Jars of Words

Before writing, it’s a good idea to pray. God wants to use our writing for good and He will - as soon as we let Him in. I welcome Him before each writing session with this prayer: Lord, let me please, honor, and glorify You through this writing session. Let me comfort others by displaying Your tender compassion for them on the page. Let my characters be realistic and my descriptions be accurate. Let my novel twist and turn in unexpected yet satisfying directions. Keep me focused and inspire me. Amen. Additionally, it’s a good idea to pray for your other writerly needs as well. These are my favorite prayers: My Career Path. Abba, thank You for my gift of writing. Let me know if writing is my future career because I am deeply passionate about it. If it isn’t, lead me along the right career path because Your ways are good. Focus. Before I begin this writing session, help me keep my focus on You. Transform my story to suit Your needs and the needs of Your kingdom. Bring ...

I’m a morning writer and smoothies are easy to sip when I’m typing. So naturally, they’re my favorite breakfast. Removing your eyes from the screen to use utensils or bite a granola bar is distracting. If you write during lunch or snack as you write, you know what I’m talking about. Try drinking a smoothie instead. Set it before your laptop and sip through a straw while maintaining eye-contact with your screen. Here is my favorite smoothie recipe. ½ banana ¼ cup blueberries 3-4 strawberries ⅓ cup raspberries (this is optional and can be substituted with more blueberries) ½ scoop vanilla (or chocolate) protein powder 2 teaspoons green powder (or a handful of greens - broccoli, kale, spinach, etc.) ¼ teaspoon turmeric 1 tablespoon peanut butter ½ cup unsweetened almond milk or water This is a safe estimate of the ingredients I use. I usually don’t measure and throw in a handful of each. Don’t be afraid to vary the berries you use or substitute any ingredients. Enjoy!...

Code of Silence by Tim Shoemaker is a young adult Christian fiction thriller. Back Cover: TELLING THE TRUTH COULD GET THEM KILLED. REMAINING SILENT COULD BE WORSE. When Cooper, Hiro, and Gordy witness a robbery that leaves a man in a coma, they find themselves tangled in a web of mystery and deceit that threatens their lives. After being seen by the criminals—who may also be cops—Cooper makes everyone promise never to reveal what they have seen. Telling the truth could kill them. But remaining silent means an innocent man takes the fall, and a friend never receives justice. Is there ever a time to lie? And what happens when the truth is dangerous? The three friends, trapped in a code of silence, must face the consequences of choosing right or wrong when both options have a price. This book starts off with a bang if I’ve ever read one. The suspense and fear built into those first chapters never leave. It is a total adrenaline rush that kept me reading well into the night...

It’s easy to forget your target audience and motivation while writing. It’s even easier to start writing without an idea of who you want to reach and why. We all have done this at one point or another. When we lose sight of our motivation for a project, the draft dies in a few days and nothing can resuscitate it. That is why it is so important to reevaluate why you write often. So why are you writing? It doesn’t matter what you write - creative fiction, non-fiction, Christian fiction, secular fiction, and more. If you are a writer, this post is for you. Do you write for the money or so people will know your name? Do you write for ministry? For fun and pleasure? I write because God called me to. I write because I love it and I’m passionate about it.  These reasons come first for me. What’s also important is that we write for others. Write to share your love with them and because you have compassion for them. Don’t trick them with literary gimmicks or try to force a...