Today is the one year anniversary of two significant things in my life.
1. I pushed SEND.
A year ago today I approved the final manuscript of my first book In This Place and emailed it to my publishers for printing. That was an overwhelming feeling, tons of poundage dropped from my shoulders, yet I felt dually exhausted and humbled by such an experience.
Jeff and I prayed after I sent the manuscript, prayed that the book would above all reveal God's beauty, magnificent glory, and His trustworthiness to those who would read it.We prayed that it would travel where He wanted it to go, that I would hold on to no human expectations for the book, and that it would be used to encourage and enlighten the reader in ways we could not imagine.
God has answered those prayers.
We continue to praise Him as He carries In This Place to countries such as China, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, and into Europe and Africa. Believers and unbelievers alike are reading it. It is a ethereal feeling to know that I finally obeyed Him in this thing. More than 1300 copies have been sold and hundreds more e-books are sparking through cyber space to Kindles, Nooks, and iPads everywhere.
From the mouth of a seasoned missionary woman,
"Kim got it right the first time in her book.
She honors God, she speaks candidly of her struggles
and joys as a young missionary in a
different culture,
and gives us things to think about
no matter what walk of life."
2. I broke my left foot a few hours after that mountaintop experience.
It did not happen in a glamorous way, so I'll spare you the details. But, within 24 hours of the fall, I was wearing a "sexty" black boot and wondering what God was up to. With a book release party just a month away, I was thinking there may had been a mistake? (did you smile?)
Rest. Ah, that small word. A novel idea, isn't it? To prop your feet up (which was mandatory for me) and be at the mercy of those who loved me. If I tried to walk around too much that first week after the break, the foot would swell, reminding me to REST.This morning I was reminded of the year old break because it is raining outside (which I've been told can mysteriously aggravate areas which have been broken) and I must have moved my foot in just the right way to bring a tinge of tenderness to the area.
As I am in the middle of my final editing of my second book In Every Place, the tinge of tenderness in my left foot reminded me that I WILL need to take a season of rest after this book has been sent to print.
It is necessary for my body, soul, and spirit. Hopefully I have learned my lesson.
We all live with BROKEN THINGS in our lives.
Hurts, losses, disappointments, addictions, confusion, circumstances out of our control.
Being human means there will be those times that our lives shatter.
But God is so faithful to heal us, to strengthen us when we hand it all over to Him.
Rest in Him as He renews our spirits and bodies.
And it certainly doesn't mean we won't be reminded of those broken times by tinges of memory, but the truth still stands. HE MAKES ALL THINGS NEW. We do not need to be bound to the brokenness.
The Lord is near to the broken hearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit. (Ps. 34:18)
What are you reminded of today that may have come from a season of growing and testing?
He heals the broken hearted and binds up their wounds.
He counts the number of the stars; He gives names to all of them.
GREAT is our Lord and abundant in strength;
His understanding is infinite.
(Ps. 147:3-5)
