Publisher’s Point by Rob Patz for April 2018
Welcome to the April edition of the Publisher’s Point. I know I’ve said this before, but I’m going to say it again … I love spring. I love this time of year because it is a sign of new beginnings. If you look around, the flowers are blooming. The sun is out longer throughout the day. It just feels new.
If you look back at the first few months of the year, I challenged you to begin this year as a “new you†and a “new year.†How have you been doing? I wish I could say that I have taken all of the things that I wanted to implement into my new year and that I have successfully done that. Unfortunately, that is not the case. I have done some things, just not everything. However, I also feel that, besides the first of the year, spring is like a time of resetting things in your life.
I was thinking about new things lately, and I was challenged by the fact that, sometimes, when we start something new, we are the only one that can see it. Maybe God has given us a vision for something that, down the road, others will catch a hold of but haven’t yet.
I think of Noah. He didn’t just start building the ark one day before it started to rain. In fact, he was ridiculed for his actions, but he knew what God had in store.
There are times in life where we have to truly seek God and know that He has, and will, do a good work in us. The Bible reads in Philippians 1:6 (NIV), “Being confident of this, He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.â€
I have to be honest with you. Lately, I have a new project that I desperately want to do, but at the same time, I have been very reticent to do it out of fear that those around me would think it was dumb or not worth doing. I know I should just take the leap of faith and do it because I truly believe God has put it in my heart. At the same time, I’m not totally sure that I can pull it off, though I know the Word says we can do all things through Christ, who strengthens us.
I guess I look at it kind of the way I look at the Creekside Gospel Music Convention. When I started it, a lot of folks thought I was completely crazy. They said that there wasn’t room for another event in our industry of the type I was suggesting. But God has allowed it to grow, expand and change.
I find it interesting that God planted a seed of what I was going to do. Over time, that vision has changed or evolved. The truth of the matter is, a little over seven years ago when He wanted me to get started, He didn’t give me all of the pieces. He gave me the vision, but He wanted me to put feet to that vision.
When I was a freshman in high school, my dad gave me a book by Robert Schuller. One of the quotes in the book that has stuck with me ever since is this, “Starting means you’re halfway to the finish.†What he means is, by putting the effort together to start a project, you are at the point where you are already close to completion.
So what vision is God giving you? What project has He laid before you, that you’re worried that others might find ridiculous, funny, or strange? Let me challenge you … it’s spring 2018. Grab your vision and move forward.
That is the Publisher’s Point.
By Rob Patz
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