A One Year Harvest

One year ago, a dream was fulfilled and released into the open space of publication. 255 pages of intimate words, carefully crafted sentences scripted with the help of the Holy Spirit. Months of toiled soil bore a harvest in the form of God’s Big Ask.

The harvesting continues. The brilliant thing about a book is that it is in existence permanently. Every individual who touches the cover, cracks the binding, and journeys through the story will find something living within the pages. They will see themselves in the storyline. An anecdote will remind them of someone they know. A scripture reference will speak hope. The rawness of the text will challenge their worldview. Somewhere between the beginning and end, the reader will experience the precise power of the Holy Spirit and be encouraged to accept God’s big ask for their own courageous course.

This is the fruit that is worth plucking.

Oddly, I am bearing fruit because of this book. Not in the way many would expect. The harvest has not been financially or platform-building profitable. It has hardly opened doors for speaking engagements and it has yet to lead to another book. These are the physical accolades one would assume come with a dream fulfilled, an obedient act of sacrifice in the form of a book.

But, no. God had different fruits in mind, a unique harvest.

Every single word of the book was finished in April 2022. This comes from the final chapter, “God can do hard things and frequently, He chooses to do the hard things differently than we would. Case in point, I do not have a third miracle baby. Despite our efforts and our openness with a few close people, we have not received a third child” (pg 249).

The editing and design process took just over four months. During that time, as I worked with my professional editor, I had to re-read most of my book about four complete times. During those four months of scrutinizing every word, every single syllable, I miscarried a baby. We decided to leave the book as is and only subtly mention the loss in the Epilogue: “During the repeated reading of this book, I was fighting a personal health battle and suffered a tragic loss. Yet, in my current sacrifices, suffering, and silence, I found that I needed the message of this book on repeat for myself” (pg 253).

The book release date was set for Tuesday, September 27. There was nothing more I could do. It was out of my hands and ready for the hands of those who picked up the book. I had completely finished the big ask that God had pushed and prodded me toward. It was a complex cacophony of relief, angst, joy, and exhaustion. However, I remember holding one of the first copies of the bound book, my fingers tracing the title on the cover, and tearfully looking heavenward, “This is an offering God, an act of obedience. All I ask is for this book to advance Your plan and purpose for my life and in the life of every future reader.”

Twenty days before the book went live, I found out I was pregnant.

A different personal harvest than I had expected.

None of us can win the “would-have” game but I do wonder what would have happened had I not surrendered to God’s big ask. Had I had a baby sooner, would I have written this book? Would it have been written differently? Would the absence of certain anecdotes have changed the purpose God had for future readers?

Possibly. I cannot answer for Him.

Here is what I do know: “He sees the eternal picture and He will break down walls and call down fire to make His plan happen. In all our even if moments, there is a good God with good purposes. Ultimately, that is enough” (pg 251).

I believe my daughter Brielle is part of the harvest of God’s Big Ask.

I also believe there is more good fruit that has been harvested. I am thankful for the stories that have been shared with me through book reviews, notes, social media, emails, and in-person. Thank you for sharing with me how God moved in your even if storyline as you accepted His big ask for you. It encourages my soul to know God’s Big Ask has sparked individual awareness and acceptance to find the courage to say yes to what feels impossible.

God does amazingly big things when we respond in obedience. The harvest may not be what you or the world expects, but every “yes” to Jesus will yield fruit beyond your expectations. Because He is a good GOD who works in our waiting.

My friend, “There is something coming, there will be an arrival, an answer, a promotion, a breakthrough, a gift up ahead” (pg 180). Wherever you are in your big ask journey, anchor yourself to the Life Source and be ready for a unique harvest, one you never imagined. Good fruit will come.

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

Warrior Flock

Hard Stuff