DO IT ANYWAY

This past week was a bad week for me. Physically hurting, emotionally agitated, I spent much of the week feeling sorry for myself. The total failure of my short story contest capped my discouragement. By Thursday night, I was feeling "Woe is me! Nobody likes me or my contest."

I was in bad need of a wake-me-up call from the Lord. He sent gentle whispers of love that reminded me of some central truths. As I was going to bed on Thursday night, one of my aides picked up a poster I had won at Bingo: "Do It Anyway" by Mother Teresa. (If you haven't read it, get a copy. And I am aware there is a lack of clarity on the authorship.)

These two lines hit home:
Give the best you have, and it will never be enough. Give your best anyway.
In the final analysis, it is between you and God. It was never between you and them anyway.

Oh, boy. With that gentle attitude adjustment, my mood started to improve. In addition to everyday blessings, God has given me new things during this awful week to thank Him for:

• Five friends came to visit from my church--wonderful, sweet, ladies who sang an impromptu concert and cheered the hearts of everyone here. They stayed for five hours on Labor Day.
• An editor at Barbour contacted me about writing my first ever nonfiction book, a devotional titled It Is Well With my Soul. 

Not to mention the many people who reached out with their care and concern as I have struggled.

Experience has taught me that when something good happens, it is often accompanied by some thing bad, from disappointment, as in the contest, to tragedy, as in Jolene's death.

Whether my efforts are welcomed or rebuffed. . . I should do my best. Anyway. Because I am doing it for the Lord.