endmatter: January
an end of the month collection
Hello, friends! Welcome to endmatter, a new series here on SFP’s Substack. Its inspiration lies at the end of a book, where the back matter (or end matter) lives. This overlooked place is, at the very least, where author acknowledgements and perhaps their bios are featured. But it is also often filled with a plethora of interesting information, delivered in appendices, glossaries, endnotes, indexes, bibliographies, and colophons (any other geeks out there who read with their finger lodged in the endnotes?).
Likewise, endmatter will function here as a month-end recap of the press’s endeavors, including announcements, updates—and most importantly, the month’s online publications. It will also feature recordings of published work in the author’s own voice, and, to emulate the end matter’s goldmine of information, some additional wisdom and insight from SFP’s published writers.
Please enjoy!
This Month’s Publications
What inspired the work?
HEATHER: On “The Lost Boys of Rizpah”: I started writing a poem a couple of years ago about my journey as a mother and caregiver for my teenage son with nonverbal autism. The lines, “Was it courage or insolence? / On that, no one agreed…” were inspired by difficult moments of autism advocacy in recent years. The poem was very important to me on a personal level, but I couldn’t grab hold of a broader, more universal narrative. Then, in my daily Bible reading, I came across the story of Rizpah in 2 Samuel. For whatever reason, the passage had never before stood out to me. On this particular day, however, Rizpah’s story grabbed hold of me and wouldn’t let go. Those lines in my half-finished poem, “Was it courage or insolence? / On that, no one agreed…” suddenly sprang to mind. I spent the rest of the day molding every raw emotion I’d poured into that poem to instead describe Rizpah.
What biblical character do you relate to way more than you probably should?
HEATHER: I can think of no biblical figure that resonates with me as strongly as Rizpah does. There is something in her fidelity and defiance that compels and inspires me. May I be half as courageous as Rizpah.
Find more of Heather at Firelight
What inspired the work?
CODY: “Something Gold Has Come” | I revere Robert Frost, and don’t mean to critique his original poem, “Nothing Gold Can Stay,” with my poem; however, inverting his classic lamentation with the hope of the gospel was irresistible.
“Beneath the Swamp” | This poem took shape when I realized that swamps are only mucky on the surface; if you sink deep enough into them, you’d hit solid rock. The metaphorical leap to a theology of suffering and hope snuck up on me.
If this piece were a Bible verse, which would it be? Why?
CODY: “Something Gold Has Come”: Revelation 21:21 | Pretty pearls are produced by ugly irritants like sand; we’ll enter the kingdom and comprehend in a new way how God turns darkness to light, old to gold.
“Beneath the Swamp”: Isaiah 54:1-10 | We face unimaginable trouble, even terror, in this world; but it is a world destined for a redemption that races toward us, invisibly and inevitably.
What biblical character do you relate to way more than you probably should?
CODY: I relate to the donkey that spoke to Balaam: I’ve got a purpose, but probably not much reason to boast…
Find more of Cody on Instagram @_codyadam
What inspired the work?
EMMA: I was writing a few poems about what the nature of Jesus might look like in our modern context, and became captivated by how Jesus came as the least of us—a baby. He lived with very few possessions, traveling from town to town. How would he preach to our unhoused neighbors?
What biblical character do you relate to way more than you probably should?
EMMA: Abigail. She has such “I have to do everything around here” energy.
Find more at Emma McCoy
What inspired the work?
CALEB: “On Jeremiah 16:1-21” is somewhat ekphrastic (though it is a response to the preached word rather than a visual piece). I wrote the first draft as my sermon notes during the service (Omega OPC Williamsport, PA, check it out!). This is part of an ongoing series that I do called “Poetry & Preaching” where I write the themes / verses for each week’s sermon into a poem.
“Skin” was, rather drably, inspired by looking at my own hand. I like to watch the raised ridges of veins and tendons as my fingers flex and the phrase just popped into my head, “Spirit like skin.” The rest was the process of working that image out.
If this piece were a Bible verse, which would it be? Why?
CALEB: “On Jeremiah 16:1-21” is explicitly based on the passage of Scripture in the title. I wrote it during the sermon my pastor preached on that section. However, I think that Psalm 110:3 would best sum up this piece. “Beauties of holiness from the womb of the morning” are the end result of the poem; and what could the womb of the morning be but dark at first?
“Skin” is a little harder. I think I’ll go with Isaiah 40:22 for this one because that image of the firmament stretched out on the commands of God like skin on fingerbones was the driving force behind the poem.
What does your creative process look like? How is God involved in that?
CALEB: My creative process is a torturous roller coaster of agony and ecstasy. Neither of these poems are good examples of this, however. The Jeremiah poem was finalized on the same day as I typed up the first draft, and “Skin” only went through two revisions.
