#Christian writing

[tatesalive]

God is the Ultimate Author - Psalms 139:16✍️✞

"Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be." Psalms 139:16 NIV 📖🥹🤍

[eyes-on-jesus]

I pray that God give me the strengh to be nice to people who are mean to me. To not match them in anger and to not be controlled by my emotions.

[beloved-of-john]

"Indeed, the safest road to Hell is the gradual one - the gentle slope, soft underfoot, without sudden turnings, without milestones, without signposts"

The Screwtape Letters, C.S. Lewis

[sunkissedliterarylightofchrist]

Hello.

By chance, have you ever dabbled in writing romance?

I'm sure people, both Christian and non Christian, are probably sick of romance–or at least the lust fest of media that gets called romance. But I would really appreciate some tricks or suggestions about how to proceed with writing in this genre.

I don't mean something like, "Well, a good romance starts with friendship!" Cause yes, I got that. I mean, the structure of the writing. Describing the emotions the characters feel or moments that really spark the connection. Maybe even the visual aspects as well–without feeling like it's getting super sexual.

Perhaps I am asking too much since, sometimes, there's a fine line for that...it might not be possible to be "spicy" and "clean" at the same time. Idk.

Yep, I’m a sucker for a good healthy romance that reflects Christ, whether or not it’s a ‘Christian romance’! And I love to write them! So DO NOT WORRY, it IS totally 100% possible to be both actually, meaningful romance that has real emotion and is beautiful while staying clean!

The most important thing about writing a good, healthy romance is to reflect Christ, whether or not the relationship in question is a 'Christian romance'. Even secular authors who aren't trying to write something 'Christian' end up inadvertently writing a relationship that glorifies God to some extent if it is a good healthy relationship, because He is everywhere and imprinted on all of our hearts. It's awesome to see. You say you've got that down, but to anyone else reading this, make sure you study the Bible passages that talk about what a good man and woman and a good marriage look like. Because starting off their relationship with having common ground and admiration as friends before they get involved romantically is awesome and great, but it won't be everything you wish if then the relationship isn't one that abides by the Scriptures.

Also, any and all romance, or any character dynamic relationship ever, should have a point that adds to the story, or it should not be there. If you're wondering whether or not it does, ask yourself some questions about your story. Who are these two characters by themselves? Who are they together? What message am I trying to say with their seperate character arcs? What message am I trying to say with their romance together? Etc etc etc. And if you find it doesn't, read this post by @artist-issues about making the necessary sacrifices for the plot. Also, if you're writing a fanfic story specifically, and want to keep it on course to stay good and true and have good moral meaning in it while sticking to the source material, I asked the same lovely gal a similar question (then once more to her sister) that could help you here to some extent. And finally, if you want to use a romantic relationship to have allegorical symbolism, this post by @filteredsunlight slaps.

I know that was an aside but I do think it is very relevant.

So! Onto writing the emotional and physical attraction.

First I think you should read this post by @doverstar that's talking about kiss scenes specifically. Read the whole thing, every word is valuable, but long story short is to not go into detail. And I think this applies to probably all of the physical sides of romantic stuff as well.

You don't need to spend three paragraphs describing them kissing, you can just do something like 'My hand reached up to cup his face, and I gave him a nervous smile, then kissed him.' Boom. Simple as that.

Now, taken out of context, it seems pretty bland, but in writing these scenes you can amp up the tension in other ways. What the characters are thinking and feeling about each other in general. Because the point of a kiss (or whatever other romantic 'checkpoint' your characters are reaching- maybe its hugging for the first time, maybe its confessing their love, or sharing their insecurities, whatever) isn't about the emotional-drive experience, it should be a natural progression of the relationship that feels satisfactory by itself because their relationship is good, beautiful, and reflects a Biblical one. So for a kiss scene, you can spend a long time with the characters having a conversation maybe, especially if it is a tense love confession, then go something along the lines of 'They kissed each other, and time slipped away.', and then cut the scene there, or then just even be like 'Wow I KISSED THEM???' before the next plot point in the story happens. Whatever is in-character and contributes to the plot. If you do that, it can feel emotional in a good way, and beautiful, and with lots of connection and meaning and all the other things that are utterly lovely in writing.

Does that make sense? Hopefully it makes sense.

But that's just kissing- what about the other stuff? The build-up to that?

