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by Cindy Sproles @CindyDevoted

It’s no secret that devotions are where I cut my writing teeth. Along with the love of devotions, came a ministry that turned twenty years old in August 2026. And that desire to write devotions began right here at Blue Ridge. My ministry partner, Eddie Jones and I met in our first class taught by Alton Gansky. As we listened to Al teach, one nugget from Al’s class resonated with Eddie and me both. Oddly enough, we both wrote that down, and twenty years later, Christian Devotions still teaches this wisdom.

• If you want to write for God, you have to realize that it may not be folded between two covers and sitting on the shelves of a bookstore. It may only be meant for the person sitting next to you.

A few weeks later, Eddie contacted me, and we put our heads together. How could we write and teach others to write devotions that would truly impact readers? The answer boiled down to the old-school method that Bible Universities used to teach their ministers to write a sermon. A fellow author tweaked the process and taught us Hook, Book, Look, and Took.

It’s important to understand there are a ton of ways to write devotions, but it cannot be a devotion without three definite elements. 1) a scripture, 2) an application. and 3) a takeaway. You can add more elements, but without these three things, your devotion is only inspirational.

Four Tools to Make an Impactful Devotion by @CindyDevoted on @BRMCWC #Writing #Writinglife #BRMCWC Share on X

Hook, book, look, and took does a couple of important things for the reader (hence, why ministers are taught to write their sermons this way). You begin with a good story, a hook, present the application to your scripture, and then offer your reader a challenge. That said, let’s look at this simple method of writing devotions.

• The Hook – Just like any other form of writing, the author needs a solid hook—a shocking statement or an incident that forces the reader to ask the question, “What on earth is going on here? And remember: the shorter the piece, the closer to the top of the page your hook should be. If you can get it in the first line of a 400-word devotion, then you’ve mastered the hook. Eddie’s best hook was this: I got married at the age of five in the basement of the First United Methodist Church. Not only does this hook draw a smile from the reader, but it also makes them ask, “What on earth is going on here?” That means they’ll keep reading to find out. Fluffy first paragraphs can be beautifully crafted, but in a devotion, unless they make the reader ask this question, you’ve already begun to lose your audience.
• The Book – The book is that story that the reader relates to. It’s where you declare your point. Most ministers begin their sermon with a nifty story. Some are humorous, others fun, and still others serious, but the story sets the pace for what you’re teaching. The Book should always tie into the other three elements. It’s important that your devotion form a circle of sorts. Everything connects to every part. Also, you have permission to make up a story. After all, you are a writer. There’s a misconception that these stories need to be true, and well…that’s just not true. Most humorous stories are fabricated. Some are true, but if you buy the giant book of sermon starters that most Bible Colleges carry in the campus bookstore, you’ll quickly find someone made these stories up. So, give yourself permission to be creative with your story. Of course, true stories are fine. Either way, they should tie together with your hook.
• The Look – Here’s where you teach. This is the place you apply the application for the reader. How does the chosen scripture apply in your life, and how would your reader apply it? Better yet, how did Jesus or the apostles apply it? The unique thing about a devotion is that it is your one opportunity to really teach. Focus on one scripture and help your reader understand how it applies to them. The one thing about scripture is that it is timeless and it fits every season of life. Hone in on that and teach the word.
• The Took – Never forget the challenge to the reader. Your devotion may be their only Bible for the day. You’ve given them a scripture, told them a relatable story to help them remember, showed them how to apply it in their life; now you challenge them. What do you want them to learn, to take away? How can you challenge them? A common practice for writers is to ask a question. I challenge you to turn that question into a statement for a stronger impact – plus, a statement drives home the point that the reader should consider making a decision. For example:

       You might say: “Won’t you invite Jesus into your heart?” But when you flip that question to a statement, look at the impact. “Ask Jesus into your heart.” Can you see the difference? You can walk away from a question, but a statement requires action.

Devotions are one of the most difficult things to write next to a bio because they require you to say a lot in a teeny, weenie space. Devotions teach you to dig deeper for stronger words, good, solid verbs, and descriptions that speak volumes. In fact, should you decide to take hold of the art of writing devotions, you hold an amazing tool of God in your hands.

ChristianDevotions.us has been at the devotions end of writing for twenty years. We didn’t coin the method we teach, but it’s an effective tool for sharing God’s word. Visit our site at www.christiandevotions.us and click the tab “Write for Us.” Download the guidelines and submit. This is a great place to get your first writing credit.

Regardless of the manner you choose to write your devotion in, remember to check the guidelines of the place you are submitting. As I said, there are multiple ways to write a devotion, but for a devo to be a devo, it must have a scripture, an application, and a takeaway. Now, get out there and stretch your creativity. Write a devotion and see just how God will use it.

Cindy K. Sproles is an author, speaker, and conference teacher. Having served for a number of years as a managing editor for Lighthouse Publishing of the Carolinas and Ironstream Media, Cindy now works as a mentor, coach, and freelance editor. She is the co-founder of Writing Right Author Mentoring Services with Lori Marett and the director of the Asheville Christian Writers Conference. Cindy is also the co-founder of Christian Devotions Ministries and www.christiandevotions.us, as well as www.inspireafire.com. Her devotions are in newspapers and magazines nationwide, and her novels have become award-winning, best-selling works. She is a popular speaker at conferences and a natural encourager. Cindy is a mountain girl, born and raised in the Appalachian mountains, where she and her husband still reside. She has raised four sons and now resorts to raising chickens where the pecking order is easier to manage. You can visit Cindy at www.cindysproles.com or www.wramsforwriters.com.