What. A. Year. God is faithful. This morning I am remembering the Sunday when God graciously let me know that the wilderness was coming to an end. I am remembering the moment when He placed a men’s book on my heart. I am remembering when I took a leap of faith and starting typing, unsure about anything past my first fews thoughts. I am remembering the mornings when God would meet me at 5 a.m. with pages full of content I did not have the night before. I am remembering the day when the first draft was done and I hit my knees, promising to never let this process be about me. I am remembering the people of expertise that randomly came into my path at just the right times. I am remembering the long hours of editing. I am remembering the night when I held my first physical proof copy. I am remembering the few small glitches, that enabled God’s perfect timing for the release. I am remembering the feeling that flooded my heart as I held the finished product three nights ago. More than anything, I am remembering a faithful wife cheering me on the entire way, and a faithful God who brought it all to pass. I will always remember these tears running down my cheeks as I reflect, with the book going live to the world in a few short hours.
I am praying that anyone who gets their hands on Men Are… would see an amazing God, not a young writer. I am praying for the God in the pages to be treasured, and the name on the cover to be forgotten. May God always receive the glory for this book.
I feel some butterflies in my stomach this morning, while I still have a little sense of not knowing how to feel. Part of me wants to see book sales, but then an assurance floods me: God will extend the reach as far as it needs to go. This day has been a long time coming, and I would not trade it for the world. I am closer to Christ today than I was the day God spoke this message over me fourteen months ago. That, in itself, is a miracle. That is now the goal of anything I write. I want any reader to see Christ and His cross, and to pursue Him above anything else. If a single reader can say that he or she is closer to Christ after reading this book, these fourteen months were more than worth it. That is a thought that brings a supernatural peace over me today.
I now know what Paul meant when he penned 1 Corinthians 1:28-29: “God chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things – and the things that are not – to nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast before him.” Why does God use ordinary people? So that no one may boast before him. God chooses the lowly. If there is one thing I could tell you today, it would be this: God sees you in the wilderness. He sees your faithfulness in the desert season. Stay humble. He will always use the weak things to shame the strong. God shouldn’t use a twenty-five-year-old man to write a men’s book. That is what He does. God is faithful. Do not ever forget it.
One thought on “How I Feel Today – 3/10/17”
This book is Awesome! I am a better Jesus follower after reading your book. You are a blessing to all who God has given the privilege of knowing you! Keep fighting the good fight Clay! Someday soon, we will finish the race. I know you and Makinze will finish strong! Only what we do for Christ matters. I am so awestruck at what God is doing through both of you! It’s a blessing watching Your and Makinze’s obedient hearts run hard after Christ!