years. Each morning he rose to spend time with the Lord, praying and studying the word of God, and as he painted, he meditated on the words from that morning. For a time he even dedicated 2.4 hours of his day to the Lord. His thought was if a tithe to the Lord was 10% and there were 24 hours in a day, then tithing 10% of his time to the Lord would encompass 2.4 hours a day! That’s meditation!
It should come as no surprise to you to hear that he graduated with a masters degree in economics at the very top of his class at a very challenging university! That’s the blessing of meditation!
Karen:
Several times on my blessed entrepreneurial journey over the last 40+ years, I have remembered Jamie‘s testimony. During several seasons I have committed to spend 2.4 hours of my day with the Lord. Once I closed my private biblical counseling practice and wasn’t working eight hours a day, I often wondered how this would work when there were some days that I only worked 2.4 hours a day! Thinking the way the world thinks, I wondered if there was any way I could get anything accomplished when I was spending 2.4 hours of my day with the Lord, especially when I thought I should be spending that time on offers with my writing and publishing company.
I can honestly tell you that during every season that I have taken 2.4 hours of my day to the Lord first, I have accomplished more than any of the other seasons of my ministry!
That’s meditation!
That’s the blessing of meditation!
Here are 13 Summarized Precepts to Help You Meditate on God’s Word
Now it’s your turn to meditate on God’s word anticipating His blessing! Writing about what God’s word means to you and how it applies in your life through the steps of meditation encourages deeper understanding and a closer relationship with Him.
Psalm 119:11 mentions this beautifully:
“Your word I have treasured in my heart,
That I may not sin against You.”
Pray for Understanding. Before diving into meditation, take a moment to pray and ask the Holy Spirit for guidance and understanding. James 1:5 encourages us to seek wisdom from God. You want to see and understand from His perspective more than from your own.
Choose a Passage. Start with selecting a specific verse or passage from the Bible that speaks to you. You might also want to choose a Psalm of praise or a Proverb of wisdom.
Read Slowly and Repetitively. Read your chosen passage slowly and thoughtfully several times. This repetition helps you absorb the meaning of the words and phrases more deeply.
Observe Themes and Keywords and Phrases related to your chosen passage.
Explore Specific Promises related to the passage. For example, Romans 8:38-39 assures us that nothing can separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus, our Lord. Writing about these promises can offer additional comfort and encouragement.
Ask Good Questions. “What does this reveal about God’s character? How does this apply to my own life or current circumstances? Is there an area in my life where I need to change or grow based on these words?”
Reflect. Spend significant time reflecting personally on what the passage means for you today and throughout your day.
Contemplate its Deeper Meaning. Let your heart and mind ponder the deeper meanings behind the text – consider historical context, cultural significance, and how it fits into God’s overarching narrative of redemption.
Write it Down. Write the words down verbatim, especially by hand. Journaling about what you’ve learned can solidify your understanding and allow you to process your thoughts more clearly. Write down insights, prayers inspired by the text, or even artistic expressions, like poetry and song!
Memorize the Verse(s). If a verse speaks particularly and uniquely to you, consider memorizing it so that it can be readily recalled throughout your day as a source of encouragement or guidance.
Pray over His Words. After meditating on God‘s word, respond to Him in prayer based on what you have understood and with gratitude for His promises; asking Him for help in obeying His commands, seeking strength and confidence.
Practice Application. Finally, think about how you can put what you’ve learned to practice in your daily life.
Share with others. Oftentimes discussing insights from Scripture with friends and fellow believers can deepen your understanding further as they add their perspectives to yours!
Meditation is meant to cultivate intimacy with God through His Word. You’ll acquire knowledge and allow His Truth to transform your heart and mind. (Romans 12:2 says, “And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.”)
Meditation on God‘s word goes beyond passive listening or singing or reading or praying. Meditation involves significant and reflective contemplation, deliberate engagement, and focused application.
May these insights guide you into deeper communion with God through meditation on His Word!
Download the Part 1 Sampler of this 52-week “Confident to Write” Series, and receive an exclusive monthly update.
Write/Work with us in loving and like-minded communities! Working with others can be an incredibly enlightening, encouraging, and richly equipping journey!
Have you ever lost confidence in the promises of God? How do you fill the silence in those desperate, broken times when it seems all is lost, including the sweet soft sound of God’s reassuring voice?
