By Vivian Mabuni
The book proposal about my cancer journey cleared the final review step at a publishing house last month. Thinking back to where I was last year at this time I marvel at this new writing world I’ve entered. Writing was not on my radar before cancer. Cancer was an instrument used to bring out the writer part in me. And isn’t it just like God to redeem for good something as awful as cancer? Now I know terms like: query letters, proposals, publishing houses, and literary agents.
But I have to be honest. The whole process overwhelms me.
I scan websites and read the blogs about the writing world and this heavy sigh comes out of the deepest place in my soul. That familiar feeling of inadequacy, of not being _______ enough, of being way in over my head. Part of me wants to fall into a hole and just take a long nap.
But on the phone, during the pause before a connecting flight to his ministry meetings, my husband, Darrin, shared wise words that brought perspective and hope.
“We don’t have control over how the Lord blesses or gifts us. We are stewards of what He shows us to do and to be. This (the writing) for you is an act of worship.”
An act of worship. That changes everything. It alleviates the pressure of having to “make it happen” or control the outcome of this whole crazy adventure. Darrin encouraged me to just write. Where God takes this whole book thing is completely in His hands. When I first started blogging during cancer treatment, every entry felt like an act of worship. I wrote from my heart and there was no striving. No proof-reading. It was holy ground. I have much to learn about the nuts and bolts of writing and trust that those things will come as I continue writing, but more important is the posture of my heart.
This act of worship spills over into every area of life. In the mountains of unending laundry, the helping with homework, walking the dog, conversations with the neighbor, the everything of the everyday. Stewarding well our lives, our experiences, our relationships, our stuff, is a form of worship.
My prayer for myself and other writers is that we would hold in our heart and keep front and center writing, querying, proposal submitting, learning the publishing world, all of it is an act of worship.
May He be lifted high.
Thank you for this! Really good perspective.
Vivian,
This was sooo helpful for me to read this morning. Thanks so much!
Amen, amen and AMEN, Viv! Thanks for the reminder. To God be the glory, indeed!
Absolutely, beautiful reminder. And you write beautifully and communicate clearly as well.
When I think too much about who might be reading something, I start to judge myself and give in to that paralysis caused by fear – thinking about writing as an act of worship, of simply making a joyful noise, that is so freeing. Thank you for this piece, and congratulations on your book proposal!
That you never sought to write but instead to use your story to point other people to Him, this is what I love about you! Thank you for the reminder that our writing is an act of worship.
“… all of it is an act of worship.” That’s how I’d like my writing – and my life – to be too, Vivian. Thanks for getting at this so well here.
Tim
P.S. Speaking of writing, today I finally started my own blog (linked through my name above). Hope I don’t drive down the value of the interwebz.
thank you so much for your words of encouragement…
grateful for the gift of each day and the sisterhood of the Redbuds!
Worshipping God with you in this art form is a privilege! Thank you for helping me focus on why I do this.
Thank you for reminding me that my writing is not so much about me as it is God and how He lifted me from the muck and the mire. Indeed, “May He be lifted high”!
Thankful for those of you who have taken the time to read and comment. May we all continue to write for Him and with Him. It will be a glorious day when we see the Lord face to face and when we learn of how our written words impacted others for the Kingdom. Grateful to be on the journey together.
This was such a beautiful post, such wonderful insight into the act of writing! I am so glad I followed a Twitter link over here
Amen, Amen and Amen. I agree. And thanks for the reminder for me that writing saves my life. Some of Jesus’ greatest friends were writers. I know He appreciates the gift!
Vivian, thanks for waking up and deciding to write this today. It is an answer to a very specific prayer just this morning. The image of writing being an act of worship sinks in deeply. I also so appreciate your husbands words of encouragement. What a sweet, Godly response. Thank you.