“When is the last time you cried in a bookstore?”
If you had asked me that question two months ago, I would have looked at you blankly, racked my brain, and then hesitantly replied, “Umm, I’m not sure I’ve ever done that.”
I’m the girl who read straight through dinner, who ate with a fork in one hand and a book in the other, because she simply had to know what would happen next.
I’m the blogger who bookmarks upcoming releases and compiles them into can’t-miss lists to share with readers.
My budget has a line for books, I’ve spent countless hours roaming the aisles of various bookstores, and my “to be read” list only seems to grow. But I’ve never cried in a bookstore . . . that is, until last month.
While running errands on a warm spring afternoon, I ran into a store to grab a book and ended up wandering the aisles because, well, this is who I am.
Up and down, up and down, head tilted to the side to read each title. It was all so very ordinary.
But then I saw a spine that I designed, my name mixed in among the thousands of others, and I had a moment.
There are several reasons I chose to self-publish Even If Not, but I did so knowing that to be anywhere other than Amazon would require a publishing house. I wanted it to be available elsewhere, and the avid reader in me longed to see the book on a shelf, but I was at peace with my decision, confident that obedience for me at that time looked like self-publishing.
And so I flat out cried in Starbucks a year and a half ago, about a year and a half after Even If Not released, when I randomly discovered that two retailers decided to carry the book and sell it online.
Yet even still, I have never looked for my book in a bookstore because I had no way of getting it there.
But God.
When is the last time I cried in a bookstore?
On a regular Thursday afternoon in April, just over three years after my book released, when God did what I couldn’t.
I must have stood there for five minutes staring at the cover with my mouth wide open. With shaking hands, I propped my phone against a stack of books and took a grainy photo with awful lighting because I simply had to mark the “beyond my wildest dreams” moment.
There’s a promise in Ephesians 3 that I’ve held onto with hope in the midst of difficult seasons. The words have been a life raft to me in raging seas and harsh winds, a gentle breeze when I’ve grown weary in the long unknowns.
This time, though, they showed up out of the clear blue and they looked like my own last name on the top shelf of a bookstore on the other side of town.
Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.
Ephesians 3:20 (NIV)
No matter which translation you turn to, over and over His goodness is on display:
Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think . . . (NASB)
Never doubt God’s mighty power to work in you and accomplish all this. He will achieve infinitely more than your greatest request, your most unbelievable dream, and exceed your wildest imagination! (TPT)
Now to Him who is able to [carry out His purpose and] do superabundantly more than all that we dare ask or think [infinitely beyond our greatest prayers, hopes, or dreams] . . . (AMP)
I can’t help but wonder if God occasionally turns to the angels and says, “Gather around. You aren’t going to want to miss this! Just wait until My daughter sees the goodness I have in store for her today!”
After all, we are His children and He delights in us.
He is the Giver of all good things, our Father who takes joy in our joy.
He is the God of immeasurably more, the God of the impossible, the God who became flesh and moved into the neighborhood simply because He loves us.
I’m certain He was watching as I entered the bookstore, as I walked the aisles and made my way closer and closer to the surprise He had in store. I wholeheartedly believe He had His eyes on me as my eyes lit up and then teared up.
And I believe He has His eyes on you, that right this moment He’s doing infinitely more than you could imagine, superabundantly more than you could guess or request in your wildest dreams.
Sure, it’s “just one” bookstore shelf three years later, but it’s also “abundantly more.” It’s a kind reminder He knows our hearts, He cares about our dreams, and He is able.
Keep your eyes open and get ready to mark the moment because the God of immeasurably more is also your Father — and He delights in you.
How have you seen God’s “abundantly more” in your life?
If you’d like to see my latest list of can’t-miss books releasing soon, you can find it right here: 14 Can’t-Miss Books Coming in 2019: May-August
He is the God of immeasurably more, the God of the impossible, the God who became flesh and moved into the neighborhood simply because He loves us. - @kaitlyn_bouch Click To Tweet Leave a Comment
Kaitlyn,
I’ve been living in a beautiful, abundantly more, stage of life. God brought me out of a 25+ year marriage that was verbally and emotionally abusive and brought a wonderful Christian man into my life at one of my lowest points ever (I had just lost my job). To think that I have this whole new beginning at this stage in life, and after being a single parent, I am beyond being blown away. I have coined a saying that goes like this, “Don’t settle for a tootsie roll, when what God has in store is a Godiva Bar.” Too often we are willing to settle for “good enough” when, in reality, God wants to lavish blessings upon us and blow our socks off. God is MORE than able!! Thanks, Kaitlyn, for testifying to God’s goodness and desire to bless us abundantly. I can just hear Him gathering the angels and saying, “Hey, watch this…”
Blessings,
Bev xx
I’m waiting and praying for a Godiva bar! Ha!Ha!
Jeni,
Don’t settle 🙂
Bev xx
Thank you Bev. Today is 1 year exactly of separation from a narcissist. It has been a very hard year and today I am struggling as my property is assessed. But I have seen God so much in this year as He has helped me to maintain my farm and my animals and has blessed me with an awesome job. So thank you for reminding me that there is light to come. And in the meantime, I am trusting and allowing God to carry me.
Hang in there Tammy. There IS light at the end of the tunnel. Lifting you in prayer!
Blessings,
Bev xx
Ha! Bev! That saying. You should make that into an image and share on social. 🙂
Kaitlyn,
Knowing me, I’d get sued by the maker of Tootsie Rolls lol.
