Yesterday began with a powerful Bible Study, where we opened the Word and received teaching on Zechariah 11 and 12. I’ve never studied this minor prophet before, so I’ve been learning quite a bit. Tucked inside this book are two of my favorite passages:

⁶ So he said to me, “This is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel: ‘Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit,’ says the Lord Almighty.

and

¹⁰ Do not despise these small beginnings, for the Lord rejoices to see the work begin, to see the plumb line in Zerubbabel’s hand.”

Yet, I’ve found so many more. That is the beauty of Bible Study, isn’t it? We can read and study for years and years and still there is more to learn.

Let God be God.

At the end of our time together, one dear woman shared a story about her daughter moving to Africa. Before her daughter boarded the plane, she gave her a picture (I believe), with four words, Basi Mungu Kuwa Mungu, written in Swahili, meaning:

Let God be God.

The daughter shared this with the flight attendants who immediately broke out in a native song from their country entitled, “Basi Mungu Kuwa Mungu.” They continued by sharing that the women of that culture actually stitch those words into the fabric of their skirts. It seems it is a powerful saying or mantra in their lives.

We all were silenced by this fact.

“We have to do that,” I said. “What can we do to have that on our clothes?”

I suggested pins. Another suggested bracelets.

We all will remember those four words. Each one needing God to be God in the lives of our friends and families.

Little Did I Know

Later in the afternoon (once again, the afternoon knows what the morning never imagined), around dusk, I was working hard on finishing a PowerPoint presentation for an event I will be speaking at this upcoming Friday.

An email came through from a literary agent I have been seeking to represent my newest book project.

I was scared to click it, fearing the worst, as always.

My heart sank as I read the very solid rejection. Very encouraging, indeed, yet a rejection all the same.

Yes, I melted. The dam of negative thoughts broke. I’m not going to lie, this rejection hit me hard. It’s yet another one in the long line of rejections.

My husband walked in from work.

“Is anyone home?” he said.

“Yes, I’m here. In my office.”

With one candle glowing on my desk, he put his hands on my shoulders. I let him read the email. He didn’t say anything. We’ve been through this before. He simply rubbed my shoulders, kissed my head, and offered his strength.

“We’ll get through this. What can I do?”

Living What I Teach

The rest of the night I allowed Disappointment to run its course. I applied my teaching, “Replace the D with an H and you have ‘HIS APPOINTMENT.'” Mentally, I counseled myself with the words of my Genesis 2:7 Beginning teaching (part of the lesson I had been working through on PPT):

• God infused His God-sized breath into you.
• You have a God-sized capacity to live this life.
• Your worth is not defined by anything other than God’s love for you.
• God has a plan and purpose (Jeremiah 29:11-13) that is exceedingly abundantly above all you think or ask (Ephesians 3:20).
• Let God be God.

Yes, I know it is only one rejection notice. The average for an author is 27.

I will send it to another. And another. And another, until I hear God speak otherwise.

When We Can’t Find the Words to Pray

So grateful to be enrolled in this great course. I’ve been art journaling for years and years but this adds so much more to it.

After a restless night sleep, I knew I needed to set aside time this morning for some processing. While doing so, my dear Brooke forwarded this song, by Sidewalk Prophets, to me. How divine. It gave me the words I couldn’t find on my own.

It reminded me of why I sit and write. To help others find the words they can’t find on their own.

She then wrote me a short note,

Don’t lose focus on what you think your called to do just because of a few people not believing in it– you want to be with a publisher who will LOVE it not like it– God was rejected by everyone and still knew he still had to save the world by loving and dying for us— rejection isn’t a dead end it’s just refining your goal even more!!!

Maybe Brooke’s words and the song she shared with me will be exactly what you need today. I pray so.

We’re on this journey together and boy, do we need one another.

Stay true to who God has called you to be and mentally stitch, “Basi Mungu Kuwa Mungu” on your skirt/pants/clothes today.