Is there a place for me in the Christian writing world? That’s the question I carried with me as I walked into last year’s Southern Christian Writers Conference (SCWC).
(more…)Am I a Christian Writer or nah?
faith
Prayer Journaling: The Spiritual Practice I Can’t Live Without
Prayer journaling is an essential spiritual practice for me and has been since I was in my late teens. But it was only recently that I realized how much I need journaling to feel connected to God.
“On a scale from 1 to 10, I’d give us a 3.”
That was my answer when my life & leadership coach recently asked me how things were going in my spiritual life. And by “us” I meant God and me.
“Why so low?” she inquired.
I gave an easy answer: “I haven’t been to church in weeks.”
In March, I started a new job, and I have yet to get a handle on my schedule – hence the absence at church. But I knew that this had little to do with the low score.
When I signed up for life and leadership coaching, I promised myself I wouldn’t spend this money only to spend an hour every other week lying to myself and my coach. So, I got honest.
“But if I’m being real, that can’t be why my spiritual life is in shambles,” I told her. Alice Walker once wrote, “Any God I ever felt in church I brought in with me.” And that’s exactly how I feel, I shared.
“So, what helps you feel close to God?” my coach asked.
“Prayer journaling,” I answered without delay.
As I struggled to adjust to my new life as editor of one of the last few remaining print publications in Birmingham, I not only neglected going to church but prayer journaling was pushed to the back burner too. This chat with my coach showed me that I had to fix this.
(more…)Writing as a Spiritual Practice
I was in college when I first started writing my prayers. And writing has been a part of my spiritual practice ever since.
The year 2020 has taken a toll on my spiritual life. I started this year going to church every day— literally.
(more…)Growing Pains
Every December I choose a word that will be my focus, my theme for the year to come. My word for 2020 was growth.
I was determined that 2020 would be the year I would level up in every aspect of my life.
In my freelance life, I wanted to start writing for more national publications. In my blogging life, I wanted to reach new readers. In my personal life, I wanted to be healthy and happy with my body and I wanted to do 40 fun and new things before I turn 40 in 2021.
But here’s the thing – when you pray for growth, be prepared for pruning.
(more…)Writing My Way Back to God
I was a freshman in college when I first started keeping a prayer journal. Merging my love for writing with my love for God was exactly what I needed to take my faith to another level. My prayer journal became a collection of love letters to God. My prayers became poetry and suddenly God was everything and everywhere. God was a post-workout smoothie. God was the sun kissing my brown skin when I would lie on the quad reading. Once on New Year’s Eve, I felt God with me on the dance floor of a night club.
Prayer has not made me immune to crises of faith. These crises usually happen when so-called Christians are being racist, sexist, homophobic, or xenophobic in Jesus’ name. I stop going to church and I start questioning everything – until I remember the God I fell in love with so many years ago.
But this time things are different.
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