Last week at the Night of Hope in downtown Los Angeles, Victoria Osteen shared a story about a very special birthday present from a dear friend. It wasn’t expensive jewelry or a designer handbag or her favorite perfume. It was a decorative box. And though it was lovely, the box wasn’t the real gift.
When Victoria’s friend presented it to her, she said some wonderful things about the birthday girl. Then, she acted as if she were putting those compliments into the box and began passing it around to everyone else at the table.
One by one, Victoria’s family and friends said loving things about her, and one by one they “placed” their kind words into the birthday box.
Victoria shared how much that night had meant to her, and that today she has that beautiful box in a place of prominence in her office as a reminder of the sweet words that were put in the box and in her heart.
I relate to that story because I have what I call “an encouragement drawer.” As a writer, I sometimes get rejection letters from editors and publishers.
In fact, over the years I’ve probably received enough rejection letters to wallpaper my entire office, but thankfully there have been acceptance letters, contracts and awards along the way, too.
But you know what means even more? The thank you cards and sweet notes that I’ve received from writers I’ve met at the many writers’ conferences where I’ve been blessed to serve as faculty.
I don’t teach at these conferences for the prestige or the money or the chance to reconnect with some of the most talented writers in the world—I teach because I made God a promise that I would.
Before I was ever on faculty at these events, I was a bright-eyed and bushy-tailed conferee, hoping to sell an article and pitch my picture books to the right children’s editor.
More than 15 years ago, I remember looking forward to one particular conference. I knew the cost of attending really wasn’t in our budget, but I also knew that if I asked my husband to give me the conference for my birthday, he would. And that’s exactly what he did.
We were living in Texas, and the writers’ conference was several thousand miles away. I had researched the editors who were going to be there and the workshops being offered, and I was sure this conference would be life-changing for me.
It was–just not in the way I’d anticipated.
The very first day of the “Writing for Children” class, I sat in the front row. I was so excited that I hardly slept the night before. I couldn’t wait to learn from this prolific children’s book writer–until she greeted us with: “Well, I wish I had better news.
“The children’s market is almost impossible to break into right now. I mean, I am well-published in this genre and even I’m having a tough time making a sale…Honestly, if you’re interested in writing anything else besides children’s, I would try that for now.”
I couldn’t believe what I was hearing! Some of my fellow conferees got up and left. I stayed until the end, hoping her mood would improve and praying she would offer some words of wisdom.
Neither happened.
I walked back to my room that afternoon defeated, discouraged and downright mad. Later that night, I prayed: “God, if I am ever on the other side of the podium, I promise You that I’ll never miss an opportunity to bless others. I’ll work for You, God, and I will encourage others to write for You, too!”
It was a simple prayer but I meant it, and I’ve never forgotten it.
That’s why when I receive emails, thank you notes and cards saying, “thank you for helping me see that I can really make it as a freelancer,” “thank you for encouraging me to write that devotional proposal–I got a contract!,” or “thank you for being so excited about my children’s manuscript. I was about to give up before meeting with you,” I put them in my encouragement drawer. (I have four!)
And, on those days when I receive three rejection letters or a bad review of a recent book, I’ll sneak into my office, open one of those encouragement drawers and read a few cards.
Like Victoria and her birthday box, I immediately feel uplifted after spending a few moments meditating on the nice things that people have written to me.
Maybe you don’t have a birthday box filled with wonderful compliments or an encouragement drawer filled with thank you cards and notes, but you do have the Word of God, and it’s filled with promises, affirmation and encouragement–just for you.
Spend some time in His Word today and meditate on the good things that God says about you and maybe write a few thank you notes of your own.
Wouldn’t it be nice to fill up somebody else’s encouragement drawer?
