A Christian Writer’s Prayer

by Linda Dindzans @lindadindzans

Since I became a writer, my prayer life has changed.

Writers who sense God has called them to write—though our genres, audiences, and purposes
may differ—share this one thing: we are called to pray. We pray for His will to be done and His
glory to shine through our words.

Called to Write
My journey began during a season of transition in my medical practice. A story kept pressing on my heart—epic scenes that played like a film in my imagination—yet I never had time to write them.

Eventually, I heard the still, small voice whispering for me to lay down my scalpel and pick up my pen. I intended only to “test” the call with a sabbatical, but within weeks it was clear: God was calling me to retire.

“For I know the plans I have for you…plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” —Jeremiah 29:11

My early retirement had a purpose: to write biblical historical fiction.

Learning the Craft
At the start, I knew nothing about writing fiction. But at my first Christian writers’ conference, I
learned three principles that seemed central to the calling:

•  Pray for the Lord’s guidance
•  Pursue excellence
•  Be steadfast and diligent

Still, I felt like I had been thrown from a place of medical competence into the stormy seas of creative incompetence. My first prayers were all for myself—my trembling heart and shaking hands. And maybe that was right. Much like airline instructions to secure your own oxygen mask first, I needed God’s strength before I could hope to encourage others.

The Early Prayers
My first prayers sounded like a fast-food order:

• Lord, give me the story You want told.
• Lord, give me the words to tell it well.
• Lord, send teachers to guide me in the craft.

God answered—but not at microwave speed. I wanted writing to be easy, fun, and social. Instead, it proved difficult, solitary, and slow. What I thought might take months has stretched into more than a decade.

Praying for Readers
And yet, those years have kept me on my knees. At first, I prayed mostly for myself. But gradually, I began to pray for the readers God would one day direct to my still-unfinished manuscripts. Along the way, I discovered I was not alone. Christian writers pray not only for their own growth but also for the hearts, lives, and souls of their readers.

A turning point came when a friend invited me to an event for readers. Meeting a large group of enthusiastic readers gave me a new perspective. I began to pray that my words would plant seeds of faith and conviction, that they would offer readers an encounter with Christ, and that they would help transform victims into victors.

A New Perspective
Recently, as I prayed for God to bring my next novel before the eyes He has prepared, I sensed His whisper:

“Who are the most careful readers of your work?”

I thought of critique partners and beta readers, so I began to pray for them.

Another nudge came: “Who else reads your work before the final galley?”

I realized my coach, editors, and publisher all pore over every word. I added them to my prayer list too.

Finally came the strongest prod: “Who reads your work from the very birth of every word?”

The answer was obvious: me.

The First Reader
God showed me that as writers, we are our own first readers. Often, He gives us stories not only for others but first to teach us—to reveal hidden truths, to humble our pride, to draw us nearer to Him. Only then can our writing bear abundant, sweet fruit for His glory.

Soli Deo Gloria.

Reflection
How has your writing journey shaped your prayer life?

Linda Dindzans, M.D., is a speaker, writer and retired ENT surgeon with a longstanding love of God and fascination with in-depth Bible study. She is grateful for this time to lay down her scalpel and pick up her pen to follow His call to write. A Certain Man is her debut novel set in ancient Samaria. A Certain Mercy, Book Two in A Certain Future Series will release December 9, 2025. Visit Linda at lindadindzans.com or FB: Linda Dindzans, Author.