Let us pray! by Jane Walters

I’m taking a break from my WIP to write this blog. Having signed a contract in January, I have until the end of this month to deliver the manuscript. It’s a thrilling time, to be sure, but it’s come with a set of stresses.

The first curve ball into the schedule came when I realised – with little notice – that I was leading a writing retreat in February. (It’s a long story, but suffice to say it wasn’t my fault!) That meant that I had to spend a week prepping new material as well as the actual week of the event. It was wonderful, everyone was blessed; but I was slightly behind.

Of perhaps more pertinence is that I have been writing this particular book since October 2019. I’m not usually this slow, but one factor, genuinely, is that there was a sense that I had to live it a bit more before I could write it. That’s fine. I don’t mind God telling me what to do. Equally, though, I’d developed a habit that whenever I got to a tricky bit, I had the strongest urge (which I followed blindly, naturally) to put the whole thing to one side. Procrastination with a capital P.

Having a contract confirmed two things: that the time was ‘now’; and I just needed to get a grip and finish the jolly thing.

A couple of weeks ago, though, I hit a wall. Not writer’s block (I’ve got plenty to say, believe me!) but it was gruelling to keep going so deeply into my former places of pain. I always advocate being honest, authentic and vulnerable in our writing; but, boy, was it starting to bite.

With no time for procrastination, I did what we all can: I turned to the ACW Prayer Room on Facebook for help. It’s a wonderful, safe place to share our worries and concerns. Within minutes of posting, ‘Hello, I don’t usually ask for prayer for the writing process, but my current WIP is proving a challenge…’ I had people clicking the praying hands emoji and writing encouraging comments. Instantly, the isolation went and I felt surrounded by this glorious sense of community. But it wasn’t just the psychology that made the difference. God really answered those prayers and I can testify that the remaining chapters have been easier to write since that day.

You don’t need to get as desperate as I was before reaching out!

Let’s demonstrate our togetherness by praying for each other – whatever the situation.

Jane Walters is Chair of ACW and writes for BRF Ministries.

She leads Ready Writers Retreats.

Insta: @readywritersretreats

www.janewyattwalters.com