When I sit down to do my work,
I am participating in something
bigger than myself.

I feel a growing sense of awe and wonderment that this is my life: I am a writer!

After the hope*writers conference I attended in early November, I’ve been doggedly sticking to my writing calendar and slowly but surely doing the work. I’ve been the girl who doesn’t show up for myself for long enough, and I am ready to change that narrative.

We don’t believe we can until someone gives us the encouragement and tough love we need and reminds us, oh yes you can—you just have to work for it.

In the weeks after the conference, I worked every night on two projects: a curriculum project for a missions company, and my book proposal. I clocked at least two hours every night, and even though I was usually tired after working my day job all day, the discipline of doing my work anyway was such a gift.

I found myself thinking in amazement, “I am actually making progress!”

This is how I will build my dreams: one word at a time, one tiny milestone at a time, one completed goal at a time. The same is true for you, whatever your dream is. One step at a time.

Until just a couple months ago, I wasn’t sure I could do it. Maybe that’s true for all of us, and all our dormant dreams—we don’t believe we can until someone gives us the encouragement and tough love we need and reminds us, oh yes you can—you just have to work for it.

As I write this, I realize that’s true for any call from God.

  • Noah had to work to build the ark.
  • Joseph had to work as a slave in Egypt and then climb the ranks to become Pharaoh’s advisor.
  • Abraham had to do the work of packing up his belongings and his family and actually walk for miles to follow God.
  • Moses had to do the work of confronting Pharaoh—not once but many times—and even then had to do the difficult work of leading a disgruntled and suspicious bunch of Israelites.

I could go on and on with different examples from Scripture, but my point is this:

Who am I to think that God’s call in my life won’t require work?

This is the great mystery of God’s love for us: he loves us so much that he literally wants to create with us. He wants us to participate in the great work of proclaiming the Gospel. He literally wants us to be coworkers in the vineyard, not only with each other but also with him.

And that requires that we actually show up and do our work.

Yes, the work is sometimes hard.

Yes, we’re usually exhausted or can find any number of valid reasons why we can’t do the work right now.

Yes, sometimes we really do have no clue about where to start. This can be more daunting than any other thing that might hold us back.

The same is true for you, whatever your dream is. One step at a time.

But no matter what, when the call comes from God, there is such great hope in knowing that when I sit down to do my work, I am participating in something bigger than myself.

So yes, friend. Do your work.

But don’t do it alone.

Take time to start with a prayer. Ask God for the grace to be faithful to the Holy Spirit. Invite the Holy Spirit to be part of your work.

What is one thing you can start this week that will concretely move you closer to your goals?

My prayer for you today is that you will arrive at the place where you can claim your dream for yourself, and put in the disciplined work to make it happen. I believe in you. And know that as you practice discipline and do your work, your old pal Carrie is over here doing the same.