A publisher told her a book was “not so much written as it was preached”

This announcement from the Lord was but His latest in the sequence of words I was hearing about writing. It was not unusual for people to approach me and say “you should write a book”, or “there's a book in you!” Obviously, with this new round of disclosures I was getting closer to the discovery of a whole new realm of ministry to the Body of Christ.

Preaching first

I began my calling to the pulpit ministry early — in fact I was preaching when I was still a teenager. Convinced of the call of God, I pursued training in Bible school as well as diverse opportunities of ministry. The early arena of ministry was among Canada's first peoples. Also, in luncheons or conferences, I was invited to speak to women who had a desire to press in to receive more from the Lord.

I've known the unique delight of watching the Spirit of the Lord take the word and minister it into the “now” moments of the hearers, whether in Canada or internationally.

I've always been drawn to the narrative portions of the word of God. Those are more than “stories”. They tell of real-life partnerships with a living God.

After many years of ministry I heard about an author who said that her book was “not so much written as it was preached”. That line became embedded in my heart.

Rev. Peggy I. Kennedy

Three streams

The accumulation of the Lord's details about writing was growing. It was 1999 when He clearly indicated that my first book would be written from my six-month personal daily journal of discoveries I had made in the Song of Songs.

Those journals became A Is for Apple — Daily Delights from the Song of Songs, released in 2009. The launch was a major occasion, highlighting how various creative gifts can flow together to bring ministry to the Body of Christ. An artist's painting was the cover, and inside was a worship CD providing a backdrop for each day's devotional page. That focus on complementary giftings was further expressed by four additional authors writing the daily responsive prayers.

In 2012 two more books were released. Hear the Sound is a compilation of the bi-weekly sends which now go out to over 2,500 readers. That book fulfils what the Lord said about the second stream: the fig tree. The emphasis there is on being connected with our God. Like Nathanael, we can discover this gracious, intimate God who sees me under the fig tree and then calls me to participate with Him in greater things. Being connected with Him is essential to being available to Him.

“Where can I get this book?”

Last to be released is Chosen — Conversations of God with His Mighty Warrior. The setting is, of course, Gideon. Like Gideon we can meet our God under the oak tree. There He will speak to us of our destiny and remove our self-imposed disqualifications.

There is a special link of this book to South Asia. I had met a young seminary graduate in India with whom I had a lively discussion about partnering with our God. I made several references to Gideon. Finally the young man interrupted me: “Where can I get this book?” I replied that I had to return to Canada and write it.

That conversation was always before me as I was writing. It truly is a book not so much written as it was preached — I drew heavily upon my notes used when preaching about Gideon in many diverse settings. The book is dedicated to the Gideons whom the Lord is raising up in this generation. I've met them. They are out there. They will partner with Him, and their obedience will merge with the supernatural activity of God.

Is the assignment finished?

The books are now in their first, second and third printings, and two printings are circulating in South Asia. Reader responses have confirmed that the Lord desired that the matters of His heart released from the pulpit would also be heard through my pen.

Is the writing assignment completed? Likely not. Each of the three streams of which the Lord spoke has now been opened. It is predictable that He's preparing more to be released through my ready pen. The anointing can flow from the pulpit. I can certainly now testify that the anointing can also flow from the pen.