I think the way that I can show you in the way that’ll make the most sense is if I give you a few excerpts of my own writing. (Which is SCARY to me because its NOT DONE YET, and for anyone who DOES want to read it maybe eventually this has MAJOR SPOILERS buuuuuut its for the greater good of Christian authors who want some GOOD ROMANCE in media so I will allow it even though I'm nervous about it lol. Please remember she is still a lil weak first draft baby and needs more time to grow <3) This ship of mine is a fanfiction I’m in the middle of writing with the main female character being an OC and the main male being from this media- the fandom and situations and what they're talking about, etc etc, don't really matter for this post, so just focus on how I'm describing everything and why.

First lil bit is actually from a full-length fic I have published, (slightly shameless self-plug asdfasdkfa lol) You don't have to read this though, the point of this oneshot is to solidify their connection- they're sort-of friends already, but this is where they fully connect for the first time totally, and become best friends on that night, and start to have more feelings for each other, even though neither of them have acknowledged or realized it yet. This fic is just mainly bonding in different ways and seeing each other totally for the first time, with the resolve to do so even more as they become closer.

Like you said, gotta have some common ground before they then bond in a different way. Let's keep going.

Context for this next bit is that it is SO FLUFFYYYYY ack hehe. Because it is totally wonderful and awesome to have adorable little moments that make your reader heart go pitter-patter- as long as they don't go overboard into emotional pornography, or LITERAL pornography and are lustful. But one of the wonderful things about creativity and especially writing is to have fun! The key is that the fun you do have has a place and a purpose and adds to the story.

Alright actual context for the next bit is your classic 'She tries to hide an injury because she feels guilty for worrying other people and thinks that her pain is a problem, and fails to hide it from the guy who REALLY cares about her, and she wants him to help her but also feels bad, its ~complicated~. The guy knows this and is gently trying to coax her out of her shell, and succeeds, to the point where she allows herself to be taken care of physically and emotionally for one of, if not the, first time. And they both realize they feel safe around each other. And she already knows she loves him and is wrestling through that, and this is when he realizes for the first time that he loves her.'

So you can see there that the POINT of this section is to have a landmark in their relationship, where mutuals feelings bubble to the surface, and to demonstrate that they can be safe and vulnerable around each other and lean on each other when they need help, they can't do it alone. That's the point, backed up and enriched by fluffy feelings and a cute moment. If you read the whole thing, that's what you will have hopefully walked away with, or I have failed in writing that scene and communicating that effectively. But anyways, just for this post, here are a few excerpts describing how they think/feel about each other and why they're attracted to each other in that way, its not what this chapter is totally made up of though, but hopefully this description bits can help you:

She opened her eyes, just barely, and looked at me. Something about the way she looked— vulnerable, tired, and maybe even a little scared— made my chest ache. She was incredible. Even with blood in her hair, sweat on her brow, and exhaustion lining her face, she was the most beautiful person I’d ever seen. And I didn’t just mean physically. Five had this way of fighting through whatever the world threw at her, no matter how hard or how hopeless it seemed. She had strength, and not just the kind that outran zombies. The kind that inspired the people around her—me included. The kind that made me want to stay by her side, no matter what.

“Alright, this cut looks alright for the moment, but I'll have to disinfect it. But let me check the rest of your face for smaller cuts first," he said. I nodded and he gave a soft, crooked grin, pulling his long orange hoodie sleeves higher up his arms before scooting closer and reaching for my face again slowly. I let my eyes fall closed once more as his soft fingers lightly traced my face, first hovering over my forehead, then gently slipping down my cheeks, one of his fingers booping my nose and making the both of us giggle.  "You do know that I care about you Five," he softly muttered, chair creaking softly as he shifted, the warm cloth returning to my cheek, him basically cradling my face in his hand.  I opened my eyes slightly to see his face inches from mine, watching me tenderly but intently, an odd look in his face that I couldn't explain. I wondered what he was thinking.  I knew what I was. Just lean forward the tinest bit, shift my face, and then we would meet. But before I could, his face shifted and he leaned back, letting go of me. I felt suddenly cold at the lack of his touch. But then I kicked myself. It wasn't like he liked me much beyond being a general friend... right?  "I know," I said, as he poured some disinfectant on a tissue. He glanced up, arching his eyebrow slightly.  "Do you actually know it or are you just saying that?" he said. I snorted and poked his chest.  "Yes, silly. You're my friend."  "BEST friend," he corrected, and I couldn't help but let my face crack open into a huge grin. I'd never been so happy to be wrong about what I thought in my life.

