Commit Your Works Unto the Lord

What are you facing? Are you up to the task? 

Proverbs 16:3 tells us that if we’ll commit our works unto the Lord, He’ll establish our thoughts.

Every time I write a book (with my husband), I commit the work to the Lord.

I don’t start with an outline. Ron and I discuss the hook and the characters. I type Chapter One and off I (we) go! Ron and I have always written for discovery. One chapter piles on top the last, and we write to the finish with only a vague idea how the story will end. Sometimes we get the characters into such dire straights, only God can figure a way out of their predicament!

God is faithful though, and He knows the beginning form the end.

I'm about to launch title #29--MIGHTY TO SAVE--in May, it's book nine of my Texas Romance family saga.

I never ‘feel’ up to the task of writing a three hundred page novel, but I know that when I commit this ‘work’ to God, He establishes my thoughts . . . and the story turns out so awesome!

At least, it appears so to many readers, because I’m getting great feedback! I recently hit one thousand reviews, and almost seventy percent are five-star, another twenty percent, four-star.

That’s NINETY percent FOUR & FIVE-Star reviews!

Not sure about you, but I find that amazing! It testifies to the Truth of God’s Word. Specifically Proverbs 16:3. Same with marketing. I commit it to the Lord, and HE establishes my thoughts. I have ideas, and in 2015, over 250,000 copies of my stories got into the hands of readers. I consider that phenomenal. I can’t say “I” could do such a thing.

Since I was a child, I’ve been a marketer. Sold more tickets to our school fall carnival every year to win the first place, except once when I really wanted the second prize, a tether ball. I sold everything from Avon to asphalt successfully, but 250,000? I could not do that on my own. I wholly attribute it the favor and blessings of God.

Whatever He has called you to do, whether it’s in the job place or at home, at school or in a relationship. Commit your work unto the Lord, and He WILL establish your thoughts. His Word is TRUE. It ALWAYS accomplishes the purpose for which it is sent forth and never returns void. I encourage you to commit your work to Him, then see what He does with YOUR thoughts!

What are you facing? How can I pray for you?

Bio : Caryl McAdoo loves God, and currently writes four series: the historical Christian ‘Texas Romance’ a family saga; a contemporary ‘Red River Romance’; The Generations, her Biblical fiction, and the newest Days of Dread Trilogy for mid-grade readers. Known as the “Singing Pray-er”, she loves praising with new songs the Lord gives her and prays her story gives God glory! In 2008, she and high school sweetheart-husband Ron moved at God's leading from the DFW area—home for fifty-plus years—to the woods of Red River County. Caryl counts four children and sixteen grandsugars life’s biggest blessings, believing all good things come from the Lord. Besides glorifying Him, she hopes each title also ministers His love, mercy, and grace to its readers. The McAdoos live in Clarksville, the county seat, in the far northeast corner of the Lone Star State.

Links :  All Books  //  Author Pages: Amazon /  BookBub  /  Simon & Schuster  /  Book Gorilla  //  Website  //  Newsletter  //  YouTube  (Hear Caryl sing her New Songs!)  //  Facebook  //  Blogs:  Personal   / HeartWings  / Sweet Americana Sweethearts  (Stitches thru Time, of course!)  //  GoodReads  //  Google+   //  LinkedIn  //  Twitter  //  Pinterest   //  Puzzle

Making New Year's Resolutions? Choose One Word Instead...

Okay, so it's not even Christmas yet. I'm well aware of that fact. But as Christmas approaches, I can't help but wonder what the new year will bring. 

For the past few years, rather than make New Year's resolutions, I focus on One Word instead of making those dratted resolutions that last about as long as Christmas turkey. Hmm. Maybe that was the wrong example. 

Since 2011, I've chosen One word each year to focus on. I do word studies and search scripture verses that fit the word. I ask God to show me what He wants me to learn.

That first year my word was commit.Two synonyms for commit are obligate and entrust. I obligated myself to finishing my book, and committed to letting go and entrusted God to get it published. That's when I began enjoying the writing journey. One of the verses I focused on was Proverbs 16:3 – "Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and he will establish your plans."

In 2012 my word was Listen, and I used the acronym STOP to focus on it: Sit quietly in His presence, Take time to Listen, Open my ears instead of my mouth, Pray for guidance.  

This year, 2013, my word has been humility,not a word I accepted willingly. I am by nature a bossy person, and I want the last word, especially since I've only been wrong once in my life and later it turned out I wasn't actually wrong. Once again, God allowed me to learn that I didn't know everything, and that my way wasn't the only way. A few of the verses I focused on are here.

For 2014, I'm torn between two words. One is becoming. I like that word, reminds me that I am not a finished product. The other word is strength, as in the verse from Deuteronomy 33:2. "As your day, so shall your strength be." God will provide whatever strength I need for each day. 

So, how about you? Have you thought about choosing a word for the year and focusing on letting God use it to draw you closer to Him? Leave a comment and let me know what you think about choosing One Word. 

Patricia Bradley
www.patriciabradleyauthor.com
http://mbtponderers.blogspot.com/
@PTBradley1

Shadows of the Past from Revell February 2014
Available for preorder at CBD: http://ow.ly/qIx2k and Amazon: http://ow.ly/qIx90 and B&N: http://ow.ly/qKdSL

I asked God to teach me patience and He gave me a book to write