Happy Wednesday!
I never really sat and prayed about my writing until a year or two ago. I never really made the connection between the two or the fact that by praying about and for my writing that I would be inviting God into that space. He’s supposed to be in every area of our lives. We’re supposed to give Him all that we have and all that we are and for me, that includes writing. Writing is a huge part of my life. It’s my gift, my passion, my business in a way since I am self published.
For years I was so concerned that writing fantasy or more specifically urban fantasy and paranormal romance and anything with magic in it as a Christian was wrong. That I was using my writing in the wrong way because I wasn’t writing about Christian things. It felt like there was my relationship with God and then there was my writing. They were separate for so long. It just didn’t feel right to me, but I couldn’t figure out how to connect the two. I can’t write Christian fiction, I can’t write Christian-themed fantasy like C.S. Lewis or Tolkien. My characters aren’t really Christians or they can’t be cus of the fantasy elements.
And then, I’m not really sure where or even when I saw this but someone talked about praying over their writing. I think it might have been in passing on Instagram or something. Someone was stuck in their writing maybe and they were saying how they were talking a break to pray over it. I was struck by that because I’m almost 100% positive this person’s project wasn’t Christian fiction and yet they were inviting God into that space and asking Him to lead them in their story and bless that story and their writing. That was before or maybe during I realized that some of my favorite books on my shelves were written by Christians. These are books that are dark or just don’t give off that Christian vibe and yet each and every other thanks God in their acknowledges page. A.G. Howard, Stephanie Garber and Nadine Brandes made me realize right along with praying over my writing that my writing didn’t have to be strictly Christian fiction for God to be a part of it.
I realized I had never really prayed over my writing or my books. When I’m stuck I’d rather go complain to my mom than pray about it and ask God to help me through the block. When I’m starting a new project I’d rather just dive in then take a second to ask God to bless this story and invite Him into my writing space. But I realized that by praying about and for and over my writing, I am inviting God into that space. I’m giving Him my writing and giving up control over that area of my life that had felt so separate from Him. That’s what I’ve wanted to do for years but never could figure out how until I realized just how far prayer’s power can spread.
Prayer can unite your writing with God too. Whether you write Christian fiction or not, God wants to be a part of that process, He wants to be a part of your writing. We’re called to give it all up to God. Everything we have and everything we do is His and for Him. Even our writing, especially our writing. Writing is a God given gift. We’re born with this gift and this passion for writing. That’s not an accident. God planted that love and passion inside you and He wants you to use it for His glory.
Next time you get stuck or hit writer’s block, pray and ask God to show you the right way to go with the story. Tell Him about your story and your characters. Ask Him how you can use this story to glorify and show Him whether it be a particular theme or even a particular character. When you sit down to write pray and invite Him into that space with you. He wants to be a part of the process, invite Him and the Holy Spirit into it. To be honest, there may be a few times where you don’t like the answer He gives you about your writing. I don’t think I ever prayed about this particular story, but years ago I started writing an urban fantasy/sort of paranormal romance type book. It got pretty dark. There was witchcraft in it. I got a bad feeling while writing it and had to step back. Even though I wanted to write it, I realized I was going too far with certain elements and that writing about those things wasn’t glorifying God through the story. So I deleted it and started writing something else.
Pray about those things and then listen when God gives you an answer. You may not like there answer at first, but it’s always the right one.
If you’ve been struggling with how to have God be a part of your writing and how to give it over to Him, just pray about it. Ask Him about it. Pray over your writing, pray over your book, say to Him that you are giving it all to Him and He can do what is best with your writing. It works every time. It’s so much better to give up control to Him than to hold on tight to your writing and hold something back from Him.
I never really sat and prayed about my writing until a year or two ago. I never really made the connection between the two or the fact that by praying about and for my writing that I would be inviting God into that space. He’s supposed to be in every area of our lives. We’re supposed to give Him all that we have and all that we are and for me, that includes writing. Writing is a huge part of my life. It’s my gift, my passion, my business in a way since I am self published.
