“The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.” Deuteronomy 31:8
I am writing a book.
As I read those words, I shake my head. Me, really?
I’ve struggled with God’s will in my writing these past couple of years. Is this my calling? How do I know this is what He wants for me? Should I keep going or drop it altogether?
It’s my husband who believes in me more than I. He has encouraged me to attend a writer’s or bloggers conference several times and each time I’ve said, “It’s too much money.” The more he encouraged, the more I prayed and then finally said “Yes.”
But still I hesitate.
I don’t have thousands of followers and I’m not famous. Why would a publisher ever look at my writing? And what if I can’t? What if it’s just not in me?
Then I remember the way God works.
He takes the inconsequential and insignificant and transforms them into something amazing for His glory. He took Moses, weak in speech, and made him the leader of the Israelites-freeing them from slavery. He took Gideon, the weakest of his tribe to lead Israel in defeating the Midianites. He took David, the least of his brothers, and made him king over Israel. He took Mary, humble, young, and poor, and made her the mother of His Son. He took Peter, uneducated and awkward, and made him the founder of the church. And He took Jesus, His only Son, who took on human flesh, was born into poverty, one who wasn’t beautiful to look at, a son of a carpenter-to save the world.
He takes our “I can’t” and turns it into “He will.”
What can He do through me?
Through you?
Each time I begin to doubt this calling on my life to write, I pray, asking for His will to be made clear. I place it in His hands, asking Him to take it and do with it as He wills. I ask Him to shut doors, put up walls, erect barriers-all so that I would know that I need to stop.
But then He sends little gifts in the form of a comment, an email, an invitation to guest post somewhere, or an accidental meeting with a publisher-all to tell me to keep going. In a few weeks I head to SheSpeaks, a writer’s conference where I have a few appointments with publishers. I will bring my one sheet and my proposal, and walk forward, by faith and not by sight.
What will happen? I don’t know. Perhaps something. Perhaps nothing.
But no matter the outcome, He will be glorified and that’s all that really matters. It’s the reason why I write and it would be the reason why I would stop-For Him and His glory alone.
Won’t you please pray?
And if you haven’t already, would you please like my Facebook page?
Linking up with:
Word Filled Wednesday and Intentional.Me
Praying for you and if I could like your page again I would. Can’t wait to hear about your time there and hope whatever happens you have peace. And I just put a similar picture of a typewriter on my Published Stories page on my blog. Great minds think alike.
Yes, great minds do think alike:) Thanks for your prayers, I need them!
Great post and awesome reminder. I would LOVE LOVE LOVE to go to SheSpeaks. Im a bit jealous! I wish you TONS of luck!!!
Thank you! It is a blessing to be able to go and I am very thankful. Thanks for stopping by!
Not that you need luck because you’re fabulous, but I’m extending luck, wishes and prayers for a publisher to see in you what we already do
Carrie, you are such a sweet friend! Thank you. I appreciate your prayers!
Oh to hold your words He has given you in my hands, girl. I would in a heartbeat! I like your page and would love it if I could
I have so many I Can’ts in my life right now. I needed this reminder. To give my I Can’ts to Him. And He will if it glorifies Him the way I intend to. It’s up to Him, not me. Thank you!!!
(and I’m still praying….)
It’s up to Him, not me-you said it perfectly. And thanks for the prayers! You are a blessing and encouragement to me:)
Continue to keep releasing all to Him…keep writing your heart first to Him…and then your audience will continued to be blessed. I pray you will feel His leading as you go to the conference. I am a bit archaic…I don’t have FB…but if I did, I sure you “like” you because I do like you:)
Thanks for liking me for real! And thanks for these words. Just what I needed!
Sweet Christina,
Your humility is so beautiful.
Indeed, He does use the weak things to shame the strong. And I think two of the most powerful words in our vocabulary are but three letters each:
BUT GOD.
May this be our hope, no matter what mountain we face and how weak we feel.
I’m on my way to fb right now . . .
Thanks, Kelli! I want to be like Paul and boast in my weakness. Blessings to you!
I relate to this post so much! I often find myself thinking I’m not good enough to do this or that. But when God calls, He calls, and we just need to have faith and follow! I’m so happy to hear you are attending the conference and I will be praying for you. Also heading on over to facebook to give your page a like! Can’t wait to read more
Monica @ theatypicalhousewife.com
Thanks so much! I have said “I can’t” to so many things in my life. He is teaching me that it doesn’t matter what I can’t do-because He will. Blessings!
Those little encouragements sent by God make all the difference sometimes…prayers for you of learning and support on your adventure!
Thanks so much, Michy! I really appreciate your prayers, they mean so much to me! Blessings to you!
Christina,
BAM! This hit me right between the eyes…. a well needed reminder for me today, even though you were sharing your own personal story. Thanks again, my friend!
I am definitely praying for you!
Love,
the other one
Thank you, old friend:) Isn’t it amazing how one person’s story can impact someone else? So glad you were blessed.
Truly want my “I can’ts” to become His “I wills”.
Me too:) May He give us the grace to do so. Blessings!
This verse is powerful! I just this morning prayed this verse over my husband concerning his work as well. He is making a way for you Christina, I believe that with my whole heart and know you have a friend in ol’ Oklahoma praying for you. I haven’t joined FB, but plan on it soon and when I do, I will definitely “like” you.
Read Isaiah 45 ( specifically, verse 2), but all of it speaks to our God making a way through what seems to be the impossible.