I winced as Five flinched under the sting of the disinfectant, her whole body going rigid like she was bracing for a punch. My stomach twisted a little. I hated seeing her like this— hurting, vulnerable, trying to hold herself together like she didn’t have to. Like she didn’t know she could lean on me. “Hey,” I said softly, finishing up and tossing the tissue aside. “That’s it. All done.” She exhaled slowly, opening her eyes, and for a moment, I forgot how to breathe. The way she looked at me— half-relieved, half-grateful, and maybe a little something else— hit me harder than I expected. I wanted to reach out again, to brush my fingers across her cheek, to keep that connection going- but I didn’t. Instead, I smiled, trying to make it lighthearted. “You’re officially patched up. Congratulations. Your forehead survived my stellar nursing skills.” That earned me a small laugh, which was honestly worth more than all the thank-yous in the world. She was so effortlessly amazing, even when she was a mess. Especially when she was a mess.

She got off of the chair and clambered to the floor in front of my legs, shifting to sit in front of me, leaning back slightly so I could reach, and I carefully started undoing her long braids that hung almost all the way down her back. Her hair was soft, a bit tangled, and a little sticky with dried blood.  This was... intimate. More intimate than I thought it would be. And it wasn’t just the physical closeness—it was the quiet trust she was showing, letting me see her like this, vulnerable and raw. Which was special, since Five always took pains to constantly act like she was fine, even when she wasn’t.  Gosh, I think I loved her. Wait—loved her? I froze for half a second, hands still tangled in her hair, before forcing myself to keep going. No, that couldn’t be right. Could it? I’d had a crush on her for ages, sure. But love? She sighed softly, leaning her head back against my knee, and my heart answered for me. Yeah. Yeah, I loved her.

My chest swelled as the tension on my head from the tightness of my braids loosened as Sam slipped off my hair ties and began to undo it with his fingers. My hair was incredibly long, and he hadn't even gotten to the base of my neck yet, but already the feeling of my kinky-curly hair from the braids spilling through his hands just put me at so much ease. I felt... relaxed. Really relaxed. More so than I'd felt in days. Or even weeks. I loved Abel, and the people in it, but Sam... Sam was the only person I ever felt totally at ease and safe around. It was nice, just having him and me together. I couldn't remember the last time I'd been able to be with him alone like this. It felt so comfortable. Maybe allowing myself to be taken care of by him wasn't so bad.  I gave a little sigh as I leaned back against his knee, him on the chair and me on the floor, my legs splayed out in front of me, still covered in sweat from my run. He froze for a milisecond, and I thought I did something wrong, but then he continued, my hair completely unwound by now, and him gently massaging my scalp with his fingers as he continued to tumble my hair through his hands and I sunk more and more into leaning back against his knees.

“There. Hydrated. Can I stay now?” Her words were so simple, so offhand, but they hit me like a punch to the gut. She wanted to stay. With me. I couldn’t find my voice for a moment, so I settled for running my fingers through her hair again, brushing it back from her face. “Yeah, Five,” I said softly. “You can stay as long as you want.” She gave a little hum of approval, her breathing slowing. I should’ve felt ridiculous, sitting on the comms shack couch with Runner Five half-asleep against me on the floor. But instead, it felt... right. Like this was exactly where I was meant to be. And if she stayed just a little longer—if I got to hold onto this moment for just a few minutes more—I wasn’t going to complain.

There is more and it makes a lot more sense and is a lot better in context but I think you get the gist. Basically, I try to pair any physical attraction with thinking about what they like about each other as people, then describing setting and actions and connecting it to other events or feelings, etc etc etc.

Not every scene should be this emotion-fueled though. Need lots of space for plot and action and other development. Scenes like this should be a treat, not 100% of the story's makeup.

This next one is full of ~emotional tension~ from ~trauma~ that I think will be THE moment that this guy Sam, who already loves his best friend Five, resolves to tell her how he feels soon- but not in this moment. It's a slowburn lol And this scene also shows how Sam is her anchor, when, which paired with the rest of the fic at large, shows her special connection with him because she would never allow anyone else to see her like this. Sam is her safe space.

