TOMORROW.

Tomorrow my life changes forever.

That statement looks so ominous and so dramatic, but it is so true. In a way that makes it really obvious that I’m a youth minister and work with teenagers, this image keeps coming to mind:

Taylor Swift posted this picture the day before Red came out on her Facebook page with the caption, “This is my last day of life before RED. Midnight. Tonight.” I’m no Taylor Swift, but in these final days before the official release of my book, I can totally relate. Today is the last day of my life before Worthy. Today is the last day that I can tell people I’m not really a published author. Tomorrow that all changes. Tomorrow I’ll be published. Tomorrow this thing, this brain child, this epic prayer of mine will be out there for the whole world to read. Sometimes it sounds silly to make it so dramatic. I’m not getting married. I’m not having a child. But then I think, So what?! So what if I’m not getting married? I WROTE A BOOK. To be here, to be in this place, waiting for the stroke of midnight, is more amazing and more humbling than I’ll ever be able to put into words.

It is like…Christmas eve, knowing that under the tree in the morning will be every single thing on your Christmas list.

It is like…(dare I risk the blasphemy?)…Mary Magdalene walking to the tomb to find it empty.

It is like…Clopas and his companion’s eyes being opened when Jesus broke the bread.

It is like…a joy so complete, so overwhelming, that words will never suffice and never describe its depths.

It is like…nothing I’ve ever experienced in my life.

Despite the 70,806 words in the book, this is a moment, a day, an experience where words totally and completely fail me.

All I know is that tomorrow, at long last, I get to share my joy with you, with my friends across the globe and across the blogosphere. Tomorrow my joy spreads, as well it should.

My other thought lately has been how similar this whole process has been to a new relationship. You know when you first start dating someone and it is SO exciting, and yet you kind of enjoy keeping things to yourself and only letting your bestest friends in on the news and the happenings? Then the relationship continues to grow and develop and more people know and you get to share the joy and happiness of your relationship with them. Then, God willing, that relationship is altar-bound and you get to share your joy with all your friends and family. That’s kind of how writing this book has been. It started out and only the very select few knew. Then I finished the first draft and announced it here. The relationship and the excitement about the book has grown and grown and tomorrow it is altar-bound. Tomorrow I share my joy with you, but even more importantly I share the joy He has given me with you. Tomorrow I lay all these efforts at His feet and pray that His will would be done with it all.

So, for goodness sake, share in the joy with me! (You can still order signed copies HERE!)

“I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and your joy may be complete.” – John 15:11

p.s. I honestly have no idea what the blog will look like the rest of the week since nothing has been pre-written and it is a week full of awesome things! Stick with me and I promise to be back in normal blogging mode next week 🙂