Who doesn’t want to be successful?

Whether in business, school, sports, or anything else, success is a much-sought goal. But sometimes we don’t know how to get there. I want to give you a map that will help you reach your destination.

But before we can take steps to get somewhere, we need to know where we are going …

What is success?

1,000 followers?

200 comments?

Other writers asking you to write guest posts?

Publication?

Support from friends and/or fellow writers is wonderful. Publication is so, so exciting—I’m still trying to grasp that my manuscript was accepted by a publisher last fall. And sharing things we’ve learned with a wider audience can be a huge blessing.

But true success is not in how many people support you, how many books you’ve written, or how much good feedback you’ve received.

Writing is not about you. It’s about Christ and His kingdom.

That doesn’t mean sharing our experiences is wrong or a waste of time. It means that in sharing personal experiences, you shouldn’t focus on yourself, but focus on what God taught you. We are to be channels, channels of living water coming from God and flowing through us.

In Ecclesiastes, Solomon tells a story of a small city that gets besieged by a great king. And …

“There was found in it (the city) a poor wise man, and he by his wisdom delivered the city; yet no man remembered that same poor man.” (Ecclesiastes 9:1 5)

We don’t like to be forgotten, but isn’t God more important than us? Are we trying to build His everlasting kingdom or our own temporary, made-of-dust empires? 

That story about your trip to Europe … It may be interesting, but will it inspire or challenge those who read it to pursue God? Later in Ecclesiastes Solomon writes,

“The words of the wise are as goads, and as nails fastened by the masters of assemblies …” (Ecclesiastes 12:11)

As goads: prodding people toward greener pasture, toward living water, toward a refuge place in a world of night.

As nails: holding together, supporting, making firm, and standing fast.

We love writing about what we love—interesting places, interesting people, adventures and funny mistakes and time with friends. I love talking about my best friends (who I am very blessed to call my siblings). I enjoy telling people about their personalities, their accomplishments, and the great times we have together.

Do you have someone like that in your life? God gives us so many good gifts!

Now, maybe you’re bracing yourself for what’s coming next. My prayer is that you’ll receive it and transform your writing life.

God should be our dearest, closest friend.

We should know Him, enjoy Him, and love Him so much we want to write and talk about Him. No friend wants to be tacked onto a conversation because we feel it’s our duty to mention them.

I’m so convicted as I write this, because I am so far from the place I should be. But listen up, all you discouraged:

You don’t stop and turn around because you’re not as far along as you should be. The only way to get there is to keep moving forward.

“Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth …” (Ecclesiastes 12:1)

“Seek ye first the kingdom of God …” (Matthew 6:33)

Not compliments. Not fame. Not friends.

But the Kingdom.

Calla Press founder Samantha Cabrera wrote in a post not long ago, “Sometimes, God’s measure of success is simply that your story got to the PERSON for whom your book was written—not the television channel or certain bestseller list.”

One person. One soul. But one soul can mean everything.

This kingdom does not wrestle against flesh and blood. Swords have been laid aside. And words—whether whispered in prayer, spoken to someone, or bled from a pen—are our weapons.

Friends, write for the Kingdom.

For the King. 

The King who died for you.

Is He worthy of blessing and honour and glory?

He is.

Hallelujah!

T.R.Q.T.