I could hear it in her breath before I even stepped into the room—shaky, uneven, like she was barely holding it together. The door opened softly as I twisted the handle, and my heart skipped. For a split second, I froze. My mind spun, unsure of what to do, but when I saw her on the floor, kneeling, shaking, I didn’t think. I just moved. "Five!" I whispered urgently, my voice cracking before I could catch it. She whipped around so fast, dark brown braids swinging over her shoulders, and for a moment, I thought she might take a swing at me—probably instinct, probably the fear that had taken over her. The knife was already in her hand, and my chest tightened in the split second I saw her ready to fight. Then she saw me. Her face went pale, and before I could even say another word, she dropped the knife, her body shaking with the kind of tremor that only came when you’d been through something that ripped away any sense of control. She sobbed then, and it hit hard. My chest panged as I saw that the way she'd run today, everything that had happened had been kept cool in the moment, but now it was spilling out and breaking her into a million pieces. I immedietely rushed forward, kneeling on the ground next to her, dropping the jacket I’d been holding and pulling her into my arms. Her hands grabbed at my shirt, burning her face into my chest, clinging to me with such force that it almost hurt. But I didn’t care. She needed this. She needed me. "Shh, it’s okay, I’m here," I whispered, my voice trembling as I cradled her close. I wasn’t sure if she could hear me, but I needed to say it anyway. She needed to know that I wouldn’t leave her- not now, not ever. Her tears soaked through my shirt, and I pressed my cheek to the top of her head, holding her tighter, feeling her short but incredibly strong body shake against mine, the cold hard concrete creeping up against our tangled legs. "You did so good, Five," I murmured, "You’re so strong. So brave." But I could feel how broken she was in that moment. I could feel it in the way her hands gripped me, in the way her breath hitched every time she tried to speak but couldn’t. She wasn’t strong right now. She wasn’t the warrior who kept running no matter what. She was just Five, hurting, scared, and raw. And she needed to know that was okay. She didn't have to be a superhero at Abel's beck and call, she just had to be her. And I'd take a shaky, hurt Five who knew her worth over a dead one any day of the week. I pulled back slightly, just enough to look into her eyes, my hands cupping her face.

"Five, listen to me," I said softly. "You didn’t let anyone down. You saved Jody, you got through it. You’re not just a runner, you’re—" I stopped myself. She didn’t need to hear that right now. My feelings could wait. She needed to hear she wasn’t alone. Not now. Not ever. I moved her gently to sit back against the wall, staying close. She was shaking harder now, and I knew I couldn’t fix it, couldn’t make it all go away with just words. But I could be here. For as long as she needed me, I would be here. "I should’ve been stronger," she whispered, her voice small and broken. I shook my head, gently taking her hand. "No. You were strong. You're strong every day, Five. I don’t want you to think you have to be perfect. You’re human. You can break. You can fall apart. But that doesn’t mean you’re weak." Her intense green eyes searched mine, and for a moment, I thought she might pull away. But she didn’t. Instead, she just looked at me—deep, searching, like she was trying to figure something out. Maybe she was. Maybe I was too. And then, with all the tenderness I could manage, I leaned forward, pressing my forehead gently to hers. "I’ve got you. Always." She closed her eyes, her breath hitching again as I held her close. I wasn’t sure if she heard me or even knew what I meant. But I knew, and in that moment, that was enough. I loved her. I loved her with everything inside me, even though I couldn’t say it out loud. Even though I wasn’t ready. But I loved her. And when she was ready to hear it, I’d be here. Always.

Basically you can see here I'm using this to tie up a lot of things from the story, but here in particular I'm using Sam's inner monologue to drive home the point that he cares about Five more than anyone and will do anything he can to help her- and that he's willing to do so again and again and again if she doesn't understand or is even able to proccess the fact from how much of a hard time she has with the thought that people can be committed to her and that she doesn't have to be perfect or save everyone to have value. This scene doesn't really have any physical attraction in it at all, besides maybe describing what the characters are doing physically for the sake of the reader. It's all just personal admiration of who she is as a person.

Do you want more examples? I do have more. But maybe I should just actually finish my work so you can read it 😅 I've been procrastinating it ngl. Or hey, if you want to have more of a back-and-forth in-depth conversation about this, and do want more examples that I'm happy to share but don't want to post just yet, like exactly how my love confession goes down, let's chat!

LONG STORY SHORT make sure any and all of the physical attraction and emotional stuff that you try and get across have a place and a purpose that add to the story, not that distract from it. Not every single scene of the story, unless its a really short one, needs to have a lot, or any, physical attraction in it. Balance is important. Like each of these more fluffy, emotional bonding scenes I've got, have a lot of scenes between them, and weeks or even months of time in between during the story. Gotta have character development, that's the point of a story. And if you ever have doubts, no shame whatsoever in having a Christian writing friend beta it for you and give feedback!

