Midweek Morsel: God’s Call to Something New

June 2, 2016 by 2 Comments

travel-1233762_1920Has God ever asked you to do something entirely new to you? It happened to the Old Testament prophet Amos. This is how Amos described it to Amaziah the priest:

“‘. . . I was neither a prophet nor a prophet’s son, but I was a shepherd, and I also took care of sycamore fig trees. But the LORD took me from tending the flock and said to me, “Go, prophesy to my people Israel.”’” (Amos 7:14-15)

Amos had two work roles and was probably quite skilled in each, but God gave him an entirely new and different assignment. If you’re like me, you can just imagine what his initial response might have been. Lord, I’m used to dealing with sheep and trees. Are you sure you’ve got the right guy for the job? But whatever his first thoughts, we know Amos answered God’s call and followed where he led.

Are we ready to step out of our comfort zones to answer God’s call? Let’s remember Amos the next time God gives us a new and different assignment. Let’s remember that God can use us in unlikely ways!

“But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us.” 2 Corinthians 4:7

*Has God ever asked you to do something you felt inadequate for?

*CCO Public Domain Photo

Filed Under: adventure, change, comfort, new thing, trust, Word of God, work Tagged With: , , ,

Career Recipe for Writers

May 2, 2016 by 6 Comments

2597109669_d8b0b519e9_zJust for fun—and for a little introspection and insight—let’s write a recipe today.  Let’s make it a recipe for whatever our careers or main job descriptions are at this point in our lives. You game?

Here’s my recipe for being a writer:

1 computer

1 printer/scanner/copier/fax

1 direct line to God the Father (aka prayer)

2 heaping c. of “learn the ropes”

4 c. BIC (butt in chair) time (aka writing, writing, writing)

2 c. reading widely

1 writers market guide

1 c. ongoing education and conferences

½ c. business know-how/record keeping

½ c. critique group

1/2 c. business emails

1 thick skin

2 c. positive outlook

8 c. perseverance and determination

1 1/2 c. blogging

½ c. Facebook and other social media

1 T. fellowship at monthly writers group

1/8 c. networking on other blogs

Mix all together and let simmer.  Add humor and journaling to taste and eat chocolate as needed. Do this every work day.

So what does it take to do your job? What would your recipe look like? As you consider the ingredients for your recipe, do you see anything in your life that needs to be altered?

“Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men.” Colossians 3:23

*The new issue of Life Notes, my quarterly inspirational newsletter, comes out this week. Sign-up is free and to the right!

*Flickr photo by DeaPeaJay, Creative Commons License

Filed Under: fun, preparation, recipe, success, variety, wisdom, work Tagged With: , , ,

Midweek Morsel: We Flourish Because God Blesses

February 4, 2016 by Leave a Comment

438756167_fcc0efd8ab_z“Isaac planted crops in that land and the same year reaped a hundredfold because the LORD blessed him.” Genesis 26:12

When we flourish, when we experience success and reap a hundredfold the way Isaac did, who gets the credit? If we’re not careful, we can get caught up in the way the world thinks. We’ll either think we just got lucky or we’ll start thinking our success resulted from all the smart decisions we made or all the things we did right.

Yes, the seeds of success are planted because of hard work—we reap because we sow. My own experience is testimony to that. I wouldn’t have a book coming out later this year if I had not done the hard work of writing and revising and polishing that book and if I had not taken years of steps towards securing an agent.

But when the seeds that we plant grow, when we reap in bounty, when we flourish, it’s because God blesses us. God blessed me with doors finally swinging open. He is the one who blessed me with an agent. He is the one who, against extremely high odds, opened a door at BroadStreet for me. And now as I move into a new phase of doing the best I can to help market my book when it releases, I need to remember that he holds this step in his hands as well. Any blessing that results will come from him.

Yes, friends, let’s remember who gets the credit for blessings in our lives.

“I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God made it grow.” 1 Corinthians 3:6

*How has God blessed your efforts lately?

*Don’t miss out on the One-More-Chance Starbucks Giveaway. Deadline to enter is Feb. 10th!

*The latest issue of Life Notes, my quarterly inspirational newsletter, came out this week. It’s not too late to receive it. Sign-up is free and to the right!

