Anyone who knows me knows I like to read. Religious books, of course, as I am a pastor. But I also love good, well-written fiction. I’m choosey, though—always being careful that what I read is not filled with distasteful vocabulary or sensational subject matter.

I like to write as well. Not fiction, but something spiritual in nature that will hopefully impact, in some way, the lives of those who choose to read my words. 

Impacted Lives

Many years ago, I wrote two books of daily readings for children and teens, respectively: Kid Talk and Teen Talk. It wasn’t part of my job as a Salvation Army officer, and I made no money from doing this. But I had young kids myself, who grew into teens. 

If I needed something to help them focus on God and the impact He can have on their young lives, I figured others might need this as well for their children. 

It proved to be fulfilling when I received feedback—the words I’d written impacted the lives of many young people and their families.

Daunting Task

Then, roughly 15 years ago, I was asked—for my next appointment—to be the writer for The Salvation Army’s international daily devotional book, Words of Life. 

It was an honour to be asked, yet I knew it would be a daunting task to write for people living all around the world: India, Africa, Indonesia, Sweden and so many other places besides. Places where I had never been. 

What did these people need to hear to enlighten them, encourage them, impact them in some way—when I knew virtually nothing about their culture, their everyday lives, their individual needs?

l was given a few months lead time to think about how I wanted to structure these daily devotional readings. For, again, I needed to produce something new and fresh for every day. It obviously needed to be biblically sound. Each devotional needed to have application for everyday living. And each page needed to have a creative “spark” that would draw attention to the truth being expressed in the reading itself.

Again, I wrestled with that lingering thought. How could a Canadian impact the lives of others around the world with written words? 

How could a Canadian impact the lives of others around the world with written words? BEVERLY IVANY

Answer on a Bus Ride

Yet, deep down, I knew God wanted me to do this. And I also knew I needed to depend on Him to guide my thinking and ability as I prepared to write.

God answered my prayer with a simple bus ride. 

As I boarded and sat down on that extremely crowded bus, I looked around. There were people from a variety of cultures and backgrounds, needing to read words that would impact and strengthen them in their daily walk with God. 

“This is your audience,” God told me that day.

God gave me the assurance that He would not only be with me as I wrote daily but that He would guide my very thinking process—revealing to me what people needed to read for that particular day.

And so with this assurance and divine confidence, I began to write. 

Impact

As with my books, the feedback I received was what made the difference to me.

I remember the first person who contacted me: “Thank you for the devotional I read today. It was just what I needed, as I’m going through a rough period in my life. The reading not only blessed me but encouraged me to keep going and to keep trusting in the Lord.” 

Then a week later, from another reader: “You will never know what today’s reading has meant for me. It has touched my heart. God knew I needed to read this today!” 

And 10 days later: “I have been going through a very difficult time with one of my children. Your words today gave me not only hope but the assurance that God was with me—and with my child, as well.”

Over the almost nine years of writing Words of Life, I kept track of when I received an email, a phone call or even a handwritten letter. Every two weeks, over that long period of time, I heard from someone from somewhere. 

It was quite amazing, really: the impact of written words—inspired by God—upon people’s lives, to strengthen and encourage them.

The Challenge

We all don’t have to write novels, magazine articles or even a daily devotional book. Yet we all can write! 

A letter, a card, an email. Words, to lift someone’s spirits. Words, written in the form of a poem or a journal, to express how we feel God is impacting our life in a wonderful and marvellous way. 

And so here is the challenge for us all. Who can we write to today—to bless and encourage someone we love and care about deeply? 

Major Beverly Ivany is a retired Salvation Army pastor and the former writer of Words of Life,a daily devotional series published by The Salvation Army.