I stood at a podium, looking out on an audience of Christian writers and bloggers. While speaking, I could see such eagerness in the women — wide eyes, pens poised, leaning forward. My view of the audience left me on the verge of tears. Why? Because I had been in their seats before.
What, they wondered, was the secret to getting a book published?
If I knew the secret-sauce recipe, I would have given it to every one of them. I looked out on these women and imagined the books that sat inside of their hearts and journals. Books about how they’d survived divorce, repeated miscarriages, the battle with cancer. Books about great adventures, shenanigans, doors closed, doors opened, embarrassing moments, clever stories.
But all of those books were unpublished. Why? Because the writers couldn’t figure out how to convince a publisher to offer them a contract.
Years earlier, I was the girl in the audience. I had an idea for a book. I had writing experience. But for three years straight, I faced one rejection after another. I remember Googling, late at night, to see if someone like me could ever get a book contract. Everything I found online suggested that I was simply too small and insignificant.
What do you do when the call God gave you appears to be undercut by your circumstances, your size, your “insignificance,” your experience, or your abilities? What do you do when the timing seems off, and all you can do is wait?
That day at the conference, I offered some encouragement for anyone who was asking those questions. And today, I share them to you. I hope my words encourage any of you who are waiting for your time, whether you’re a writer, an artist, a teacher, an entrepreneur, or a missionary.
I don’t know the secret-sauce recipe for you to get what you want. I have something better: truth.
The truth sits like an anchor in the first chapter of the book of Acts. In the story, Jesus presents himself alive to followers. He offers instructions before He disappears to heaven. Put yourself in the story. Imagine yourself as one of these eager followers. Imagine how intently you would listen, hanging on every word and wanting to do exactly what the Savior asked you to do.
The one question these followers ask (Acts 1:6) is essentially this: When? When will Your plan come to pass, God?
Isn’t that the question we’re all asking — when?
When is it my time?
When will I get the “lucky break”?
When will I get the promotion?
When will God’s promises unfold?
When will my dream come true?
Jesus’ answer to His followers in Acts is His answer to us today:
“You don’t get to know the time. Timing is the Father’s business. What you’ll get is the Holy Spirit. And when the Holy Spirit comes on you, you will be able to be my witnesses . . . even to the ends of the world.” Acts 1:7-8 MSG
Then Jesus disappeared, and all of His followers stood around, looking at an empty sky, asking, “Now what?”
I imagine you understand the “now what” feeling of uncertainty, standing under your own sky. Believe me, I know what it feels like to wonder if God’s promises will unfold — or if I even heard him right. We all ask it: “When is it my turn?”
Jesus answers clearly: “You don’t get to know the time. Timing is the Father’s business.”
This is what I know for sure: If God calls you to it, He will walk you through it. His will. His way. His timing.
We don’t get to the know the time.
Maybe right now you’re feeling too small or insignificant, but your size doesn’t nullify your calling.
It actually doesn’t matter what the experts say, so long as God called you to this. Remember that early group of followers in the book of Acts? There were only 120 in all. The “experts” would have said that there was no way that 120 people could accomplish what Jesus asked them to do — to carry His message to the ends of the earth. Imagine if those 120 people would have Googled this question: “Can 120 people accomplish this task?” Google would have said they were way too small.
But the fact is, a little tribe of 120 would be the beginning of the most important movement in earth’s history.
God’s plan is unstoppable. His plan is bigger than your problem, bigger than your platform, bigger than your hang-ups, bigger than your “bad luck.” God is bigger than everything.
If God can take a group of 120 people, empower them with the Holy Spirit, and within a short time, grow them to 3,000, then thousands, and then millions . . . well, just imagine what He can do with you.
Don’t give up, friend.
“You don’t get to know the time,” but you do know the Keeper of the Clock.
His will. His way. In His time.
Don’t give up.
(Written with love by a woman who told she wasn’t “big enough” to ever get a book contract. And then she wrote those books anyway . . . and they all got published.)
