This week I released the official title of my new book on my Instagram and Facebook accounts. Seems like it should be a fun relief for a writer to put the title out their for my readers, right? Yes and no. Here’s why: My plan was to launch my book in August of 2018. Now it’s September, and I’m only releasing the title. That’s a big delay, and boy, have I been fighting disappointment.
Oh wait, it gets worse. Originally, I wanted to release the book LAST August.
Have you ever had a delay that was not only a disappointment but felt like a hole had been punched in your gut? That’s what this book delay felt like. Because the delay wasn’t caused by anyone else except me. I needed to hustle to hit my self-inflicted deadline…but I didn’t.
The night I made the decision to push back the release felt like a death. Lying in bed after everyone in the house was asleep, I watched the fan whirl over my head and let the tears roll down the sides of my face. There I was, a whole year later, 2018 instead of 2017, still feeling a little lost, a lot lazy, and a big failure. I had spent every day of the last year and a half staring at my vision board with “New Book Release” pinned smack dab in the middle. But the only thing that had changed on it was the release date.
I felt like I’d wasted my summer. Like I’d wasted my year. I had watched other writer friends of mine release multiples books (two of which I had edited). One of my friends wrote THREE in the year and a half that I was still “writing” mine. I should have finished the book. I should have published it. I should have…..
And there I was lying in my own pity, when God said, “Stay in YOUR lane.” I wanted to yell out, “But what lane am I supposed to be in?” Should I be in the mom lane? The blogger lane? The Christian book lane? The bust-my-butt-and-get-this-book-out-even-if-it-isn’t-how-I-imagine-it-in-my-head-just-so-I-hit-my-goal lane? Should I scrap this book entirely and write a different one instead?
It was a night full of confusion and frustration. My journal from that night looked a lot like David’s Psalms. But by the next morning, I woke with such peace.
“The Lord blesses his people with peace.” ~ Psalm 29:11
That’s how I knew I had made the right decision. I’m still disappointed. I would love to be writing this blog about how fabulous my recent book launch went. But I know that with this decision, this seeming delay, that my book will be that much better. But you know what else, more than my book, I’ve been able to give my family more of my time too.
The month I made this decision, our family was able to mark off our biggest goal, a goal my husband and I have had since we got married 15 years ago! In the month that I would have been finishing my book and then launching it, I was able to go to church camp with my kids and see them grow in their relationship with Jesus. My husband and I went on a kid-free trip for our 15th wedding anniversary. And I was able to take stress-free time working out the curriculum for all four of my kids to start their homeschool year. Plus, I have some pretty great things I’m working on for the fall even before the book release.
All my hope had been in my own plan. But this delay, this disappointment, it may have just been a blessing in disguise. Not in my timing, but I’m learning that when He says WAIT, I listen.
I want to challenge you:
Give yourself grace in the delays. What seems like a delay to us, could have been God’s original plan all along.
As for this new book of mine, it’s coming along! And I believe it will be worth the WAIT! Summer may be over but now we’re WAITING FOR AUGUST. Yup, that’s the official title. My third book, Waiting for August, will release in 2019.
To get exclusive updates on the book (i.e. cover reveal, full synopsis, launch team opportunities and giveaways), sign up for my VIP reader’s community HERE.
Share:
