Audiobook Victory
Some things take longer than expected. Sometimes, all our precise planning and mapping leave us speechless as we watch our reality refuse to align with the script. This occurs more frequently than most of us would prefer to admit. We’ve specified life to ourselves. We’ve ordered our steps, added to our dream boards, put down deposits, and dictated directions for our future. And while pre-planning, organizing, and dreaming are all necessary components to a full life, we must be mindful that nothing ever falls perfectly into place. Thus, it is best to plan with open hands instead of tightly closed fists.
In the long-suffering of whatever is taking longer than expected, ask yourself: Is this thing (fill in the blank) something God asked me to do? If the answer is “Yes,” then hold to this Scripture:
Be steadfast, immovable, always excelling in the Lord’s work, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain. 1 Corinthians 15:58
So, open your hands and release both the timeline and the pressure to God, knowing that your work is not in vain. If you walk in obedience to Him and lean on the Holy Spirit, there will be a breakthrough, an end, a victory.
Today marks an end, a victory for me. The audiobook for God’s Big Ask is finally available for purchase.
Granted, this comes a year later than originally scheduled. It wasn’t laziness or fear that paralyzed the process; rather, it was a different type of labor where God was working.
Half of the book was recorded while I was pregnant. After the initial months of sickness, I climbed into a soundproof booth and read aloud chapters to future listeners. We had to adjust the microphone to make room for my growing belly! Eventually, I couldn’t provide the quality of reading necessary because my lungs were squished by my growing baby girl. I was disappointed and frustrated since I had promised the audiobook last fall. The power of pause has been a theme for me recently…pause is not an end; it is a breath of preparation, a lesson in patient waiting.
The second half of the book was recorded post-partum. Post the beautiful miracle that God had delivered. Brielle spent quality time with Daddy as I recorded eight chapters in two days! It was quite emotional and spiritual reading aloud chapter 16 and the epilogue while I caught glimpses of her through the glass. (Read A One Year Harvest from September 2023) Then the post-production took time and more steadfastness than expected.
But here we are…in God’s timing, delivered on the date He knew: Tuesday, December 12, 2023. Not my choice, not what I had promised others, and not what any author or publisher would recommend. Feels like that has been the whole process of this book…very little of it aligns with “what should have been.” Unless you choose to view it through the lens of, “Your labor in the Lord is not in vain.”
While God’s Big Ask may have been recorded in two different “voices,” I can assure you that it is raw and real. The reading is far from sterile; you can hear my voice crack with emotion as I read stories similar to your own. As I read about how difficult it can be to say “yes” to God in the middle of impossible realities, I blinked back real tears. I also joyfully recalled the goodness of Christ, the closeness of His Spirit, and His wonderful presence that builds and sustains.
My friend, whatever God has called you to, follow through as He permits. You may feel stuck or paralyzed in your place of labor or frustrated that your work appears fruitless and unprofitable. If you walk in obedience, seeking the Lord in His Word and prayer, you can rest in the promise that He will make a way.
Thank you for your continued support as I live out this calling to openly share both the difficult and the divine of responding “Yes” to God. Remember, “God asks big things of us, but He also responds with big answers. They are not always the answers we think best and they are rarely provided on our timeline, but they are routinely exactly what we need. Through the Scriptures and the support of the Holy Spirit, we are satisfied in ways that help shift our perspectives from my sacrifice, my suffering, and my silence to “God, I join You in Your sacrifice, Your suffering, and Your silence.” And while this is not done easily or even willingly, we begin to move from loathing to letting because we recognize God’s presence and provision, even in this.” (God’s Big Ask, pg. 255)
To purchase the audiobook:
1) You are welcome to purchase the audiobook via Amazon.
2) If you already have an Audible account, you can search it directly on Audible:
3) If you are new to Audible, there is a 30-day free trial you can sign up for here:
Again, as a new author, reviews are really important. If you enjoy the audiobook, please consider leaving a short review.
My prayer is that God will meet you in your place of listening and use these words to be a holy message to your heart and soul. May you be reminded of His goodness despite the visual evidence and that you are never asked to carry the weight on your own. In deep waters, you have a Rescuer.
Until next time, my friend.
I invite you to grab a cup of coffee, tea, or chai and sit with me. If you haven’t yet purchased God’s Big Ask, you can do so here: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BGKHY7KM
