Still on Assignment

Because this is my seventh meditation to appear in The Upper Room, I have learned that meditations scheduled for publication sometimes get postponed and then not published. That’s why I didn’t initially tell my friend Ann that I had submitted a manuscript that mentioned her. I wasn’t sure it would be published.

While Ann’s credentials are that of an educator promoting reading among children, she has also worked behind the scenes with speakers and writers, and that’s how I met her. She has the gift of encouragement without a tinge of nagging. Ann has influenced my writing in many ways, including the one described in today’s meditation. That’s especially amazing since we live in different regions. I sent her a paper copy of the current issue, so she phoned me to say she had received it.

She then said, “I have one question for you. Why haven’t you written a book full of your devotions?” She asked that because she knows I have written more than a hundred meditations and inspirational articles.

I replied, “Writing it is one thing, but finding an editor willing to work with an unpublished author is another. You could pray for that.”

And I ask your prayers for that too. At present, I do not feel the Lord guiding me to self-publish. Self-publishing takes time and effort away from writing, and writing is what God has called me to do. Traditional publishing has a lot to recommend it, and I pray for the editor and publisher that I have yet to work with. I pray for you too, because I know some of you have the bases for great meditations. Yes, as a recovering educator of adult students, I’m an encourager too!

Meanwhile, look for more meditations from me in The Upper Room in the future. When I don’t comment along with other Upper Room readers, it’s because I’m busy writing. I submit manuscripts to other publications as well. In addition, my husband and I have a “Webbsite” in which we seek to encourage readers. A topic on which I have shared 34 posts is “Blessed with Less.” Other topics include friendship, marriage, prayer, parenting, Bible Reading, fruit of the Spirit, life’s lessons, and a lot more. See if you can find what those recurring topics are at http://www.maryhuntwebb.com/.