“Two things rob people of their peace of mind:
work unfinished and work yet begun.”

“Can anything be sadder than work left unfinished?
Yes, work never begun.”
-Poet Christina G. Rosetti

I love God. Plain, simple, life-changing truth. He speaks right when you need him to. All week I’ve wrestled with “things.” I’ve written about a few of them, but some are more private. My bouts of depression being one. But, I’ve pressed on, getting up each and every morning looking to Jesus, the Author and Finisher of my faith. Most of all, I’ve been resting and leaning into the Lord in hopes of hearing His voice. During this time, I’ve been on a mission to clean my office in order to prepare space for both writing and counseling. Financially strapped right now, I can’t buy anything “new” so I’m working with what I have.

“First thing you need to do,” says my kitchen-designing, space-designing-expert husband, Rob, “is clean out all the clutter. Then, we’ll talk.”

Ugh. I hate it when he tells me to clean (smile). If I had my way and all the money in the world (well, at least a little money), I’d hire an interior designer or even HGTV to come in and create the perfect writing space. In my head, I think that will make a difference.

The truth of the matter, as powerfully expressed by Bible teacher extraordinaire, Beth Moore, “Maybe, just maybe, in order to fulfill our calling, we must be willing to start and finish a project. What if it required self-discipline?” She continues, “The best books might never be written because someone didn’t take the time and exercise the necessary self-discipline to stop doing 1,000 things and do one thing.”

Ouch. Double ouch. Rob and Beth are both spot on: I need to clean out my clutter, both physically and emotionally.

Finish some unfinished business. In her new DVD teaching, “Fulfill Your Ministry,” Beth reads from Acts 20:22-24, noting Paul’s heart in verse 24, “My life is worth nothing to me unless I use it for finishing the work assigned me by the Lord Jesus–the work of telling others the Good News about the wonderful grace of God.” There it is: finishing the work assigned by God.

Boy, did I need to hear that in this season of my life. I think I am called to be a writer, speaker/teacher, and counselor. These three gifts seem to rise to the forefront of all my relationships and work. I should be certain, but remember I said I was working through some things. At this juncture, this crossroads, this particular moment on my life’s journey, I’m asking God for clarity.

While cleaning, I found mounds, yes, mounds, of unfinished writing projects.

Are they any good? Well, I will never know unless I finish them and send them to my literary agent. Until I edit, reedit and edit some more in order to package them and put them on my website. Until I teach them to others and see. So, filled with new enthusiasm, humble dependence on God, and a willingness to try, yet again, I am going to finish some unfinished business (or book projects and Bible Studies).

How about you? Is there any unfinished business that needs finishing in your life? Even your heart? Will you join me in making that change? If you do, please let me know! It might require some discomfort, but do it anyway. The reward will be a renewed sense of order and possibly even finished projects!