Spiritual Practices for Writers: The Practice of Thinking Excellent Thoughts

From Edie: Christian writers are called to think on what is true, pure, lovely, and praiseworthy. Discover how Philippians 4:8 shapes your thoughts and your words.

Spiritual Practices for Writers: The Practice of Thinking Excellent Thoughts

by Audre Frank @AudreyCFrank

Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is worthy of respect, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if something is excellent or praiseworthy, think about these things (Philippians 4:8).

The word popcorn blinked at me from the browser window, casting flickers across the dark living room wall. I was up late in a country far from home, feeling grouchy because there was no popcorn to be found for my VPN-allowed streaming movie. (A VPN is a Virtual Private Network setting that allows a secure connection in places where the internet is anything but secure.) Why I chose to search for popcorn online when there was no Glovo or Instacart, I have no idea. Chalk it up to culture shock and homesickness after midnight.

The next day, I opened my laptop only to discover advertisements for loose-kernel popcorn, microwave popcorn, and air-poppers parading across the screen. To make my homesickness worse, the ads were all for Atlanta, Georgia, the address I’d selected for my VPN the night before. I was far from Atlanta and even farther from Walmart or Amazon.

Spiritual Practices for Writers: The Practice of Proclaiming for Writers

by Audrey Frank @AudreyCFrank

For what we proclaim is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, with ourselves as your servants for Jesus' sake. For God, who said, "Let light shine out of darkness," has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ (2 Corinthians 4:5-6, ESV).

Like the slow start of a rollercoaster groaning up the first rise, the mint man's voice began. Basal and resonant, it clicked, rolled, and climbed until it reached a crescendo and flew high and sweet through the air.

Eeeeeeeeeeee-yeppp! Naaaaaaaaaa-a'nahhhhh!

Squeals of laughter rang out as my two little boys clamored to put on their slippers and run into the street to catch the mint man. His humble cart was laden with fresh, fragrant bunches of emerald-green mint. We could not have tea without it.

The mint man was one of a long line of proclaimers. He nobly listed more than ten generations of proclaimers, ending with a twinkle as he proudly introduced his successor, a little boy who followed shyly behind. The mint man's houseful of daughters did not break the ancestral chain—instead, the oldest gave him a grandson to carry on the tradition.

We never lacked mint, thanks to our faithful proclaimer.

Spiritual Practices for Writers: The Practice of Waiting

by Audrey Frank @AudreyCFrank

Join me the first Sunday of each month this year as we examine twelve spiritual practices for writers. Links for each successive month are found at the end of the post.

Patiently wait for God alone, my soul! For he is the one who gives me hope (Psalm 62:5, NET).

We writers do a lot of waiting.