“God will teach you more than even the most mature Christian could. He will teach you better than all the books in the world could. Why are you so eager to chase after knowledge? Don’t you realize that all you need is to be poor in spirit, and to know nothing but Christ and Him crucified?” Fenelon

Many years ago, more than I care to count, I clipped a little sidebar entitled, “The Ten CWG Commands.” Can’t remember where it came from. I’d love to credit the author, but the only clues left are the yellowed dog-eared corners, and a couple of dried coffee stains.

Back then, I was dead serious - about life, the written word, my Christian duty. I stressed myself out, trying to “rightly divide the word of truth.” In some ways, these writing commands seem akin to Mosaic Law; they remind me how much I need God to equip and enable me on a daily basis. While others fair enormously well with their gifts and talents, I can do nothing apart from His Holy Spirit.

Take a look at these; see what you think. Next post we’ll discuss which ones I’d change. Can you guess? Praying that God will fulfill His purposes in us as we abide in Him, not just for writing, but all of life.

1. You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul and mind, and let that love precede all you do or say. You shall love your neighbor as yourself. Every word you write shall be offered in a spirit of love and respect for your readers. (Matthew 22:37-39

2. Your words shall help make disciples of your readers; you will use Scripture to teach them to obey all that Jesus has commanded. (Matthew 29:18-20)

3. You shall be a perpetual, disciplined student of the Word of God, one who daily immerses himself in the truth, rather than one who merely tastes of it. (Isaiah 50:4)

4. You shall pray regularly and fervently for God’s wisdom and direction, for your readers, and for the editors to whom you write. (1 Thessalonians 5:17)

5. You shall remain humble in the knowledge that you are redeemed by Grace and that what you write glorifies the Father, not yourself. (1 Cor. 14:37)

6. You shall “rightly handle the Word of God.” (II Timothy 2:15)

7. You shall not bore your reader; but you shall be intellectually challenging, presenting your writing skillfully and in a timely manner. (Romans 15:15)

8. You shall not preach to your reader; rather, establish common ground, presenting your writing skillfully and in a timely manner. (I Corinthians 9:19-23)

9. You shall avoid divisiveness among Christians; rather, encourage unity among believers of all Christians denominations. (Romans 16:17-18)

10. You shall be well-read, a student of many great writers, both secular and religious. (Proverb 1:5.7)

“Pray . . . Give you writing to God. He is the one who put the passion in your heart, the words in your head, let Him guide you each step of the way. Write for His glory!” ~ Mike Dellosso, from Seven Habits of Published Christian Authors

Lately I’ve pondered the effects of life’s little interruptions. Some are not little. We have chronic ailments, families to feed, and day jobs that crunch into our writing time. If not for the grace of God, none of us could live the life of a scribe.

For these challenges, Writer…Interrupted encourages me. We absolutely believe that God is in control, and while His Sovereign ways remain mysterious at times, He gathers for us a loving community in times of need. We get to see what He’s doing in our lives. Not only do we network and share information, we pray for one another. We’re family.

But of all life’s interruptions, cancer must be the most unwelcome.

At Writer Interrupted we’ve grown particularly fond of an author among us who has always encouraged us. It’s our time to encourage him. Let me introduce you to our dear friend and brother in Christ, Mike Dellosso .

Mike’s brand new book is being released, a gripping page-turner called The Hunted. You’ll want to read it, tell all your friends about it, and pray for Mike. He’s fighting colon cancer:

“This battle with cancer has been a trying time for many reasons, one being the timing. I was diagnosed two months before the release of my debut novel, The Hunted. Thankfully, the good people of the Writer Interrupted community joined together to throw me this blog tour. And what a blessing they’ve been to me. Thank you!”

You’re welcome, Mike. It’s plain to see that God has not only gifted you, but given you quite a story. It’s my pleasure to let the world know there’s a new Peretti in the house. I’m praying for your physical healing. May God bring you through this difficult time with a deeper revelation of Christ.

