Encouragement for the Writer’s Soul
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SCRIPTURES
Not unto us, O Lord, not unto us, but unto thy name give glory.
–Psalm 115:1, KJV
I shall stand my watch and set myself on the rampart, and watch to see what He will say to me, and what I will answer when I am corrected. Then the Lord answered me and said: “Write the vision and make it plain on tablets, that he may run who reads it.”
–Habakkuk 2:2, NKJV
Let not mercy and truth forsake you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart, and so find favor and high esteem in the sight of God and man. Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths.
–Proverbs 3:3-6, NKJV
The Sovereign Lord has given me his words of wisdom, so that I know what to say to all these weary ones. Morning by morning he wakens me and opens my understanding to his will.
–Isaiah 50:4, NLT
Sing to the Lord; bless his name. Each day proclaim the good news that he saves. Publish his glorious deeds among the nations. Tell everyone about the amazing things he does. Great is the Lord! He is most worthy of praise!
–Psalm 96:2-4, NLT
Your words were found, and I ate them, and your word was to me the joy and rejoicing of my heart; For I am called by your name, O Lord God of hosts.
–Jeremiah 15:16, NKJV
The words of the wise bring healing.
–Proverbs 12:18b, NLT
Gentle words bring life and health.
–Proverbs 15:4, NLT
A truthful witness saves lives.
–Proverbs 14:25a, NLT
Good people enjoy the positive results of their words.
–Proverbs 13:2a, NLT
May all who fear you find in [my books] a cause for joy, for I have put my hope in your word.
–Psalm 119:74, NLT
What is impossible from a human perspective is possible with God.
–Luke 18:27, NLT
God in heaven appoints each [writer’s] work.
–John 3:27, NLT
You saw me before I was born and scheduled each day of my life before I began to breathe. Every day was recorded in your book!
–Psalm 139:16, TLB
This will be written for the generation to come, that a people yet to be created may praise the Lord.
–Psalm 102:18, NKJV
Teach us to make the most of our time, so that we may grow in wisdom.
–Psalm 90:12, NLT
Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but when dreams come true, there is life and joy.
-Proverbs 13:12, NLT
Do not inflict me with love for money! Turn my eyes from worthless things.
–Psalm 119:36-37, NLT
O God, I beg two favors from you before I die. First, help me never to tell a lie. Second, give me neither poverty nor riches! Give me just enough to satisfy my needs. For if I grow rich, I may deny you and say, “Who is the Lord?” And if I am too poor, I may steal and thus insult God’s holy name.
–Proverbs 30:7-9, NLT
If your wealth increases, don’t make it the center of your life.
–Psalm 62:10b, NLT
PARAPHRASED FROM SCRIPTURES
For you are holy and you belong to the Lord your God. Of all the people on the earth and all the different authors, the Lord your God has chosen you—
Not to write books most of all
Not to be a famous writer most of all
Not to get a lot of money most of all
Not even to minister to others through writing most of all
But most of all, the Lord your God has chosen you to be his own special treasure. The Lord did not choose you because you are the best writer. He did not choose to lavish his love upon you because you are a talented writer—no! You are one of the most insignificant and unknown writers of all. It is simply because the Lord loves you that He has chosen you!
–paraphrased from Deuteronomy 7:6-8a
It is God alone who makes the decision to accept or reject a manuscript. He decides who will become published and who will not.
–paraphrased from Psalm 75:7, NLT
Writers who do not write for the glory of God are jealous of other writers’ published manuscripts. Meanwhile, writers who write for the glory of God will bear the fruit God has created them to produce. The wicked are trapped by the words they write, but the godly will escape such trouble. People who write for God’s glory can get many good things by the words they say; their work as a writer also gives them many benefits and eternal blessings.
–paraphrased from Proverbs 12:12-14, NLT
Hear, O writer! Today you are about to cross the Jordan River to occupy the land belonging to publishers much greater and more powerful than you. They are in cities with buildings that reach to the sky! They are strong and tall and have published generations of famous writers. You’ve heard the saying, “Who can get published these days?” But the Lord your God will cross over ahead of you like a devouring fire to destroy the obstacles, so you will quickly overcome, just as the Lord has promised. After the Lord your God has done this for you, don’t say to yourself, “The Lord has gotten my manuscripts published because I am so righteous!” No, it is because of the wickedness of other authors that He is doing it. It is not at all because you are such an upright, righteous author that you are about to occupy their land. The Lord your God will drive these authors out ahead of you only because of their wickedness, and to fulfill the oath he had sworn to your ancestors.
–paraphrased from Deuteronomy 9:1-6, NLT
PRAYERS
Dear Lord, May the words I write bring healing to sin-sick souls. May the words I write in my rough drafts bring healing to the members of my critique group as they help me edit and polish the manuscript. May the words I write in my proposal bring healing to the hearts of the editors I submit it to. And if my manuscript gets accepted and published, may these words I have written be the vehicle for your power to work through in order to heal broken hearts and breathe new life into dead and dark places. May the same power that raised Jesus from the dead work through the words I write to touch people’s lives in transforming ways. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
(Based on Proverbs 12:18b)
Dear Father, There are some manuscripts you call me to write which may never get published in my lifetime. But the stack of rejection letters need not depress me. I will continue to write each manuscript to the best of my ability. If I do not see them published, that is no reason to fret or feel despair! I will place these manuscripts into your hand and trust they were written for a generation yet to come—for children yet to be born who will read these in your perfect timing and praise your holy name! -In Jesus name. Amen.
(Based on Psalm 102:18, NKJV)
Dear God, Writing is often a lengthy process. I feel called to write a book. I spend weeks, months, and even years writing it. Many times, the book is rejected by publishers for years. Lord, you have a purpose for each book you call me to write. But you also have a “time to fulfill that word.” Until that time, I must wait and continue submitting the manuscript and write new books you have placed on my heart. During these waiting seasons I feel you testing my character just as you tested Joseph’s. (Until the time came to fulfill his word, the Lord tested Joseph’s character. –Psalm 105:19, NLT) Altogether, I find I am very weak. I am slothful at times and prone to harbor pride in my heart. Therefore, Lord, I entrust the publication of these books I’ve written entirely into your hands. If you don’t intend to ever publish them, or you get them published after I’m gone, then that is fine with me! They will accomplish your purposes. I trust you to complete the good work you began—in your perfect timing. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
