The HopeWords Writers’ Conference founder Travis Lowe hadn’t needed to persuade me; I preregistered upon the first announcement of speakers. And what did I learn for them? That I need to persuade others, to reason, convince, and provide sound reason for fearing the Lord—being in awe of Him. Try to persuade outward to others, but only after being persuaded upward and inward myself.

Persuade Upward

The theme of the conference was Writing in Darkness, to write and read to heal. “People who experience suffering can’t help but hand onto God,” Travis Lowe said in his introduction of keynote speaker Christian Wiman, who has suffered with a rare cancer for many years and wrestles with faith in poetry and prose.

 “The question of faith is the single most important question,” he said. Reality is saturated with divinity, but God is unknowable. “God doesn’t need to be named to be God. He spoke the world into being.” 

We feel God through Jesus, and the Holy Spirit lets us experience God. And we bear suffering inwardly.

Persuade Inward

Though she did not reveal specifics, Hannah Anderson is experiencing a season of darkness—a winter. “Be careful of letting too much artificial light into this reality,” she said then referenced Psalm 74:16-17 NIV

The day is yours, and yours also the night; you established the sun and moon. It was you who set all the boundaries of the earth; you made both summer and winter.

Allow yourself to sit in the darkness, Anderson said, nothing is being lost. “The Earth’s longest night is light to Him.” A light that we are to shine outward, to persuade others.

Persuade Outward

Upward to God, Inward to Jesus, and Outward to your neighbor—so proclaimed Derwin Gray, a former NFL player now pastor and writer. “God loves to choose the most unlikely people,” he said.

We cannot introduce others to the Triune God we do not know, he said. Look upward; experience rebirth in Jesus to appreciate forgiveness; and although most of our busy lives don’t involve the Holy Spirit, walking on His path does.

My “persuade upward, inward, and outward” for today

Since, then, we know what it is to fear the Lord, we try to persuade others. What we are is plain to God, and I hope it is also plain to your conscience. 2 Corinthians 5:11 NIV

According to Paul, “to fear the Lord” does not mean terror but awe, like having a healthy respect for His authority and the gift of salvation for all who trust in Christ. At the end of life, we will face judgment for our choices. Did we serve Christ well or only ourselves? Did we persuade outward?

Only God knows us thoroughly, our mission, our motivations, and the fruit of our effort. And I suspect every conference attendee didn’t need the speakers to persuade them of these truths. But it sure was a blessing to be among those who believe, wait, and journey in hope.

Linkup with Five Minute Friday: https://fiveminutefriday.com/2025/04/03/fmf-writing-prompt-link-up-persuade/