About the book:

Debut novelist Mike Dellosso delivers a spine-tingling drama in the style of Frank Peretti and Stephen King.

“After learning of the disappearance of his nephew, Joe Saunders returns to his childhood home of Dark Hills to aid in the search effort. When Caleb is found, badly mauled and clinging to life, Joe embarks on a mission to find the beast responsible. But the more Joe delves into the fabric of his old hometown, the more he realizes Dark Hills has a dark secret, shrouded for three generations in a deadly code of silence. As Joe unravels the truth behind a series of unexplained animal attacks, murder, and corruption at the highest level of law enforcement, he is led to a final showdown where he must entrust his very life into God’s hands.” More about this chilling story and the author behind it HERE.

About the author’s journey to publication:

“My writing journey began in September of 1998 after my brother-in-law suffered a tragic and near-deadly motorcycle accident that left him in a coma for eight weeks. At first, I mostly wrote short inspirational pieces and vignettes. Anything and everything about what I was experiencing on a spiritual level, what I was observing on a physical level. I just let the words flow from my heart to my pen (I wasn’t using a computer at the time). I really made no attempt at getting my writing published, I just wanted to write and get it down, but in the back of my mind I knew that some day I’d be shooting for publication.” Read the rest of Mike’s journey to publication.

Tomorrow I’ll share more behind the writing of Mike’s book with you. Meanwhile, let’s continue to cover his family with prayer.

Buy the book, kick back, and enjoy the Blog Tour

* The Hunted: First Chapter
* Order Mike’s book on Amazon
* The Mike Dellosso Blog Tour
* Mike’s Blog

I’m at my other place today, if you care to visit. Also, I’m scheduled for thyroid surgery tomorrow so posting will be delayed a few days. Keep me in your prayers. I’ll see you soon, Lord willing!

Dear Lord,

Thank you for calling me to write.

Thank you for gifting me with a measure of creativity.

Thank you for inspiring me to ‘write down the revelation and make it plain’ (Habakkuk 2:2) that others may read the truth.

Thank you for sending writerly encouragement during times of personal drought.

Thank you for letting me enjoy my work in spite of occasional writer’s block and slow-firing synapses.

Thank you for clearing all the blockages and making my synapses fire.

Thank you for the joy of studying your Word that I might communicate the truth effectively.

Thank you for enabling me to study, communicate, and rely on your Holy Spirit.

Thank you for teaching me to wait on you for perspective and objectivity, and not write about certain things too soon.

Thank you for teaching me to avoid pat and simplistic answers to those who are hurting.

Thank you for letting me trust you for just the right words.

Thank you for not letting me feel defeated when I bump into persecution for sticking to truth.

Thank you for reminding me to stay focused on you.

Thank you for showing me how to keep a balanced life and set priorities.

Thank you for enabling me to be flexible for Divine Appointments.

Thank you for seeing me through trials and hardship that I might comfort others later.

Thank you for setting me free from striving for recognition and to simply rest in you.

Thank you for this grace in which I stand.

Thank you for this grace by which I’m able to write.

All glory and honor to the Author and Perfector of my faith!

Amen.

Author T.L. Hines, author of Waking Lazarus and The Dead Whisper On has been recently diagnosed with Grade I Follicular Lymphoma.

“In May of 2007, I began a journey I certainly didn’t expect to take: life with lymphoma.”

To learn about his personal journey, tune in to The Lymphoma Files. Let’s pray for him during his upcoming treatment, as well as for his wife and daughter.

Hat Tip: The Curmudgeon’s Rant

Forgive me for falling off the cyber radar this week. Hubby had open heart surgery and I’ve been with him at the hospital all week. Updates here if you’re interested. Would appreciate your ongoing prayers. I’ll probably post more regularly once hubby comes home. Hopefully that will be either tomorrow (Sunday) or Monday. Thanks!