Right now, I’m in the proverbial ninth month of birthing a book baby and it feels very much like waiting to birth a real baby. It’s part miserable and part completely joyous. There are days it feels real and days it feels like I’ve been writing about someone else’s life. But…
The book is done. If I hit publish on the upload to Amazon right now, I’d feel good about it, maybe even great about it. I’ve neglected the blog the last few weeks because I’ve been neck deep in final touches. I’ve been working on something special for the people who help me launch the book, too. As it turns out, however, that little project grew into a whole new book idea of its own. So, I’m going to slow down and not rush it. It deserves it’s own time to develop.
I didn’t really know what I was getting myself into when I started this whole thing. I just knew Jesus asked me to write, and I said yes to the right thing at the right time. If I’m being really honest, I’m nervous about the moment when I hit publish. It’s not exactly comfortable sharing so much of my life with the world.
As I type this blog post, the third proof copy of Hope Fully is sitting next to me. I’ve made one last pass over her pages. I’ve sat with her and prayed. And I feel confident that Jesus has been in it all. The process grew me. It helped me to understand the life Jesus asked me to lead. And I hope as you read my story, you’ll find ways to better understand your own.
I have been sitting with these words for almost six months now. There’s this voice in the back of my head that tells me I should just keep the book to myself. That it’s too much to share. I will feel too seen. What if it fails? What if I toss it out into the sea of available books written by people much more qualified than I, and it sinks?
That voice isn’t one I recognize, though. It is not my friend. And it isn’t the voice I allow into my spirit. Instead, I lean into Him. His voice. That’s the only voice I’ll ever need.
His is the voice that called me out onto the water in the middle of the raging sea of book writing. It’s the voice I cling to when fear tries to tell me the book is not good enough to help anyone.
Because I know better. I know Jesus asked me to tell my story so you don’t feel so alone in yours. I know, that alone was reason to obey Him.
So, when the enemy tries to tell me that I should just give up now before I fail at getting the book into other’s hands … I tell him to beat it. Hope leaves the comfort of the vessel and walks out to Jesus. Hope doesn’t sink.
Hope gets out of the boat and walks on the water beside Him.
HOPE FLOATS.
Will you be a Hope Dealer?
I’ve reached that point in the birthing a book process where I need your help. You should probably know that asking for help is not my favorite, so this is hard!
The sort of standard thing to do in the book writing world is to put together a “launch team” a few weeks before a book is released. I’ve prayed over this concept for weeks now. It feels so strange to me to launch a book about my life. I’m not sure if I’m just trying to hide behind humility or I’m genuinely weirded out by that much attention. Either way, the book can’t help people who don’t know it exists, so I’m dropping my nerves at the door and asking for your help.
Do you know someone—or are you someone—who has endured loss, suffered in an abusive relationship, walked through divorce, or raised kids alone? Someone who needs the hope that only Jesus can provide.
Do you run a women’s ministry or bible study? Maybe there are people you care for in your church who are silently struggling the way I did and need to hear it’s okay to trust Jesus with their story.
Do you just want to support the work Jesus is doing here and help me get the word out?
If you answered yes, to any of those questions, please fill out the launch team application below, and I’ll get back to you with more detailed directions. The commitment is minimal. It includes posting a pre-made graphic about the book on your social media accounts on the days leading up to the launch, reading enough of the free advanced copy pdf to write a review, write an honest review on Amazon when the book launches, and post about the release on launch day.
Easy, right?
Remember how I said that it’s hard for me to ask for help in this? Here’s why.
I’m really not after book sales. I’m not a fan of a lot of attention. And I’m nervous as all get out to put my life out there in print.
But I am looking for women just like me who need to hear that their story isn’t too hard, they are not too far gone, and that there is a Savior coming after them like He came after me. And to find those women, I need help to spread the word about Hope Fully. I need you.
Fill out the quick application HERE.
Applications are due Friday, September 18th at 8pm PST.
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