Not Me, God. Not Me

By Kim M. Clark, Author of Amazon Best-Selling & Multiple Award-Winning book Deep Waters: Lift Your Gaze

Some people are born with the gift of writing. Their words seem to leap onto their laptops like gazelles bounding up steep ravines. I’m not one of those people. Writing has always been an arduous process; I even have my husband proofread my emails.

As I wrestled with God over writing my book, I informed the Creator, “Not me, God, not me. You’ve called the wrong person, Lord. You know I can’t write.”

I added, “Lord, you created me in my mother’s womb. You formed me to swim like a duck to speak and teach, not to climb trees like a squirrel or write a book. You’ve called the wrong person.”

God was silent.

My lament continued. “God, you’re asking me to do the impossible, like having a duck climb a tree.”

Dejected and full of self-pity, I prayed. I saw a vision in my mind of a flourishing coconut tree with large, deep-green, palm leaves. The tree had grown parallel to the ground and a quacking duck happily waddled up the trunk.

The Lord spoke to my heart, “See, I can even make trees grow crooked to accomplish my will.”

Apparently, you can’t argue with an all-powerful God.

So, in my late forties, I forced myself to write.

If you also feel that not-so-gentle tug on your heart to write—just do it. Stop second-guessing yourself. Trust God. He never leaves us or forsakes us.

Here are three tips to help you:

Obey: Write every day, even when you don’t feel like it. For the heart is deceitful, who can trust it? (Jerimiah 17:9 ESV) Don’t listen to the voice of the enemy. Submit and obey God. If it is God who is leading you to write, he will provide all things for you including the material, editors, publishers, platforms, etc.

Absorb: Become a sponge and put aside your pride. Glean from other writers, authors, editors, agents, and publishers. Friend them on social media and do what you said you were going to do. If you committed to send your manuscript to a publisher—send it. Also, attend writer’s conferences and join a solid critique group. Lastly, seek out better writers than yourself, because you become the top five people you surround yourself with.

Pray, pray, and pray again: Remember, you are the scribe, God is the writer. Allow him to use you to bring glory to his name through your writing. Ask him to bless it and speak through you. Invite others to pray for you and your writing. Pray for direction, divine connections, and provision as you take each step-in faith, not knowing what the future will hold, but knowing who holds your future.

If God can mold me to write a multiple award-winning book—then be encouraged! He can help you, too. It seems God uses those who have gone through the flames of affliction to go back and pour water on those still in the fire. Be blessed and write for God.

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Kim M. Clark wrote the Amazon best-selling, award-winning non-fiction book, Deep Waters:  Lift Your Gaze, to provide hope to others during difficult times.  This book provides a unique approach to suffering as it combines solid biblical teaching, prophetic words, and intercessory prayers. Also included are soul-seeking application questions and a prayer journal which tops the redemptive healing flowing from this book. She is currently polishing her supporting 30-day devotional which is scheduled to publish in the Fall of 2019. Kim and her family live in the sunshine state, Florida, and enjoy outdoor sports, such as swimming with their overly active yellow lab. Kim recently started a non-profit, Lift Your Gaze, to share her message of hope with those in the prison system. Kim and her husband Ron have owned several businesses and have earned numerous awards in multiple industries. She enjoys public speaking, teaching, writing, marketing, and helping others succeed. She has worked with Fortune 1000 companies like Neiman Marcus, Merck Pharmaceuticals, and Digital Equipment Corp. as well as expanding startups and mission-based organizations. She has run two marathons despite the angry protests from her knees. Kim also teaches Bible Studies, trains church leaders and has served on a mission board which provides funding for over 60 global organizations and missionaries.  Additionally, Kim was an Adjunct Marketing Instructor at Goldey-Beacom College in Wilmington, DE. She has a Bachelor of Science Degree in Mass Communications from Towson State University and a Master of Science Degree in Business in Marketing from The Johns Hopkins University. Kim enjoys putting her expertise to good use as she trains thousands sharing God’s message of hope and redemption to intimate groups as well as large conference venues.

E-mail info@kimmclark.com to schedule speaking engagements or to request information about Lift Your Gaze.