“My heart overflows with a pleasing theme; I address my verses to the king; my tongue is like the pen of a ready scribe.”
Psalm 45:1
Context: A love song written for a royal wedding and addresses a king.1
A Pleasing theme
In Psalm 45:1, the author is overwhelmed with a “pleasing theme.” These beautiful words stir his heart (NLT). The Contemporary English Version says it like this: My thoughts are filled with beautiful words for the king, and I will use my voice as a writer would use pen and ink.
Imagine your tongue as your pen and ink.
A computer feature that I have come to appreciate is the voice-to-text shortcut. It is very easy for me to click a few buttons, speak, and see the words magically appear on the screen. I love this. My tongue is my pen. Consider the implications for writers if we carry this metaphor through Scripture.
Psalm 141:3, “Set a guard, O Lord, over my mouth; keep watch over the door of my lips!”
Proverbs 21:23, “Whoever keeps his mouth and his tongue keeps himself out of trouble.”
Ephesians 4:29, “Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear.”
James 1:26, “If anyone thinks he is religious and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his heart, this person’s religion is worthless.”
Scripture has a lot to say about the words we speak, and the implications apply to the words we write as authors. This new blog series is an opportunity to journey together and consider what God has to say about the words stirring in our hearts and spilling out of our mouths or onto the page.
Pray
Pray through the verses above, asking the Lord to set a guard over your words to keep you from trouble. Resolve to write and speak no “corrupting words.” Resolve to “build up your readers” and “build up the people around you.” Consider the solemn warning for Christians who do not “bridle their words.” Ask the Lord to expose your heart, so you do not deceive yourself.
Footnotes:
Crossway Bibles. (2008). The ESV Study Bible (p. 992). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles.
I have the pleasure of introducing you to author Audrey Wick. She and I both write contemporary romance, and I had the privilege of reading Island Charm, her latest novel. I’ll let Audrey tell you about it, but scroll down to the end to hear my thoughts.
Are you getting ready for summertime? I love the warmer weather and breezy evenings, which my characters also experience in my latest book, ISLAND CHARM. I’m excited to share this standalone novel with readers that’s a perfect beach book—so even for people who can’t physically travel, they can enjoy a getaway through this book!
When Anna Worthington’s twin sister gets jilted by her fiancé, Anna steps in with a plan for a girls’ Key West getaway instead of a honeymoon trip. Yet when her twin has her own crisis of commitment and doesn’t board the plane, Anna finds herself on a romantic getaway that she’s forced to navigate alone.
Gunnar Lockhart, whose specialty is island tourism, is the perfect match for helping Anna complete her vacation bucket list, but time together forges a connection more personal than either anticipates. As they make island memories, Anna has to untangle her mixed emotions. Are her feelings toward Gunnar real? Or like her sister’s wedding day, has this connection been doomed from the start?
In ISLAND CHARM, readers see how one woman navigates twists and turns in life’s journey. In the novel, readers meet the protagonist, Anna, who has to react to a surprise decision by her twin sister that creates a situation not of her own making.
Having to react to someone else’s choices is not uncommon. But it can be frustrating, for when this happens, we are an innocent party having to cope with a difficult situation we didn’t cause. But God assures us that we are not alone, and that with His grace, the unjust issues that plague us will be dealt with in a righteous way.
In many cases, God’s solutions are very elegant and have more far-reaching effects for the good of all. How joyful indeed!
In ISLAND CHARM, the protagonist has to pick up the pieces when someone else’s decision impacts her life. When she meets just the right person to help her through her unexpected situation, she is swept into a whirlwind of second chances aimed at helping someone else rise above unfairness. Her commitment to her task brings joy to more than one person, and her own circumstances are given a surprising twist that brings peace to her heart and soul.
My thoughts:
Island Charm was like revisiting Key West. Audrey captures the setting perfectly. I remember the wild turkeys, seeing a shark off the pier, and the tiny local shops that made Key West even more charming than I expected. I enjoyed how the novel stored such fun vacation memories for me. Pls, the story is sweet, clean, and a perfect summer read.
Question:
Now, here’s a question for readers: HAVE YOU EVER FOUND YOURSELF IN A SITUATION NOT OF YOUR OWN MAKING THAT WAS DIFFICULT TO HANDLE? If so, share a bit below so we can encourage one another and learn that we are not alone.
Audrey Wick is a full-time English professor at Blinn College and author of women’s fiction/romance. Her writing has also appeared in college textbooks, and she is a guest blog columnist with Writer’s Digest. Wick believes the secret to happiness includes lifelong learning and good stories. But travel and coffee help. She has journeyed to over twenty countries—and sipped coffee at every one. See photos on her website audreywick.com and follow her on Twitter and Instagram @WickWrites.
Let’s give Karen Malley a warm welcome to the blog! Karen has visited before, and a handful of readers reached out to tell me they were excited to check out her book Following the Sparrows. Today, Karen is sharing about her newest release and the truths woven through her novel’s themes. Welcome, Karen!
Have you ever felt like you’ve messed up so much there’s no hope for forgiveness? You’re in good company. The Bible tells of the amazing accomplishments of men and women of faith, but we also learn of their failings. I believe God includes these failings to show us we can never fall too far to be forgiven.
Consider Moses. He is best remembered as the deliverer of the Israelites out of slavery, the one to whom God gave the ten commandments, the leader of Israel. He wrote the first five books of the Bible and spoke to God face to face. Before all that, though? He murdered an Egyptian man and ran off into the wilderness to tend sheep for 40 years. When God came to tell him he would lead his people out of slavery, he made excuses.
What about David? David, the king of Israel who delivered the nation from her enemies, was called “a man after God’s own heart.” He loved God deeply and poured out his emotions in the Psalms. David also committed adultery and murder, and he failed in parenting.
The disciple Peter boldly declared his allegiance to Christ. He was the first to proclaim Jesus as the messiah. He led hundreds to Christ after Jesus’ death and resurrection. He performed miracles in Jesus’ name and was eventually martyred. When Jesus was arrested, however, Peter denied even knowing him.
Perhaps the most striking example is Paul. Paul was one of the most influential people in the early church. He started multiple churches, spread the gospel to the Gentiles, wrote more books of the Bible than any other author, and spread the gospel throughout the world through his missionary journeys. Before all that, though, he actively persecuted Christians. He spoke against Jesus and had Christians thrown in jail. Paul says the following:
“Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners—of whom I am the worst. But for that very reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display his immense patience as an example for those who would believe in him and receive eternal life.”
1 Timothy 1:15-16
The Bible is full of examples of God’s forgiveness. No matter your past, whether you’re a murderer like Moses or have actively spoken out against Jesus like Paul, you can be forgiven. It’s simply a matter of asking. When you sincerely ask God for forgiveness, He offers it freely. Does that mean we’ll never mess up again? Absolutely not. It means when we do mess up, we get back up and try again. I, for one, am grateful God is a God of second chances.
A new life coming into the world disrupts Susan’s quiet life …
Susan Montgomery is used to a quiet, peaceful life managing her apartment building, where the hardest problem is her grouchy neighbor’s leaky faucet. She soon finds herself dealing with a pregnant teenage niece, a mysterious briefcase left behind by a tenant, and two very different men vying for her heart.
A near-death experience gives Mac a new outlook on life …
Christopher “Mac” MacAllister is trying to figure out how to “do the Christian thing.” As a new convert, he’s drawn to Susan’s love for life and for God. She’s nothing like the women he used to date; but can Mac compete with the guy who’s come out of nowhere and knows all the right things to say?
