I haven’t always had a passion for writing. I was the girl who used Spark notes the night before that book report the next day (iykyk). It wasn’t until I realized the value of words that God opened my eyes to the gift that He has given me to write. Words carry more weight than we know or would like to admit. The truth that our words can change someone’s day, week, year, season, and better yet even eternity leaves me in complete awe. Time and time again the Lord has used words that someone has faithfully spoken over me to impact the woman who I have become.

Words mark you.

I have a sign sitting on my desk that says, “Find what sets your soul on fire.” As I reflected on that statement day after day, I texted my mom as I was writing and said “Mama, it’s writing.” Writing brings me more passion, purpose, and power than anything else. Not just writing any kind of words, but rather holy words.

I’ll let y'all in on a secret… these words that I write are not my own. Yes, they are signed with my name, yet I am not the author of these truths, Jesus is. This is why I love writing for the glory of God. I will be in the most random and inconvenient place, in the shower, in the car, or laying my head to go to sleep, and out of nowhere, God will lay a word on my heart. Immediately, I jump up and write it down. Diving deep in His word He gives me revelations + discernment. So it’s nothing of Eden. I’ve had people tell me…

“Eden, I know these words you write are not of yourself.”

And if you are around here long, you will say the same thing. It’s hard for me to grasp the fact that the same God who places each star in place and calls each of them by name, would look at little ole me and allow me to be a vessel to write words that carry eternal weight.

Some of these words that I write are full of encouragement and sometimes they will step on your toes (they step on mine too). I’m not trying to be the most favored writer, rather I want to be found as the most faithful. My writing is deeply rooted in scripture. I know that my words are empty without the richness of Jesus’ word. I know that there’s no need to add to it or take anything away from it. It’s my lifeline and it’s my prayer that people would fall in love with scripture and not my futile words.

So here’s to always having my ear turned towards heaven and asking God to speak. Until the whole world hears…

xx Eden Elizabeth Benton