Writing a poem is like sanctifying a person, but it hurts both ways. I have to keep cutting until every wrong word or poetic inaccuracy is gone and the lines ring with beauty that is as close to true as I can get it. In that sense, my whole understanding of how to make a poem better is informed by how God sanctifies me by His Holy Spirit. Also, I know that my words are only seeking resonance with His: that is what poetry is, I believe, even for secular poets. I get a direct line to constantly ask Him, “Help me write something good. Not just poetic, but good.” I also constantly give thanks to God for the opportunity to write and for His calling on my life to do so. I love it and it is such a rich journey!
If you could give one piece of writing advice, what would it be?
CALEB: Don’t be afraid to be disciplined. Until I listened to David Perell’s interview with Dana Gioia, I didn’t really believe I could revise a poem. Once I started seriously revising, it opened a whole new world of poetry to me. But this process of revision takes patience, it takes waiting with the poem, breaking it, leaving it, coming back, until the pieces combust into a brand new level of inspiration. It’s mind-bending work, but those who persevere will end up with a poem.
If you had to pick a biblical story to describe your writing life in the last year, what would it be and why?
CALEB: Paul going to Arabia for three years in Galatians 1:17-18. I feel like God has shown me what I am supposed to be doing with my time (writing hard), but it has involved some level of isolation and drawing back. I’m no hermit (I live with my parents and three unmarried siblings and I have a circle of friends that faithfully drag me out of exile), but I have certainly been very focused and regimented in this season.
Find more at Caleb Hill
What inspired the work?
NICHOLAS: The main inspiration for this work comes from how I often feel the temptation to willfully blind myself to the sin in my life for fear of confronting its ugliness. It’s not that the Great Physician cannot heal us of any and all sin, but that we refuse to acknowledge our sickness and thus seek the Good Doctor’s aid. I hoped to capture that distinction in this piece.
If this piece were a Bible verse, which would it be? Why?
NICHOLAS: James 1:5 | But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death (ESV).
I suppose this poem is an exploration of that horrifying process.
What does your creative process look like? How is God involved in that?
NICHOLAS: Creative writing is the excess of deep thinking, journaling, and meditation on the Scriptures. As a minister, I spend time observing and expositing the text of Scripture which leads me to journal about how its principles apply to my life. From there, I find illustrations to explain this spiritual formation and truth. The overflow of those studies compels me to express them in creative ways whether in short story or poetry. Without the foundation of my biblical studies and prayerful meditation, I have little material to work from.
If you could give one piece of writing advice, what would it be?
NICHOLAS: Your spiritual formation is the most essential aspect to your writing. A good writer draws deep from their experiences and knowledge of living in Christ, but if the well is not deep nor the water good and pure, it will prove to be bitter and disappointing experience for your readers. They will know something is missing. An artist’s piece is nothing less than themselves expressed. Let it be a noble, true, and good expression.
What biblical character do you relate to way more than you probably should?
NICHOLAS: I would say Gideon. He was a man uncertain, doubtful, and quite anxious about his calling and the work set before him. God graciously provided lots of assurance, but the spoils of God’s victory and Gideon’s successes became a snare to himself. I often find myself anxious and worried; but when God comes through, I find those victories to be temptations to self-glorification and pride.
If you had to pick a biblical story to describe your writing life in the last year, what would it be and why?
NICHOLAS: I would refer to Paul at the Areopagus, giving an explanation for the unknown God represented in the public square. Every writing endeavour in the last year has been a personal attempt to answer difficult questions and observations about the Christian faith. The projects have been an appeal to the imagination—to illustrate both the horrors of evil sin and the beauty and true hope in the Gospel of Jesus Christ. I find myself referring to what we all commonly observe in this life and to show how it makes sense from the biblical perspective of God.
Find more at Nicholas Lewis
What inspired the work?
God, grief, and whānau, via my atheist aunty Violet. Her poem from 2008, “Casualty of Time,” depicts a weary soldier, tired, maimed and guided by darkness (but drawn to beauty). When I returned home after an encounter with Jesus’ love, I read her poem with new eyes. God spoke to me through her work, and I had to write something in response.
If this piece were a Bible verse, which would it be? Why?
Psalm 19: 1-4 | The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they reveal knowledge. They have no speech, they use no words; no sound is heard from them. Yet their voice goes out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world.
What does your creative process look like? How is God involved in that?
Untamed but not chaotic. It is still being worked out in me. Usually, when something is important, it comes to me in the night and won’t be stilled until I note it down. God ensures I don’t miss the important part.
If you could give one piece of writing advice, what would it be?
The poet as witness, not ultimate authority.
Find more at Caitlin R. Galbraith
Paradoxa
I posted an update on the annual print edition back in November, which you can read here:
Organization of the manuscript has concluded, and I am now embarking on the design stage. Unfortunately there has been a publication delay, which will be explained in the next update.
Upcoming News
Stayed tuned for a second update on Paradoxa, coming February 6.