A United States mailbox. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Submission means to yield to the power or authority of another.
As a writer to submit means the moment of terror that I experience when I drop the envelope into the mail slot or hit send on my computer. Submission means judgment of my work. I love the story of E.B.White begging the mailman to return his just sent manuscript. I have felt the same desire to hold on one more day.
Can we write with the spirit of submission to God? What difference would it make to start with submission, instead ending with submission. If I can submit the work to God first then the fear of submitting it to man disappears.
Catherine Marshall writes in Adventures in Prayer about this Godly submission during the writing of her first book, A Man Called Peter.
About midway in the manuscript, I received devastating criticism from one whose judgment I trusted. He told me bluntly, “You haven’t even begun to get inside the man Peter Marshall,” And he was right, that was the sting of it. The realization of my inadequacy as a writer was not only an intellectual one. It was also emotional; there were plenty of tears. But out of the crisis came a major realization.
In my helplessness, there was no alternative but to put the project into God’s hands. I prayed that A Man Called Peter be His book, and that the results be all His too. And they were.
The book was published and sold millions of copies all around the world. My best writing comes when I give up control of the results and begin to see my books as God’s books.
May we write today with submission.
Laurie and Betsy
Submit yourself then to God. . . Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.
James 4:7,10
Amen! I needed to hear this. Such confirmation. God bless you both.
Usually we post something that we need too. It is always good for me to remember whose book it really is! Thanks for your comment.
Wow. Before I opened this in my inbox, I was thinking of all the tricks I’ve heard, and wondering which trick you would present. No tricks, here! This is the way! Thanks!
Funny how we always want a shortcut or a trick. Thanks for your post. Made me smile.
Reblogged this on The Conquering Mom and commented:
As always, a universal truth is universally true. If we apply this to all moments and matters of submission, how great our peace will be!.
Thanks! Blessings!
God always provides the right words at just the right time. Thank you for your obedience, writing gifts and willingness to share.
Thank you for your encouragement. Be blessed!
Writing, living, praying… Lord may it all be in submission to You. We love and trust You ever more.
Thank you again my beloved sisters.
Amen!
Thank you for that post. It puts everything in the right perspective!
Thanks for reading and commenting. Blessings.
Laura and Betsy, this wonderfully encouraging and empowering post of yours today joins several others in affirming I am doing the right thing by leaving my own narrative poetry/allegorial series in God’s hands and not being prodded into taking it back according to anyone else’s schedule.
So glad that these words could affirm your leading. Our work is always better off in God’s hands. He knows the plans He has for us. Right?
Oh, I love everything about this–the James verse, especially, and the note about Catherine Marshall made me misty-eyed (my grandmother let me read her books–I loved them, and they probably had a quiet influence on who I would become). God bless you, Sisters!
Submitting everything to God first puts it all in the right order. I know I recently finished a Master’s Degree and had to write a thesis. Submission is hard because there was so much revision to it on my part even after working for hours and hours on it. But, I think if we start in the right place things are a bit simpler all around.
Amen! Everything is HIS. Thanks for the reminder and encouragement. I appreciate your words.
Start with submission. Yes — I’m putting that in my writer’s tool box. And thank you for helping me remember Peter Marshall. Have you read “Mr. Jones, Meet the Master,” a collection of his sermons and prayers? God used that man’s powerful words — I happened to pick up an old copy at a garage sale — to start me on my journey back to Him.
Hello ladies,
Congrats! You’re blog has been nominated for the Beautiful Blogger Award! Come lookie! http://adduling.wordpress.com/
A.D.
I’m following A.D. above with a nod on my own blog. Thanks for the inspirational words, always! http://traceybaptiste.wordpress.com/2012/05/16/blogger-awards/
Submit to God, and He will do what is best with our submissions. Thanks for your encouraging words, ladies!
Thanks for your comment. Be blessed.
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