Meditations with an Ink Pen

During June and July of this year, 2024, I dealt with melanoma. Yes, I had cancer on my skin, a tiny patch on the tip of one ear. And for eight weeks I waited and wondered what the outcome would be. (It was good, by the way. It hadn’t spread past my ear. One of my ears is now 25% shorter than the other, but I am healthy.)

I admit I was scared. I struggled with anxiety during the waiting, and there was a lot of waiting. Waiting for biopsies, waiting for CT scan results, waiting for a surgery date. Waiting isn’t easy.

When I’m anxious and waiting, I’m not always good at normal life things. My spiritual disciplines sometimes fall to the wayside. I spent a whole lot of time with God during those eight weeks, but it didn’t follow my normal patterns. I don’t focus as well when I’m anxious.

However, I picked up a new habit that I plan to carry forward. I broke open a brand-new notebook and began to write Scripture. Many of my friends and even my readers sent me Bible passages for encouragement, and I wrote them down.

Over and over. I started with Psalm 23. A dear new friend suggested I put photos on my phone of calming scenes—for her it was her grandchildren—to calm my spirit when I was sitting in waiting rooms. My happy photos are always landscapes, and they are landscapes that bring to mind Psalm 23. I decided I wanted not only to visualize the image but memorize the Psalm.

This wasn’t hard, because I’ve read it enough that I knew most of it, but I wanted to know it well. To do this, I wrote it down. Then I did it again. And again. The result? I can now recite Psalm 23. Not well—I stumble over parts of it every single time. However, I can write it flawlessly. I seem to be wired such that my hand memorizes in a way my brain doesn’t.

Over and over

After this I continued on. I’ll write a passage down and then write it again. And again. Each time it’s easier to write. Each time I focus on a different word, or a different thought comes to mind. As my hand learns the form of the sentences, the placement of letters and words, my mind is freer and freer to ponder the meaning.

Unfortunately, for many years of my life I did my writing by hand, so my hands experience some pain now when I write. It limits what I can do. And yes, I could type my verses, but it’s not the same. So I will write when I can, as much as I can. My notebook is with my morning Bible time supplies, so I write verses regularly. It’s calming. It’s useful. It’s encouraging and enlightening.

This morning I wrote praises from Psalm 148 (the Psalms are my happy place, so many of my written passages are from Psalms.). On days when I rise tired or frustrated and can’t get my heart in the right place for morning reading and prayer, I’ll simply start writing until my heart settles and gets with the program.

A simple practice

Find a favorite verse or passage. It can be short or long. Grab a good pen, one that works for you. (I love this particular cheap brand of pen. I like it on paper, and it’s also good for underlining or taking notes right in the Bible.) Get a notebook. I’m using a 50-cent notebook from Wal-Mart, but you could find a fancier one.

Then write. Write out praises. Promises. Write about topics on your mind—fear? Joy? Patience? Pain? Write the verses once. Write them twice. Write them every day for a week, or write a new passage every day.

It’s a simple little practice, but now that I’ve started it, I plan to continue.

If you try it out, comment and let me know what you think.