Last week I told you that I was going to work on my website (robynmulder.com) and start working on a book proposal.
Because I told you that, I actually did those things, even though I was scared.
It didn't go perfectly.
I made some changes on the website, but I also tried a new theme in WordPress. It was live for about five minutes, until I noticed a couple of things that looked funny and I didn't know how to fix them. I quickly reverted back to my old theme, the one I'm comfortable with.
I said I would work on my book proposal for three hours, but I didn't start working on it until Thursday. I think I worked on it for about an hour and a half.
Did I fail? No.
I kept my word to my readers, even though it didn't go exactly as planned.
I played around with my website theme and now I want to spend a little more time learning how to change the look and have things work the way I want them to.
I spent an hour and a half on my proposal and now my brain is working on ideas for the book even when I'm not at my desk.
Keeping our word is important.
We've all been disappointed by someone who said they would do something, but they blew it off and didn't get it done.
People understand when there are emergencies that come up, but they lose faith in us when we fail to show up or complete a task just because we didn't feel like it.
I think that includes the promises we make to ourselves.
We lose faith in ourselves when we say we're going to do something, but then we let it go just because we're afraid or we don't feel like it.
Friends, we need to practice keeping our word, to others, of course, but even to ourselves.
When you say, "I'm going to get up at seven o'clock tomorrow morning," make sure you get up at seven o'clock.
When you say, "I'm going to eat healthier," make sure you fill your fridge with healthy choices and stay away from too many sweets.
When you say, "I'm going to get closer to God," make sure you spend time in the Bible and talk to Him often as you go about your day.
When you say, "I'm going to __________," make sure you take the steps necessary to get that accomplished.
It will help if you tell someone about these promises you're making. Give someone permission to ask you, "Hey, how's it going? Are you doing what you said you'd do?"
Don't lose hope if you don't always keep your promises to yourself and others. We're human and we can't do it all perfectly. But do your best to keep your word. Others will see you are a person of integrity and you will feel great as you accomplish the things you've always said you were going to do.
"God is not human, that he should lie, not a human being, that he should change his mind. Does he speak and then not act? Does he promise and not fulfill?" (Numbers 23:19 NIV)
Are you good at keeping your word to yourself and others? How can focusing on God help you to get even better at keeping your word?
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