Living Out Your Words
(Definitely better than what I initially wanted to call this!)
Many are the plans in a person’s heart, but it is the LORD’s purpose that prevails. Proverbs 19:21 NIV
Last month felt like a real-life lesson on this verse. I was set to speak at the 35 Tribe Conference this weekend, only for hurricane Helene to change everything. A lot of time, effort, and money went into preparing. Just the day before I heard it was canceled, I’d spent hours trying to find the perfect blazer.
Note: If you live in any of the areas impacted by the hurricane, please know my heart goes out to you. My thoughts and prayers are with everyone affected by the destruction it caused. While I’m sharing my personal disappointment about the canceled event, it’s not meant to minimize the greater losses others have endured. I hope this message conveys both my empathy for those suffering and my own honest response to the unexpected turn of events.
When the event coordinator emailed saying the venue was flooded and the conference was canceled, a wave of emotions surfaced. I felt like I was all dressed up with nowhere to go. Why, God? Then, my keynote words came back to mind:
We don’t always understand what God is doing, but we trust and obey Him.
God shapes us first, and how He uses us comes later.
It’s about what God wants to do in us before what He wants to do through us.
And then I remembered this quote that pretty much summed up my situation:
Your calling is going to crush you. If you’re called to mend the brokenhearted, you’re going to wrestle with broken heartedness. If you’re called to prophesy, you’re going to struggle to control your mouth. If you’re called lay hands, you will battle spiritual viruses. If you are called to preach and to teach the gospel, you will be sifted for the wisdom that anoints your message. If you are called to empower, your self-esteem will be attacked, your successes will be hard fought. Your calling will come with cups, thorns and sifting that are necessary for your mantle to be authentic, humble and powerful. Your crushing won’t be easy because your assignment is not easy. Your oil is not cheap. -Pastor Patrick Weaver.
Where you are called to serve is where you’ll struggle most. And I felt this deeply as I navigated the disappointment.
And it wasn’t just my keynote I had to live out. A few days before the conference was canceled, I gave a workshop to a local writing group on “cutting words” to enhance clarity. Little did I know I’d be cutting my own words to fit my keynote into 45 minutes. Nothing like being your own case study!
Often, the words we write first minister to us, then to others.
It’s funny how God calls us to live out what we teach. I’m reminded daily that my words are glimpses of God’s truth in that moment. Writing them helps clarify my thoughts and recognize what He is doing in my life.
After hearing I wouldn’t be speaking, my next thought was, I want all this effort to be for something. So, I immediately thought of pivoting to a new project. Maybe a book, a podcast, a workshop? The determination to ensure my preparation wasn’t wasted was real. But then, the words “Pause and Pray” came to me. Not “pause and pray before jumping into another project,” but just “pause and pray,” period.
As in just hang tight.
I’m not really a hang-tight type of girl. When things don’t go according to plan, I get frustrated and disappointed. But, as I prayed, God reminded me again of what I’d already written:
But we have the mind of Christ. 1 Corinthians 2:16 NIV
With humility and surrender in prayer, we can release our expectations.
Delays and detours serve a greater purpose.
This understanding comes through the power of God at work within us.
And these words that we write and share with the world (or not, maybe we just keep them for us and God) are the words that He first uses to speak to us.1
It’s safe to say we wouldn’t be living out our calling to write if we didn’t live out our words first.
And when we let go of our own agendas, we find peace—and confident assurance. His timing and ways are higher than ours:
"For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways," declares the LORD...
— Isaiah 55:8-9 (NIV)
So, we can set aside our timelines and to-do lists, trusting that He’ll equip us in His perfect time.
Reflection Questions:
How do I typically respond when plans are disrupted? Do I pause and pray or try to control the situation?
What truths from my own words (or scripture) do I need to live out now?
What does it mean to focus on what God wants to do in me before what He’ll do through me?
How does the idea of “your calling will crush you” resonate with my journey? Where am I experiencing “cups, thorns, and sifting” in my calling?
What does having the mind of Christ mean for my current situation? How can I surrender humbly?
Despite the change of plans this weekend, I’m thrilled to announce I’ll be speaking at the Legacy Leader Conference at the end of this month! This is a powerful event for faith-filled entrepreneurs. Whether you’re an aspiring author, speaker, coach, or Christian entrepreneur, there’s something for everyone. Virtual option available!
P.S. When you register, please remember to type my name in the referral box. It won’t cost you extra, but it helps support my work!
New Book Announcement: Courageous Voices Unlocked: Empowered Stories of Moving from Brokenness to Freedom 🎉🎉
Exciting news! My latest project as co-author and editor is available for kindle pre-order on October 10th for only $2.99.
Here’s a glimpse of my chapter titled “Tacos, Shoes, and the Good News”:
Looking back to who I was before Christ, can, if I’m not careful, evoke shame and embarrassment in me. I can get in my head about the person I used to be, and what I was about for so long. The nicknames I had and the reputation I set for myself because, hey at least with a reputation you are noticed.
I had a name, I had a label, and I had an identity.
But when Jesus entered the picture, He changed my story.
We are launching a 24-hour “Pre-order Bonanza” on October 10th, so please plan to pre-order the eBook for the special price of $2.99 on that day to support all of the authors and their powerful stories!
This “pause and pray” season is leading to our upcoming Silent Reflection Retreat in January—a time to reconnect deeply with God’s presence. The Deadline to register is October 15th, so if you’re on the fence, now’s the time!
This All-Inclusive "Come Away and Rest Awhile” Guided Silent retreat is January 23-26, 2025 in the beautiful gulf coast of Florida.
Participants will receive:
Delicious meals for your weekend stay
Comfortable lodging
A guided reflection journey to take you through an amazing experience with Jesus
A pre-meeting to get you ready for all God has in store for you
Hurry— spots are filling up fast!
You want to hear how awesome God is? While I was initially upset, thinking the conference delay was just another setback, I learned that God had other plans. In His perfect timing, He was actually protecting and preparing the way for the event coordinator and her family as they welcomed a little bundle of joy sooner than expected. Talk about God’s way of bringing unexpected blessings!
And Just a few days ago, I received an email announcing that the 35 Tribe Conference has been rescheduled for January 9-11, 2025. (So, there’s still time to grab a ticket and meet me in Charlotte next year!)
Reflecting on it all, this verse comes to mind:
"In their hearts humans plan their course, but the LORD establishes their steps." — Proverbs 16:9 (NIV)
It’s clear to me that God is always at work, guiding and establishing our steps—even when things don’t go according to our plans. I’m finally learning to embrace this understanding of trusting God in all things, as I focus more on becoming who God has made me to be and less on what He wants me to do. It’s a shift from simply doing for Him to growing in Him.2
Are there areas where you sense God calling you to pause and trust more deeply, focusing on who He’s shaping you to be?
I would love to hear from you—how are you trusting God in this season?
Praying for you and cheering you on!
I don’t think fiction readers are off the hook here either because I believe the stories that we create in our minds satisfy a need that we have —consciously or unconsciously. (Oh, I could go really deep here, the needs that writing satisfies… maybe for another time.)
This statement also shows up in my keynote addressed to Christian Content Creators. God uses our calling as writers and creatives to make us more like Him. It is the act of living out our callings that shapes and refines us.