I was flat out rejected. It became a haunting word, marking me with it’s sly nod to my failure and inadequacy.
After 5 long years, I was finally graduating seminary. I was free to launch into full-time ministry, free to publish my Bible Studies and speak around the country. At least, this was what I envisioned. So I did what every wannabe writer/speaker does…I finished writing my book!
I did all the research for proposals and query letters, read all the blogs for ‘how to land a literary agent,’ and ‘how to snag the ideal publisher.‘ Combining all this new information, I started in the quest to find my agent! Email after email, letter after letter…
But then the floor dropped out. Rejection email after rejection email. Some didn’t even respond, they just allowed the silence to speak for itself: ‘You are rejected.’
I felt utterly rejected from the very call on my life.
Not getting a literary agent wasn’t the difficult part of this, yeah it stung…a lot.
But if I were to really boil it down it, I felt like this was the road to pursue my call. This had to be the way to full-time ministry. Write the book, get the agent, be published= Launch a ministry! Right? But this road I planned for so long was blocked off- I was stiff-armed and rejected from the next step toward my purpose.
We’ve all been at that point- barricaded from what seems to be the only path toward our dreams. We made the plan to do ‘x’ thing to pursue ‘x’ dream. And by golly, it’s the way we are going to get there!
But then rejection hits us like a mac truck. It’s not just the pain of being unwanted, but the stunned confusion because ‘this was supposed to be the way toward our God-given vision.’
All we can think is...what the heck??
But I didn’t realize rejection was actually launching my very call.
One fateful day I was having lunch with my boyfriend’s (now hubby!) church friends, and we started talking about publishing/writing/the whole deal. His friend mentioned he self-published his book on a platform called ‘Createspace’ via Amazon. He said I should try it out!
I realized at that moment, all my dreams weren’t crushed. There was another way! And this one was so much better.
Jesus didn’t want me to walk the same road that other women had before me. He wanted to build a ministry through my personal experience.
Fast forward years later, I have written and self-published four books on that platform. Here’s the BEST part: I have been able to help a number of Christian women who faced the same rejection as I did to self-publish their books. Not only that- I have countless women ask me how I wrote and released my studies, and I get to equip them with the tools I’ve gained over years of doing it!
I’ve had coffee dates, facetime meetings, email conversations pouring out my journey and ministering to them to help brush off the rejection and offer them a new way to walk into their call.
Rejection is often the launching pad into our greatest purpose. Click To TweetLooking back, I see now that Jesus was, in fact, showing me my ministry through that simple blocked path. He didn’t want me to walk the same road that other women had before me. He wanted to build a ministry through my personal experience; He wanted me to pick up tools along my way in order to give those tools to other women. He wanted me to use my creative instinct to forge a path through the forest with Him.
Here’s my encouragement to you- most times your call won’t look like a straight line from A-Z.
It just won’t. The rejections you face during your journey aren’t labels marking your failure for the rest of your life! The rejection you experience isn’t an indicator of the overall success of your call! And rejection certainly doesn’t have the final say about your God-given purpose!
God does. Period.
Here’s what I suggest: look for the unique path Jesus is asking you to forge.
This plan may be vastly different than what you originally planned. It may be wild and out-of-the-box and totally unique.
But we are called, as Christians, to unique and bold plans! We are called to be innovative and distinct from the world– we are commanded to create and build. Commissioned to pioneer the way for new things. So do THAT!
Rejection isn’t the final say about your call. But it is often the launching pad into your purpose. It’s the catalyst for your personal journey to pick up the tools to equip your journey and empower those walking behind you.
You may feel like rejection blocked the path toward your purpose. But, love. The real journey has just begun. May you have eyes to see the path through the forest and determination to walk with Jesus as you forge ahead.
In Christ,
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P.P.S. Feeling the sting of rejection and confusion about what to do next to pursue your purpose? We’ve got an entire weekend to help you walk in God’s purpose for your life. Join us at The Written Retreat to discover the path Jesus is calling you to take!
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