Invite God into Your Writing

by Tammy Karasek @TickledPinkTam

At one of my writing meetings in March, a friend shared with the group some interesting facts she’d come across in a recently read book. Often our devotions or book reports shared in our meetings stick with me for a few days as I keep going over them in my mind. But this time, something that was shared has impacted me greatly. It’s still on my mind more than a month later. The friend has no idea. 

As Christian writers we pray before we start a new project asking God to give us the words he’d have us share. Again we pray as we sit down to actually do the writing of said project. We know we’ve been called to write and want to walk in that obedience. Our intentions are to write what we feel God leading us to do. 

And then we get to the business of writing on our terms, our schedule and eventually our thoughts and words. 

We may hurry into our writing without our pause for prayer first. We can inadvertently in our haste to complete the project do it our own way. I believe someone named Frank sang about doing it my way. I can’t answer for you, but I can honestly say that is me more than I like to admit. Doing it my way. 

However, since the meeting in March, I’ve approached my writing in a much different way. Anyone heard of conviction? Try as I might, I am guilty for not inviting God into my writing time. (And I wonder why I have writer’s block at times.) Now, I have two sets of letters on my screen in lime green post-its. One on the top left and one on the top right. The one on the left is TLK/JJ. The one on the right is TLK/SDG. 

Initials to remind me whose help I need and who receives all the credit. 

You’ve probably heard of someone with the initials JSB. I’m speaking of Johann Sebastian Bach. What I never knew about Mr. Bach was he had a strong faith. So much so, no matter whom he was writing his music for he would start composing by petitioning Christ to help him with it. 

Once done, he would give the credit to God. 

At the beginning of his musical compositions, it has been said that Mr. Bach would sometimes write the letters JJ for Jesu juva—Latin for Jesus, help. Then he would begin. 

Once done, he would add the initials SDG, Soli Deo Gloria, at the end which he meant that all of his work was done for the glory of God alone.

It was these simplistic prayers of Johann Sebastian Bach that impacted me to create the habit of saying out loud Jesus help as I reach over to turn on my computer to work. Then to bookend my work time to be ended with Soli Deo Gloria, for the glory of you alone, God.

I pray this will encourage you to invite God into your writing and cover your time with the help of Jesus. Then once your session is done you remember who gets the glory. 

Soli Deo Gloria

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You’ll find Tammy using humor and wit to bring joy and hope to every aspect in life. She’s gone from down and defeated from a past filled with bullying and criticism from family to living a Tickled Pink life as she believes there is always a giggle wanting to come out! All because of HIM.

She’s the Social Media Coordinator for the Blue Ridge Mountains Christian Writers Conference. President of ACFW Upstate SC, Past-President and current member of Word Weavers Upstate SC and Past-President of Cross N Pens Writers Group. She’s a member of My Book Therapy/Novel Academy. A writing team member for The Write Conversation, contributor for the Learn How to Write a Novel Blog and others. Published in the Divine Moments Compilation Book—Cool-inary Moments.

She’s married to her college sweetheart Larry, a mom to their grown daughter, Kristen and excited to add a son-in-law in 2021. Born and raised in Ohio, she now lives in South Carolina. Connect with Tammy at HTTPS://TAMMYKARASEK.COM.