Press on…
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Rise and Shine, sweet friends!
I hope this Tuesday finds you well.
How is your prayer life going?
Well, if not so well, then today is a new day! Start all over again. :)
I want to share a story with you in hopes to encourage you.
In November of this past year, I released my first book.
It was truly a labor of love, and I was just so excited to finally get it off my computer and onto real physical pages.
On November 3rd, I made the announcement.
On November 4th, I began having all kinds of emotions.
Regret, insecurity, doubt….all of these feelings were swirling around my heart.
I felt like I had just given birth to be honest with you. It felt like I had just thrown my baby out into the Amazon world.
Weird, I know.
The enemy had a field day with my mind. He kept whispering..
It is not good enough.
It is too simple.
Nobody will read this, Jill.
Nobody cares.
You need to find something else to do…writing is just not a fit for you.
It was a difficult time of emotions.
On one hand, I was so excited to fulfill a life long dream.
On the other hand, I felt like a failure. I felt it just wasn’t good enough.
I prayed and begged God to show me what HE thought. I desperately needed to know that all of those months sitting in that coffee shop were not wasted.
Lord, does this please YOU? Lord, does this honor YOU?
Day after day I wrestled with these emotions, only confessing these thoughts to my sweet husband.
A few months later, I had an encounter that changed everything.
I ran into a friend that I had not seen in a very long time. She knew I had written a devotional, and she had purchased it.
She came up to me and said…
“Jill, I just want you to know….I haven’t opened my Bible in over 20 years. When I started reading your devotional, I got my dusty Bible off the shelf and started reading it. Thank you…”
My whole body melted right there.
If that book was only for her to read….it was worth it.
I profusely thanked God, over and over, for that encounter.
Never in a million years, did I expect to hear those words.
Why am I telling you this?
I want you to know that when God calls you to do something…it may be difficult.
Often it will be lonely.
Often it will feel like isolation.
Often it will feel like it is not “enough”.
Often you will struggle with doubt and insecurity.
Often you may ask…are you sure, God?
Do it anyway.
We don’t see from the same view that God sees.
We can only see what is right in front of us.
God has the aerial view.
Trust Him when He asks you to do something.
Be obedient. Follow through.
It may take a while to see fruit…but you will!
Maybe you are in this very place at this very moment.
Keep pressing on.
Keep praying.
Keep being obedient.
Even when, and especially when, you cannot see what He is doing,
For we walk by faith, not by sight. 2 Corinthians 5:7
We live in a world that craves approval from others.
We must ask God to change our desires…to only desire His approval.
Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men. Colossians 3:23
God is cheering you on, and so am I!
Keep pressing on, sweet friend.
He is Faithful.
He is worth it.
He is so so Good.
seeking His approval,
jill
