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Slow Progress Is Still Progress

I used to dream about being a writer. I’d picture myself at my laptop, working for hours on the next best-selling book, barely taking time to eat or sleep because the words would keep coming. Now that I am a writer, I realize that dream was the romanticized version. Yes, sometimes, the words keep coming, but most often, they either trickle in or elude me altogether. Hours can still be spent in front of a laptop screen, and the result can be several pages or several sentences. But a few sentences are better than a blank screen or not sitting down at the laptop at all.

In my dream of being a writer, I was writing for myself, telling funny stories about growing up or crazy things that happened during my career. That was until God placed it on my heart to write for Him, and the dream became a reality. Writing for His glory is harder than quickly cranking out a story about a memory I have, but my words have a solid purpose now other than to merely entertain. On days when only a few sentences are captured, I try to imagine them as the ones that may advance someone’s faith or prompt someone to learn more about Jesus. God doesn’t call us to be successful; He calls us to be faithful, and He measures success differently than the world. Though the words may come slowly at times, slow progress is still progress, and I will faithfully continue to do what God calls me to do… write.

Glued-on Flower

My daughter has always liked cacti. When she went off to college, I went to the local home improvement store to buy a mini cactus for her dorm room desk. There were lots of cacti in tiny terracotta pots, each having a single pink flower. Long after I had given her the prickly but beautiful little gift, she told me that the flower was fake and it had been glued onto the cactus. We laughed about it, but I couldn’t help but feel a little deceived and let down. Did the grower feel the need to add a faux flower to make the cactus beautiful enough for someone to buy?

I think we’ve all done that to ourselves to some extent. We try to hide the prickliness of our lives by distracting people with something attractive. We essentially glue on a fake flower to outwardly present the “best version” of ourselves to others. Sometimes we feel we must present a better version of ourselves to God so He will love us. But God isn’t fooled by our glued-on flower. Your Heavenly Father knows you intimately – your best and worst parts – and loves you anyway. Romans 5:8 (NIV) tells us, “God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners.” Thankfully, Christ’s unconditional love for us isn’t based on perfection, but on His endless grace. No fake flower is needed; we are all His creation and beautiful in His eyes.

Hello! My Name Is…

Some individuals feel offended when their name is pronounced incorrectly, so I make an effort to pronounce the names of people I meet correctly. It’s a common courtesy that goes a long way. Some folks have trouble with my last name, and that’s fine. In fact, I expect people to mispronounce it. But I believe my first name, Julia, is pretty straightforward. I often go by Julie, and that’s easy, too – usually. When people mispronounce, or more often, misspell Julie, it amuses me. I’ve seen July, Juley, Julee, Jullie, and most recently, Jukie. Um, Jukie?! Ha ha!

I’m so thankful that God knows my name. He knows how it’s pronounced; He knows how it’s spelled. But more importantly, He calls me His child. I matter to Him, and He delights in me. He knew me long before I was born and has a good plan for my life. He knows every detail about me, including my proudest moments and the shortcomings I’d rather keep hidden, yet still calls me His. I am truly blessed to be loved that much. My name is written in His Book of Life, and His name is written on my forehead. Out of all the names to which I answer, “Child of God” is my favorite.

Weight of the Word

How do you read the Bible? Do you read it on a tablet, computer, phone, or an old-school hardcopy? For convenience, I read the Bible on my phone via an app. I can easily switch between almost any version, quickly find books and chapters, and even search for specific topics. I have His Word in my hand, and I love it.

Someone in my ladies’ Bible study said that she always reads her hardcopy Bible. I assumed it was just a personal preference until she said why. A hardcopy Bible is just that, and its sole purpose is to provide God’s Word. It has weight, it has substance, it has one job. The hardcopy Bible wasn’t made for anything else; it serves as a simple, pure way to connect with God.

I have now rethought how I read the Bible. My phone is a multi-purpose tool that weighs only a few ounces and nearly puts the entire world at my fingertips. When I spend time in God’s Word, how wonderful it is to feel the weight and the intimacy of a printed Bible. My fingertips need each page of His Word much more than they need the world.

Front Row Seating

A few years ago, my husband and I spent a couple of days at a lovely beach resort in the Florida panhandle. From our balcony on our first morning there, we watched a young man set out about sixty beach chairs and umbrellas near the water’s edge. We could tell he had done this many times before, as he clearly had a system for setting up the chairs as quickly as possible in three neat rows. We decided to rent two beach chairs, but were disappointed when we inquired about the price and availability. The “front row” chairs were extremely pricey and had already been rented for the duration of our trip. “Second row” chairs were a little cheaper but also unavailable. We had to settle for the available, but still costly “third row” chairs. They were perfectly comfy, but our view of the ocean was obstructed by those lucky enough to snag first or second-row chairs. We eventually laughed, calling ourselves part of the “third-class” crowd. We also laughed that people, including us, were willing to pay exorbitant prices to enjoy tiny strips of beach.

When we spend time with God, we are never part of the “third-class” crowd. Whether we read our Bibles, pray, or worship, we are guaranteed premium seating with our Heavenly Father. When you spend time with Him, you are His priority, and He listens intently as if you were the only person in the world. Psalm 116:2a (NLT) tells us that God even “bends down to listen.” He wants to hear what we have to say and hear the praises we sing. God is the one who paid the exorbitant price when He sent His Son, Jesus, so that you can enjoy sweet communion with Him. The Almighty loves you and wants to spend time with you. He will always have a front row seat reserved just for you.