God,
Who used words to speak the whole universe into existence,
Who chose human language to communicate Divine truths,
Who wrote your commandments on tablets of stone,
And inspired mere mortals to publish your immortal and eternal Word, hear my prayer.
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I am your servant, and I am a literary agent. Lord, help me.
Grant that even with all the words and sentences, paragraphs and pages I must read every day, that I will not grow weary; preserve my enthusiasm for good writing and good books.
Please protect my eyesight through the hours upon hours I must spend gazing at screens and pages.
Keep me grounded in Your Word above all others.
Help me to respond with grace and discretion to writers who have poured their hearts into their work and still need to work some more.
Save me from hubris; teach me humility, helping me to remember always that this enterprise is not about me but about building your kingdom.
Save me from providing false hope and tactless criticism.
Save me from lazy and crazy writers, and save me from becoming one of them.
Grant me patience and wisdom in finding talent, even when it’s rough and undeveloped.
Help me to know when to teach, when to encourage, when to coach, when to correct, when to speak out, and when to shut up.
Guide me to those men and women who can flat write, who will put in the time, who will hone their craft, and become fit instruments in your hands, amen.
And through it all, Lord, may the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart—and every exchange with authors, editors, and readers—be acceptable in your sight.