His Will. His Way. His Time. Click To Tweet Leave a Comment
Jennifer,
I love this post because I was one of those eager beavers sitting in the audience that day and you did, indeed, offer hope to those who felt too small…too insignificant. God, however, does not give us the big picture with regard to what and when. He promises to be a lamp unto our feet as we take each small step in faith. If we knew all the answers then that would make us equal to God, which we are not. Trust the Timekeeper. Trust Love’s Heart for us. He knows the desires of our hearts and He will answer in His way in His Timing and, even if the answer isn’t what we expected, we can rest assured that He will be with us. Love your stories!
Blessings,
Bev xo
Oh Bev! I will never forget meeting you that day. You are so dear to me. Thanks for sharing your heart about the Timekeeper.
About God’s timing and God’s plan for the future, Elisabeth Elliot used to say (with characteristic bluntness), “That’s none of your business,” and yet I do find myself poking my nose into the unseen more often than I should. Thanks for this redirection toward “now” thinking.
Smiling big over your story’s ending, and grateful for your offering of hope.
Thanks for this. Amazing timing. I was just listening to your replay talk, Jennifer, on Hope writers. God’s timing indeed.
Nikki! Yes! I shared this very story over on Hope*Writers. Glad you found the replay!
Michele, Thanks so much for your encouragement. And I’m happy to know that my words encouraged you as well. Love that Elisabeth Elliot quote!
This post is very true. If God wants it to happen. It will! It is definitely His timeline. I was in the same position as you Jennifer. I had attended three years of writers conferences and had interviews with agents and publishers. Last January I decided to put my book on hold and be a contributing author in other books. One month later I got an email from my publisher. I was in shock. I cried all weekend because I knew it was God who opened the door. July 2019 my book, “The Joy Box Journal” will be released with Hachette. As I wrote I would pray and say God this is yours. Allow me to be the tool to share what You have put on my heart. The journal has stories and thoughts about finding joy even during the tough times. I love to encourage people by telling them when it is God’s timing hang on for the ride. It will be unexpected and exciting!
I love the title of your book! It sounds interesting. I’ll watch for it and I hope it sells a bajillion copies!
Adria! That is such a fantastic story! Congratulations on the book contract, and I agree with Irene. Your title is so intriguing. BRAVO!!
This post is so encouraging. Thank you, Jennifer. I just shared your January post on the Rise Up Writers page and I’ll be sharing this one with the community as well. I was feeling that discouragement yesterday. I cried out and asked God for some sign I should continue. It felt silly and weak to do so. Then I remembered my commitment to surrender every bit of my writing work. He was so sweet to show me a sign anyway. Several actually.
I’m glad your books got published and look forward to more. 🙂
Thank you so much for this. It’s one thing to timidly believe God called me to something He’s confirmed over and over, but then to struggle and be fruitless still tempts me to forget those confirmations. I had never thought about it this way before, but it’s true and gives me such hope. Thank you, and God bless.
Yes! So often, I find myself repeating those words from Acts: “You don’t get to know the time.”
Love this!
Thanks, Rachael! You’re a blessing. It’s been fun to watch you online! You’re doing great work. 🙂
By way of encouragement a PS:
“The LORD’S love never ends; His mercies never stop. They are new every morning.” Lamentations 3:22-23.
Thank you for this posts reminders that no matter what comes God is bigger, more powerful, and able save, heal, restore. HIS WILL, HIS WAY, HIS TIME.
So glad this post encouraged you, dear Martha. Thanks for the “PS.”
“You don’t get to know the time, but you do know the Keeper of the Clock”…I love this! After submitting a book proposal to several publishers a few years ago I had to get to the point of praying “Lord, even if the only heart this message touches is the heart of the gal who opens up the mail in the publisher’s office, this message is Yours and will have served its purpose”. Of course I want to reach a broader audience with the messages He has placed in my heart, but the more I can put it back at His feet, the less anxious I feel. So I just keep writing. And doing the next right thing that I can. I know that the Keeper of the Clock has my best interest in mind and wouldn’t put a desire in my heart just to tease. He’s not like that. And so thank you Jen for the encouragement to keep my eyes not on the time frame, but on the One who created time.
Oh Kellie … I want you to know that I see how your beautiful heart for God’s daughters TRULY SHINES THROUGH. Thanks for sharing. I hope you are still writing!
