This week actually started out with a bit of discouraging career news for me. As I'm about set out for the big ACFW Conference in Indianapolis tomorrow to pitch my book to editors, that was not the sort of news I wanted to hear. But as usual, the setback drove me to my knees. I spent all yesterday morning in prayer for direction.
God was faithful, and he truly clarified his plans for my current novel, my trip, and my career. In fact, by the end of the day, I had some really great news. More exciting, though, was the scripture he gave me. I know people always say that God gives them scriptures. But this time was a little different, for me at least. As I sat praying, the reference "Isaiah 54" literally flashed in my eyes like on a projector screen. I couldn't imagine what Isaiah 54 could possibly have to do with my writing, but I looked it up anyway.
Before I go ahead and quote this scripture, allow me to explain one sidenote. A few weeks ago I published a post about getting your books out into the world. It's a long, slow process, almost as time consuming and difficult as writing the book itself. You see, writers think of their books as their babies. Trust me, I feel like I've been in a very long labor trying to birth my novels out into the world. They're in the oven, all grown and incubated, I've just been waiting for them to come out. With that in mind, here is what the scripture said.
Sing, barren woman, who has never had a baby.
Fill the air with song, you who've never experienced childbirth!
You're ending up with far more children
than all those childbearing women." God says so!
"Clear lots of ground for your tents!
Make your tents large. Spread out! Think big!
Use plenty of rope,
drive the tent pegs deep.
You're going to need lots of elbow room
for your growing family.
You're going to take over whole nations;
you're going to resettle abandoned cities.
Don't be afraid—you're not going to be embarrassed.
Don't hold back—you're not going to come up short.
Pretty cool, huh? So I declare this word over my books and my ministry today. Please keep me in your prayers this week as I pitch them at conference.
Oh Dina! That was inspiring! I will pray God's peace over you and His strength to be confident in His gifting to you. Have fun! I'd love to go and meet you in person!
ReplyDeleteThanks so much, Sherrinda. I'm sure we'll meet one of these days :)
ReplyDeleteThat was Awesome Dina and I guess I am not the only one that gets what I like to call flashes of the Scriptures when I pray. Seems like you get that kinda thing too. Great encouraging words.
ReplyDeleteThis is from Cindy Dickey (okay, my mom) who doesn't have a blogger account:
ReplyDeleteYour testimony "Encouraging Words" was awesome. When the Holy Spirit speaks to us, it is always encouraging but when He uses scripture directly, it becomes powerful. No one can make you doubt and no one can take it from you. It is your word from God and it is alive in you. It too, is also like the birthing process. When you receive the word, you literally become pregnant with it and if you stay in faith you will give birth to the promise. Just as Mary received the promise that she would give birth to the Savior. When she received that Word and said, "As you have said, be it unto me.", that Word literally became flesh. Now we are getting into quantum physics which is fascinating. The law of faith in motion.