One Name
I recently self-published two books I’ve written. I don’t really like using the term “Self-publish” for I feel it creates the idea in people’s minds that the product is second rate. (Even though in reality it is just as good of quality as a publishing house book.) Well tonight my sister told me of a comment someone made to her about my books. The person asked why I hadn’t gotten them published through a publishing house so that my books would bear their (the publishing houses) name and advertising.
Why didn’t I pursue publishing in this way? Because six years ago I wrote a book called The Invitation. Everyone who read it loved it and said I should try and get it published. I sent in the manuscript with great hope and I was rejected. In my disappointment the Lord said He would publish my book, all by Himself. I thought that sounded pretty good at first, until I realized He hadn’t told me when He was going to do it. Over the years I sent a couple different manuscripts to publishers and they always ended the same. Yet I was never too surprised, for I hadn’t forgotten what the Lord had said. In Oct. of 2010 I started writing a book called The Greatest of These. When I finished it in Jan. of 2011 I decided I wasn’t going to try and publish it. If the Lord wanted it published He would have to do it Himself as He’d said He would. In June, after posting on my blog one night an ad popped up and said “Publish your books on Blurb” It was late and I went to bed. The next day I looked into it and began the process. As I prepared my books for print the Lord reminded me of what He had told me all those years ago. He didn’t need man to approve my books, He was publishing them Himself.
As I thought about the comment this person had made to my sister about my books I couldn’t help but consider something. If I had published my books through an “official” publishing house I would bear their name and advertising. Yet the Lord published my books…so then they must bear His name and His advertising.
This got me thinking, that are lives are like books waiting to be published. The Lord has promised in His word that He has a plan, a future, all the days of our lives written out. He has promised to publish us. Yet how often, when things aren’t going like we thought, or would like, do we start sending out manuscripts of ourselves in search of man’s approval. Thinking if we could only bear their name and their advertising, then we would really be someone important. We could make all our dreams happen by ourselves, with the help of these people.
It says in Psalm 37
3 Trust in the LORD, and do good;
Dwell in the land, and feed on His faithfulness.
4 Delight yourself also in the LORD,
And He shall give you the desires of your heart.
5 Commit your way to the LORD,
Trust also in Him,
And He shall bring it to pass.
Dwell in the land, and feed on His faithfulness.
4 Delight yourself also in the LORD,
And He shall give you the desires of your heart.
5 Commit your way to the LORD,
Trust also in Him,
And He shall bring it to pass.
There’s only One name I want on my life's book and there’s only One name I want advertising for me, and that’s Jesus Christ. I don’t need to be approved by the men of this world, because I’ve already been proven by the One who has created my life.
Thank you to that person who made that commented to my sister, for now I have even greater conviction and confidence that the road I’m on is exactly where I’m supposed to be!
Let Him publish you! Bear His name!
Today is the day I am officially launching my new blog site Pages for the Dark Horses. This is where I’m selling my books, and all the profit from their sale is going to go to families who are in the process of adoption.
Please check out our site! And feel free to share this link with friends and family.
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