Tag what's important to celebrate

Why is it that when you accomplish something great, it isn’t always what it seems.

Accomplishing a long-term dream

I mean you’re expecting fireworks. A cake with hundreds of candles. A sense of “Yea, I did it.”

I signed off on my book yesterday, meaning it will hit Amazon, Barnes and Noble, etc, in about two weeks. I should be over the moon but strangely, I’m not. And you know what? I’m glad.

Fulfilling one’s calling

Because, instead, I feel a deep sense of knowing that God is pleased that I finished what he asked me to do. That beats bells and whistles, and “rah, rah”, rah”. I’m not even worried about whether it sells well or not. That was never my motivation. My motivation was for my book to be a source of inspiration and help for anyone who struggles with anxiety, depression, and frequent low moods.

A lot of writers say that while still hoping they make a bestsellers list. I truly leave all that to God. I just want it to land in the hands of those who need help. If it’s Bargain Books, a garage sale, or Goodwill, it’s OK. Sure, it would be nice to recover the publishing costs, but I never intended to keep any profits anyway. All of this gives me great freedom and such a sense of fulfillment.

I’ve often said that I find the writing part pretty easy. It is all the rest. There were days I could’ve sat down and cried. I was ready to give up any number of times. But I kept reminding myself I was pleasing God by being obedient. And that kept me going.

But I had a clear sense of where I was headed and knew it was exactly what I was supposed to do.

The best “Hoorah”

Pleasing God is the best “Hoorah” This is true no matter what we’re talking about. It doesn’t matter if it’s something you did or did not do. It doesn’t matter if you wrote a book or wrote a card for someone.

• It could be that we got through the day without complaining. “Hoorah”.

• It could be that we got through the day without swearing. “Hoorah”.

• It could be we got through the day without being judgemental. “Hoorah”

• Maybe you helped someone financially. “Horrah”.

I think you get the point. Anytime, we are obedient, loving, forgiving, those are moments to cheer.

Big and small matters.

Trust me, I’m not putting down the big moments. I feel very good about what I’ve done. I like that I can call myself an author now. But you notice I said, “I”. And there’s nothing wrong with feeling good about something you’ve accomplished that you’ve worked very hard at.

But in God’s eyes, the smaller, less-noticeable accomplishments matter every bit as much. I think God is pleased as much when I conquer some personal issues as he was when I finished my book.

Especially when I consider the story of the widow’s mite.

The widow’s mite

The widow’s mite was of great significance to God. So significant, it’s written about in the Bible.