If you’ve lived long enough, it’s likely you’ve doubted that God was still in charge. If you ponder a moment or two, I bet you’ll remember thinking God had revoked His promises to never leave you, that He’d put you back up for adoption for one of those golden-calf gods to deal with.
When God is silent, do you still trust in what He’s already told you? Or do you fill the void of a long, lonely night with your own doubt-drawn conclusions?
Psalm 77: Who Was Asaph
In Psalm 77, King David’s chief worship leader invites us into his grief one dark night when he lost confidence in God. Come with me to see how he found comfort.
Asaph was Kind David’s chief musician. He was a key figure in two of the most significant events of his lifetime. He walked alongside the ark of the covenant as it was brought from the house of Obed-Edom the Gittite, to the tabernacle David built. And he saw the ark move to the temple Solomon built.
As lead musician, praising God was Asaph’s livelihood. He led a team of musicians appointed to praise God at the tabernacle around the clock. Sounds like a wonderful life, doesn’t it? Isn’t that how heaven is described, people constantly signing “Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord” (Rev 4:8)?
Asaph Suffered & Lost All Confidence in God
But Asaph wasn’t praising God from heaven. He was on earth, and he lived an early life full of tribulations, just like the rest of us. Asaph recorded his grief and sorrow in some of the most beautiful Psalms of the Bible, Psalm 77.
In great distress, Asaph cried to God and heard no response. He laid awake all night, remembering the good old days when his life was filled with joyful songs, but now he was overwhelmed with sorrow. He’d raised his hands towards heaven and pleaded with God to just hear him! The only reply was from his own tears hitting the dirt floor.
The searing silence, in contrast to a lifetime of music both in his voice and in his soul, convinced Asaph that God wasn’t listening. Asaph’s fatigue and grief replaced the silence with broken promises: God had abandoned him, left for him good. Then the man who spent his lifetime praising God lost all confidence in Him.
“I said, ‘This is my fate; the Most Hight has turned his hand against me.'”
Psalm 77:9 NLT
The doubt-triggered pity party seems hypocritical, doesn’t it? How can the royal worship team leader accuse God of breaking His own covenant? And yet, how many of us have been there?
How Asaph Restored His Confidence in God
Yes, Asaph was just as human as the rest of us. And his honesty in shaking his head at God also tells us it’s okay to be honest with God, no matter how ugly it is. Because only honesty can reveal God’s truth. Asaph remembered who God is when he looked beyond his rose-colored memories of the good old days to remember that God never changes.
“But then I recall all you have done, O Lord; I remember your wonderful deeds of long ago. They are constantly in my thoughts. I cannot stop thinking about your mighty works.
O God, your ways are holy. Is there any god as mighty as you? You are the God of great wonders! You demonstrate your awesome power among the nations.“
Psalm 77:12-14 NLT
He continues to recall God’s display of power and providence in freeing the Israelites from the Egyptians. And then suddenly he stops in the middle of his own visions. Just like that, the psalm is over. I suspect the psalm ended as abruptly as Asaph’s pity party. Lifting God’s name raises your spirits. Asaph joined God in silence and poured out his heart on paper just long enough to let God write back. God restored Asaph’s confidence in Him by reminding Asaph that He never left the throne.
God gently gave Asaph the attitude adjustment he needed so he could regain confident once more in the God that never leaves. He is still in control, even when He’s not sharing His plans with you.
How to Have Confidence in God, Even When He’s Silent
Friends, even the most faithful of us have a short memory. When we doubt God’s presence, we can lose confidence in His promises to never leave us. Instead of filling the silence with shortsighted what-have-You-done-for-me-lately conclusions, we must take a moment to dwell not on our past but on God’s history of faithfulness.
When you wonder if He’s left the throne, take a moment to hear your heartbeat and feel the breath fill your lungs. Because even when you can’t hear His voice, God is still on the throne and in your heart.
I invite you today to find a few scriptures about having confidence in God, so you’re armed with truth when the enemy tempts you with doubt. Here are a few suggestions:
Valerie is a wife, mother, blogger, and breast cancer survivor. After suffering years of debilitating anxiety, she learned that victory over anxiety comes only through surrender to Jesus. Now she points women to Jesus, as co-director of Candidly Christian, and as a freelance devotional writer, proofreader, and copyeditor at ValerieRiese.com. She lives in Wisconsin with her husband and teenage daughter.
He who calls you is faithful, who also will do it (1 Thessalonians 5:24).
