Right on Time

Saying Yes Before You're Ready

The time has never been just right.

I have been planning this part of my ministry for years, chasing ideas and vision like parade candy thrown from the prize-winning float. I have been gathering . . . and gathering . . . and gathering. Yet, the page stayed blank. The good Lord had delivered every aspect to me. There was no mistaking what The Search for Light and Sunlight Scribes community was meant to be. But it was buried in my mind like a two-year-old hiding behind a broomstick in a game of hide and seek—always visible—but defiantly not moving forward to take its turn. It was data without interpretation. Mission without a missionary. I was walking among the extremely high percentage of people who see their vision on a scrap piece of paper and sigh, offering a wistful “Someday.”

Why? What is holding me back? Why is this ministry not here yet?

Perfection.

Being a branding development specialist, I wanted it to be built before I brought it to you. And while there are areas that branding and design need to be in place before launch, community isn’t one of them.

When community is done well, it is a safe place of imperfection. The place you can wear your cozy clothes and drop the formality. The place you can be authentic and real and human without worries of metrics. The place where you can be encouraged without strings. You know how to love God and love people, and now you can allow yourself the same promise. Even encouragers need encouragement.

Therefore encourage one another and build up one another, just as you also are doing. 1 Thessalonians 5:11(NASB)

Since the mission for me is, and always has been, to build a community for the lonely roles of creativity and ministry, I cannot think of any better way to kick it off than messy. Human. Imperfect. There is nothing lonelier than the thought of not having a space you can just be. This is me being. Offering a living example of what I am offering you. Permission to be messy.

I overslept this morning. My checkbook is not balanced. I have not finished the graphics. I haven’t finished learning what all the buttons do. The websites aren’t done. My cat needs water. The social media post isn’t written. The book is certainly not ready. I am still on my first cup of coffee and it is almost lunchtime—a sure sign the day is getting away from me. Everything about this day feels imperfect. Life is overwhelming, and I am heart-tired, as my friend Rae calls it. And this morning, as I pray to battle the weariness, prepared to take today to do more gathering, He nudges.

Today is someday.

My protests begin immediately. Lord, I have not even finished setting up the settings! The building is not ready for people yet! My whole life has been a tug of war between my desire for true authenticity and my hyper-awareness of the go-live preview. If I wanted to avoid problems, then I needed to have my act together before offering my ministry to the world.

The truth is, I wouldn’t give that advice to you. I would tell you as a coach that it is okay to do things imperfectly and messy. It is time I heed my own words and obey His. He is after my obedience, not my polish.

Then there is the fact that the nudge arrived on World Mental Health Day, right as I work on posts about battling anxiety and overcoming fears that stop us from our best and from God’s best. Isn’t it funny how He lines things up? I imagine this is why His ways are higher than my ways. Looks like the time is more right than I thought.

So, here I am. Act not together. Imperfect timing. Unprepared. Willing to invite you in despite building in progress. Just step over that hammer and excuse the dust. Hang out with me while I continue building this vision of The Sunlight Scribes community. Pull up a bucket and chat while I paint and spackle and search for light.

Lesson one on the search, you can’t address the problem of lonely roles if you do all the work alone.

I can’t wait to see what we build. Even better, I can’t wait to see what He will build.

Send to a friend in a lonely role and offer a little light for their journey today.