A Writer's Prayer

Dear Lord,

You are my Father in Heaven, and holy is Your name. You are omniscient, omnipotent and omnipresent. Timeless. You never sleep or slumber. Frankly, Lord, all these would come in handy in meeting my next deadline.

But I'm not complaining, because You have assigned me a teensy-weensy part in bringing Your kingdom to earth. May Your will be done through my writing. And by the way, I'd really appreciate help with my characters, who are getting out of hand. My heroine dyed her hair purple and got a tattoo. Even though it's an ichthus, CBA may give her a thumbs down. Plus, the hero no longer recognizes her. They have to fall in love by chapter 10, and the situation is growing desperate. Lord, speak to them. Or slap 'em up the side of the head, whichever works best.

Thank you for this day. By the way, what day is it? Or maybe give me a hint as to which era? Not only is my tatooed heroine messing with my nineteenth-century setting, but I'm writing proposals for a 1920s romance, a medieval Scottish tale and a time-traveling young adult vampire story. In my writing cave, I lose track of dates--and who's currently president. But You have given me this day, and I'm grateful.

I appreciate all the fine writing opportunities You have granted me. Please give me my daily bread in the 1960s hippie sense ($$), rather than free copies.

Forgive my trespasses against others, including the editor I mugged during the last ACFW conference. Please help her to forgive me, Lord. Or give her amnesia.

I'm sorry, Father, that I lead my characters into temptation. But it I didn't, there would be no story. Deliver them from evil, but please wait until Chapter 26. While you're delivering, could you also rescue me from head-hopping, telling instead of showing and using back story every other senstence? And please help my verb tenses, pronouns and crit partners to agree.

For thine is the Kingdom, the power and the glory forever. I know You can do the impossible, the unspeakable, the unthinkable. You can even help me place all my commas where they belong.

Finally, I give thanks because You have written Your love on my heart, Jesus, and You are the author of my salvation. And even if I never find my voice, please help me hear Yours.

Amen.

~Rachael Phillips