I’m sitting in a marketing meeting on Zoom, trying hard to listen. The subject is the oddest project I’ve ever tackled, especially when it comes to convincing fellow Christians to join me on the journey.
In short, I wrote a 1920s mystery novel and, in a few months, in October, it’s set to be released to the world. My struggle, meantime, is explaining why I wrote it — and why godly folks should read it.
Crime writing? Especially when such writing can look dangerous, scary, and maybe even ungodly?
The women on the Zoom call, however, don’t look fearful or worried. Instead, they look excited. Like me, they love Agatha Christie, Sherlock Holmes, and other mystery heavy hitters. They understand, therefore, that a good mystery looks at our broken places but, in the end, points us to redemption.
So, God is in this, they argue. Therefore, reach out to people. Tell them about it. Connect with folks. Let them know what you’ve written and why. It seems like a reasonable plan for any ministry — traditional or out of the box: just connect.
Praying about it, however, the Lord invited me to first take a deeper step. Connect with Me, He says. Then everything else you’re scrambling for will get found.
Another way to say that is “seek God first,” as we know from the beloved wisdom of Matthew 6:33. Seeking God and His righteousness — especially when we’re scrambling — is the only good way to find our paths and to find Him.
But sometimes, when we’re trying to draw friends to a project or a stance we believe in, we can miss the mark by making it about ourselves — yelling loudly, pointing to our accomplishments, trying to reach more people, doing more for the sake of “connection.”
But God simply invites us to Him, to His presence, and to every beautiful gift that comes along with Him: mercy and grace, goodness and compassion, healing and help, joy and love, counsel and guidance, authentic transparency and truth. Yes, to His agenda.
His desire? First, to transform us and make us more like Christ. Such change requires remaining in the Lord. Stay and abide with Me. As He says, “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing” (John 15:5).
Sitting in the Zoom meeting, I hear that loud and clear. The marketing people are saying the same thing: Connect to people, but do it as Jesus did — by first loving others and living as He did.
So, how did Jesus live? By seeking after His Father.
Listening to those marketing folks, I finally hear their ministry truth. It’s only in God that we find the assurance and confidence to offer our broken but creative selves to the world.
It’s in Him that we learn the true ways of real connection, not to make transactions — or to pitch our mysteries or ministries — but to walk together on this puzzling road of life.
It’s in Him that we find the courage to try.
It’s in Him that, when we fall — and we will — we find the strength to get back up and the courage to try again.
Sure, I’m praying that you’ll read my mystery book, but along the way, I hope we keep joining each other in seeking Him. He’s our every answer, our greatest connection. In that, there’s never a mystery.
Thank you for your words of encouragement. We all need to be reminded to seek God in all we do and He will provide. He is the trust and the rock we need each day.
I love reading mysteries. (Especially, those set in the early 1900’s.) I look forward to reading your book. Best of luck.
Seeking Him first. Tammy, I join you on that journey! Thank you for walking it with me, even in my new endeavor. Blessings, in turn, on all your seeking and sowing with Him!
Thank you for the reminder that our paths are made clear when we walk with Christ first in our lives.
I wish you much success with the launch of your book. ❤️
He comes first, indeed. Thank you, Angie, also for your loving support. His blessings today!
