The prose to trusting God's timing
Updated: Aug 1, 2025
The last time we were here, we talked returning to my blogging roots in order to unlock creativity, create accountability and invite God (and YOU) closer into my writing process. Since then, I feel like the Lord has put fresh wind in my creative sails.
My writing stats since my last post is as follows:
Two poems about dreaming, creativity and the love for God that creativity stirs within me
One prose poem about sitting with God in 2025
One new poem draft about enjoying God's presence
Prayer journaling a whole, whole lot *insert heart emoji
Clarified vision of my novel and fresh confidence!
He sets the perfect pace
Looking at the list, you might be thinking “clarified vision of my novel” most likely means I’ve started over… again. I have! If you’ve been here a while, I know you’re asking, “Jessica, why are you starting over AGAIN?” If you’re new here, you might be asking, “How far were you before you started over?” But I bet whoever you are, you’re asking, “Is starting over necessary? Is it productive?”
I’m asking as well.
On New Year’s Day, I wrote a prose poem called “New Year’s Day” (so original, I know) and as I was writing it, I felt like God was using it to minister to my creative process in two specific ways:
ONE: This season of life feels particularly blessed and a lot of my big prayers from the last couple of years are being answered. But, I’m also living in the reality of unanswered prayers and unmet goals: namely, my novel progress. Writing and reflecting on “New Year’s Day,” the Lord reminded me that waiting on Him means actively waiting on Him (and that doesn’t just apply in the context of a romantic relationship, when we mostly talk about waiting).
Actively waiting means we sit with the Lord and seek him daily, then take action as he leads, and reflect on His answer when He gives it– and while we are walking with Him, He does not expect perfection from us, only pursuit of Him! That’s such good news! This truth gives us the freedom for trial and error as we wait, and while we wait, He is transforming us into Christ-likeness.
Can I confess something to you? It is SO easy to fall into the trap of comparison when working on my novel. Many debut authors that flash across my feed are younger than me by years and all I can think is, “How have they figured this out before I have? I have a Bachelor’s degree for goodness sake!”
Yet, in His kindness, every time that happens, the Lord reminds me that His timing is perfect (Isaiah 60:22) and there is a time for everything under Heaven (Eccl. 3:1). This means that His timing is not only perfect, but perfectly paced, so to fret over it means I’m not trusting His process. Instead, I am relying on myself to set the pace He has already set for me.
As I said in my last post, I’m not called to look horizontally anyway.
TWO: Writing “New Year’s Day” made me realize that I actually LOVE prose writing! It is so cathartic to just let your thoughts flow and then circle back to edit and add your unique voice. The process of it makes me think that maybe this is how some of my current favorite authors write their characters' inner thoughts and set scenes. But even if they don’t, I’m still inspired!
Maybe I’ll try writing a paragraph of prose for each chapter of book one and see how the Lord uses them to build the story… stay tuned!
Keep your eyes on Jesus
In conclusion, it's funny how often I find myself being reminded that all I need to do is look up and keep my eyes focused on Jesus. Seek Him. Wait on Him. And when I do this, He not only produces fruit of the Spirit in me as His child, He inspires me creatively and I get poetry and novel drafts out of it that honor Him. He gives me the desire of my heart when I surrender it to Him. WOAH!
So, an encouragement to YOU: Move only when He tells you because He sets the perfect pace for your life. Have an attitude of gratitude that though sometimes the path gets rocky, the Lord is our shepherd and guides us along the right one.
An encouragement to myself: Who cares if I rewrite my novel 50 times before I’m satisfied with it and the Lord says it’s finished? The in-between time is trial and error, and if I keep my eyes on Jesus, my creative efforts will be blessed beyond what I could ever imagine!
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