Hi Everyone, it’s Judith Couchman. My assignment for this year focuses on blogging about writing: technique, practical pointers,encouragement, and such. I hope this helps you.
If you want to improve your prayer life, try writing.
If you want to improve your writing life, try praying.
—Ed Cyzewski
If any profession produces anxiety, it’s writing. Writers fret about deadlines, the quality of their work, if they’ll publish, whether readers will buy their books, or if they’ll earn income. Potentially, the anxiety can paralyze getting the work done.
Two thousand years ago a writer working under duress suggested an antidote for these worries. To Philippi, the first Christian church in Europe, the Apostle Paul wrote, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus (Phil. 4:6-7). To another church at Thessaloniki, he advised, “pray continually” (Thess. 5:17).
Instead of perpetually worrying, you can constantly pray.
Paul’s advice translates to praying generally for a project, but also praying through it as you work: chapter by chapter, section by section. Praying through absent ideas, titles, beginnings and endings, anecdotes and transitions, and anything else.
The result? God’s peace, and most likely, breakthroughs in your work.
Judith Couchman
Judith Couchman is an author, speaker, writing coach, and adjunct professor. She’s traditionally published more than 42 works. Learn more about her at www.judithcouchman.com. Write to her at judith@judithcouchman.com.
