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Saturday Seasons

We all like to talk about the beginning and the ending of a project, but not much is typically mentioned about what we refer to as the “messy middle.”

When we think of the death of Jesus on Friday and his resurrection on Sunday, there’s a somber silence happening all through Saturday.

At some point, we all have what we call "Saturday seasons." We can feel all alone. It’s the time between the step of obedience (Jesus in Gethsemane) and the miracle (Jesus raised to life). These are seasons when we can’t see what God is doing. In a Saturday season it’s easy to strive and try to make something happen ourselves.

Have you ever been in a place where you’re just tired of waiting so you take matters into your own hands? (i.e. Abraham’s wife Sarah and the birth of Ishmael)

We are often in this place with marketing our books. We don’t see the results yet. During these times, there’s a delicate balance between waiting upon the Lord and taking action. We can get ourselves into trouble when we choose to skip the waiting on God part.

It’s important that we don’t lose faith during that messy in-between period. As an old southern preacher used to say, “It’s Friday…but Sunday’s a comin!” Still, sometimes those Saturdays seem to go on forever.

Many times when Shelley senses that God has given her an assignment for a certain season, she often gets her own ideas of what the results will look like. She says, “I often don’t hear from God on specifics regarding the results or numbers. So when I have expectations of what the end result should look like, it puts pressure on me which can lead to striving.”

In the Saturday season, we need to leave the results to God. The reason God invites us to do something may actually be very different than what we think. Our friend Shae likes to say, “God is the God of the outcome.”

Instead of worrying about what’s ahead, we simply need to do the next thing He leads us to do.

Both of us have had the opportunity to run the Pikes Peak Ascent which begins in Manitou Springs, Colorado and climbs the Barr Trail to the 14,115 foot summit of Pike Peak. It’s easy to begin this grueling race, especially since the first mile casually runs through town before entering the steep trail. And the finish line evokes all kinds of satisfying emotions.

But ask the veterans and they’ll tell you, “The real race begins at Barr Camp.” This is an old cabin situated at the 7.5 mile mark at 10,000 feet elevation. Though you’re technically over halfway (race is 13.2 miles), the higher altitude can really wear on you. Most people run slower from Barr Camp to the finish than the time it took them from start to Barr Camp.

Barr Camp is the messy middle. It’s where you truly see who put in the training between 10,000-14,000 feet in the months leading up to race day. From Barr Camp, you’re either the predator or the prey. If a person has put in the blood, sweat and tears in training and then remains patient by not going out too hard, they set themselves up for a strong finish.

Writing a book and then marketing it is a daunting task. It requires some blood, sweat, and tears along the way. For the Kingdom writer, it also requires being patient and waiting upon the Lord.

In the waiting it doesn’t always make sense. When Lazarus was sick, his sisters, Mary and Martha, assumed Jesus would come quickly and heal him. Instead, Jesus didn’t show up for a few days. By then, Lazarus had died and people were weeping. Jesus already knew what his Father was up to.

What are you assuming as you wait? Even when you and I begin to feel hopeless and discouraged, God is up to something.

Just like that grim Saturday 2000 years ago, death doesn’t have the final word regarding your Saturday season.

Father, give me the patience and strength to endure the Saturday seasons that come my way. I choose to wait upon You with great expectation for what You are going to do.

Thanks for joining us on this Kingdom Marketing Mindset journey! Learn the simple steps you can take as a Christian author to implement a weekly business meeting with God. Get access to our training here: Business Meetings with God