The Power of Words

 

 

Like most Christian authors, I pray over my writing; sometimes for inspiration; sometimes for ideas. At times, I’ve ask the Lord to help me take the jumble of thoughts in my head, a jumble that looks like a tangled fishing line and help me make some sense of it, help me get it out on the screen. Sometimes I pray for a solution, a clever way out of the corner I’ve written myself into.

 

 

 

One of my prayers over my writing is that it both entertain and minister to the reader. The Lord taught me a lesson through this prayer that still resonates with me today.

 

 

 

In an early draft of Journey to Riverbend, I had written a scene where one character led another to the Lord and spoke to him about God’s peace coming into his life. The Shalom that comes from our heavenly Father: nothing missing, nothing broken

, wholeness, completeness.

 

 

 

One of my first readers for the novel was a young woman I met at a writer’s conference. She agreed to read the entire manuscript and give me honest feedback. One of her comments touched me deeply. She wrote that whatever I did, to keep the scene with shalom in the book because it ministered to her in ways she hadn’t expected.

 

 

 

The Lord told me: If my book never got published, it accomplished His purpose because it ministered to her and brought her closer to Him.

 

 

 

We ended up cutting the scene but Shalom is still in the book. It is my prayer for the readers on the dedication page.

 

8 Responses to The Power of Words

  1. DiAnn Mills August 4, 2011 at 10:34 pm #

    Your words always bless me!

  2. Donna Pyle August 5, 2011 at 4:48 pm #

    What a great reminder how very important prayer is as we write and offer the work of our hands to Him first. Blessings!

  3. Dorothy Ward-Winters August 5, 2011 at 9:46 pm #

    The book is very well written. That first page is a super-glue hook. But, I had forgotten until I went back to read the Shalom.

    The Lord has blessed you and your readers.

    Dorothy

  4. Sue Watson August 6, 2011 at 7:59 pm #

    Thanks for sharing. That makes writing worthwhile.

  5. Henry August 10, 2011 at 4:57 pm #

    Thank you, Sue.

  6. Henry August 10, 2011 at 4:59 pm #

    Dorothy, I appreciate your comments. The Lord has blessed me and I will be forever grateful for all He has done for me and, I hope, through me.

  7. Henry August 10, 2011 at 4:59 pm #

    Thank you, Donna

  8. Henry August 10, 2011 at 5:00 pm #

    Thanks, DiAnn. I’ll always remember that my words wouldn’t be out there without your encouragement and support.

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