With Whom Do You Write?

ACFWACFW, Advice, Encouragement, Friends of ACFW, writing 4 Comments

by Chandra Lynn Smith

I started working on this blog entry weeks ago. There was a lot of writing and deleting and walking away from my computer. My efforts at writing eloquent words and imparting sage advice to fellow writers failed. So, I changed directions. Instead of offering advice, I want to encourage. No matter where we are on our writing journeys, we have days of brilliance and days of anything but.

I have had the privilege of taking two continuing sessions under Allen Arnold’s inspiring and uplifting teaching at ACFW conferences. I have read and shared the story of with in my mentoring with a teen in the youth group at my church. During 2017, my word for the entire year was with. I tried to focus all of my life from writing to work to doing laundry on doing it with Jesus. It changed my life, my writing, and blessed my heart.

I have a red notebook. It’s just a basic wide-ruled spiral bound notebook. One would look at it and think it nothing special. I look at it and see a treasure. Allen gave it to me in one of the sessions I took. He prayed over each notebook and wrote messages on the first page. Each person in the class received a notebook. I opened mine and got the godly-goosebumps as I read. I also wiped more than a few tears. The words in that notebook were the exact words I needed. And each time I have read them in the past two years they are a new blessing. This morning as I prayed about what He wanted me to write with Him for this blog post I knew I need to share the words from the notebook. Someone reading this blog this week needs to “hear” God’s words.  Here they are:

Less Stress, More of Me.
Less Worry, More of Me.
Less Distraction, More freedom.
Remember, you are not alone. Ever. Live and write with Me. ~God

In 2 Timothy2:9 (TNLT) we’re told “…but God’s word is not chained.”  I believe that is what God is telling me—and now you also—that as long as we live and write with Him, his words will go where He has purposed.  Even on the days when our efforts to write with eloquence and offer sage wisdom fail; He has a plan and a purpose for the stories He’s placed in our hearts and minds.

Maybe every writing moment should begin by asking Him “What am I writing with You today?”  And always look to scripture for His guidance, Truth, and Wisdom. Every encouragement a writer needs is there. Psalm 27:14(MSG) “Stay with God. Take heart. Don’t quit. I’ll say it again: Stay with God.”

Be encouraged this day. He calls us to tell His story through our stories. What a blessed privilege we have knowing he will be sure each one goes exactly where He planned. I look forward to reading what you all write with God. And, I am grateful to Allen Arnold for being faithful and sharing his heart with us.

With Whom Do You Write? Encouragement from @ChandraLynnS #ACFWBlogs #writing @TheStoryofWith Click To Tweet

Chandra Lynn Smith is a dog trainer by trade and a writer by heart. Turtle Box Memories is her second novella and a 2015 American Christian Fiction Writers Genesis Contest winner.  She owns Best Friend Dog Training and writes the column Letters From the Dog House, for The Evening Sun in Hanover, Pennsylvania. Chandra lives on a small farm in South Central Pennsylvania with her husband, two dogs, and any combination of four sons, fiancés, one granddaughter, and nine grand-dogs. Her first novella, The Light Holding Her is in Coming Home: A Tiny House Collection. Her books are available at: amazon.com/author/chandralynnsmith. Chandra can be found at: www.ChandraLynnSmith.blogspot.com  and www.ChandraLynnSmith.com.

 

 

 

 

Comments 4

  1. Thank you Chandra! Those words might as well as been written for me! I’m going to write them down and read them again and again. Thank you for sharing!

    God Bless You!

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