Blessings,
Bev xx
I love that image of God gathering the angels to witness a WOW here on this small blue planet.
I think He has embedded all kinds of goodness for us to discover, and even the scientific method is a holy scavenger hunt in which humanity uncovers the mysteries of creation.
A holy scavenger hunt… I like that!
Thank you for sharing this WONDERFUL moment, Kaitlyn! It was so encouraging and full of shining hope! I’m jumping up and down for you!!
Thank you for celebrating with me! 🙂 🙂
Hello, fellow word-lover! I mean, I knew a bunch of the ladies who write/comment here are writers, but your tone and you being the kid walking around with a book all the time and believing in the power of story just caught my eye because it reminded me of me. Thanks for the reminder that God loves surprising us with so much more than we could have ever hoped. I keep forgetting that He delights in me. Thank you, Kaitlyn, and thank You, Lord!
Oh gosh, I always was in the middle of (at least) one book or another. That definitely hasn’t changed… Are you reading anything great right now? Would love to hear! I’m always adding to my “to be read” list. Sounds like you might have a similar list? 🙂
I’m currently reading a book called “Scythe,” by Neal Shusterman. It’s one of the ones on the High School Battle of the Books list for next year. And yes, until very recently, my bedroom floor was coated in books, three or four of which I was in the middle of. I’m hoping to read more this summer; things have been crazy with homework and the school musical and just stress. It literally took me three months to read “Murder on the Orient Express.” What are you reading right now?
This was such an encouragement to my heart today. My family is in one of the darkest valleys we’ve ever been through. I’m praying and waiting and looking expectantly for God to bring Ephesians 3:20 to my life in real-time!
I’m so sorry to hear that, Jeni, but grateful these words encouraged you. Praying you see “abundantly more” even as you wait…
Immeasurably more has been a promise I have been standing on for over 7 years !
This verse has transformed my thinking through various hard times ……so much so it’s tattooed on my arm and the name of my business which invites others to walk into life with this perspective allowing them to see & know the goodness of God abundantly in their everyday …….
An amazing privilege
Kaitlyn, this gave me such images of God not only smiling, but laughing boisterously with a big, deep, PAPA laugh because your joy is His joy. Our lives are so full of these immeasurably more moments, and we bring him such pleasure and glory when we take the time to process them and offer up our gratitude. This verse has been a constant reminder for me also and one I rehearse during moments I’m tempted to doubt his intentions toward me or his nearness to me. Thanks for such a sweet picture of God’s love and goodness!
I love that image, too. I just have to believe He laughs with a deep joy and anticipation, delighting in our delight.
Kaitlyn, this is a lovely piece of writing about an often overlooked concept: God’s over abundance of blessing for us. Bravo!
Thank you for your kind compliment, Irene. xo
You described me! I always had a book in hand, too. I couldn’t read at dinner, but the rest of the time, I had a book. I still do, actually!!! My favorite store is always a book store, I’ll find one wherever I go. Thank you for the reminder that God delights in me. Some days, that’s really hard to grasp!
Yes!! What are you reading right now? Any great recents reads that you’d recommend?
I never get tired of stories demonstrating God’s superabundant goodness! Thank you, Kaitlyn, for sharing yours. The home we live in is an example of God’s “abundantly more.” For forty years our family lived in parsonages, owned or rented by the churches my pastor-husband served. Five years ago we retired and purchased our first home! God provided a lovely brick ranch with white trim and black shutters at a very reasonable, doable price. But what made the house a stand-out as we perused real estate were the white pillars. I’ve always loved homes with pillars since I was a girl. And now I live in one–something I never expected and certainly never prayed for!
Your comment jumped out to me because of the word “pillar.” Funny enough, I’ve been thinking (and writing) a lot about pillars over the past several months… but a different kind. I keep returning to how God’s ever-present presence was a pillar of cloud by day and fire by night. I love how the same word can mean such different things, and yet He uses both to remind us of kindness.
Your joy and excitement blessed me. Thank you for sharing your beautiful story. May this be only the beginning of God’s surprises!
Wow, thank you for this. God has been giving me lots of little gifts and big gifts, and even when it doesn’t seem like I have any direction for where to go next, your post lands in my email inbox as another little gift of encouragement. 😀 Thank you. 🙂
I am so surprised I was drawn into a picture of a girl looking at books. I am not a reader. But I knew I had to read this article. When I read about God calling the angels to watch, the tears just started flowing. I now realize how important it was to Him for me to read this today, just like you finding your book. He had something very important to remind me of.
Kaitlyn,
We are the brides of Christ. He lavishes gifts on us all the time. We have the Holy Spirit to guide us. The Bible to read & really head & heart know God. He lavished me with a super husband 15 years ago. I prayed for someone to understand me & be there when my aging parents dementia got bad. He gave me the best! My hubby allowed me to quit a good job & be more available for my dad. Just this year I lost a part time job-BUT GOD had something much much better in store for me!! He gave me a great part-time job at local hospital in ICU Step Down. The pay is much more & I feel useful all the time there. Plus I can work more if they need me. I have time now to help hubby with His parents. Don’t settle for less than God’s best! Go for the steak not the hamburger. He loves us so much that He delights in us & wants to give us the best of everything.
Blessings 🙂
I’m so happy for you! And am grateful you shared your story to remind us that God has our best joyful moment planned and it will come when we may need it most in the place we expect it the least.Thank you for your inspirational words. May you have many more of those joyous moments and blessings in your life ❤