{the questions & the silence}
I have had the loveliest time telling my friends about my book deal. I have had several friends tell me they actually produced real-life tears when they heard my news. This proved two things to me:
- I am loved more than I deserve.
- Everybody is waiting for something.
We’ve all kind of looked at God in some area of life and brooded about how he is taking way to long to make the next move. I mean no disrespect to Jesus, but it’s obvious that he’s playing the long game. I think you’d all agree that it’s been a minute since he told the disciples he’d be returning some day.
Then just when it seems like nothing is happening, one of your friends gets a book deal or has a long-awaited baby or finally pays off the debt for their seventeen college degrees, and you unexpectedly cry a few tears.
Because hearing their happy news makes you think, “Maybe I’ll be next.”
In fact, I’m dying to know who wants to be next in the “My Dream Came True Club”. I see this happening all over the world, don’t you?:
After the initial happy talk about a book deal dies down, most of my friends have questions. A lot of questions, actually. Because, although we all read books and go to libraries and buy books online or in stores, most of us don’t really know how those books get there. The process is different for non-fiction and fiction. Since I’m writing a non-fiction book, I’ll explain that process briefly:
Most non-fiction books begin with an author’s idea. The author maps out the content and chapters, researches the market for similar books, writes the first three chapters, and writes a pitch for the book. This fairly substantial document, called a book proposal, is sent to publishers by your agent. The publishers either contract the author to finish the book, reject it, or never tell you a diggity-doggone thing because they have so many book proposals they are drowning. Once contracted, the author finishes the book, the manuscript is edited and/or accepted. Then the cover is chosen and the author starts a book launch team to help spread the word about the book, trying to get as many pre-orders as possible, because pre-orders determine a lot of the book’s future in terms of orders and publication numbers. {NOTE #1: If you love an author, pre-order their book. It is so incredibly kind and necessary for their success!} Then the book is released and the author does podcasts and interviews and speaking gigs and sings songs and dances with tambourines & flags if necessary to make sure everyone who has ever known her will maybe, possibly, hopefully, buy the book she has been working on for years of her life. {NOTE #2: Please buy my book. I am not above begging and pleading. Besides, I think you’ll love it.}
It seems kind of ludicrous to be at the beginning again at my age, but here I am doing a whole new thing in my forties.
I know this won’t be my only chance to do something great, but it’s definitely the biggest opportunity I’ve ever been offered. I am far less afraid of failure than I expected I would be, because here in the quiet place, while I sit on my sofa and write about God’s love for all of us, I feel the wholeness of him and his plan for us all.
After all, Sarah had Isaac in her old age and Elizabeth birthed John when her hair was grey, so I suppose it’s not particularly strange to write books in the second third of my life. Maybe I’ll become an astroaut or a sculptor at seventy. Who knows??
Today I am praying for God to give you the courage to believe that whatever you are waiting for is possible. If the fight for victory in your life doesn’t seem finished, then God is still planning and moving you toward the day it will be complete.
After all, we’re all loved more than we deserve, and everybody is waiting for something impossibly glorious.
We’re going to make it all the way to the end, where love carries us on its shoulders and celebrates our faithfulness to patiently wait and make the most of every opportunity. Somehow, all the silence and all the questions are leading us to the ultimate hallelujah.