Patricia I do wish you all the best for you book. I will look out for it over here in Northern Ireland. As things take longer to come out over here than in were you live. I love the last book I read by you. About you and your Daughter. It inspired to pray for you both as you already know with my Husband having his cousin Kids brought up Muslim. When she was brought up in a Christian home. Because of who she Married. I pray for them too. I love to pray for you and your Daughter too. In Jesus eyes I believe this he sees your Daughter not a Muslim nor her Family like My Husband Cousin her Husband and kids. He see them all as beautiful people he made. In his perfect timing we will see them all like Jesus. (Saved and one for his Kingdom)Your Daughter and her family plus My Husband Cousin and her family too. We have to keep our focus on Jesus and in prayer for them. Not let the Devil whisper in our ears. No there not coming to know this Jesus of yours. So you might as well stop praying. Things like that Patricia make me all the more determined to pray all the more for them. That is what I do for your Daughter her family and my Husband cousin and her family. So I seek God rightness for them. Never give up praying. We have to stop scrambling for things that are taking our minds of Jesus. Like saying why did your Daughter became a Muslim and why did my Husband cousin Marry a Muslim. Scramble for the things of Jesus and pray for them. I believe we can’t help who we fall in love with. Like my Husband cousin she fell in love with a Muslim that is why her kids are Muslim. But I don’t know if she is. Jesus wouldn’t want things like this to get to us. As you wrote in your book. We still have to love them like Jesus loves us all no matter what. Love what you shared today. Love you all incourage. Love Dawn Ferguson-Little xx
Your wonderful prayers are a glorious blessing, dear Dawn. Thank you so much for your faithful love of Jesus in all that you do. With His great love, Patricia
You are welcome Patricia. I gladly will pray for you Daughter and her Family. When I am saying my prayers for them and my Husband cousin. I say Lord open their eyes to see the truth. For your Daughter to see the truth and the light in you ands your Husband her parents plus her family. I pray for my Husband cousin family to see the light too. Because she has Sister who is married to Pastor. So I pray she will see the light in her sister and Husband who is a pastor. I believe you will see your Daughter come to faith and her family. I will see my Husband cousin and family come to faith. Like I once read in Our Daily Bread. The Mother who prayed for her son for over 20 years to find the Lord. On 25th September 2016 reading of our Daily Bread it said he came to Lord. So that makes me know Prayer does work. Not to stop praying. As that days Our Daily Bread Said about that mother’s prayers being answered. So never give up having faith no matter how long you have to pray. I will keep praying from my side of the world for your beautiful Daughter and her family. As well as my Husband cousin and her family too. Plus my family as I am the only one of them saved. So prayer does work. Good to hear from you. Dawn Ferguson-Little Northern Ireland XXX
Congratulation on your new adventure of publishing a mystery book. I have loved mysteries since I was a Nancy Drew fan in elementary school and a dedicated Agatha Christie and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle fan forever (along with lots of other authors)
I look forward to reading your new book.
Sandy, thank you so much. Nancy Drew was often on my nightstand, too, as a child and teen. Something about the detective’s battle against good vs. evil. I’m grateful for the Lord’s encouragement to try such a new thing in His name. Thanks for joining me on the journey!
Sandy, thank you so much. Nancy Drew was often on my nightstand, too, as a child and teen. Something about the detective’s battle against good vs. evil. I’m grateful for the Lord’s encouragement to try such a new thing in His name. Thanks for joining me on the journey!
Good thoughts indeed. Would love to preorder your book too but it doesn’t seem to be available in Canada. Blessings to you!
Thank you so much, Cheryl. I seem to learn something new in Christ every day on this new book journey. As for Canada, my book is available on Amazon.ca if you search under the title (or look under my name). I’m hoping you can find it when you search again. I’m so honored by your interest. Warmest regards on this journey of faith!
“It’s only in God that we find the assurance and confidence to offer our broken but creative selves to the world.” I love that so much, Patricia! (And I’m so excited to read your upcoming book!)
Beautiful Becky! Thank you so much for understanding. It’s only in our Creator does our “creativity” find its way back to Him. Thanks so much for affirming this journey (because you’re on it, too!) Much love and thanks today, Patricia
I love Mysteries and I’m happy that this is by a Christian author so I don’t have to worry about the content. I look forward to reading this!!
Thank you for sharing your story and insight! This is a timely reminder as I begin a new journey of blogging and selling AVON,
Patricia,
Congratulations on your book. Praying it does well. You hit the nail on the head with this: Connect with Me, He says. Then everything else you’re scrambling for will get found. We scramble, strive & try doing things on our own. All that needs to happen is seek God & His wisdom first. Then ALL things will fall into place. Asking God to bless your book.
Blessings 🙂