Where God's Word Meets Our Mess
Recently, I’ve been reminded how much disappointment stings. Unfortunately, no matter how hard I try, I can’t prevent disappointments from happening. However, the lessons that I’ve been learning through this recent disappointment in my life will hopefully encourage you as you navigate disappointment in your own life. Here are a few things to remember when life disappoints you.
When I started writing, I was just a little girl. I can’t honestly remember the first thing that I wrote, but I knew that I was hooked on this writing thing. Several half-finished stories (and a few finished ones) later, I started to become a really anxious writer though—completely focused on doing all the things that would potentially lead me to a book deal. But that’s not what this post is about, friends. Because you can find tons of resources about doing all the things that will potentially lead you to a book deal. But if you want to have a solid foundation for your writing as you start on this exciting journey, I have a few other suggestions for you.
So Danny and Nina got promoted instead of me? I thought. Why didn’t I get promoted? Everyone in this company is probably wondering why Danny and Nina got promoted but I didn’t. I mean, am I doing something wrong? What am I doing wrong? What’s wrong with me?
On the one hand, I’m afraid that I’ll have sex once and never want to have it again: What if having sex hurts? What if it’s uncomfortable? What if I hate it? On the other hand, I’m afraid that I’ll have sex once and won’t want to stop: What if having sex becomes my favorite new hobby? What if it’s super intense? What if I like it more than my husband does?
My pride says, "Grace, your book could encourage so many young women as they recover from their eating disorders," My pride says, "There is so much potential for your book; you would be famous if people knew about it." My pride says, "Your book could be a bestseller if only people would let you promote it." But as I focus on my book and my platform and my lack of success, I quickly drown in discouragement. Perhaps I need to focus less on my efforts and focus more on God’s will.
Ever since I signed a contract for Real Recovery: What Eating Disorder Recovery Actually Looks Like, I’ve been afraid. Actually, I was afraid before I ever signed the contract. I’ve harbored fears about writing a book, becoming a published author, and finding success. To be more specific, I’ve harbored fears about being unable to write a book, become a published author, and find success. There’s now a checkmark next to “write a book” and “become a published author,” but there’s not yet a checkmark next to “find success.” I realize that success is a subjective concept, so here’s my version of it: being a well-known, well-loved published author. And I haven't found that success yet.
Why are we as women so afraid to walk away from things? That's been a pressing question on my mind recently, and I decided to address it here because I’m sure that I’m not the only one who’s asking that question.
I wanted to open up about *why* I wrote it. I feel like the *why* behind a book is sometimes just as important as the *what* inside a book. Why did I specifically choose to write about eating disorders and recovery? Why did I write Real Recovery? Here are two of the main reasons.
So, when we have to make a morally neutral decision (meaning a decision that is neither moral nor immoral), we panic. In wanting to follow God’s will for our lives, I believe that we’ve gone from one extreme to the other—not caring what God thinks about our decisions to being terrified that God will hate our decisions. What if there’s a balance between both of those extremes?
Tizzie's Tidbits of Truth 