Do good to your servant according to Your Word, O Lord. Teach me knowledge and good judgment, for I believe in Your commands.

Before I was afflicted I went astray, but now I obey Your Word.

You are good, and what you do is good. Teach me Your decrees!

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Are you absorbing what God is saying to you? Have you taken the time to truly absorb it and allow your thoughts to simmer and percolate uninterrupted?

Now is the time to take a step aside and revisit what God is already saying to you.

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There’s a man reading this named William. You’ve recently lost your job. Your spirit is crushed. I don’t quite understand the details. I get the sense that your job is directly involves investing/trading on Wall Street.

I see you have an entrepreneurial spirit. You’re sitting on an idea God has breathed into you to create wealth. You are a Kingdom financier.

Be encouraged. Be strengthened in spirit. Test the word. Pray over it. When He confirms and you have peace in your heart at the thought of stepping out, it will be time to lunge forward.

Blessings upon your new venture.

Righteousness is the result of applying consistent Godly thinking. – John Paul Jackson

Some will argue with the theology of this, stating that righteousness is the result of Jesus’ finished work. And that’s true. But righteousness evidenced by our words, our actions, and our lifestyles stems from consistently choosing to think on “God things”.

My wife informed me that she’s feeling ill.

I tell her several times throughout the day how sorry I am that she doesn’t feel well. I turn my attention back to my laptop, aware of this growing sensation of inadequacy in my care for my wife.

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Six years ago (2005), I launched my first self-hosted blog, CultureFeast.com(now under new ownership). It was SUPPOSED to be an online bookstore. But I never took the time to locate suitable eCommerce technology that would work for a startup.

Since I put a lot of time and energy into the name and invested a little in the domain/hosting, I decided to turn it into a blog temporarily until I resolved the eCommerce problem.

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Spiritual paralysis comes when we are afraid of making a mistake, thus the sin of the buried talent. — John Paul Jackson

Someone is READING. MY. MAIL.

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I’ve known ever since 1999 that I was going to write books. Fear of failure stalled my efforts as I attempted to learn “enough” to qualify as a decent writer.

In other words, I waited until the day would come when my writing would warrant being taken seriously. Except, there’s no one regulating Time. So I waited. For nothing.

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The fear of failure will eventually result in doing nothing. — John Paul Jackson

This is similar to yesterday’s quote, but sometimes fresh wordings prompt deeper understandings within our hearts.

I’ve known ever since 1999 that I was going to write books. Fear of failure stalled my efforts as I attempted to learn “enough” to qualify as a decent writer.

In other words, I waited until the day would come when my writing would warrant being taken seriously. Except, there’s no one regulating Time. So I waited. For nothing.

Faithfulness is Repetition

Maybe I wouldn’t have been Stephanie Meyer blowing away the world with my first novel ever. Most people’s first attempts don’t strike gold. But some do.

And some people’s second book improves over the first and makes it big. And some people’s third book is the big release. And, of course, some people’s books are never well received or even heard of by the masses.

Had I chosen to risk failure and write my first book back in 2000, I could be three, four, maybe five books into my craft by now. There’s no telling whether the first few would have warranted consideration, but you can be certain my skills would have improved steadily over time through practice.

To him/her who is faithful with little, he/she will be given much. Faithfulness is repetition. It’s taking what isn’t a perfected skill and through repetition transforming an interest into a habit, and a habit into a lifestyle.

Failure is an Option

There are 101 reasons why my book wouldn’t get published or make much money or afford me the lifestyle of my dreams.

But all of them are potential, not actual… just like my book. Like Thomas Edison, I consider failure an option only for those who refuse to learn from their mistakes.

Each failure isn’t ULTIMATE failure unless you allow it to become your last and final attempt. Only then does failure leave a lasting mark.

The Time for Excuses Is Over. Do What You Are.

God made me a writer, among other things. It’s in my blood. It’s in my bones. I was created to write. So I write I must. Regardless of outcome. Regardless of fear. Regardless of failure.

Be encouraged.

Do what you are.

And do it often enough and long enough to become the best in your field.