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Here’s a practical key to your success.

Focus

in ONE direction

over time.

FOCUS

Don’t make the mistake of incessantly jumping from one thing to another. You can do something well, but you cannot do everything well.

Set your compass toward a future you want to live. Don’t push in a direction you don’t want to follow. Make a life, not just a living. It may seem hard sometimes but believe in yourself.

The Lord has planted His purposes in your heart. Align yourself with that God-planted desire and set your course.

in ONE direction

Find your something and stick with it long enough to truly test its potential. Don’t jump ship when the going gets tough. Double down and learn the ropes. Reach out to others who are succeeding in your sphere and learn from them.

over time.

Time is a factor. In a world obsessed with speed, those who take the slow road of mastery are often ridiculed. The problem is that people end up running from one empty promise to the next hoping for overnight success.

Most overnight success stories are preceded by many, many days of failing, fumbling, learning, and growing. That’s the reality.

If your compass is set, your direction sure, and your dedication stalwart, you’ll discover a reservoir of grace that astounds you.

Believe me, I’ve experienced more setbacks than I care to count.

I’ve wrestled with self-worth like a WWF superstar.

I’ve had to dig my heels when doubt tried to push me over a cliff.

But I’m still here putting words on a page.

Words are my way.

What’s yours?

Have an agenda to help.

Love is the driving force of the universe.

Give yourself and your talents to help your fellow men.

And don’t be afraid to charge for it when it’s appropriate to do so.

Freely given, freely give doesn’t apply to every transaction in life.

Why am I touching on this? Because many people, and sometimes especially Christians, struggle with this. I know I do.

Whenever you share your value in a generous and genuine manner, an exchange takes place. Often, the simplest way for this to occur is monetary.

I say this as someone who often struggles with their worth. I won’t lie. I find it hard sometimes to place value on my own contributions, despite willingly and eagerly investing for many years (and many dollars) in the contributions of others.

Sometimes is easier to spot the gold that someone else brings to the table than to recognise just how valuable your own treasure of knowledge, expertise and experience is.

My prayer today is that Father would open your eyes to the wealth you carry, give you the wisdom to package it in a way that’s accessible to others, and that you’ll be richly blessed in return.

Wealth begins within

The rich stores of your heart are given to you by God for you to steward. I think one of the greatest missions in life is to discover ways in which to distribute your gifts in ways that benefit others.

I like this thought provoking quote by Mark Twain:

“The two most important days in your life are the day you are born and the day you find out why.” —Mark Twain

The why part is almost always outward-looking. We exist not to consume but to create, distribute, bless and benefit the world around us. To be a contributor.

Using Your Gifts

Peter urged:

“Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God’s grace in its various forms.” (1 Peter 4:10 NIV)

Books, courses, coaching, and this Faithful Creative newsletter are some of the ways I seek to distribute the wealth I carry on the inside.

Believe me, it would be easy to discount my contribution.

To compare myself to others and cultivate a diminished and dim view of my donations to my fellow humans. To disqualify myself because of all of my glaring inadequacies. To sideline my hopes and desires and settle for a road that doesn’t demand that I overcome insecurities or expose my weaknesses so often.

OR…

I can accept my limitations, quit worrying, and get on with the job of serving in the best way I can despite my messiness and imperfections. To simply and honestly share the journey.

Who knows? Maybe something I say will hit home and help someone?

The same is true for you. Don’t disqualify yourself.

How can you bake your brilliance into something that blesses others?

Think about it.

Selah.

“The earnest (heartfelt, continued) prayer of a righteous man makes tremendous power available [dynamic in its working].”

So says James (James 5:16 AMP).

Heartfelt prayers move the heart of God. If we’re not moved, how can we expect anything we are praying for to move?

Fervency of heart is a requisite for real prayer.

We want to be fervent and effective.

The same is true of writing.

Write from the heart.

Don’t get caught on the prickles of perfect punctuation or ground to a halt by the grammar gremlins.

Sure, write well, but be sure to write from the well of your heart.

Draw deep and spill your words on the page.

Don’t hold back.

Let them flow, and then boldly let them go and do their work.

Because words are workers.

They are seeds that are sown, and the soil is the heart of your readers.

So pray deep to deep, and write heart to heart, friends.

When you do, miracles can happen.

From my heart to yours,

David

PS: As you know, I help first-time Christian authors write and publish the book that they have in their hearts. If that’s you, and you know God has told you to write, I’d love to help you make that happen. The next Anointed Authors 9o day program starts on 7th September. There are still a few seats remaining if you’d like to join.

Imagine your book written and published by Christmas. It can happen!
Here’s the link to find out more – https://christiancreative.academy/anointedauthors

Coming back to the basics is a good thing.

The basics are the pillars that hold the structures of business and life securely in place.

And most often, the basics are not complex.

Have you fallen into the trap of overcomplicating things?

For me as a writer, publisher, and online communicator (not necessarily in that order) the multitude of new things pushing through the door every day can be overwhelming. This new hack, that new technique, some other new software or service, promising everything you’ve never dreamed of (until they arrived on your screen).

Rewind and remember.

God’s plans for you are not convoluted.

Here’s a truth to bake into your foundations:

"For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it." 1 Timothy 6:7

Life is simpler than we believe it to be.

Remember to pursue those things that remain.

Believe me, I’m an expert at this.

I’ve had incredible seasons of hearing, and some frantic seasons of hustling.

I know which I prefer.

It’s hard to hear when you hustle.

Take a look at these fascinating verses from Ecclesiastes. I’ve concentrated the portions that were highlighted to me yesterday as I was praying:

“…be more ready to hear… let not thine heart be hasty… for God is in heaven, and thou upon earth: therefore let thy words be few. For a dream cometh through the multitude of business… For in the multitude of dreams and many words there are also divers vanities: but fear thou God.” (Ecclesiastes 5:1–7 KJV)

I just love that the Bible has so much great advice for life and business.

Let not they heart be hasty. Don’t run after every shiny thing that flys across your path.

Stay haevenly minded, instead of scurryinga round on earth desperate for some temporary sustenance or affirmation.

Take time to be quiet. Listen. Be ready to hear not hustle.

In a multitude of busy-ness you’ll dream up all sorts of plans and schemes, but many of them may well be vain because they are the brainchild of busyness and noise, rather thah divine direction.

Keep your eyes and heart on the Lord. Fear God.

I have to remind myself of this a hundred times a day…

Jesus first, everything else follows.