Blessings and favor to you and over you friend!
I am so blessed to know you! Thanks for the passage from Isaiah, I needed to read it. Knowing that you and many others are praying for me gives me much needed courage. Thank you!
Oh, friend, I am cheering you on. And so proud of you. And remembering years ago when I, too, went to my first She Speaks Conference feeling totally unqualified yet convinced God had shoved me there… I, too, have a husband who dreams bigger than me and believes in this calling. you ARE a writer no matter what happens with that one sheet. Praying for you! And SO EXCITED to see what God has planned for your gifts.
Alicia, you always bless me with your kind words! Thank you so much! I can almost hear the cheers from the sidelines:)
Big smiles here! Cheering you on, friend. I can’t wait to see where God takes you on this journey.
I am nodding here, reading about your supportive husband. That’s my guy, too, believing on my behalf at times.
Press on, in Jesus’ name!
My husband always pushes me out of my comfort zone. God gave him to me for that reason:) Thanks so much for your encouragement!
Here’s sending you abundant blessings knowing that God will open doors for you at She Speaks. He equips those that He has called…So glad that I stopped by.
Yes He does. And He calls all of us to an important task. My pastor said on Sunday, “He doesn’t call the qualified, He qualifies the called.”
“He takes the inconsequential and insignificant and transforms them into something amazing for His glory.” Goodness, isn’t that the truth! Thank you so much for linking up, Christina!
I am very thankful for that truth! And thanks for visiting!
I feel just like you. I have wanted to be a writer since I was a child. It will happen in God’s timing for sure. He knows our hearts.
Bless you as you seek Him!
Beth
Thank you! May all our writing bring glory to Him!
Amen! I am also a newbie writer and blogger, and just reading your faith statement,
“I am writing a book. As I read those words, I shake my head. Me, really?”
I am encouraged. I will pray your success, and look forward to shouting the victory. Write on in faith, sister.
Peace and good to you.
In faith-that’s what it is. It’s all in faith. Thank you so much for your sweet words!
I’m excited to see where He leads you and how you will be used by Him. So thankful that we can rest knowing that He will accomplish what He wills.
He will accomplish all He wills in His time. Thanks for visiting, friend:)
“I can’t” becomes “He will” - awesome reminder, Christina. Thanks for it. Glad I came over to your blog today.
And I’m glad you came! Thanks for stopping by!
Oh yes, you have it in you! Congratulations on this brave step and go, go, go.
I love to see people so focused on God pursue publishing because I think too many people do it for the wrong reasons.
Blessings!
Thanks for the encouragement! We’ll see what happens:) Blessings to you!
“But no matter the outcome, He will be glorified and that’s all that really matters.”
Hold onto that truth! We are only resonsible for following the prompting of the Holy Spirit. The outcome, whatever it may be, is in His hands and for His glory!
Thank you for the beautiful reminder of His sufficiency!
And, yes, I’ll be glad to “like” your fb page…
Thanks, Joe! Yes, we are only responsible to answer the call, the end result is up to Him. So thankful it’s not all in my hands:) Blessings!
Such, such truth in this post! I struggle with these thoughts and feelings all the time with my music (which reminds me - your examples brought the song “I Am” by Ginny Owens to mind). It encourages me to know I’m not the only one. I look forward to hearing more about your book, and will definitely be praying for you. Thank you so much for sharing all of this.
Thank you! We strive so hard to do it on our own when all He asks is that we answer the call to follow Him. He enables us to do the work. No matter our weaknesses, He is stronger. Thanks for stopping by!
I hope everything falls together consistently and beautifully so you have no hesitation to move forward… b/c of Him. Blessings….
Yes, because of Him. Thanks so much!
Breathed a prayer for you just now..how exciting..writing has been my passion for years..just watched the long Anne of Green Gables, made several years ago, with my daughters and loved how she learned to write, not the fanciful, but the stories of her life..love this call..excited for you and inspired!!!
I really appreciate the prayers! And I appreciate your kind words:) Blessings to you!
Praying for you.
Thanks so much, Denise!
I love the way you wrote about Moses, David, Gideon, Mary and Peter to show how God takes the humblest, smallest of souls and uses them for His greatest work! It is so beautifully true. I wish you many blessings on your path as a writer, the right doors will open in time
Thank you for your kind comment over at my blog
And there are so many more examples I could have shared. It’s the way He works, through the weak. Thanks so much for stopping by!
Well, you may not have thousands of followers, but you certainly have an active audience. Be sure to put that in your proposal! I am excited for you and look forward to seeing what you write. I am working on an ebook and have had very similar feelings. Mine will definitely be published since I’ll be the one doing it, but I sometimes wonder if anyone even wants to read it. Aren’t we silly? If God gives us the words, he must have a plan. Even if his plan is for me to learn from the words, I’m happy with that!
Yes! If God gives us the words, he must have a plan. And He uses those words to change lives. Thanks so much for your kind words. Blessings!
I’ve been writing a book too. . .for 3 years! Way to go, getting out there and going forward. I’ll be praying for you.
And yes, I’m always saying I can’t and He always says to me “But I can”.
Learning to listen,
Kris
I’m learning what Paul means when he said, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” Thanks for visiting!
Praying for you… Have fun at the conference!! How exciting! What great support your husband is, too. God’s got this, honey. Can’t wait to hear how the conference is!!
Absolutely praying for you, friend!