November 25, 2017

A time to pray by Vickie Stam

When I was a child I thought that people prayed a certain way, such as - in the morning when they woke up, before they ate their supper and before they went to bed. Three times a day, just like brushing your teeth. So that must be a good thing. Right?

It wasn't until I was in my thirties before I realized that prayer can happen at any time and in any place. Out loud or in silence. With people or alone. God wants to hear our prayers. He wants me talk to him about.... everything. He's listening 24 hours a day. 

This month's prompt had me asking myself if I've ever prayed before I write. The answer is, likely not even though I have sat down to write more than three times in one day. I've also felt the darkness wrap around me in the middle of the night while I sat in front of my computer and tapped out a string of sentences that described the many shattered pieces of my life. Still, I did not pray first.

But I am someone who has embraced praying - after I write. It's as if God and I are editing my story together. This is the time when I know that I'm going to read my first draft over and over and over. And then I will begin the brutal process of elimination. It's hard for me to write and simple walk away. Leave it for later. I have to figure out what I will leave in and what I will take out. That's the second draft. It's in that moment that I'm thirsting for God. I'm asking him for wisdom and courage to determine what stays and what goes.
   
I'm so glad that God hears my prayer no matter what time of day it is! Morning, noon or night. Before or after, I can lean on him to help me unravel the tangled story I write.



 

     




10 comments:

  1. Vickie,
    Thanks for sharing a bit about your writing process. Isn’t it great that God knows us and our quirks and accepts us as we are? I’m thankful that God listens and speaks to us any time of day or night.

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    1. It is great! He accepts us our quirks!

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  2. Thank you Vickie for your honesty in this post. I am sure it will speak to many people. Like you, I often pray after the writing.

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    1. Thank you Tracy for always encouraging me.

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  3. I relate to this Vickie and appreciated your honesty. I'm pretty sure God has met you right there in your writing too as this was beautifully put.

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    1. It's so wonderful to find another writer that we can relate to their story. That's one of the reasons why I enjoy writing and reading other writer's stories.

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  4. Hi writing buddy! I can see you sitting sitting with your first draft and reading it over and over. I do the same. It is worth going over right? Keep writing Vickie! We will grow together. I'm in your corner. God has us both! :)

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  5. Sometimes our writing is our prayer, our talking to God. He helps me search my heart and he listens when I tell him--silently, out loud, or on paper--what is going on in my life. He hears. He listens. He answers even though I may not know it at the time.

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