Something New

My four-year-old son wailed as we walked through Wal-Mart. “My…legs…HURT. CARRY ME mommy!” He flopped to the floor and dropped the bottle of cleanser I asked him to carry.

One of my girls reached down and picked up his Soft Scrub. I stopped and turned to her. “No,” I told her. “He needs to carry his bottle.” I turned to my son, “You need to pick that up and walk.” I walked away.

After about ten steps J stood up, picked up his bottle, and screeched as he ran to catch up to me. This wouldn’t have worked on his oldest sister, I thought. He continued to fuss as we walked on.

“J you are embarrassing me,” my oldest hissed at him.

I smiled and sighed. If only she knew. I turned to my son and said, “Does yelling and screaming get you what you want?”

“No,” he whispered tears trickled down his precious cheeks.

I wanted to ask J why scream when he knows it doesn’t get him what he wants. Then it hit me. I do the same thing over and over again expecting different results too.

I submit articles to the same places and get rejection after rejection. I stick to familiar paths expecting them to lead me to new places. Then I whine when things don’t turn out differently.

Recently I read Isaiah 28:23-25

Listen and hear my voice; pay attention and hear what I say. When a farmer plows for planting, does he plow continually? Does he keep on breaking up and harrowing the soil? When he has leveled the surface, does he not sow caraway and scatter cummin? Does he not plant wheat in its place, barley in its plot, and spelt in its field?

In other words after we have plowed it is time to plant. We don’t keep plowing expecting more than just broken ground. Perhaps it is time for something new. Something different in ministry or personal relationships or in how we pray. Maybe it is time to share your dreams and step out in faith.

So here I am stepping out in faith. I am working on a novel. I don’t really know what I am doing, but I am working on a novel. I am praying to have it finished by the end of December so I can write a book proposal and go to The Christian Writers Guild conference called Writing for the Soul in February with a non-fiction and a fiction book proposal.

Also I am praying about getting a Certificate of Biblical Studies from a seminary. I don’t know if God is leading me that direction or not, but I continue to pray for His guidance and wisdom.

Please pray with me and for me as I embark on this journey and follow God’s leading.

Is there something new God is calling you to do? Would you share it with me so I can pray for you?