If God has Brought You To It.....

As a writer, one can never sit too long without a new book in the works. When I finish a book, I always feel I have written the last excellent word I will ever write. It is all downhill from here. My authorship days are over. This despair is most pronounced upon completing books that I feel took every ounce of feeling and emotion and talent I had. My last book, Joe-The Horse Nobody Loved was such a book. I am glad it is doing so well, because, like I said, I may never write again.

Until I put the first paragraph of my sequel on a Word Document yesterday. Just do it, I told myself. Just start. Just write the first sentence. Then, the whole plot and flow of the new book came to me fully formed, and I began writing. Whew! Maybe I have one more book in me...

CS Lewis, one of my favorite Christian authors, said:
When He [Jesus]said, ‘Be perfect,’ He meant it. He meant that we must go in for the full treatment. It is hard; but the sort of compromise we are all hankering after is harder—in fact, it is impossible. It may be hard for an egg to turn into a bird: it would be a jolly sight harder for it to learn to fly while remaining an egg. We are like eggs at present. And you cannot go on indefinitely being just an ordinary, decent egg. We must be hatched or go bad.
From Mere Christianity

It is hard to get up each morning with all that lies before us, all that we are to do or to endure. But God is clear. If He has given you another day, we are to arise and strive to be all God intends us to be. Laziness has no place in God's kingdom. There are times for rest, to be sure, but not to be slack. When the task is before us, we are to be excellent. A good friend reminded me, "If God has sent you to it, He will guide you through it." God often reminds us of that truth in His word:

Philippians 4: 12-13 I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. I can do all things through him who strengthens me.

 This applies to all of us, in all we do. It is much preferred to be hatched than to go bad, no matter what the condition of the nest may be. I am happy the new book is hatched. I am happier that I am born again through believing in His atoning sacrifice on the cross, and that Jesus is with me through it all.
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Proverbs 24:10

If you faint in the day of adversity, your strength is small.

1 Peter 5:10 

And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you.

2 Corinthians 12:9 

But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.

Proverbs 3:4-6 

So you will find favor and good success in the sight of God and man. Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.