Every second counts.

I ask myself often if I’m spending my time on things of worth. As a wife, am I encouraging Boyfriend-Who-Is-My-Husband to become all he can while loving him as he is? (Check. That one’s easy. But I could do more.)

As a mom, do I treasure every moment with my kiddos and provide a sanctuary for them to learn, to dust themselves off after mistakes and keep moving forward, to laugh, to love? (Three-quarter check. Definite room for improvement, but my small peoples are my heart.)

As a counselor, do I make the most of every opportunity to communicate unconditional love and Truth to the women that come to the crisis pregnancy center? (I’m  giving it my all in Christ’s strength, so check.)

Now. As a writer. The in-home ministry that has potential to affect the outside world. Am I diligent and faithful to communicate the words I’m given? Am I improving in my craft and developing professional relationships with others in the writing cosmos? (Check. The Blue Ridge Mountain Christian Writers’ Conference was a smorgasbord of wisdom.) But here’s another area where I can grow.

And that’s my point. There’s not a single thing that I do perfectly. I am so flawed.

Still, I’m redeemed, and I’m willing to do what the Lord asks of me. Am I ready for all of it? No. Could someone else do it better? Positively. But there are good works that God has set aside in advance for me to do (Ephesians 2:10), and He’s shown me that writing makes up a sizable portion of those. Does God want me to wait to get started? Read 700 books on writing, read 700 more newly published books in my genre, spend 40% of every day on marketing, brand, email, Facebook, and Twitter?

No way. I write now. I have to. I do spend time on all those other pieces of becoming a published and marketable writer as well, because they’re necessary, and because I want to serve Him skillfully. But I can’t put writing on the back burner until I feel utterly prepared. I write, write, write, and learn as I go.

And I want to encourage you to do the same. Write. Teach. Volunteer. Be a missionary. Visit your neighbor. Speak loving Truth to that family member you’re thinking about right now. Whatever God calls us to do, we ought to jump in. Strive to serve well. But don’t hold back. No “One day I’ll. . .” attitudes allowed.  We’ve got to be good stewards of The Now.

BWIMH was on fire about this last night! He said, “It’s about Christ. He saved us to a relationship with Him. As we walk–on mission with Him–we’re beside Him, His perfection. His holiness. And He uncovers those ugly, horrible things in us, allowing us to see them for what they are. He uses our circumstances to draw out our sin. And He says, ‘If you want to walk further with me–we’re going to deal with this. I’ll help you tackle it, and then we’ll go on.’ Sanctification happens As. We. Walk. With. Christ. As we’re obedient. Not as we’re sitting and thinking about all we could do for Christ one day.”

My mind zipped back to the mission field which–as I’ve mentioned before–knocked me right off my pebbly foundation. Thankfully, I landed on the crushing, uncomfortable, and jarring Rock. How I grew! And let me assure you, those humbling and gut-wrenching experiences continue. Even now, settled quite nicely in middle-class America, my days are flooded with opportunities to serve Christ. In each one, He reveals where I’m lacking and pours out His strength and grace. In those moments where I realize an attitude or habitual vice is seriously holding me back, I confess, He changes me, and I walk with Him further.

What about you? What’s something you’ve put off for a later One Day?