Therefore encourage one another and build each other up. . . .—1 Thessalonians 5:11 (NIV)

I stared at the email, feeling my heart sink to my toes. My book proposal had been rejected. The negative thoughts started flying. Who are you kidding? Why did you think they’d accept it? Why are you wasting your time? Your writing just isn’t good enough.

Each thought felt like a punch in the gut. Why had I hoped? Even though this same publisher had published my books before, there was no guarantee they would publish another one.

The rejection came on the heels of some other disappointing news, compounding the pain. There was no solution but to give up. Had I misunderstood what God said? After all, He was the one who gave me the idea for the book. And if He really wanted me to write the book, wouldn’t He have made it possible? Had I been wrong to think God had gifted me to write?

I closed my eyes and prayed. God, if You really want me to write, I need You to let me know. Show me so I’ll believe, or I’ll quit trying.

The next day, there was a card in the mail from someone telling me how much they enjoyed my writing. OK, so one person liked it. The day after, I received an email from a reader who said how much they liked my last book. OK, then two people liked it.

At church Sunday, a lady stopped to tell me I’d kept her up at night because she couldn’t put my book down. I smiled, remembering my prayer.

God had affirmed me with encouragement from others. Perhaps I could encourage someone else too.