Personal Writing to Invite Hope by Tina Yeager

Personal Writing to Invite Hope

by Tina Yeager

“Come and hear, all you who fear God;
let me tell you what he has done for me”

(Psalm 66:16, NIV).

I hide photo albums, avoid old songs, and tuck away my journals from bygone years. While others reminisce with joy, my past casts a cruel shadow over my life. Reflection highlights my failures. Unfulfilled potential and deferred dreams trigger regrets that nudge my mood over a dark precipice.

Unfortunately, experts insist we write from personal experience.

I might ignore their troublesome advice if Jesus hadn’t given it, too. He commissioned the demoniac to share his story of deliverance (Mark 5:19). A “voice from heaven” cited the role of our testimony in defeating “the accuser of our brothers and sisters” (Revelation 12:10-11, NIV).

I wrestled with the admonition to pour myself onto the page. Revisiting wounds refreshed their pain. After much internal strife, I plunged my pen into the inkwell of my heart and drafted authenticity into my first nonfiction book.

My soul trembled at baring my secret battles and history on the stage of publication. Would my tenderest inner places suffer further from rejection? Criticism? Apathy?

Words from a reader rendered all my challenges worthwhile. My story brought her encouragement, hope, and strength to survive the accuser during her own dark nights. I received other feedback, but the first message of impact would have sufficed if it had stood alone.

While I still don’t dwell in reveries, I no longer shrink back from writing about my personal struggles. I now grab my heart-pen with gratitude for the opportunity Christ has granted.

May I always share the enthusiasm of the psalmist, devoting myself to reaching out with hope to counter the accuser’s darkness.

Jesus, thank you for rescuing us from the darkness and commissioning us to share your light. Let us surrender our past and our writing to your will. Please strengthen the empathy of our hearts to care more about others’ suffering than our own discomfort. Motivate us to share our testimonies as weapons in the battle against evil. Amen.

 Award-winning author, speaker, and life coach, Tina hosts the Flourish-Meant podcast a YouTube channel, and the Flourish Today radio show. She serves as membership director for Christian Women in Media Association, on the marketing team for STRUCK the Series Streaming TV show, and as Director of Traditional Groups with Word Weavers International. To connect with her, visit tinayeager.com.

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