Back in November, I had the very great honor of speaking at the Christy Award ceremony. A few weeks after that event, I shared the first part of my talk (my own personal love story with books) in this post here at Inspired by Life…and Fiction. Today, I’m bringing you the second half of my talk. Why? because I need to hear this weekly. Okay, maybe daily.
If I need to hear this, then I’m hoping that it will encourage you, too. This was written for a roomful of people working in the arena of Christian publishing. But I truly think that this applies to us all. I hope this blesses you today!
I Hear God Saying Persevere
Galatians 6:9 says, “Let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.”
After we’ve been at this for a while, just like any long-term relationship, we can begin to feel disenchanted, cynical, jaded, weary. There’s a million ways to veer off course emotionally and mentally in this profession. We have an enemy, after all, who does not want God glorified in fiction. He’ll try to wreck our contentment and fill us with doubt. He’ll try to break our sense of gratitude. He’ll try to replace an attitude of humility with an attitude of entitlement. He’ll work to turn a heart that thirsts to lift God high into a heart that thirsts for personal achievement.
Those of us in this room have in our hands the ability to advance the gospel through fiction. What an honor and a responsibility and a sacred trust.
Just because this work is difficult doesn’t mean it’s not right. It IS right. Let’s obediently focus our hearts on Him. Don’t give up. Don’t grow weary of doing good.
I Hear God Saying Surrender
Proverbs 19:21 says “Many are the plans in the mind of a man, but it is the purpose of the Lord that will stand.”
There’s peace in discerning what part of this work is our job and what part is God’s job. We can feel pressured to do more and more and more to try to ensure the outcome we want. But ultimately, publishing has a way of reminding us that the results are largely out of our hands. I think that’s the way God’s arranged it. In the end, it’s the purpose of the Lord that will stand. Not our purposes. His. And His alone.
It’s freeing to release to Him the things we can’t control.
I Hear God Saying Pursue Excellence
Colossians 3:23-24 says “Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ.”
We exist at an unusual intersection of business, art, and faith. We’re to steward the business side of fiction publishing. We’re also to pursue absolute excellence in art form. Are we going to achieve that this side of Heaven? No. But we can chase after excellence very, very hard.
Above all, we’re to do what we do as for the Lord, because we’re not here to serve ourselves. Nor trends. Nor the way things have always been done. We do what we do to serve God most high.
So let’s not settle. Let’s not water in down.
Writers, editors, publishers — let’s give this pursuit our very, very best.
I Hear God Saying Take Heart
Luke 9:60 says “…go and proclaim the kingdom of God.”
Take heart and be encouraged because we are proclaiming the Kingdom of God through story, just as Jesus commanded. God is, even now at this very moment, using our novels to minister to His people. He’s so amazing that He has the power to speak to a reader through a book in ways that authors, editors, and sales teams didn’t imagine.
What we’re doing has value. Our work matters. It’s important. We’re sending fiction brimming with hope and truth and light and encouragement into this world at this particular point in history. We’re the body of Christ, working together, every one of us key to His plans.
So let’s keep at it. Because the love story between God and his people? That is the very best love story ever written.
Do any of the points from this post minister to you specifically?
Becky Wade
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Wonderful, encouraging words, Becky. Thank you so much for the reminder!
I’m glad they encouraged you, Deb!
Wonderful, Becky. Nice to hear this again here, just as I did that night at the Christys!
It was a treat to chat with you that night, Tammy. 🙂
Thank you Becky – all of these ministered to me. I’m trying to revise my first book. This is harder than writing it in the first place!
I understand! Rewriting is often harder than writing for me, too. The rough draft is allowed to be bad. Subsequent drafts aren’t. LOL!
Beautiful words, Becky. Thanks for the timely reminder.
You’re welcome, Lynn. 🙂
All of them ministered to me, friend. Needed to read this today. Thank you!
I’m so glad they ministered to you, Dani!
Thank you for your encouraging words. I love that books/stories/novels can minister to the people reading them as well as to those hearing others talk about them.That reminds me to do all that I do to the glory of God.
Yes! I, too, love that books can minister to the authors who write them, the people reading them, those hearing others talk about them, those working in Christian publishing. I’m constantly amazed at His ability to speak very individually to His people through story.
Thanks for sharing such powerful words and scripture. The more Christian fiction I read, the less I want to read books that are not written or influenced by Christian authors. I find myself pulling away from literature and some authors that I used to read. I prefer to be “inspired”, not pulled down into negativity and immorality.
I have enjoyed becoming familiar with the ladies in this blog. I really hope editors and publishers will pay attention to your words instead of what is “in vogue”.
We recently were so happy to have a visit from our daughter, her husband, and our grandson who live in California. Our ten year old grandson brought with him the book his 5th grade teacher had assigned to his reading group. My son-in-law had started reading it and pointed out profanity and adultery that was featured in this book. My daughter and I were appalled, but I was not surprised. As a former 5th grade teacher who retired in 2014, I saw such subjects and language becoming more and more featured in children’s literature – to be realistic. Our children are being sadly influenced. Sorry to be so long winded, but your post really struck me.
Betty, like you, I love to be inspired when I read. A book that glorifies God AND entertains me, makes me laugh (or cry), keeps me in suspense, makes me care about the characters, etc, is the BEST.
Love this, Becky! Just what I needed today! 🙂
Aww! I’m glad to hear it, Anne.
Love this post, thank you so much for sharing Becky! I think every Christian can feel like what they are doing and its a wonderful reminder to me in my own faith walk to not give up because God is working and has a purpose.
Amen! God is working and has a purpose!
Do everything for the Lord … that is so freeing. ❤
SO freeing!
Excellent, excellent, excellent!
Yes. I can testify to all of this.
Becky, thank you for this excellent post! Lately, I’ve been asking Holy Spirit to teach me to live my life surrendered unto Him. This is an area I need to grow.