“How many books have you sold? What’s your profit margin? What stores are you in? Are you publishing another? What’s your end-goal? Oh, I’d love to publish a book, too! How do I go about doing so?”
…A few of the questions I get asked as a children’s author.
Not always sure how to answer them, as my answers have evolved over the last five years…
“I sold a fair amount in the first couple years, but sales isn’t my main focus.”
“I focus on the number of people I can bless. Sometimes that means giving them away and taking no profit.”
“A few local shops, my website, and Amazon (when I remember to keep them stocked), but that’s it. I don’t do much to promote it right now. I let God lead me.”
“Yes, I’d love to publish more and am working on a second with the Lord’s provision.”
“My goal is to bless others with the creativity/resources He has given me. I love giving books away.”
“If you feel called by God to write or do something in particular, take it to prayer. Ask Him to direct your steps. Make sure you put His glory before yours.”
When I surrendered the flesh-driven desire to sell books, gain recognition, and make money, I started really enjoying the work I do for Him as a writer and author. I realize that my calling may not involve amassing great fortune or being blown up on best-seller lists, and that’s okay. I’m doing exactly what He wants me to do.
When we focus on “me, myself, and I,” we stay ego-centered. We strive. We get caught up in our own works of the flesh (serving God can even be a work of the flesh that becomes unhealthy if we don’t understand our true worth and role in Christ). We get greedy. We compete. We compare. We envy. We don’t become more like Christ.
I’d like to encourage you to strive less and rest more in the joy and peace of what He has called (or is calling) you to do in His kingdom (even if it’s as simple as loving your neighbor and being kind to others). This is a nice place to be. Sure, I still have worldly goals. I really want to be published in a popular Christian magazine (to write for a magazine is actually a life-long goal, one that I had long before the desire to publish a book). Last month, I submitted articles to a content manager who showed interest in my work, and now I wait. I wait for hopefully a favorable response, no response, or rejection. Whatever the outcome, I have decided that I will trust in the Lord’s purpose. I’ll be ecstatic if they are featured, and I’ll be okay if they are not (they’ll still be on my website that launches this fall).
It’s okay to have worldly desires and goals, but when they trump the Lord’s will, you’ll be miserable trying to attain them. Seek Him first and the other things will follow in His timing if they are part of His plan for your life. You may be pleasantly surprised. When we seek Him first, our former desires sometimes fade away as He replaces them with the desires of His heart.
If someone told me 15 years ago that I’d eventually get married, become a mother, and write for kids, and overcome several “fleshy” life obstacles, I’d have told them they had the wrong woman. But GOD!
