Rest

Acts 10:36 

You know the message God sent to the people of Israel, announcing the good news of peace through Jesus Christ, who is Lord of all.

If you participated in the novel-writing challenge called National Novel Writing Month or NaNoWriMo, then:

Congratulations!

Writing 50,000 words takes a lot of work. You had to have some direction to move forward with an interesting plot. You had to have characters who could handle the conflict you threw at them. You had to have persistence to keep going when it was hard to balance your writing time with all of the other things normal humans do during the month of November.

Now you can take a break. (Don’t worry. It's only a short break. I know there’s all that editing to do.)

It’s important to let your body and your soul take a break from all the energy you used during your writing time. To others, it looks like you weren’t doing much. But we know better.

You can share your excitement with your friends and family who will be proud of you for typing out the beginning to your outstanding piece of literature. But when you rest, you need to pull yourself away from the work and the Christmas shopping and the decorating.

Just rest.

I don’t really mean sleep, but that is part of it.

Resting for a Christian novelist means to find some meaningful and comforting Bible verses to read and relax in while you tell God how thankful you are that he gave you gifts to use and praise him with. When you are writing, you are showing God that you appreciate his gifts. When you are resting, you are reaching for his comfort and refreshing.

Prayer in your Post-NaNo days is about wrapping yourself in the arms of God and letting him speak peace to your soul.

For example, if you read Acts chapter ten, you can see that “peace through Jesus Christ” is why Peter was in that place speaking to those people. It was unlawful for Peter, a Jew, to visit with or associate with a Gentile. He was in a Gentile’s house speaking with great freedom because of the peace God had given him.

You and I can listen to God’s words of peace when we need rest.

Here are five Bible verses to refresh your soul:

• Psalm 19:7 The law of the Lord is perfect, refreshing the soul. The statutes of the Lord are trustworthy, making wise the simple.
• Psalm 23:3 he refreshes my soul. He guides me along the right paths for his name’s sake.  
• Psalm 85:8 I will listen to what God the Lord says; he promises peace to his people, his faithful servants—but let them not turn to folly.
• Colossians 2:6-7 So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.
• John 14:27 Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.