If you have a moment today, pop over to my article titled ‘Embracing Who I Am’ published on the (In)Courage site.
Happy Monday sweet friends. For the next several days I’m re-posting some devotions for people to use who are attending the She Speaks conference later this week. My prayer is that these messages will resonate with each of us in some personal and relevant way.
If you are coming to She Speaks, I pray these devotions usher your heart into some tender moments of reflection before the conference.
If you aren’t coming to She Speaks, I hope you’ll still look for some nuggets of truth tucked within the next several day’s posts. I’m trusting Jesus to reveal to you whatever these nuggets may be and that they’ll be relevant to something you’re facing this week.
In the giant world of publishing, I’m a not a giant author. I’ve never stepped my toes near the New York Times Best Seller List nor been featured in the front windows of a major bookstore chain. And if by some miracle I hear of a Walmart carrying one of my books, I nearly pee in my pants.
But, inside this small author, you can always find a big message. By big, I mean big to me. It’s just the way I process what God teaches me. I write it down.
Soon many of you will be packing your bags complete with outfits, hairspray and shoes that are too cute to be comfortable.
Tucked in and amongst these things will be a little stack of papers covered in words, filled with dreams. For some it’s the talk you’ll be giving or an article you’ve written or a book proposal you’re presenting.
For months you’ve prayed, written, thought, researched, hoped, and poured out your very best efforts for a few days at this conference.
Will they see how much I want this?
Will they know how strongly I feel led by God to speak or write about this?
Will they think I’m gifted enough, talented enough, and able enough?
Or, am I just fooling myself and wasting massive amounts of time on a pipe dream?
Sweet sisters, I know these thoughts all too well because my files contain book proposals that never got published and talks I prepared but never gave. I’ve spent hours- days- weeks- sometimes months working on things that never came to fruition in the way I thought it should. So, was all that preparation and writing a waste of time?
No, not at all and let me tell you the Biblical reason why.
When I was a little girl I remember one person praying specifically for me everyday- my great grandfather.
I have vivid memories of him sitting in his chair for hours reading the biggest Bible I’d ever seen and bowing his head in prayer for what seemed like unreasonable amounts of time. While I was flitting to and fro about his house causing trouble, making messes, and asking him to please watch me do one more dance routine to music that made his head hurt, he prayed for me.
I’m convinced his prayers helped turn that little wispy, shallow girl into a woman hungering for God.
And don’t you know I’d give just about anything to have one page of that man’s wisdom written down and preserved for me to treasure now. All he knew, all those experiences with God, all those prayers, all that wisdom went to his grave with him and that grieves my heart.
Psalm 78: 1-4 says, “O my people, hear my teaching; listen to the words of my mouth. I will open my mouth in parables, I will utter hidden things, things from of old- what we have heard and known, what our fathers have told us. We will not hide them from their children; we will tell the next generation the praiseworthy deeds of the Lord, his power, and the wonders he has done.”
Verse 7 goes on to say, “Then they would put their trust in God and would not forget his deeds but would keep his commands.”
The experiences with God and the wisdom you’ve gained in your journey with Him will be treasures for someone. Whether it’s your children or your friends or the masses- God will make sure the exact audience who is supposed to be blessed by your teaching will be. And with that assurance, write down what God teaches you.
No time spent recording God’s faithful presence in our lives is ever a waste.
I pray each of you discovers a ministry beyond your wildest dreams.
But don’t get discouraged if the details of that ministry do not take shape the exact way you think they should. I bet my big, strong, farmer great grandfather had no clue his prayers would one day turn into a ministry for women. But they did.
And that makes me smile.
Nothing done with the focus on God is ever a waste of time.
Be sure to visit again tomorrow for the second post of this series leading up to She Speaks called, “Competing and Comparing.”
THANK YOU!!!!!! I needed to hear these words this morning!!!! Thank YOU Lysa for sharing!!! Have a great day!!
And the words of this post are not wasted on me. THANK YOU!!
Wish I were going to be there but … where I am is not wasted!
Holy hugs, Kat. . .
Recording God’s faithfulness is never wasted time… Thanks for writing that down in black and white! Meaningful truth, simply stated.
Thank you so much, as I am covered in paperwork this morning and a to do list more than 3 miles long before I head to She Speaks, I took a minute to read. As tears streamed down my face you have expressed my thoughts. However, I am trying to do comfortable and cute on the shoes–luckily Born is working with me on this. I have prayed this morning for this conference and the right words to say when I pitch my proposal. God’s words not mine. Thankfully I write to you, you have been in my shoes and I am blessed that you shared this morning
Lysa: I love this: “The experiences with God and the wisdom you’ve gained in your journey with Him will be treasures for someone.”