For years I was so concerned that writing fantasy or more specifically urban fantasy and paranormal romance and anything with magic in it as a Christian was wrong. That I was using my writing in the wrong way because I wasn’t writing about Christian things. It felt like there was my relationship with God and then there was my writing. They were separate for so long. It just didn’t feel right to me, but I couldn’t figure out how to connect the two. I can’t write Christian fiction, I can’t write Christian-themed fantasy like C.S. Lewis or Tolkien. My characters aren’t really Christians or they can’t be cus of the fantasy elements.
And then, I’m not really sure where or even when I saw this but someone talked about praying over their writing. I think it might have been in passing on Instagram or something. Someone was stuck in their writing maybe and they were saying how they were talking a break to pray over it. I was struck by that because I’m almost 100% positive this person’s project wasn’t Christian fiction and yet they were inviting God into that space and asking Him to lead them in their story and bless that story and their writing. That was before or maybe during I realized that some of my favorite books on my shelves were written by Christians. These are books that are dark or just don’t give off that Christian vibe and yet each and every other thanks God in their acknowledges page. A.G. Howard, Stephanie Garber and Nadine Brandes made me realize right along with praying over my writing that my writing didn’t have to be strictly Christian fiction for God to be a part of it.
I realized I had never really prayed over my writing or my books. When I’m stuck I’d rather go complain to my mom than pray about it and ask God to help me through the block. When I’m starting a new project I’d rather just dive in then take a second to ask God to bless this story and invite Him into my writing space. But I realized that by praying about and for and over my writing, I am inviting God into that space. I’m giving Him my writing and giving up control over that area of my life that had felt so separate from Him. That’s what I’ve wanted to do for years but never could figure out how until I realized just how far prayer’s power can spread.
Prayer can unite your writing with God too. Whether you write Christian fiction or not, God wants to be a part of that process, He wants to be a part of your writing. We’re called to give it all up to God. Everything we have and everything we do is His and for Him. Even our writing, especially our writing. Writing is a God given gift. We’re born with this gift and this passion for writing. That’s not an accident. God planted that love and passion inside you and He wants you to use it for His glory.
Next time you get stuck or hit writer’s block, pray and ask God to show you the right way to go with the story. Tell Him about your story and your characters. Ask Him how you can use this story to glorify and show Him whether it be a particular theme or even a particular character. When you sit down to write pray and invite Him into that space with you. He wants to be a part of the process, invite Him and the Holy Spirit into it. To be honest, there may be a few times where you don’t like the answer He gives you about your writing. I don’t think I ever prayed about this particular story, but years ago I started writing an urban fantasy/sort of paranormal romance type book. It got pretty dark. There was witchcraft in it. I got a bad feeling while writing it and had to step back. Even though I wanted to write it, I realized I was going too far with certain elements and that writing about those things wasn’t glorifying God through the story. So I deleted it and started writing something else.
Pray about those things and then listen when God gives you an answer. You may not like there answer at first, but it’s always the right one.
If you’ve been struggling with how to have God be a part of your writing and how to give it over to Him, just pray about it. Ask Him about it. Pray over your writing, pray over your book, say to Him that you are giving it all to Him and He can do what is best with your writing. It works every time. It’s so much better to give up control to Him than to hold on tight to your writing and hold something back from Him.
This is so so true. Years ago, I remember Nadine Brandes saying on an Insta story that she prays over each writing session. This opened my eyes that that's even a thing. I did that as I wrote Simon Says and it made a huge difference. I felt so...right during that process.
ReplyDeleteWhile I still forget sometimes, I'm trying to get more into the habit of praying over my writing.
I remember her talking about that too! Maybe that's where I was first introduced with the idea of praying over my writing... Nadine Brandes is so inspiring haha That's really cool, what an awesome experience! :b
DeleteI get that, I try to remember as much as I can and to be intentional about it with my writing too. :)
Wow, this is such a great idea! I've tried it before, but I don't really remember how it went, and I just gradually forgot about it. XD I'll have to do this again - it would be a fantastic way of bringing God deeper into the writing process.
ReplyDeleteI've prayed about my writing some, but more as a career than about normal, day to day stuff. I guess I've always felt it's too petty to bring to God, but really, it's not. Nothing is too small to pray about.
ReplyDelete