Include Jesus in your writing journey

This summer when I attended the virtual Northwestern Christian Writers Conference, the keynote speakers and many of the course teachers, which included agents, editors, authors, and professors, encouraged us to include Jesus in our writing journey.

Don’t let your goals become idols

Sometimes we get caught up in our platform building, writing, editing, submitting, critiquing, etc., and God gets squeezed out. Our work, our dream, maybe even ourselves, become an idol.

Alicia Britt Chole, the Friday night keynote speaker, encouraged us to follow Jesus and let Him lead. Intimacy with God is our greatest spiritual weapon. When we defend or justify why we are special, we’ve made an idol. Don’t make idols.

Summed up, she said, you are a custom-crafted creation of God—rest in this relationship. You are treasured. Be willing to walk anywhere with Jesus. Create, cultivate, and steward the message. She also noted that anything of value is written in our living letters—children, people we mentor.

Look for God in your life daily

Karen Kingsbury, the Saturday morning keynote speaker, spoke of God’s involvement in her life and writing also. She said God chooses the characters in your life so don’t give up on the people in your life. Slow down and laugh. Pay attention and see that God is with you. Look for Him in everything. Nothing we experience goes to waste.

She also reminded us that Jesus is the hero of our personal story. His story has a guaranteed happy ending.

From this I gathered the story you’re writing and the one God is writing are intertwined.

Whatever you write, ask God to help you

Mary DeMuth, who taught “Write the Truth: Change the World,” said that what makes us mad is a good kernel for a book. When we write of an injustice that propels us, bothers us, keeps us up, it fuels the project. Don’t be afraid to be real and to be yourself. Wrap the truth in stories. Absorb the Bible.

The Bible doesn’t hold back in the stories it shares. It may describe, but it also prescribes. Connections are made. Readers learn. The writer must be willing to go where he or she wants the reader to go. So if you have tough subject matter to tackle, ask Jesus for guidance in what to include and then let Him guide you through it.

Whatever God has laid on your heart to write, write. Be sure to involve Him in every step of the journey. Pray, pray, pray. Praise Him for breakthroughs, for answered prayers, for open doors, for all the real and imaginary characters in your life, for whatever you accomplished today—however great or small.

Enjoy the journey

God decided to give us these gifts and dreams. If we stop fighting over how we think it should go and just rest in the plan He is working out, the journey promises to be very exciting.

It’s just hard to lay down how we want things to go. Still we serve a mighty God who loves us and has good plans for us, so whatever comes, He’ll walk with us through it. He gave us these good gifts for us to enjoy.

When you write, give your burdens to Him. Jump in like a child, and embrace your story. Have fun. Just as you love watching your friends’ and children’s pleasure in their favorite activities, God loves watching us explore the gifts He bestowed upon us.

When you think of it that way, doesn’t your heart burst with happiness?

Writing Tip: Write with Jesus

Cover photo by Chris Montgomery on Unsplash.

Photo 1 by Kaitlyn Baker on Unsplash.

Photo 2 by Joel Muniz on Unsplash.