New Breakthrough, New Enemy

 

I recently launched an eBook on how to become a virtual assistant. God placed the desire to write it on my heart almost two years ago. It was then that I started to see an increase in the number of emails I got each week from stay-at-home parents who wanted to learn how to do what I do so they could be at home with their kids and still contribute to the family finances. Realizing the need for concrete information on this topic, I said “yes, Lord” and made writing the eBook my goal.

 

But you know how it goes, I’m sure. It’s hard to accomplish lofty goals when life just keeps on happening at full speed. In my case, it was difficult to set aside time to focus on the eBook when I had tons of client work to keep me busy, a house to maintain, and a husband I happen to like spending time with. So the project stayed on the back burner, and the enemy no doubt delighted in my passivity.

 

The Lord certainly knows how I tick and how to get my attention. I don’t understand subtle. This past spring, God opened up my schedule (as in, suddenly none of my clients had any work to be done – which had never happened before, and definitely hasn’t happened since) and reminded me about this goal we’d created (more and more emails from stay-at-home parents started flooding in “randomly”). So I started researching, writing, reaching out to folks, and working on the eBook website. An incredible amount of work was accomplished in a really short period of time. I felt God near. A launch date was set in June.

 

But June came and went without the eBook being launched. When I should have been finalizing details and wrapping up the writing and editing, I was spending most of my day in bed or on the couch in front of the TV, finding it hard to eat, and lacking all focus. My grandfather – a wonderful man that I was blessed with for 26 years – passed away in June and, for this girl who had never experienced the death of a loved one, the aftermath was a bout of depression.

 

Some days I cried (on the drive following my grandpa’s burial, I had a full blown freak out in the car). Some days I didn’t really experience any emotions. Old health problems returned.

 

But, actually, I thought I was “fine”. I didn’t even notice my behavior. I just thought I was “a little bit sad”. I couldn’t connect the dots on why I wasn’t feeling well, which is what I told my mom on the phone one evening.

 

“I haven’t been feeling well. I’ve been having some dizzy spells. My stomach has been hurting. I mean, I don’t think it has anything to do with Grandpa’s death. I just think maybe I have a bug or something,” I told her.

 

“Well, you’ve been feeling pretty great recently though, right? Maybe it’s this – new breakthrough, new enemy. Like Joyce Meyer says,” she replied.

 

My mom went on to say that she didn’t really think any of it was a coincidence, but rather the enemy raising the stakes in his attempt to keep me from living the life God has called me to lead.

 

See, when you make your plans known and you press forward with the desires God has placed on your heart, you open the door for attacks. The enemy will be waiting to knock you down with every new goal you reach. If there’s one thing the enemy doesn’t want, it’s you making a difference for God’s kingdom using your talents and skills.

 

Once my mom spoke that truth to me (bless you, Mommas – God is using you in your kids’ lives more than you know), I was released. I prayed that God would restore my mind and my body so that I could continue on with the eBook and bless others with it. Each day I woke up feeling a little bit better. I powered through and successfully met the next launch date I set.

 

If God has placed a desire on your heart, I urge you to press on – despite the bumps in the road that no doubt await you. Those bumps are affirmation that you are on the right track and that you’re making a difference in God’s kingdom.

 

Have you experienced any breakthroughs recently? What roadblocks were waiting for you? How has this idea (new breakthrough, new enemy) played out in your life?

 

Lisa Morosky is a Christ follower, a proud wife to her amazing husband, a homemaker, a real foodie, and a lover of all things simple and natural. She’s also a blog helper, a virtual assistant coach, and author of the new eBook The Bootstrap VA: The Go-Getter’s Guide to Becoming a Virtual Assistant, Getting and Keeping Clients, and More!. You can find her at The Home Life {and Me}, on Twitter, and on Facebook.

 

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