You Are a Writer

Every time my husband goes up for a flying lesson, he comes down with a new perspective on life. Flying above the cornfields and cow pastures helps him see a bigger, more beautiful picture. 

After moving from our beloved mountains of Colorado to the plains of Oklahoma recently, we’ve learned to see beauty in things we once deemed not enough. Our daily mantra is: “It’s beautiful but different.” In fact, when anyone asks how we’re enjoying our new location, we say, “We love it; it’s beautiful.” 

The truth is: If you say something often enough, you begin to believe it. 

Have you ever felt like you needed permission to call yourself a writer? Maybe you compare yourself to traditionally published friends. Perhaps writing for your church’s newsletter feels more like a task than ministry. Or because you’ve never shared the poems in your journal with anyone, you don’t consider yourself a writer. 

New and seasoned writers alike have a hard time declaring themselves as writers. We get tongue-tied and stumble over our words when asked, “What do you do?” For some reason, we can’t see ourselves as God does. Often, our limited perspective leaves us lacking a proper response. We let others’ opinions, or a lack of confidence, get in the way of saying, “I am a writer.”

Yet if we look from a heavenly perspective — the way God sees — we will begin to see more clearly. And when we do, our answer to that once-intimidating question will become a bold response. 

Last time David flew, he said, “You see things up there you just can’t see unless you have a license to fly.” 

You are the pilot of your dreams. 

Friend, you have a license to fly — to soar above comparison and feelings of inadequacy. God calls you a writer, and you have permission to take off with it! Your words transport readers to a world they’ve never known. You help people see things from a new perspective. Your writing brings change, tells stories and invokes deep emotion. Most importantly, your words draw people closer to their Creator. 

You are a writer. How you see yourself matters. 

Letting go of our limited perspective helps us hang onto God’s unlimited belief in us.

Inevitably, people are going to keep asking what you do. Affirming your calling to write takes courage. 

Much like our new mantra, repeating this reply will help you regard yourself as a writer. Once God’s vision is verified in your own heart, your confidence in your calling as a writer will be too. 

Over time, you’ll begin to believe in yourself and boldly respond, “I am a writer.”

Living in victory,

Amy Elaine Martinez

Go ahead. Practice your reply. Get ready for the next time someone asks you what you do. 

Say it out loud. Three times. Right now. I dare you. 

I am a writer.

I am a writer.

I am a writer.

As you step out in faith as a writer, your story could lead someone to Jesus today! We created “A Guide to Sharing the Gospel: How To Tell Your Story When You Feel Uncertain, Unprepared or Uncomfortable” to help you write your testimony in a way that impacts those who read it. Download your guide here today!