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Step Three – Made a decision to turn our writing and our writing career over to the care of God

 

We have made a decision to turn all of ourselves, our writing and our writing career over to the care of God. How do we proceed?  I find that it is a daily commitment. We, like those who are addicted to any worldly pleasure, can only work day by day. I have based these Spiritual steps of writing on the twelve steps of A. A. When written, these steps were for those that most physicians, and health care workers, thought were incurable and unsalvageable. It took a man named Bill W. to look to the Scripture and become convinced of God’s mercy.

He created Alcoholics Anonymous and structured a cure based on a Spiritual experience. The Spiritual experience is outlined in the twelve steps in the Big Book of Alcoholics Anonymous. We have started to take the success of A.A. for granted. It has always been known by most of us alive today. Few of us know what a revolutionary movement it was. When it was created, alcoholics were considered lost and incurable. The twelve steps changed that.

One of the main principals of the movement is that a person can only turn his will over to a higher power on a day to day basis. It is too difficult to give up personal control for life. The thought of turning control of your life is daunting! Just the thought of handing over your writing and your writing career can’t be imagined. There is a secret.  Can you give up personal control today? That is possible for most of us. And so, to become the Spiritual Writer that you wish to be, you must commit your will, life and writing over to the Will of God each morning.

We can’t change the past, nor can we predict the future. We can only live in the present and so we have to find our God in the present, today.

We are always getting ready to live, but never living – Ralph Waldo Emerson

Each day is a gift from our Maker. Each day is a new beginning. We need to wake with the sun and appreciate the light. Each morning as the light comes to our part of the world, we need to invite the light of Christ into our hearts, souls and our work. The darkness fades and the beauty of the world is revealed. It is the same with our being. Let go of the darkness with every awakening. Call to God to fill you with Himself and help you to let go of the darkness of self. I have stolen the morning prayer of A.A. and modified it for us who have been given the gift of writing. Here is the prayer for you to say each day:

“God, I offer myself, my writing, and my writing career to You – to build with me and do with me as You will. Relieve me, my writing, and my career of the bondage of self, that I may better do your will. Take away my difficulties both personally and in my work, that victory over them may bear witness to those I would help of your Power, your Love, and your Way of Life. May I do your will always!”

Simply said, but powerfully complicated. The realization that I have come to is that you cannot just partially turn your life and your will over to God. When you do it in one area of your life, God shows you where you need to do the same in another area of your life. However, that is between you and God. I am just trying to point to His path for your journey as a Spiritual Writer.

These first three steps have all been spiritual. It wasn’t easy to admit that we lost control of our desires. Nor was it easy acknowledging that there is a God who can help us. Most of us are Americans, and being independent and free has been spoon fed to us since we were old enough to sit up. It goes against our very nature to let go and turn our will and writing over to God. These steps have been between God and ourselves. However, without taking these steps, the following steps are not possible. Our journey is based on the Gospel and it all starts with faith and trust in God.  I will say one thing. After the struggle of ego and pride is over, we feel as if a burden has been lifted.  Our hearts feel lighter, and our spirit grows. Suddenly success, and the need for it no longer burdens us. Suddenly we are free to be creative and inspired. God opens the doors. God sends the dreams. God provides and we just have to believe and obey. What a relief!  He does a much better job than I ever did. As we move through the first three steps of letting go we feel a great sense of calm. We are ready now.  We are moving on to the steps of action.

Step four may be the hardest step of all because we have to look at things about ourselves that we don’t want to see. However truth is the first step to healing. Every nurse knows that a wound heals much faster when it is exposed to light. So spend each day for the next two weeks saying the prayer of surrender and believing that the God who created you, gave you the gift of words and wants you to be with him in eternity can cure you of the worldly imperfections that taint your life and thereby your work. Next step, we move into action.

 

Karen Kelly Boyce is a mother of two and grandmother of two who lives on a farm in N.J. with her retired husband. She and her husband love to camp and take ‘road trips’ around the country. She has published four novels and three children’s books. Her website is www.karenkellyboyce.com

Karen Kelly Boyce lives on a farm in N.J. with her retired husband. She is a mother and grandmother. She is the author of “The Sisters of the Last Straw” series published by Tan Books. You can see her work and learn more about her on her website: www,kkboyce.com