I am waiting for direction from God on a book I am writing. Should I pursue traditional publishing or self-publishing?

     Several of my sisters in Christ have joined with me in prayer for direction on this issue and I have joined them to pray for insight in all the areas they need direction. We assembled a list of requests for the purpose of waiting on the Lord and then sharing how we received His answer.

     This list is meant to keep us accountable on the waiting aspect of prayer. So often we pray about something and then proceed in our own wisdom and strength without an explicit answer. Currently, we have two answers to our prayer requests.

     One of my sister’s was putting a rental property up for sale and needed to know how to price it. The Holy Spirit gave her and her husband the same listing price in answer to our prayers. God has confirmed decisions for me in this way. When a Bible study facilitator stepped down, my husband and I prayed about our selection for her replacement. One name kept coming to mind, so I wrote the name on a piece of paper. My husband, who is the pastor, also wrote the name of the woman the Holy Spirit brought to his mind. They were the same.

     Our groups second answer to prayer provided direction on a decision about refinancing a house. In this case, God shut the door. God has used this method to direct my steps as well. When I lived in Sacramento, I prayed about enrolling in a creative writing class at UC Davis. As the deadline drew near, I enrolled, covering the cost with a credit card. Two days before the class was to start the registrar called to tell me it had been canceled. Yes, God removed the opportunity in answer to my prayer for direction.

     We will wait to see how God will answer all the other prayers for direction we have listed. One of the purposes for our shared list is to see the variety of ways God answers our prayers.

As I wait for my answer about the book, I continue to write the chapters because the Holy Spirit guides my pen and I am learning a lot about the topic placed upon my heart as well as the art of book writing. It’s a project I began last spring after completing a series of lessons in the Compel Training library on this longer writing format (50,000-55,000 words versus a 2,000-word article). My outline is a wheel with the focus or main theme the hub and all the chapters spokes that connect. I envision the wheel of a bicycle.

To date I have written an index and five chapters, a book proposal and one sheet, and met with a couple acquisition editors at writing conferences. There has been no direction on what to do with the manuscript, but I continue to study and learn so I am ready when I receive an answer. It may be that the exercise is simply for my growth, both in the craft of writing and spiritually.

I am certain the Lord will direct my steps in His perfect timing, just as He will direct my sister’s requests on our prayer list. They include direction on when to retire and how to supplement an income, timing in leaving the mountain during winter months as age begins to factor into this couple’s ability to clear snow, insight on the sale of rental property and a home, and when and how to reach out to an estranged daughter.

We will wait on our decisions until we receive clear direction from the Lord. Trusting the timing will be perfect. We will not get ahead of the Lord or lag behind Him.

Let’s Talk:

1-What direction do you currently need? Share it in the comment section so we can join you in prayer.

2-How has God provided direction for you in the past in answer to your prayers? Let us know in the comment section.