From Discarded Dream to Joyful Reality

What a road I've been on to get where I'm going. I'd say I can't believe I've finally arrived...at the brink of "real" authorhood with the upcoming publication of my first book by a legitimate, royalty paying publisher...but that's not true. I can believe it because it has been such a God-thing from start to finish, and, in many ways, my life (as an aggregate of 40 years lived) makes so much more sense now. I can see why this book didn't go anywhere 7 years ago when I "first" wrote it...God wasn't finished with it yet, nor with me.

In any case, here I am, with The Complete Leader's Guide to Christian Retreats due out in December, 4 months earlier than my editor said (when does that happen???). When I officially got my contract back in April, I threw myself a little "publishing party", and my family and I celebrated this milestone with those who have been encouraging me in this writer's journey. However, with the recent news that my book will actually be in print before the end of the year, I was overcome with emotion to discover my response was not to party...but to praise God.

Ten years ago when I was starting in the Christian freelance field, I applied to Group to become an approved writer for their curriculum. Part of the application was to create a full lesson based on an assigned scripture. My text was the Israelites' response to God when Moses leads them out of Egypt to freedom, and my task was to apply it in explaining our response to the knowledge that Jesus sets us free. Well, I read that passage over and over again and for the life of me could not get the connection. Then slowly but surely the truth sunk in...the Israelites' response to freedom from physical and spiritual bondage was to worship God in the wilderness. Our response to Jesus' forgiving, redeeming, bondage-breaking love should mirror that of our Bible relatives. Naturally, spontaneously, joyfully we should worship and praise God for the gift that changed our lives, that changes our lives, forever. As children of God, when our true focus is on him, worship is part of our innate expression of who we are and what God means to us. It's not something we "have to do" on Sundays; it's something we want to do, every day of our lives. (BTW I did get approved!)

And so, I can't think of any better way to celebrate this book coming into being than to ask my church to hold a Book Baptism, so to speak. I've made a request to our church staff to hold a special worship service in the late afternoon one Sunday before my book hits the stores. I want to sing the songs that most connect me to the Lord. I want my kids to be a part of the worship team and lead these praises with me. I want my "good strong women" friends who prayed me through the final stages of my book proposal to now publicly pray for this book and God's plans for me as I share it with others. I want my pastor to give the message, encouraging me as I go out into the world as a servant of the Kingdom. I want God to know that I know it's all because of him.

From discarded dream to joyful reality, I find that I instinctively desire to celebrate this gift of authorship that God has given me by praising and worshipping him. Wow! Does this mean I'm growing up (into Christ)? Would that I could always keep him this much in focus. No doubt my life would be so much easier! Stay tuned...