This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: Write in a book all the words I have spoken to you.
Jeremiah 30:2
The message in Jeremial 30:2 should encourage every Christian who feels called to write but feels intimidated by the rules of the publishing industry. God inspired the scribes of the past to simply write. He did not tell them they had to have an established platform with thousands of followers on social media. He did not tell them they had to have perfect punctuation, use a certain font, or have perfectly spaced paragraphs. What mattered was simply getting all the words he spoke to them written.
Writers often struggle because they are told they will never get published if they do not follow a certain set of guidelines, have a social media presence, and meticulous writing skills. Unfortunately, stories remain untold because it all seems so overwhelming.
If God has called you to write, you must pursue your calling with passion and diligence. Nothing is impossible with God. To say you must do this or that for your writing to make a difference in the world is to deny the power of God.
Will you believe what the world is telling you or will you follow what God’s word says? Write! Believe! Trust! God can use your writing in ways you cannot imagine. Not every writer is called to write a book or get published in a magazine. In fact, you may never know the impact your words will have this side of heaven.
I remember going through my mom’s belongings in the old farmhouse a year after she went to heaven. It was my birthday, and I found her handwritten journals and a book of poems she had written. Mom kept diligent journals about her life on the farm and wrote about being a farmer’s wife and mom to us three kids. It was the best birthday gift I ever received. I shared her journals and poetry with others who were inspired and encouraged by the words she penned over decades of farm life.
Mom probably never imagined the impact her written words would have long after she passed. Revealed in the pages of her journals, most written in dime store notebooks, was a woman who loved her life on the farm and who knew a contentment few women will ever find. You never know the impact your words will have long after you depart this earth.
Many famous authors and poets were never recognized until after their death. Do a Google search on writers who became known and famous after their death, and you will be surprised by some of the names on the list. Imagine if they never wrote down the words on their hearts!
If you are called to write, just write! God has a plan for the words he places on your heart. There is nothing wrong with following industry standards and striving to be published, but do not allow the rules to stifle your writing. Get the words written. God’s plans for your writing will prevail with or without a set of rules and regulations.
