We Do Not Lose Heart
by Nicole Schrader
(2 Corinthians 4:1,5 ESV).
Two years ago, I attended my first writing conference, certain the first draft of my novel would make people stand up and cheer. I wasn’t naïve, but I was confident. By the end of the weekend, the well-meaning and helpful criticism I heard thoroughly crushed me. The amount of re-writing my manuscript needed left me discouraged. I questioned my ability and calling to write.
Do you ever doubt your calling to write? Do you wonder if your words will ever make a difference for Christ? These verses bring me hope whenever I am tempted to lose heart.
I require regular reminders that ministry arrives as a gift of God’s mercy. Nothing I attempt or achieve will hold eternal value apart from divine intervention. We are created to do good works God has prepared in advance for us (Ephesians 2:10 ESV). So we must persevere and walk in obedience, for we know he works in and through us.
I know God is the source of my creativity. He has given me insights for communicating his word to children. In addition, I gratefully accept the wisdom of those who have gone before me. As I submit my efforts to God, I can be confident he will use my words as he sees fit.
In the last two years, the community of Christian writers who have sacrificed their time to help me has humbled me. These servants of Christ shine as examples for me on my journey forward. For, indeed, what we proclaim is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as servants for Jesus’ sake.
Dear Father in Heaven,
Thank you for your mercy and grace in our lives. Thank you for saving us and making us vessels of your Spirit. I pray we might proclaim you well in our writing and serve one another willingly and with joy.
Nicole Schrader is an author and blogger. As a homeschool mom, she discovered a passion for writing as she taught her children to write. Schrader loves writing for children and looks forward to reading with her grandchildren. She writes a website for parents, https://Bookblurbs.org, and a devotional blog, at https://nlmschrader.blog. Visit her sites for inspiration and encouragement.