by Katy Kauffman @KatyKauffman28

You might say yes. How many of us have cried when we’ve been frustrated with the writing process? Or when we’ve been in the editing stage and just wanted to finish?

But have you ever cried when you wrote something because you realize full force just how much God has been there for you? Or you remember how much a struggle once overwhelmed you, and you are now grateful that you made it through to the other side?

I like to write about topics that touch our hearts way deep down. I’ve written about spiritual battles and hang ups. Mental challenges. Skirmishes in spiritual warfare. Overcoming negative habits and thoughts. I know what it feels like to almost drown in negative emotion or want to escape constant negative thoughts. So when I sit down to write about strategies for victory, I can’t help it. Sometimes I end up crying, at least on the inside.

Have you ever prayed something like …

O God, thank You for getting me out of that hang up.

O God, thank You for not giving up on this slow-to-understand soul.

You have been there for me. Too many times to count.

You have rescued me, and my gratitude is so deep that I don’t have words.

And yet, please give me the words. Help me to know how to talk about this struggle to acknowledge my readers’ pain, but also to help them move past that pain to trusting You regardless of what happens in their lives.

Do we remember to write from the inside out?

When we write, we need to remember enough of the pain of our struggle to be able to relate to our readers. But we don’t stay there. We ourselves have to move forward into victory, hope, and healing. And God calls us to point our readers to Him because He’s the Hope that never dies and the Love that never ends.

So do we write about our topic on the inside looking out, instead of the outside looking in?

When we tap into empathy and remembrance, our writing becomes more inviting. We’ve been in a similar boat as our readers, trying to row to the other side and overcome a problem. We’re not on the shoreline yelling at them to row. We’re sitting in the boat with them, helping them to row and pointing them to the One who will keep rowing when their weary muscles give out.

Do you write from the inside out?

How do you tackle a topic so that your readers know you care about them and what they’re going through? Do you ever stop to remember the depth of a similar struggle you had and the joy and relief of God’s help? We don’t have to be too dramatic when we write or share too much detail, but God can help us achieve a beautiful balance of empathy and inspiration, of compassion and “let’s get up now and go live for God!”

We have inspiration at our fingertips …

If we feel like our writing ever sounds flat or dry, we can tap into David’s emotions as found in the book of Psalms. God has recorded for us the depths of his personal struggles as well as the heights of his faith in God. David knew what to do when he felt overwhelmed by his challenges.

“From the end of the earth I will cry to You,

When my heart is overwhelmed;

Lead me to the rock that is higher than I.”

(Psalm 61:2 NKJV)

And God did that for him again and again. God was David’s rock guiding him both to safety and peace.

God guides us too. Along life’s valleys and ridges and through our writing.

When we write, we can share with confidence in God and bold gratitude:

“Trust in Him at all times, you people;

Pour out your heart before Him;

God is a refuge for us.”

(Psalm 62:8 NKJV)

When you write, do you ever pause and thank God for what He did to help you in a struggle? Share your thoughts in the comments below, and remember—when you write about matters of the heart, it’s OK to cry a little.

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Katy Kauffman is an award-winning author, an editor of Refresh Bible Study Magazine, and a co-founder of Lighthouse Bible Studies. She loves connecting with writers and working alongside them in compilations. Her writers’ newsletter called The Lighthouse Connection shares writing tips, inspiration to write, and news of submission opportunities. Katy is also the co-director of the Enrich Conference for Bible study writers, speakers, and teachers.

In addition to online magazines, Katy’s writing can be found at CBN.com, thoughts-about-God.com, and three blogs on writing. She loves to spend time with family and friends, draw flowers and landscapes in her sketchbook, and do yard work in the morning sun. Connect with her at www.lighthousebiblestudies.com