*Flickr photo by Frank Hamm, Creative Commons License

Filed Under: Above and Beyond, blessing, fruit, nature, success, work, writing Tagged With: , , , ,

Midweek Morsel: Rest During Demanding Times

September 17, 2015 by 4 Comments

3475199344_22c0327a80_z“‘. . . even during the plowing season and harvest you must rest.’” Exodus 34:21b

God knows what we need, doesn’t he? As Creator, no one knows us and our needs better than he does. The Bible, his Word to us, is full of his instructions, exhortations, commands, and wisdom that are for our benefit. We are our wisest selves when we listen and heed his words.

One of the things God knows we need is rest. He not only gave the commandment about resting from our work on the Sabbath when he gave the Ten Commandments to Moses, but he went on to emphasize in the passage above that even during the plowing season and harvest the people were to rest. Yes, even during their busiest times, God said, “you must rest.”

If people in Old Testament times needed rest during their busiest seasons, don’t you think we need rest today during our most demanding times as well? I can’t help but think that God knows us so well he knew we’d need explicit instructions for busy seasons. He knows we’re tempted to push too hard when we’ve got more work than hours in the week.

But if we’re wise—if we’re honoring and obeying God—we will rest. And it will indeed benefit us.

“‘Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.’” Mark 6:31b

*What are some of the benefits of rest?

*Flickr photo by Meagan, Creative Commons License

Filed Under: refresh, rest, time, wisdom, Word of God, work Tagged With: , ,

A Persistent Breed

May 11, 2015 by 8 Comments

2329631495_a0ee551ea3_z*This piece about perseverance, written originally for my February 2009 Life Notes newsletter, is still spot-on applicable in my life today. Last fall I had to pull up my persevering-writer bootstraps like never before when the contract for my book fell through. And today my agent and I are still plugging away and refusing to give up. May the post below inspire you to persevere in areas of your own life. Also, the new issue of Life Notes came out the first of the month, and it’s not too late to receive it. Sign-up is free and to the right!

We writers have to be a persistent breed. A good possibility of rejection lurks just around the corner with each submission sent out. And everyone knows, writer or not, rejection can be hard to handle.

For most people, rejection leads to retreat or at least a change of course. For writers, it better lead to regrouping and forward movement—or we will never see our work published. And believe me, those positive steps can be hard to take if we’ve reverted to a fetal position.

Yes, writers have to learn to quickly get past the dashed hopes a rejection letter delivers, take a deep breath, and start again. That’s where persistence comes in. That’s when we learn to persevere.

Can I let you in on a little secret? I’ve had plenty of practice. Since I started writing thirteen years ago, rejection has paid me regular visits. Truth be told, rejection has come calling more than acceptance.

So why haven’t I given up? I feel like it’s the work God has called me to do, and until he leads in another direction, I want to be faithful to the task. His Word offers continual encouragement with verses like Galatians 6:9: “Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.”

And that brings me to another reason for persevering. The sweetness of the harvest. What a privilege when my work is used and someone’s life is touched through words I’ve written.

Writers are not the only ones who are called upon to persevere, though. We are not the only ones to know the thrill of the harvest. I have to look no further than my own little family to see other examples of perseverance.

I’ve watched my husband go to work day after day, year after year, to provide for our family, even on days he would have preferred to do other things. I saw my oldest daughter hang in there and complete her graduate studies when she had to live far away from her family and fiancé. While waiting tables and faithfully watching internet job sites and Help Wanted ads, my youngest daughter waited over two years to land a job in her field of study and in the area where she wanted to live. And yes, I’ve had to persevere through other life challenges, too.

Does your job or your endeavors demand that you be a persistent breed? Will pressing on be the only way you will achieve your goals? Or maybe you’re faced with having to persevere through a health crisis, a difficult relationship, or a financial setback. Whatever your challenges, I encourage you to not give up. The harvest is sure. And it will certainly be sweet.

“‘But as for you, be strong and do not give up, for your work will be rewarded.’” 2 Chronicles 15:7

*When have you had to persevere?

*Flickr photo by Tonymadrid Photography, Creative Commons License

Filed Under: determination, fighter, goal, perseverance, work, writing
« Previous Page
Next Page »