Today I’m thankful to have Cindy Shufflebarger sharing her heart about writing and speaking and some of the pitfalls we all face. Thanks, Cindy, for a great post!

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I find myself in this place again. It’s a familiar place that I pledged to stop visiting. Yet, my wandering heart and mind… well, did a little wandering.

I sometimes seek approval from others. Truthfully, I seek approval from others frequently. It’s not a conscious decision, it just seems to happen. I’m currently wrestling with my humble beginnings as an author and speaker. And so, I find myself checking on my success in worldly ways – I check my Author Central page, Google Analytics, my book inventory, number of YouTube views, Facebook comments and views, and I’m sure a few other measures and tools, too. I’m embarrassed to admit it but acknowledgement is the first step to recovery, right?
Isn’t it enough that I write to bring honor and glory to God? I’m doing it for Him. So, why do I use my own limited understanding to judge my success? If my work is truly an offering to Him, He can use it how He pleases. He is more concerned about my heart, my obedience, and my faithfulness than He is about how many readers view my work. In His time and His way, He’ll use it to touch just the right lives. I need to trust Him, not numbers and statistics.

Perhaps you’re judging your success in life by others’ opinions and worldly standards. You want others to notice what you do. You want them to approve. You’d even appreciate a compliment or word of encouragement every now and then. Ultimately, it’s God’s approval for which we long. If we’re doing what He’s called us to do, we can trust that He notices, He approves, and He’s cheering for us. Let Him be your audience and you’ll be a success every time.

I’m committing to let Him be my audience of one. I challenge you to do the same!

Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men. Colossians 3:23

Cindy Shufflebarger  <http://www.cindyshufflebarger.com>is the author of Dancing in the Rain: Finding Joy in the Midst of the Storm. Her writing, inspired by God’s healing hand following the death of her daughter, encourages women and offers hope for rediscovering the joy in living. A homeschooling mom of three, she now views life as an adventure with God and invites others to join the journey. Visit her in one of her many roles: blogger <http://www.cindyshufflebarger.com/blog>, grief writer <http://www.opentohope.com/2011/02/16/moments-in-the-middle-make-recovery-possible/>, Richmond Christian Living Examiner <http://www.examiner.com/christian-living-in-richmond/cindy-shufflebarger>, The Daily Dietitian <http://thedailydietitian.com>(vlog), and Facebook <https://www.facebook.com/pages/Cindy-Shufflebarger/165363226828989> fanatic.