Thank you for sharing this encouraging word today.
You are welcome, Cindy. Thanks so much for being here at (in)courage. We are here for you!
As I sit here dreaming of my “what’s next,” thank you for reminding me of the Keeper of the Clock. I needed this encouragement desperately today. God bless!
So glad this post encouraged you, Andrea. The Keeper of the Clock is with your every second, every minute, every hour.
Jennifer, thank you for this encouragement! Feeling small and insignificant over here.♀️
Hey Faith! So sorry it took a bit of time to hop over here and let you know that WE SEE YOU. I’ve been in that place so often too — feeling small and insignificant. May God show you how truly special you are!
At the end of chapter nine in Run with the Horses (about Jeremiah), Eugene Peterson wrote: “There is only one thing needful. And there is only today in which to do it. Do it. Then do it again. And again. Persistently” (p. 117). I wondered, Do these words apply to my writing, Lord? I turned the page to read the title of chapter ten: “Get a Scroll and Write.” It felt like a message straight from heaven’s throne room, right into my heart. Maybe I’m not writing on scrolls (although we do scroll down on our computer screens, don’t we), but this bit of affirmation as well as others keep me persisting. I do want His will for my writing, His way, in His time–even if the audience is small. Thank you, Jennifer, for your precious encouragement!
Wow. Wow. Wow. That’s great stuff, Nancy! Thanks so much for sharing. xo
I am better because I know you and your words through your books. You have a beautiful way of drawing me into your story and encouraging me to know God has the perfect timing for me in his great, big plan.
Thank you for cheering me on and believing in me enough to carry on #TellHisStory.
Mary, I was just thinking about you today. And then the other day, I saw that Emily Freeman had tagged you in one of her IG stories! You are making an impact. So grateful that God crossed our paths.
Oh Jennifer what. a. post- Thank you so very much. I’m not a writer but I am following God’s plan and Wow has He blessed me. Now USA time for writing my report and as I have been looking at opportunities and jobs working in peace but based where I live it seems hopeless at times. Working remotely would be the key BUT I don’t know what God has planned but I know Him and we’ll thats all that matters. I resonated with all the doubts you laid out….But your right, His Will, His solan and in His good timing!!
This was so timely! God has laid an idea for a book on my heart. Currently I have all the doubts hitting full force. I have never done this. I am not great at all the grammar and sentence structure concepts. There are already books that have addressed this topic.
Yet I know that God has called me to it. If I was equipped, He wouldn’t be able to truly guide me. This is definitely scary.
Hey Gina! I am so glad that this post found you just when you needed it. Press on!
Jennifer,
We are an impatient bunch of humans down here. We want to know exactly when things will happen. Waiting is no fun for us. Like you said even the disciples asked when will things happen. Matthew 24:33 states: But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only.” In other words be patient & trust me with the plans I have for you. Keep on doing what you’re doing & in God’s perfect timing it will come to pass. None of us likes to wait-me especially. I have found that waiting on God is best. Only then do we receive His best for us. We are ready to receive the gift & do the work. God expects us to trust Him completely no matter what!!
Blessings 🙂
P.S. Congrats on the books!!
Oh Beth … You are such a blessing. Thanks for sharing your heart with me … with all of us here at (in)courage. You’re a treasure!
Thank you for saying exactly what a million of us God-called writer girls needed to hear: “…your size doesn’t nullify your calling.” That is some straight-up truth. Rejections are stepping stones on the journey to our destiny. Sometimes those rejections feel more like closed doors that make us want to quit. But if everybody quit, there would be no more lovely books to bring hope and meet needs. And we just can’t have that, can we? You are a blessing and an inspiration. Thank you again, Jennifer, for verbalizing the truth that we are not alone and the world needs our voice. Blessed to be a hope*writer with you.
Oh Doris … I AM SO GLAD THOSE WORDS ENCOURAGED YOU. I meant them with all my heart. And even more, I believe that God intends those words for you. xo
Thank you so very much for sharing this. I’m saving for inspiration as I send yet another agent email and don’t hear anything back. 🙂