WOW this post went a lot of different directions. If you were looking for something else that I missed, or have follow-up questions, don't hesitate to ask for more clarification!

[3315-heretobless]

Focus

I went to Church this past Sunday and while we were singing along with the choir I was having trouble focusing on that. Little things kept catching my attention, a man raising his arms to give praise to God, a lady kneeling down to pray. I just couldn’t help but notice. So I closed my eyes and suddenly all I could focus on was singing, because I couldn’t see, only hear, and all I could hear was the music and the voices singing. 

I didn’t need my eyes to focus on singing, only my ears. I only needed to get rid of one thing, temporarily in this case, to focus. 

So maybe it is one thing, or maybe it's a lot of things, but what do you need to get rid of to help you focus properly on the things that matter in life? The Things of God?

[the-ellia-west]

I just Watched The Passion of the Christ

And uh...

Gained some inspo

Bits of his flesh and splatters of crimson viscera scattered the pavement beneath him, scoring the lines between the cobblestone with thick sticky pools of muscle and shredded skin

It is a servant's cross, stained in dirt and dust, yet you go to it willingly, and sacrifice yourself to a criminal's death. Why?

You have the power of God at your call yet you let them beat you like a cart horse. The skin of murderers is cleaner than yours.

You shall go to your death looking like a man who has already died many times over

The look in his eyes, dull and pained, but burning with bittersweet love brought tears to her eyes as he scraped himself to his feet and dragged on with staggered steps.

He'd never wanted anything more than just to give in and beg for their mercy or try to run. But he didn't because as much as he desired to keep his selfish, human desires, he loved all of them so much more. He loved the faces around him, scowling, taunting, crying, or smiling. He loved them all. And for that, he could bear the pain. For that, he would not run.

The criminal's eyes widened at the words and he glanced at the man, as if he were the one responsible for the cries. [] was sure no one else saw it, but the man gave the criminal a tiny smile and nodded his head once, a strange joy in his eyes that was not deceptive, but genuine. As if he were glad that this prisoner was allowed free. Even at the expense of himself, joy crept in that another was spared in his place along with a look of reserved grief at the people's taunts and cries, and a small hint of fear.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry. I'm sorry!" The criminal on the cross beside him cried out, gasping breaths rasping as the sun sank below the horizon.

But beaten and bloody, the man simply smiled, eyes heavy. "I love you..." he finally said. "And you are forgiven in the eyes of heaven."

The other's muscles tensed with fear as he shrank in on himself and wept. His breaths came disturbed and shallow, until sucked a breath and a prayer through gritted teeth and they ceased altogether.

Ehdudiieeuehhebrbr

I just...

Uhm...

Oof

[donnadarling]

Glass

(A poem by Donna Darling)

"Be ye holy as I am holy," He said So we know we're doing well. For Heaven knows the Holy One Never descended into Hell! Holiness never sat beside sinners Never healed their aching wounds Never drank wine, held men Never blessed the unwed womb. "Take up your crosses," He said So we wear them round our necks. Large enough for the worlds to see Small enough not to break a back Or if we want to suffer like Him A candy one we might buy. We'll fill it up with broken glass Call it martyrdom when we bleed and cry

[soonsweetheart]

So did Peter

Why did you drink it?

I begged you not to, so did Peter.

But the poison, though enticing to me

Broke your heart into a million pieces

I love you

You said, swallowing every last drop from the cup

as you winced from the

Harsh clang of metal against metal.

It made my ears hurt

Listening to you cry

Blood running down your cheeks

Your forehead

Your palms

Your feet.

I love you,

You said.

[renee-writer]

How Far?

Written for the @flashfictionfridayofficial incredible 200th prompt! How far we've come, indeed! Congratulations to us all.😁

Hey you? Yes you, the one reading this. Your awesome. Don’t think so? Think all your mistakes disqualify you from being awesome? They don’t.

 

Don’t believe me. Oh, I have such incredible news  for you then! God says you are. Really! He created you and then, wait for it… He said it was very good! Not just good. Oh, He called the stars good, the seas good, the animals, well, they’re good too.

 

But you, oh you are very good. Yes, I know, you have messed up, time and time again. You have really tried to live up to the standard He expects and you simply can’t. I know. More good news. You can’t and don’t have to do it alone.

