Categories
Devotions for Writers

The Launch

My time has not yet come.

Jesus [John 2:4 9 (NIV)]

A wedding launched Jesus’ ministry. His mom was there. His friends were there. None of them could have guessed what would happen that day. Maybe not even Jesus—He said He wasn’t ready. But His mom was persuasive. She asked for help and Jesus responded.

Has a need propelled you to write a post, an article, or a book?

Has it seized your imagination and compelled you to act? How have you launched that response into the stratosphere?

Jesus saw the jars used for ceremonial washing and had an idea. (Sometimes all it takes is an idea!) From there, the idea morphed into action and action produced the result that rocked the world.

How will your idea lead to action and change the course of events for another?

The thing that’s so interesting is His choice of vessel. What was used for ceremony and ritual, held what represented His blood, sacrifice, and atonement. No longer needing religious ceremony, we now come in relationship as we are cleansed by the blood of Jesus!

What vessel will you use to launch your product?

Maybe it is an everyday object like a post on social media, or something set aside for special use, like a Launch Party where you sign your books.

You may feel like you’re not ready. Is it time to step out in faith?

Exercise:

  1. Read John 2:1-11
  2. Be where you need to be. John 2:2. Are you connecting with other writers who can take the journey with you?
  3. Identify the need. John 2:3.
  4. Confront your obstacles. John 2:4. What is holding you back?
  5. Take a step to solve the problem. John 2:6-7. What tools are available?
  6. Involve others in the solution. John 2:7-8. Do you have a Prayer Team, a Launch Team, or a Dream Team? Each group has a specific function to help in your quest. Let them be a part of the solution. They will feel needed and celebrate the results with you.
  7. Test your project and get feedback. John 2:8-9. Book reviews and endorsements help others know about your Grand Idea.
  8. Trust the results in God’s hands. John 2:11. Your timing may not feel right but God’s timing is perfect. May we be ready to step out in faith when God says, “Go.”

What Big Idea will you launch?

Categories
Devotions for Writers

what’s your great big idea?

Once upon a time, there was a writer with a Great Idea. That Great Idea was so big, she worked and worked to develop it. She did market research, built a proposal and invested in her Great Big Idea by taking it to several writing retreats. She told people about it, even crafting her bio to announce the forthcoming Great Idea project. Friends encouraged her and celebrated her bravado. Many shared stories to help the Great Idea move along. The future looked bright for the Great Big Idea.

However, the further the writer plugged away at Big Idea, the harder it got. She got discouraged. She got overwhelmed. And Big Idea languished. The writer stopped pursuing the Great Big Idea.

Consider this story:

“Again, it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted his wealth to them. To one he gave five bags of gold, to another two bags, and to another one bag, each according to his ability. Then he went on his journey. The man who had received five bags of gold went at once and put his money to work and gained five bags more. So also, the one with two bags of gold gained two more. But the man who had received one bag went off, dug a hole in the ground and hid his master’s money.” Matthew 25:14-18 NIV (Read the full story in Matthew 25:14-30)

Exercise:

Thoughts to ponder—feel free to comment below.

  1. How is the writer like the first two servants in the passage?
  2. How is the writer like the man who hid his master’s money?
  3. Can you relate to our writer? Why or why not?
  4. What should a writer do to get motivated again?
  5. How would you help another who is stuck?
  6. How do you reevaluate the writing projects you pursue?
  7. If  knowledge is the writer’s currency, how does one expand its reach?

My NIV Footnotes for Matthew 25:14-30 says…

What we have is like a trust fund from God. The wise stewardship of that trust fund will be measured by faithfulness, not success.

If you redefined your standard of success to reflect your faithfulness to the task, what would that look like for your WIP?

Reflect on Mark 13:34-36, then gather up your Great Big Idea and give it a boost!

What will you do with that which you’ve been entrusted?

Sally Ferguson

Over 140 of Sally Ferguson’s devotionals have been published in Pathways to God (Warner Press). She’s also written for Light From The Word, Chautauqua Mirror, Just Between Us, Adult Span Curriculum, Thriving Family, Upgrade with Dawn and ezinearticles.com. Prose Contest Winner at 2017 Greater Philly Christian Writers Conference.

Sally loves organizing retreats and seeing relationships blossom in time away from the daily routine. Her ebook, How to Plan a Women’s Retreat is available on Amazon.

Sally Ferguson lives in the beautiful countryside of Jamestown, NY with her husband and her dad.

Visit Sally’s blog at sallyferguson.net