The Importance of Reevaluating Your Work

“All your works will thank you, LORD, and your faithful followers will praise you.” (Psalm 145:10)

Every once in a while, I reevaluate what I am doing in ministry, and before I began my eighth book manuscript, I asked God, “Am I supposed to be writing books?”

I have been discouraged lately because of the response from a couple of traditional publishers about my 7th book, The Only Father I Ever Knew. It’s a book I am passionate about and uses my story as well as sixteen other fatherless testimonies to point to God as Father. The Only Father I Ever Knew made it to the top tier of one well-known publisher’s process, but ultimately was turned down because of platform. It was the same story with a different publisher.

So I reevaluated before I delved into another book project with my friend, Dr. Lynnette Simm. This one is called Broken Mothers. It’s an offering about seeing your mother with the compassion of a mother. I loved the concept when Lynnette presented it to me.

But should I take on another writing venture? What do you say, Lord? Out of the blue, I had my answer.

A woman who follows another religion read one of my previous books with Catherine Weiskopf, If I Only Had…Wrapping Yourself in God’s Truth During Storms of Insecurity. She told me what we wrote went against everything she believes, but she’s drawn to it and keeps reading. She said, “Because of your passion about your faith, Lisa, I am thinking about becoming a Christian.” After she told me this, I spoke with her further about Christianity. While she was not ready at that moment to accept Jesus as Lord and Savior, she is close, and I am now praying for her to turn the corner to “the way, the truth and the life.”

Her comments were enough. One soul reached is enough of a catalyst to keep writing. I am thankful to God for His encouragement. He continues to show me it’s not about the numbers. In Matthew 18, Jesus said our Father in Heaven goes after one lost sheep and leaves the ninety-nine. He wants us to do the same, to be compassionate about the one lost soul who needs hope.

However, it is healthy and right to periodically reevaluate your life to see if you are in the center of God’s will. Lay all your projects before Him. He will let you know if you are supposed to let go of anything.

So I’ve just completed the first chapter of Broken Mothers and I am excited about the process. I am writing it for God and for the one person whose life will be transformed, just as I penned this blog, through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, for an “audience of two.”

Did I write this for you today?