Tuesday, October 25, 2016

Today Matters by Emily Conrad

Emily Conrad
The nature of publishing gives writers years and years to dream about what will happen “someday.” 

Someday, we’ll get THE call. 

Someday, these stories will touch lives.

Someday, our books will be on shelves.

In the meantime, there are no adoring crowds. No packed conference rooms hoping to learn from us. Other than comments from critique partners (usually more aimed at improving the writing than praising it) and a couple notes on the blog or some much-appreciated retweets or shares, all is quiet.

In my home, between bursts of thought that result in clicking keys, I hear the clock tick and my old pit bull snoring on the living room rug. 

Novelists are trained to expect this. Publication takes a long time (as does reaching career goals beyond that first step). So we keep posting and writing and working like each action is a penny in a bank that will someday amount to something.
But each penny has value. Every word does, too. 


Though anticipation, goals, and improvement are all good, let’s not spend so much effort striving for someday that today’s significance gets lost in the bustle. 


Many of us write because we believe God wants to use us, but as we follow him, he is using us. Already. Today.


Regardless of our platform size or our agented/unagented, published/unpublished status, today matters for today’s sake.


Today, God will use our gifts. 


Today, we are commissioned to follow Jesus. 


Today, we can speak hope into someone else’s discouragement whether it’s through a blog post or a card to a friend or a comment on social media. 


There is a meaning and value to all this writing. It’s not about platforms or numbers. It’s not about best seller lists or advances. It’s about being available to God, following Him, and seeing where that leads. 


Actually, I know where it leads. It leads to people’s hearts. As writers, no matter where we are in our careers, we have been blessed with a gift that allows us to be that one voice of hope to that one person who needs it.


Because to the one person who needs it? That means so much more than any words could convey. 


Here I am, Lord. Send me. You can have my someday. All I ask is You give me words for today.


What is God nudging you to write today? How have you been touched by words someone wrote recently?



Tweetable: Don’t let today’s significance gets lost in the bustle of striving for someday via @novelwritergirl



About the Author
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Emily Conrad is a wife and writer who lives in Wisconsin with her husband and two rescue dogs. Her debut women’s fiction novel is underway with Pelican Book Group. Emily loves Jesus and enjoys summer road trips to the mountains. You can connect with her on social media and at EmilyConradAuthor.com.

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www.EmilyConradAuthor.com