His treasures of truth whispered into my heart are truly indeed treasures to me. May we all be blessed by the treasures of each other’s hearts as well.
Praying for all you P31 gals!!!!! See you very soon!
Now, off to pack shoes that are too cute to be comfortable…….
Sharon
“Nothing done with the focus on God is ever a waste of time.” – Thank you for those words! I needed this post today. I am preparing for my first speaking opportunity tonight. I am praying I will get out of the way and let God be the encouragement these young ladies need. I will be attending She Speaks this weekend and am praying God will clearly show me his path for my life.
Dearest Lysa,
I am always amazed at God’s timing and how specifically He speaks to me. This morning He spoke volumes to me through your words. I have always felt a desire to write. I love writing but have always questioned God about it because what God has spoken to my heart and thought me many times have already been written. I can’t tell you how many times I have picked up a book or magazine article and seen the very words that God spoke to me penned by someone else. It is at those moments that I would say to God,”Lord why do I need to write? what needs to be said and written have already been said and written” I would then push that dream in the recesses of my mind. Today however I am stirred again to pursue that dream even if it is just to be consistent with my journaling. I do believe God has something for me to do in the area of speaking or writing. I am not attending this year’s See Speaks conference but would love to do so next year. Please pray with me for that, as well as the direction God will take me with writing and speaking. Thank you for today’s blog!!!!
Thank you Lysa! As I tell myself I don’t have time to write and doubt there’s a reason to write, so remind me why I’m frustrated when I believe the lies – writing is not a waste of time when it’s GOD’s story being put on paper and shared with others. Even if it’s simply my eyes that read it down the road…I know God can reveal HIS faithfulness, power and provision as I return to my journal and see how He’s carried me through. Sometimes just remembering He’s done it before assures me He will do it again!! Thank you…grateful for your Grandpa’s prayers, excites me to think about what our prayers today will produce!! Praying for all of you this weekend!! I’d love to be there, but not equipped to handle what all of you will have, but that’s OK!! Just read that chapter in your book again, what a timely, wonderful reminder!!
Prayers of blessings for all those attending and presenting at this years She Speaks!! I will be forever changed from the event I attended several years ago. It will be amazing!!
Believing Him~Pamela
My heart is smiling now on this Monday that started so dreary. Thank you Lysa!
Thank you Lysa! An encouragement to my heart! Looking forward to She Speaks!
I just this minute closed out my book proposal after editing it for the billionth time and suddenly developed this “thing” in my stomach when I realized that She Speaks is THIS weekend! I checked my email and there you were offering me the comfort I needed. Thank you – again.
thank you. I have a friend who is telling me to write my story. I don’t feel like it is worthy of publishing, I am not special, but I have been blessed by God many times over. This weekend, driving through Chicago and getting stuck going around floods, kept us 4 hours behind severe weather in Ohio that could have been a bigger problem for us, a nice gift in a very difficult struggling day. Then my son got a flat tire driving home and missed severe weather with his delay yesterday in Virginia. God at work again and teaching moments for him and us. These are the ways my life is touched daily. Thank you for writing for those of us who are not sure how! You speak for many.
Have a good conference!
Thank you. This encouraged me a lot. God has really been using my writing gift a lot lately. Although I am not published (and may never be) He is still using my writing to impact others. The poems I write that I post on my facebook page, my churches facebook page, my father reads at his church and when I read them at my church. Now He has brought a skit writing ministry to me and into my heart. At first I wasn’t so sure about it but now I am getting ideas and becoming very excited. God is working!
Thank you for this. I’ve been admonished so many times to write the extraordinary happenings courtesy of Jesus
of my life.
I just read your July 15th post. It was such a word on time. Please pray for me as I do have debt and there’s a whole US residency issues going on with me. I know the Lord led me to this country to learn and do His work. I’ve seen crazy miracles happen since I’ve been here even now when I don’t have a job. He is taking good care of me. He has done miracles when it came to my VISA situations before and I don’t doubt He can do it again. But it has been hard at times to reconcile His truth with my natural happenings.
thank you & God bless
Thanks for this post. I journal thoughts and things read that speak to me. Maybe one day, my grandchildren will say they are glad I wrote these things down.
Thank you, thank you, thank you!!! I write through tears of mixed emotions but my heart praises God for the words of encouragement He spoke to me through YOU!! What a beautiful testimonial to your precious Great Grandfather. What a blessing you are.
