You may remember this time last year I was preparing to attend She Speaks. Many of you were there with me. Some of you have become friends since then. I’m excited to be linking up on Monday with several other women sharing their She Speaks experience over on Christa Hutchins blog Do A New Thing.

There is a message to be gleaned for all of us here.

Your circumstances may be different than mine, but most of us go toe-to-toe with rejection at some point in our lives. Perhaps you’ve been sucker punched by it or maybe fear of it has kept you out of the ring altogether.

I had high hopes going into She Speaks 2015.

High hopes and no idea what to expect.

I was blessed to be scheduled with two of my top three publisher appointment requests.

I poured my heart and soul (along with more than a little sweat and tears) into a one sheet and book proposal for the book I believe God has called me to write. If you’ve signed up for She Speaks this year, perhaps you can relate. (If not, consider preparing for the most exciting job interview you’ve ever had.)

So, I won’t lie and tell you it didn’t rip a hole right through my business casual blazer and into my chest when the first editor dismissed my book concept with a wave of her hand saying, “Nobody wants to read about that.” She didn’t even read my one sheet. It was devastating.

But, in the course of our conversation she inspired me to pursue a completely different concept that I’ve been mulling over since. One that is totally aligned with my talents and my current ministry.

My second appointment went much more the way we all hope they will. The editor’s initial questions led directly into my perfectly practiced pitch for the book. Excitement glowed on both our faces as she encouraged me to share more about my story. At the end, she took my card and my one sheet and invited me to digitally send my proposal to her when I returned home from the conference.

And I did, with whispered prayers and shaking fingers.

And then I waited.

And waited.

And then I received an encouraging e-mail stating that though they liked the direction of my book and felt my message was important, they were unable to take me on as a new author now because my “reach” was so small.

Reach.

Platform.

Audience.

Community.

Doesn’t matter what you call it, we all seem to need one. And mine just isn’t big enough to entice a main stream publishing house to sign me. Yet.

As honored as I was to be asked to submit my proposal, this was the answer I expected. But, it still stings to be told you have a needed book concept with the implication that your writing is strong enough, but be rejected because you just don’t have that many people in your on-line circle of influence.

Rejection is a powerful force. It is enough to make some throw their hands up in defeat, while others are spurred on to achieve new heights in its wake. I think this is an important question to ask yourself before She Speaks - What if I’m rejected? It’s important to ask yourself that question before you step out in faith toward any goal.

Rejection is powerful enough to make some throw their hands up in defeat, while others are spurred on to… Click To Tweet

Spend some time in prayer asking God what this might look like for you and what His desire is for the next steps.

For me, it turned out to be a blessing in disguise, as God’s “no’s” typically are. I’m still working on the book, but I’m also taking some advice to heart about growing my platform or extending my reach. I’m honing my writing skills. I’m refining my message. I’m living my life and collecting fresh experiences to make specific points in the book. I’m being more involved in on-line communities and learning how to have my message heard beyond my friends and family.

Because honestly, even if I had pushed to self-publish then, there wouldn’t be a whole lot of people who would have known my book was out there.

This NO wasn’t God releasing my from the message He has called me to carry. It was Him encouraging me to find out how much further I could take it.

I’m grateful to Proverbs 31 Ministries for all they do to help us writers spread the word and for giving us the opportunity to sit down with representatives from major brand publishing houses. There is so much inspiration and information to be gleaned in these 20 minutes sit-downs.

I’m grateful for the double dose of rejection I received last year. One has inspired me to develop a more cohesive message tying together both my crafting business and my ministry message. The other has encouraged me to reach outside my comfort zone with both.

I look forward with great anticipation to the year when God opens the doors for me to head back to She Speaks. And next time, I won’t be so afraid of rejection, or what I will wear.

A double dose of rejection wasn’t a death sentence. Surviving it has both encouraged and inspired me to keep pressing forward.

Surviving rejection can encourage and inspire us to keep pressing forward. #SheSpeaks @LizGiertz Click To Tweet

What have you learned from past rejection? Has surviving disappointment made you bolder to face new challenges? How might pre-deciding your response to rejection shape a future experience for you? Leave a comment below, you just never know who you might inspire or encourage!

Much Love,

liz

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For more encouragement please join the discussions on these fabulous blog link ups - Suzanne Eller, Thought Provoking Thursday, Susan B. Mead, Faith Filled Friday, Grace and Truth, Faith and Fellowship Friday, Grace and Truth Friday, Good Morning Monday, Soul Survival, Monday Musings, Rah Rah Link Up, Tell His Story, Woman to Woman Wednesday, Women With Intention Wednesday, Sitting Among Friends, Word of God Speak, Testimony Tuesday.