From Edie: Today Mariah Taverna helps answer the question, "Is God calling you to write a book?" Discover insight on how to recognize His leading, overcome fear and excuses, and start writing the message He’s placed on your heart today.
Is God Calling You to Write a Book? How to Start Writing and Finish What He’s Placed on Your Heart
by Mariah Taverna
Is God calling you to write a book? How do you know? Did He speak to your heart, or speak to you through His Word? Did He inspire you through another person? Give you a dream in the middle of the night? Or do you simply sense that knowing deep down in your knower that God is inviting you to write for His glory?
Is it one of those hidden desires in your heart that you can’t seem to shake? Does it always find its way back to the forefront of your mind? Do you rejoice inwardly when you see another author holding their book and think, “That will be me one day”?
If one day, why not today?
Don’t be like me and put off your dream of becoming a published author for a decade. If you feel that nudging of the Holy Spirit to write, don’t wait until every question you have gets answered before you begin. I pray that after you finish reading this blog, you take action! That you pick up your pen (or your computer) and start writing today.
One of my Bible college teachers used to say, “God’s callings are His enablings,” quoting Hudson Taylor, the 19th-century missionary who founded the China Inland Mission.
When God calls you to something, He enables you with the grace, strength, resources, and resolve to do it.
So why put off until tomorrow what you can begin today?
The sooner you start taking steps in the direction of your God-given dreams, the sooner you will see those dreams come into fruition.
Fun Fact!
Did you know that most people dream of writing a book? Surveys and writing communities say about 80 to 90% of people have this goal. But only around 3% of aspiring writers actually finish their manuscripts.
Too often, we put our dreams on the back burner for far too long. But we are living in a time when sharing the truth of Jesus is needed now more than ever! And Christian authors have a unique opportunity to share that truth in creative and impactful ways.
The Gift of Writing
While writing is a craft that can be taught and developed. I believe that writing is also a God-given gift.
1 Peter 4:10 says, “Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms.”
Whatever the gift—the biblical mandate is—use it to serve others. Keep this truth at the forefront of your mind as you write. It is a sweet reminder that God, in His brilliance, has blessed us and His desire is that we bless and serve others.
Whether you are writing fiction or nonfiction, your writing has the beautiful potential to point people to Jesus and reveal new facets of His character and heart to them.
Slow Progress Is Better Than No Progress
There will always be lies, insecurities or excuses that attempt to keep us from obedience to God. What if I told you that you’re not alone in wrestling with thoughts like:
- “Who would even want to read my book?”
- “What if no one buys my book?”
- “I’m not qualified to write a book.”
- “I don’t have time to write a book.”
- “This is too overwhelming… I want to, but I just can't.”
The truth is many of us wrestle with similar thoughts at some point or another. I recently heard someone say, “the difference between an aspiring author and published author is just discipline and the refusal to quit.”
The lies beg us to embrace them, the insecurities beckon us to wallow in them, and the excuses serve as great justifications if we allow them.
But we can choose to recognize those thoughts for what they are, take them captive, replace them with truth, and say “yes” to what God is asking!
If you start taking baby steps today, eventually you’ll be walking and then running. But if you never take the steps at all—then you’ll never make any progress, and no one wants that.
This is why one of my favorite sayings is, “slow progress is better than no progress.”
In all of our walking and running, we must remember that we’re not in a race. This is not a competition. This is about obedience. This is about stewarding the gift that God has given you by writing the book that He has placed in your heart.
Just Start Writing
Sometimes we overcomplicate simple matters. Not intentionally, but we do. We watch all the video tutorials, attend all the conferences, ask all the questions, and take all the notes. We get stuck in learning mode and we never move forward into actually executing and putting into practice all we’ve learned.
Learning, listening, researching, growing and being teachable are all very important for a writer. Yet still, there comes a time when we must move from receiving to releasing.
As simple as this sounds (or maybe as daunting as it sounds)... just start writing! Just start releasing. You can do it. It is God who has called you and it is God who will enable you. As you continually invite Him into this process you can trust that He will be with you every step of the way, with every stroke of your keyboard.
Knowing Your Why
One of the most important questions to ask yourself as you start writing is “why am I writing this book?”
Knowing your why will be an anchor that you return to time and time again throughout your writing journey. Your why is what keeps you grounded on the days when you need encouragement. It’s what reminds you to not quit if things get hard.
For most Christian authors, our overall why is to glorify Jesus. But for each writer and each book there is a deeper, more personal why.
Once you nail this down it won’t matter what lies, insecurities, or excuses arise. Having a clear vision will be both an anchor that sustains you and wind in your sails, that drives you forward.
What Is Your Why?
When I was publishing my first book, The Unashamed Life, I got an index card and wrote on it in Sharpie “write the book so that other girls can know the redemptive love of Christ and be saved, healed and transformed.” Those words drove me to “just start writing”, sustained me through the process and ultimately launched me into the self-publishing world.
That was my why.
What's yours?
TWEETABLE
Miriah holds degrees in Biblical Studies, Biblical Exposition, and Church Ministry. She shares her story at addiction recovery groups, youth groups, women’s gatherings, and anywhere God opens the door. She also creates faith-based resources to equip aspiring Christian authors to share their stories for His glory. She uses social media to reach people with raw authenticity, bold faith, and the uncompromising truth of God’s Word. Through her videos, writing, and everyday conversations, she invites others into the abundant life that only Jesus can offer.
More than anything, Miriah longs to see people walk in purity, purpose, and boldness, unashamed of the Gospel. Her message is this: Jesus loves you. Jesus saves. Jesus has a beautiful plan for your life.
Connect with her at www.miriahtaverna.com or on social media.
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