Thanks for your post today Lysa. I have never looked at journaling from that perspective. Knowing that my thoughts and the wisdom I continually gain from experiences with the Lord could someday be passed on to help and change the hearts of others gives me the motivation to be more diligent
I just recently found P31 and all its ministries this Spring and while I’m a newbie, the devotions, the monthly magazine, and the blogs of all the talented writers and staff have already touched my heart and given me encouragement time and time again. I will be praying for all of you during the She Speaks conference this weekend!
Blessings,
Sarah
This made me realize I need to journal my daily thoughts so my daughter will have some of my life experiences to look back on later in life.. Thanks.
Thank you, Lysa. I needed to hear that as I’m preparing for SheSpeaks, but you knew that already, didn’t you?
Can’t wait for this weekend.
Ok … weeping now.
You have no idea how this spoke to me, Lysa. So timely. I’ve been upset that circumstances kept me from working on a book proposal all month … and frustrated that every book proposal so far has been met with a “you’re a nobody” or “everyone writes about that.” But the passion in my heart hasn’t died.
I sooooooooo needed this word of encouragement today.
I am encouraged… and will continue doing all I can for the Lord.
Sorry I am in Jamaica and will not be attending She Speaks
What a blessing this was over me today! Looking forward to some BIG stuff from Jesus this weekend!!
I love the thought of “nothing done with the focus of God is never a waste of time.” That I needed to read. So often I question every little step that I make and chalk it up to being a waste since it’s not as grand as I’d pictured certain steps.
Lysa, I had to comment on your blog. As I read your e-mail to the She Speaks gals something inside of my broke and I started crying as I read parts of your testimony from 13 years ago:) And after reading your blog, it is so encouraging to see that somebody out there had the same thoughts I am now having as I prepare to leave for the conference. I appreciate your sincerity so much! Thank you
All right, you have got to get out of my head!! Nothing this summer has turned out like I planned. My writing goes in fits and spurts, and I’m not getting to attend She Speaks (even though I desperately want to).
P.S. – You are so a big-time author!
WOW!!! Thank you Lysa, this spoke to me. I love writing, but have nothing publish, yet…I am planing on attending She Speaks next year and my heart is so excited. I have being afraid of dreaming big about a ministry, but the love I have for woman (especially latina woman) is huge. Again thank you and will be praying for the attendees and staff. God bless!!
I’m not attending She Speaks, but I love to write, thank you for this. What wonderful words of wisdom and encouragement!
In my kitchen you can find several cookbooks from churches. Hand-bound pages giving best kept secrets from grandmas and great aunts…how to use crackers, butter, and cheese to whip up a great casserole in no time. They have passed down how to cook a good meal…and yet, what I so want is a book on how they lived a rich life with their Savior. I have my grandmother’s recipes for delicious dishes…even some of my great aunt’s. And as much as I will treasure those, I wish I had their recipes for a life lived with joy, peace, hope…how they walked it out themselves.
You are so right. Writing is not a waste of time.
Love to you,
K
Lysa,
Thank you so much for that post. I certainly needed to read that! I’m looking forward to my first ever She Speaks conference. Hope to meet you this weekend!
Thank you so much for this post, as well as for the email full of encouragement!! It’s so overwhelming and scary to step out in faith… and yet I am confident with you that God doesn’t waste anything – there is a reason He calls us to do certain things, even if that reason isn’t what we expects!
The words I needed to read. Thank you. Wish I was coming to she speaks but I’m in the UK. Praying it goes well xx
Thank you Lysa for thinking about us during one of the most hectic weeks in your life. I am looking forward to She Speaks and I have no clue what path the Lord has for me. My mind, eyes, ears, and heart will be wide open in order to absorb as much as I possibly can this weekend!
Oh Lysa – I have missed reading your blog! I wish I was coming to She Speaks. God spoke profoundly to me when I went a couple of years ago. I could have never imagine how my life has changed in just those 2 years but it’s exciting! We are now foster parents and have increases our family from 5 to 7 in one day! This new journey has stretched and exhausted me more than ever but I have experienced HIS abundant love more too. His strength in my weakness! Praise HIM! When you gave your verse, I thought of the one that makes me think I must keep sharing (and blogging!)
“Publish his glorious deeds among the nations. Tell everyone about the amazing things He does.” Ps. 96:3 NLT
He’s a GOOD God! Keep on serving Lysa! You are His faithful daughter!!
Dear Lysa,
This post is so timely and has been such a huge encouragement to me. I had convinced myself that I don’t have anything worthy of sharing and shouldn’t “waste”
any time to write what’s on my heart and in my mind. You have shared the truth of God’s Word and renewed my confidence. I am determined to continue my writing, if only for the purpose of sharing my stories with my family! Thank you!
