Connecting good writing with my spiritual life

Today is the one-month-away date for Chrissa’s wedding. Lots of plans and doing, but life goes on. While Becky bakes for the wedding, she also plans and cooks for the church youth Purity Weekend and college exam treats. Becky seeks to ‟maintain relationships with others and keep [her] creative edge, while also doing everything else in [her] life” (Dan Balow, a Laube agent).

For myself, I have been taking some online courses in writing. That’s what I want to do, what I do, what’s considered my job. I’m serious about writing—articles and a book as a WIP (work in progress). As I took notes on these classes and also read the daily blogs from The Steve Laube Agency, I began to see some connections between good writing and good spiritual growth. So I have to give credit where it’s due.

Balow also wrote: ‟The successful author-life is equal parts creativity and discipline, make-believe and real-life, story-telling and deadline-meeting.” I can hear you now, that doesn’t sound like spirituality. Give me a chance.

When we get creative with our discipline (writing or spiritual) we will accomplish more and enjoy it more. Story-telling can be our own testimony. Link that with a deadline to share and we become more passionate about spreading the Good News. Now you may have me on the make-believe and real-life part, but let’s consider it. Children are caught up in their make-believe world for play is their job. It even prepares them for real life as they are good imitators of parents and teachers. Perhaps we could learn something from the children in our lives. The Apostle Paul commissioned us to imitate Christ.

‟In the Gospel of Luke, the fourteenth chapter, Jesus tells a couple of parables and then sums them with a ‘count the cost’ statement which could be taken any number of ways, I suppose, but relates to a person living life as a believer. Have no illusions, there is a cost” (Balow). Sum it up and make the connection: ‟Successful authors [and Christians] already counted the cost and decided it was worth it” (Balow).

More on this to come another time. AC