Novelists and Prayer Requests

Do novelists have an easier time with prayer requests than “normal” people?

In the sense that they can imagine God doing great and wonderful things even in the grimmest circumstances?

Do you know people like that?

Or if not a novelist like me, do you perhaps know imaginative people who often speak with confidence about what God could do?

My husband and I were discussing someone the other day, and I voiced hope for the individual’s dreams.

“But you know, I’ll be okay if it doesn’t happen,” I tossed off.

“Really?”

“Of course, because that means God has something else even better planned.”

(It’s easier to imagine such things when it isn’t your life.)

Tackling trouble

I’ve been thinking about young people and how challenging it is for many to get started in a job they love.

Part of my role as a parent is to encourage my children that God will provide what they need at the right time–even if they don’t recognize it.

My engineer husband is also encouraging, but doesn’t indulge in the flights of fancy I can pull out at a moment’s notice.

We were laughing about that when we realized part of my writing job is to create imaginary scenarios–the more challenging the better.

By the end of the story, my characters need to resolve their issues, find peace and hope, and move on to wherever God (or, in a story’s case, me) decides they should go.

I can give my characters a happy ending if I want to.

With the Lord, every ending is the one He desires. He knows every hair on our heads and the number of our days.

Some of those endings are brutal, horrible, and devastating, yet the end result can always be heaven with the Lord.

9-11 trouble

In the aftermath of the 9-11 disaster, Pentagon officials invited Hollywood writers and film directors to a meeting.

They wanted to pick their brains and their imaginations about potential future terrorist attacks.

The Pentagon planners realized they might have a blind spot on creativity.  People who saw events from a different angle could dream up “what if” strategies they could possibly use.

Novelists can do the same with prayer requests.

I call it “turning the prism,” and looking at events from a slightly different angle.

It may seem like events could be used for evil, and it can be hard to imagine a positive outcome. But Scripture reminds us “As far as you’re concerned, you were planning evil against me, but God intended it for good, planning to bring about the present result so that many people would be preserved alive.” (Genesis 50:20; International Standard Version)

We need to pray, yes.

But sometimes, my prayers feel stymied.

I ask God to give me imagination to know how to pray better and to provide hope — both for the person I’m praying for and for me.

That’s why I’m an intercessor, right?

It’s often better if I don’t know a lot. I don’t need details to pray for someone.

I need the Holy Spirit to convict me, the Bible to guide Jesus and me- always- to forgive me.

God will use my prayers and whatever the situation to His glory.

Thanks be to God.