 

He knew, even before He started speaking creation into existence, He knew you couldn’t . He created you anyway! Before the snake in the grass, before the forbidden fruit, He knew. He knew just how He would fix it.

 

A baby’s cry pierces the silence of the night. Sleepy teenage shepherds are greeted with Good News. Astronomers see a brand new star. The world is introduced to it’s Creator.

 

He came to set you free. Free from sin, doubts, fear. All the negative stuff. You prayed for forgiveness, was baptized. Yet, each day you have to ask forgiveness again. It is frustrating.

 

Don’t worry. He knows. Even those sealed with the Holy Spirit will mess up. We still live in a fallen world. But my sister, my brother, look how far you have come!

 

You strive to live a life honoring Him. You pray, read His word, meet with His people. He sees it all. It is very good.

 

Just think how far you will have come by the time He takes you home?

[squirrelsession]

Whom my soul loves

I caught a glimpse of you and I’m in complete reverence of you. You're perfect but who am I? I was too broken, too lost, too sad In my defeat and shame I built up a wall, isolating myself from the one thing that can bring me happiness. But you beckoned me from the other side. You peaked through the cracks, pursued me, and called to me, "Arise, my love, my beautiful one." You call me out of my darkness into dancing, rejoicing, and intimacy. When you look at me you don't see my flaws. You see a lily among shrubs, a jewel among rocks, a dove among crows. My heart will burn for you forever. I am my beloved's, and his desire is for me. I am a seal upon his heart and a seal upon his arm. My beloved is mine, and I am his.

[tatesalive]

Beyond the Infinite 🌌🌟✞

A Christian Poem 📃✎

"He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power." Hebrews 1:3 📄🌌✨✞

Looking up at the starry sky,

seeing Your creation... being in awe

of the way You reveal Your steadfast love

You know everything

before I knew anything

You have put every star in its place

knowing and calling them by their names

To have our stars aligned with You forever-

how do we even deserve this miracle?

Surely I can trust deeply my life with You

Before anything was, You will always be:

The full radiance of God's glory

The exact imprint of His nature

You uphold the universe

by the word of Your power

You are God, I will believe in You

Nothing is ever too hard for You

I still cannot fully comprehend Your glory-

Jesus, You are truly beyond anything

I have ever seen and experienced

Sitting under the stars in Your majestic universe

gazing in awe, feeling so small, wondering

what is man that You are mindful of and care for him?

You are everywhere

Your grace is all around me

You are the beginning and the end

the true love that never ends

Where could I hide?

Why would I even try hiding

from Your everlasting presence?

What god is great like our God?

He is one of a kind:

He is righteous

He is perfect

He is salvation

He is love

He is true

Oh LORD, what would I be without You?

[shellyscribbles]

Pharaoh

Reminiscing about my days writing songs and playing open mics. This was one of my favorites.

Pharaoh with your head so high,

You’ve usurped a throne that’s not your own.

What makes you believe you could command

That which you have not created?

Pharaoh with your head so high,

Amidst a reeking land now stained by blood.

Your barren fields and starving victims

Testify to your great fall.

Pharaoh, How long till you concede?

Egypt lies in ruin at your hands.

Pharaoh, do you still think you are king?

Your pride destroyed your kingdom.

Pharaoh can you hear their cries?

They stay locked inside on this long night.

This is your last warning,

Before you lose your son.

I walk with my head held high,

As if I knew how to rule this kingdom

I’m starting to see the cracks,

Lining the pavement.

Father, now I see,

This mess that my life lies in,

It is a mess,

Of my own creation.

Father! I now concede,

My life lies ruined at my hands.

Father, I am no king!

My pride has destroyed this kingdom.

Jesus, with Your head bowed low,

Gave up a throne that was all Your own,

You came to redeem that,

Which You had created.

Jesus, with your head bowed low,

You wept in a land stained with blood.

Laid down Your life,

To cleanse it with Your own.

Father, how long till we concede?

Our world lies ruined at our hands.

Jesus, You are the king!

Your love will restore this kingdom.

Father, You heard our cries,

As we wept through this long night.

But to save us, You lost Your Son.

