Publish Peace.
That’s what God spoke to me in 2023 as I sat at a writer’s conference. Going to the conference marked years of pressing into my call to write, and it was a bit of a dream come true. For years, I had dreamed of attending this event, but since I lived on the other side of the country, it always seemed just out of reach. But now, I was here. It was an “I made it” kind of moment.
As I listened to speaker after speaker, however, I found myself a bit disappointed. I had come eagerly, hoping to gain something meaningful for my writing journey, yet nothing seemed to resonate. I wondered and wrestled with the Lord: “Is it me? Is my heart in the wrong posture?” Though the conference was wonderful and fed my soul, it didn’t seem to offer much for my writing toolbox. Maybe it’s my inclination for teaching or desire for action, but I wasn’t gleaning what I had hoped for, and I took my frustration to the Lord.
That’s when He spoke to my heart: “Publish peace.” The phrase comes from Isaiah 52:7, where it’s said, “How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those who bring good news, who proclaim peace.” These words weren’t just a call to write; they were a call to share God’s good news, to write in a way that brings hope and peace to others. I didn’t fully understand at first, but I sensed God was asking me to make my words a source of His peace in the world, and to help others do the same.
Though Heartstance has always offered a platform for women to share their stories and the encouragement to do so, I never felt equipped to teach women to write their stories, too. I often shied away from teaching the writing aspect and didn’t want to offer that. But in that moment, God was revealing to me that just as He has called me to write, He has also called me to equip others to write and share their stories of faith. He was urging me to step into this role fully—to create a way for others to understand the eternal significance of sharing their stories and to provide them with practical “how-to” steps for doing it.
In an instant, He spoke “Called To Write” to my heart, and I knew He was guiding me to write this book to help others embrace their calling and equip them to spread His peace through their own words. Affirming a calling is wonderful, but we also need the equipping, and that’s what this book is all about.
Will you journey with me to discover what it means to be called to write? I promise—it’s much simpler than we often think.
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