Compelled To Write

 Spring Creek Baptist Church is not a large congregation. We have topped one hundred people in attendance only a few times in the past couple of years. My influence is limited to a small loving congregation I absolutely adore. 

Through writing, I have the ability to minister to people in a much broader context. Previous books I've written have been scattered all over the United States. To God be the glory. Books like Only Believe, Life on the Altar, Behold the Faithfulness of God, Sitting with the Savior, Weeping for a Night, and Shake the City Revival Devotions. 

The goal has never been to make money. I have given more books away than I have ever sold. It is an extension of my preaching ministry. I write for the glory of God and to help people. I am compelled to write. I cannot keep it in. It is natural for me to write as to breathe. It has been that way since childhood. 

God helped me finish a book on prayer titled: Prayer: Ministry from the Secret Place. I am believing God for money to get it into print. The book is obviously about prayer which is one my most passionate pursuits. God stirred me to share things He has taught me over the past 25 years about prayer with other people. The book is the most extensive thing I have ever written. It is in the process of editing and production. 

God gave me this unique gift to write on this blog which can be read by people from all over the world free of charge. Over the years, I have jotted down my Bible meditations, musings, and life experiences in the hope that it might help someone somewhere. At times, the writings, are prophetically hard. There are other times when the writings are encouraging. I love most to write testimonies about the ways God answers prayer. It is my passion to serve as an example of how God answers impossible prayers to encourage others to pray. 

Writing is often therapeutic. I am able to work through issues in my personal life and share those thoughts praying God will encourage or challenge others. It has never been about making a name for myself. It has always been about writing for God. to promote Him and His word. 

I was called to write long before God ever called me to preach. The love and call to write goes as far back as fifth grade. To a creative writing assignment. I came alive during that assignment. My imagination sparked. While others groaned at the excitement I wrote fast and furiously. As Christmas approaches, my mind drifts back to the Christmas of 1979 when I got one of the greatest gifts I have ever received. An electric typewriter. I wanted to write, and that typewriter set me on a path. 

I joined the newspaper staff in high school. I intended to be a journalism major in college. That is until the summer of 1985 when God called me to preach. I did not write for the next several years other than research papers for school. The writing dream lay dormant. 

That is until one afternoon in 1995 sitting at a folding table makeshift desk. God wedded His two callings on my life together that day. I wrote on a legal pad some thoughts about a Bible passage. For the first time, I realized I could preach and write. What a glorious day. I wrote two little books afterwards, we printed on a copy machine and bound together titled: Swimming in the Bathtub and Close Encounters. 

It was in 2008 that a friend introduced me to world of blogging. On a previous blog I wrote 1,500 posts. over the span of several years.  I started the follow hard blog as a fresh start from a very dark period. Some months I barely post anything. Other months I cannot write enough to keep up with all the inspiration. God sparks my imagination in the Bible, nature, books, life experiences, and inspirational stories I hear. It's truly a labor of love. 

You can help me in this ministry in two ways. First, if any of these posts ministers to you, please share them with others. Or share the link www.followhard638.blogspot.com. The name of this blog is taken from Psalm 638 where in KJV it reads, "My soul follows hard after Thee." That has been the passionate pursuit of writing these blogs for the past several yea. 

The second way you can help is to pray. Pray God will spread these writings and books all over the world. I have committed all the proceeds from this newest book to go to Spring Creek Baptist Church. I will not personally profit from it. Like I said before, I do not write to make money. I am compelled by Christ to write for Him. All the writings are His to do with as He sees fit. I believe God for every dime to get this newest book into print. I believe Him to sell thousands of copies. All for His glory. 

I have already begun work on the next book titled, Elijah's Cry. It is a book about learning to walk by faith and beholding God's faithfulness in response. I think I am approximately one third of the way through with it.  Your prayers are greatly needed and appreciated to complete this next project.