[sdubbsblog]

Today's blog is about having our own 'secret place' for prayer and reflection. I hope you enjoy and I'd love any opinions/tips on how I could make my writings better. Have a blessed day!! 😊🙏

Creating a Spiritual Garden: Tips for Crafting Your Space for Prayer and Reflection

Between toggling our work life and personal life it's a challenge to take time for prayer and reflection. This shouldn't be the case. Creating a dedicated spiritual garden can provide a peaceful retreat to connect with God and nurture our souls. It's also our duty to give Him our first fruits, by the way. Just as God planted the Garden of Eden, we can cultivate our own sanctuary where we can grow in our faith and draw closer to Him (Genesis 2:8). Here are some tips for crafting your spiritual garden, accompanied by Scripture that inspires this endeavor.

1. Choose the Right Location

Select a space that's peaceful and inviting. It could be the botanical gardens nearest to you. Or, it could be as simple as a section of your backyard, a balcony or even a cozy indoor corner. Have some fun with it. I give mine a name. I call it, "Coffee and Jesus". I love to play some worship music and always invite the Holy Spirit to join me as I sit in the driveway and pray, giving thanks for all of His provisions and blessings as I spend time alone with Him. Isaiah 58:11 encourages, "You will be like a well-watered garden, like a spring whose waters never fail." Your chosen location should allow you to receive God's nourishing presence.

2. Incorporate Nature

Nature itself speaks volumes of God's creativity and care. Consider including flowers, herbs, or even a small vegetable patch to symbolize growth in your spiritual life. It serves as a reminder of God's provision, just as Jesus illustrated in Matthew 6:28-30, where He points out the beauty of flowers and assures us of God's care for our needs. Surround yourself with the vivid colors and scents of His creation to inspire reflection.

3. Create a Comfortable Atmosphere

Add elements that make the space inviting and personal. Comfortable seating, soft cushions, or a hammock can encourage you to spend time in prayer and meditation. Maybe you could include a small fountain or wind chimes, which can enhance tranquility. Whatever the case, as you establish your space, remember the goal is to have a heart that is "like a tree planted by streams of water" (Psalm 1:2-3), where you can yield spiritual fruit through constant reflection and prayer.

4. Designate Spaces for Spiritual Practices

Consider segmenting your garden for specific spiritual practices. You can have a place for quiet reflection, another for Scripture reading, and a space for worship through music. Luke 8:15 teaches us about "good soil," where the word is received and produced. Spend time in each area to cultivate different aspects of your spiritual life.

5. Establish a Routine

Just as gardens require regular care, so does our spiritual life. Make it a practice to spend time daily in your spiritual garden. Colossians 2:6-7 reminds us to be "rooted and built up" in Christ. Consistent prayer and reflection will help you grow in your faith, nurturing the relationship you seek with God.

6. Reflect on Your Growth

As you cultivate this garden, take note of how it transforms you. Consider journaling your thoughts, prayers, and insights. You may find that, like a well-tended garden, the fruits of the Spirit blossom in your heart and life (Galatians 5:22-23).

In creating your spiritual garden, you're intentionally carving out a space to deepen your relationship with God. Remember, just as He faithfully tends to His creation, He desires to nurture your spirit. Allow your spiritual garden to be a sanctuary where you can blossom in faith and reflect His love to the world. May this endeavor bring you closer to the Creator and enhance your journey.

[christiannerd]

This may be a strange take, but I actually like it when fictional stories don't try to put the true God in a fictional world. This is bc, since God is sovereign and in control of everything that happens, to me it almost feels like putting words in God's mouth and saying "yes, every choice I as the writer made when designing this plot is exactly what God would do if this actually happened". It's even worse when it's a fantasy world, bc then you're saying the same thing about your worldbuilding decisions, since God is the Creator of all things.

Also, with a fantasy world in particular you run the risk of making it look like you're treating God as a fantasy element, no more real than your elves and dragons.

I much prefer it to either leave the religion of the fictional world ambiguous and unaddressed or to go all the way and have an allegory symbolically representing things God has actually done.

I'm probably the only one who thinks this, but that's my opinion on the matter

Me daydreaming about a completely non-Christian fictional universe: and God was there also. also God was secretly there. the Christian God was there, actually.

[enthusiasticallydawn]

The Heart of a Christian Writer

Above: Watercolor Artwork by Rachel Grace Wilke (used with permission). Have you ever felt a bit lost in the current state of your life? Ever found yourself wondering how the end of the year snuck onto your calendar in time to remind you of everything you meant to do this year…but didn’t? It’s funny how some things never change, and how history repeats itself so often. I flip to my journals and���