by Amy Loos
You see this stack of journals?
Look closer…do you see the little washi paper tabs?
Do you know what those are?
Unwritten articles, blog posts and stories.
It is my habit to rise early to spend time with Jesus and journal what He places on my heart. As noted with those washi tabs, God will give me a nugget of inspiration to share and I feel His nudging to trust Him and put it out there in the world.
But as you can see, they sit on a shelf, waiting for my obedience.
Shameful, I know. There is always an internal battle between fighting my fear and wondering if I heard the Lord correctly.
Until I read Pray, Hear, Write: 21 Days of Fasting for Breakthrough in Your Writing by Jevon Bolden.
Sure, there are hundreds of books on the market about overcoming fear, becoming a better writer, how to slay the writing game; but this book, by the sheer title alone, struck a chord within me. Ultimately, I want to be obedient to this calling of being a writer and yes, I want to honor God with my work. But am I really hearing from God or am I convincing myself of the direction I should go?
Pray, Hear, Write is designed as a 21-day prayer and fasting guide for writers to delve first into their prayer life with the Lord supported through fasting. By doing so, we tune into God’s will for our writing and tune out the fears, the noise, the responsibilities that keep us from following through on what He has called us to do.
As someone who understands both sides of the writing and publishing world as an editor and a writer, Jevon gets to the heart of our struggles by encouraging us to seek God first. She writes, “Pray to know the mind and heart of God for each project.” Her words challenged me to step away from old habits and embrace a new process.
Each day of Pray, Hear, Write begins with a bible verse, a few paragraphs of encouragement and thought-provoking questions that will push you to write what you hear God speak to you. Jevon also encourages writers to spend time each day, writing 3 pages of what she calls “Morning Pages”: “Morning Pages are just three pages written first thing in the morning about whatever is on your hearts. In my experience, it will open you up to hearing God as your write and pray.”
This is my second time reading Jevon’s book and I am gleaning more insight to my prayer life and have obediently taken steps to write, pursue and scariest of all, submit my writing. If you want to be encouraged and challenged in your writing grab a copy of Jevon Bolden’s Pray, Hear, Write.
**As a side note, Jevon Bolden’s e-book Pray, Hear, Write is currently available through Amazon for $2.99. **
About Amy: My mother has always said, “Amy, you don’t know a stranger” and it’s true. I have found most people will share their lives if only you take the time to ask. Getting to know someone new is a great way to share a part of your own life and to remind us both just how much God designed us for community and fellowship with one another. Join me at www.windowoffaith.com as I share what how I encounter God’s grace as I navigate life as a wife, mom and the responsibilities of being an adult child caught in the middle of 2 sets of aging parents.
