Garrison blocks

Abba’s Help With Release Week

Mesu AndrewsFeatured Articles 2 Comments

Garrison blocksHave you ever written a book? Or climbed a mountain? Or lost 40+ pounds?

Maybe you’ve survived a divorce. Perhaps your spouse died—and your heart kept beating.

Have you ever accomplished something, stepped back, and thought—“Wow! I can’t believe I did that!” And then you realize—it wasn’t you at all. You’re filled with the overwhelming realization that if God hadn’t shown up, you would have failed—miserably.

I feel this way every time a new book releases, and people say they enjoy it!

A Child and His Daddy

Maybe that’s why I love this picture of my grandson, Garrison. And I love that his daddy is looking on, proudly, in the background. Garrison seems to be staring at those blocks as if he can’t believe he stacked them so high.

But his daddy watched with utter satisfaction, and I know my son-in-love. If Garrison had needed help, Daddy would have been at Garrison’s side to help build that tower.

But Daddy let Garrison do the work and watched from a close distance.

My Abba Does the Same

With each book release, I suppose I get a little less nervous, but there’s still that fear of failure. That fear that all the work, all the long nights and lonely days will turn into a book-shark feeding frenzy on Amazon reviews.

And there’s always that chance. That’s the reality of obedience. The very real possibility of failing—in the world’s eyes.

But I can guarantee that if Garrison’s block tower fell down, his daddy would NOT consider it a failed attempt. Garrison would cry, maybe stomp his feet, maybe even throw his pacifier.

I’ve thrown my spiritual pacifier a time or two when I get frustrated with my failures. How ‘bout you?

It’s About Obedience, Not Success

But our Abba God counts our obedience as success, not the world’s reaction to that obedience. When the Lord says, “Build,” we build–even if the blocks topple onto the floor. Have we failed? Not if we keep building.

Why is that so hard to remember when my blocks are spilled all over the floor? Or when a one-star review comes in on Amazon? Or when you’re passed over for that promotion at work—because you take “family time” instead of working longer hours?

The goal of obedience isn’t success. The goal of obedience is abiding–abiding in the one, true Vine–the only Source of abundant joy.

“If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father’s commands and remain in his love. I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete.”            John 15:10-11

Happy Release Week!

Today’s post is shorter than most, but life is a little crazy this week. My Pharaoh’s Daughter rough draft for was due on Monday. In the Shadow of Jezebel released on Tuesday. And I have the honor of presenting a workshop at the Faith and Culture Writers’ Conference tomorrow.

All-in-all, this week has been a set of blocks I couldn’t stack by myself! But come NEXT Monday, I’m going to stand back—pacifier in my mouth—and look at the stack of blocks the Lord helped me build.

I’ll be amazed—at my Abba. He’ll smile at me. And we’ll have a spontaneous love-feast because He will have guided me through another building project beyond my own strength.

Tweet-A-Licious!

Today’s Question:

  • What’s your stack of blocks this week? This month? This life?

Comments 2

  1. My “stack of blocks” this week is our daughter, who has been struggling with her “friends!” (They aren’t acting like “friends!”) What ever the problem is between them, they won’t let her even speak to them to make it right–she has been ousted from the group, banished! Dragging others in to the problem who aren’t a part of the problem & others jumping on the band-wagon too! I want to jump in & make it all better. She is at college & it IS TIME for her to learn that her “BEST FRIEND” IS JESUS!!! Her “friends” are PILING IT ON!!!! Basically, they are shaming her & breaking her heart! All I can do is tell her she NEEDS NOT to depend on them, they AREN’T DEPENDABLE!!! She NEEDS TO LEARN that her strength & motivation comes from her Heavenly Father & His shoulder is always there for her. PEOPLE can’t be depended on! I listen to her sob & pray with her & tell her I love her. She has a hard time believing she judged them so wrong. There is MUCH gossip amongst themselves….they’ve done this before…Even Jesus lets us come to Him ANYTIME, ANYWHERE to ask forgiveness!! NOT THESE GIRLS! Our daughters heart is in the right place, it just hurts to see her hurting & hurts for her to see her friends behaving UN-LIKE CHRIST!!!!

    1. Oh, sweet mama! I hear your heart breaking!! And I sooooo know how you feel. As a mama of two girls, I’ve held my daughters when they’ve been the victims of “mean girls,” and I know how frustrating it is when our girls so want to be loved by the wrong kind of friends. It’s so hard to let them learn these lessons on their own, to watch as they break out of the cocoon by themselves and become the butterfly they need to become…but if we help strip away that cocoon, their wings will never form correctly. The fact that you pray with your daughter, the fact that she talks to you about her pain–these are SUCH HEALTHY SIGNS!!! You’re doing the right things, my friend. I know you want to do more, but right now is the time time to let God be God. He loves your precious baby more than you do, and He will speak to her heart in ways you can’t. The Spirit within her can work from the inside out. Right now, your words can only bounce off the raw wounds inflicted by others. Be strong, sweet mama. Be strong for your wounded warrior-girl. Fill yourself up with God’s Word, His Spirit, His Power to trust. I pray with you in this moment that your baby girl will make wise choices with her head, driven by her spirit–not by emotion and the enemy’s twisted logic. I pray that she will be released from any deception that holds her captive and will see only the Truth of God leading her FORWARD–not backward.
      Blessings on you, dear one.
      In His Arms With You,
      Mesu

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