This is a wonderful post! It was correct timing for me. Several years ago, I knew God was calling me to write about my experiences for my children. God spoke to my grandmother when I was a child that her children and grandchildren will run to the Lord. (All 40 something of us are saved and living for the Lord today!) I felt the call to leave a legacy for my own children by writing a book of my experiences over the years. Since then, I have been ministering in churches, retreats, writing devotions, and mentoring women and married couples. God has been so faithful to full fill the promises he made to my grandmother. I am not able to attend the conference this year, but will save my money for next year. My dream is to finish my books, write articles for a christian magazine and to continue writing the devotions on my website for many who need it. Proverbs 31 Ministry is such a blessing to little ole me in Greenville SC and I thank you for the obedience you have chosen to follow for the next generations that are listening. i will pray for all of you at the conference that God speaks volumes to the humble hearts! God bless you!
Thank you for that post it really lift my spirit.Recently, I lost my job , housing and car. I substain a job related injury last year and was punished by seeking legal advise. The company block my unemployment and right now I am appealing the decision. My request from my dear Sister’s is to pray hat this situation is turn around for me soon.God Bless…..
Lysa,
When I got LeAnn’s e-mail saying that you were posting these messages, it came at just the right time! How like God!?!?! I am still working on my book proposal and wondering – Why? Why am I doing this? Why am I here? Why am I going? Why me? Why now?
I just remembered that the why and how are for God to know and me to find out: The how is best part; it is part of the exciting adventure He has in store for me, and I CANNOT WAIT to find out how She Speaks is a part of it all!
I am beside myself with excitement but must stay on task – writing the proposal. I felt God say that it was okay for me to take a break and read your blog ; )
I needed to hear this!!!! And, now, I’ll quickly read today’s post (Tuesday) . . . then get back to work! ; )
Shelly
i believe that like singing, writing is a gift. I am amazed to how well writers, such as yourself, can take what God has taken through, taught you, pressed upon your heart, and write in such a way that it flows so magically across the page. I am not so gifted, something is lost between my brain and the paper. But I do journal, have done it for years…….. It is my legacy of faith…. I can look back and see my struggles and see how time and time again God was faithful. It is a great thing to pull them out and be reminded of God’s faithfulness, mostly when we are faithless…
Last night I caught up on your recent posts on my phone. I loved this line of truth you wrote here: No time spent recording God’s faithful presence in our lives is ever a waste.
AMEN!! One thing, if I were to die today, my kids would have no doubt of my love for Jesus just from my written words alone.
This one hit dangerously close to home.
Thank you. This is truly encouraging and challenging.
This is so crazy. I am trying to get caught up with your writings. It has been a hectic week but I truly feel God calling me into something big. I start school for my RN in 2 weeks, have a new baby grandson due, my youngest starts his sophmore year in high school, we just took my oldest to the campus and got things situated for him to start the law enforcement academy in Aug. and our middle son just joined the Marines. In the face of all of this, I picked up one of my old journals and began reading through it. WHAT A JOURNEY!!! God has brought me from the brink of death and divorce, to a place where I am at peace and more in love with my husband then ever. As I look through my journal, I wonder if God isn’t calling me to speak. I have suffered so much in my life, (Not as much as some and more then others), but I find myself telling others that there is nothing to big for God. He has led me to it and through it. He does give us things that are to big for us to handle so that we can lean on Him and let Him handle it. What a Mighty God We Serve.
Things of Lysa Terkeurst have been read before in the Proverbs 31 prayer ministry.Thank you.
Thank you for picking me up just when I was about to fall into the pit once more! I have always longed to write but didn’t dare. Five years ago my life began to fall apart and has since needed rebuilding pretty much from scratch. The need to write became ever more urgent as I tried to process all that was happening to me and it seems to me that God gifted me with the words needed to help me through these dark times. But alongside the pain and grief I have also found myself recording the development of a much closer, richer relationship with him as well. When all seems bleak once more it is good to go back and reread them; it is hard to argue with the record of my own experience!
I have long sensed that these words are not just for me and it is so good to hear you say that whether they be for one, or for many, He will make sure that they reach the eyes and ears he intended them for.
Thank you
“No time spent recording God’s faithful presence in our lives is ever a waste.”
Precious reminder. Although my proposal was praised, it was not pursued. The question presents itself…do I write for applause and recognition or to be a channel through which others can encounter Christ? Humbly acknowledging that God is using my writing in other ways for His glory, my heart rejoices. The letter mailed. The love note left. The blog post that encouraged.
Not only that…but for the first time ever, my mom read the sample devotions I had prepared…her tears and hugs were worth it all.
Continuing to let the Lord guide my pen,
all for Him,
Joy