by Katy Kauffman @KatyKauffman28

I can’t help but think of Christmas decorations even in September. After all, there’s less than four months between now and the most wonderful time of the year. If we start now, we have time to prepare Christmas presents (I make mine), find just the right Christmas cards (or design and make them), and plan our trips. I love Christmas. And all that sparkle. 

Glitter, glitter, glitter. You can’t pick up Christmas decorations at Hobby Lobby or Michaels without getting a little glitter on you. But it’s not all that bad. A little souvenir of the joys to come. 

When we write about Scripture, are we thinking of ways to leave some sparkle in our readers’ hearts? My hope is that the reader can’t pick up our  books or read our articles without coming away with some “glitter” on their souls—some joy, renewal, a fresh perspective, or sparkling insights. 

Here are seven ways to create takeaway—application for the reader—that will enhance both their understanding of life with God and their joy. 

7 Ways to Make Your Writing S-P-A-R-K-L-E

S – Share unique insights or a fresh perspective. 

What sparkling insights can you share with readers about Scripture? What fresh perspective? Each writer can share something unique because our walks with God are unique. What has He been teaching you in your quiet time? What quote did He highlight in your mind from the latest sermon you heard? 

The time we spend with God studying the Word, learning from others, and living every day with God, prepares us to share unique insights with our readers. Share even the most familiar Bible stories with a fresh perspective and inspire them with how the stories still relate to life today, generations upon generations later. 

P – Pray through your application.

I love turning application of Scripture into prayers. Whatever main point of application we share in a chapter or an article, we can turn that into a prayer to include at the end. This is how I turned 2 Timothy 1:7 (NKJV) which says, For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind, into a prayer:

Dear Father, help me to overcome my fears with power, love, and a sound mind. Enable me to do Your will, and not back down from making a difference. Energize my heart with a love and compassion for others. Transform how I think to match what is true, to see my fears for what they are—small in comparison to You.  … You are bigger than any fear, than any “monster.” I look to You. In Jesus’ name, Amen.¹

A – Add some punch, zip, and wow. 

Add some punch to your writing—make a point and make it well. Include some zip—word your application so it hits their hearts just right. Capture the “wow” that God has engraved in His Word—share the victory, the hope, the help, and the peace. 

R – Read your writing from your reader’s perspective.

Take off your writer’s hat for a second, and read your work from the perspective of your target audience. What are they feeling? What challenges are they facing? How does your writing hit you with these in mind?

As you need it, infuse a little extra “oomph” into the application of your stories and Scripture passages to show what courage your audience needs to face spiritual opposition, the perseverance they need to stick with God’s plan for their lives, or the love they need to sustain them in encountering difficult people and tough situations. 

K – Keep God center stage in your final paragraphs.

Consider ending your takeaway by focusing on God’s involvement in the situations you’re addressing. How can the reader count on God to be there for them? What promise has God given of His provision, goodness, or power? Include a line or two about God’s character toward the end of your writing, so the reader is left focusing on the One person who is enough for every challenge and trial.

L – Listen to God as you write. 

God knows exactly what our audience needs to hear. Staying close to Him through the writing process helps us to hear His whispers and feel His nudge on our heart to include one more thought of application or one more cross-reference. He can give us the exact line someone needs to read and drive home the main point. 

E – Embrace a “we” mindset.

“We’re in this together. We want to love God and serve Him, but this and that get in the way. Let’s keep running this race because we know it’s worth it.”

That’s a “we” mindset. Not a “you should do this because you should” mindset, or a “me against the world” or even a “me against you” mindset. Having a heart of “with” reflects our Lord’s beautiful name, Immanuel, which means “God with us” (Matthew 1:23 NKJV). We’re coming alongside our readers as a friend, showing how we’ve struggled with similar challenges they have, and this is what Scripture says about it and how God can help us. “With” goes a long way in making our takeaway memorable and meaningful. 

Which of these seven ways to show sparkle appeals the most to you? Which will you focus on in your next piece of writing? Tell us in the comments! 

¹ Katy Kauffman, 2 Timothy: Winning the Victory (Buford, Georgia: Lighthouse Bible Studies, 2013), 35. 

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, such as Feed Your Soul with the Word of God, Collection 1 which is a 2020 Selah Awards finalist. She recently started The Lighthouse Connection, a monthly writers’ newsletter including writing tips, inspiration to write, and news of submission opportunities.

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, take acrylic painting classes online, and do yard work in the morning sun. Connect with her at her blog, Winning the Victory, and on Facebook and Twitter.