#010 - Seasons of Acceleration

In this episode of Hit Splits, we're going to talk just a little bit about seasons of acceleration. I also believe that just as I talked about in the last episode, that God may have seasons of obscurity for us. There may also be seasons of acceleration he has for us. CJ and I have been doing this a long time. I first started my business in 2004, so. So over 18 years ago, and actually started my first website and my first business while we were still missionaries in Belize. I felt like the Lord was leading me to do it. It was right at the end of our two years in Belize, and little did I know what was going to happen. And here I am 18 years later. We've been doing this full time for 11 years, and sometimes it just feels like things have been going so slow or like we're just treading water and it's like, okay, Lord, when is it my time? You know, I see other people that seem to be having more success and more income or whatever, and it's like, all right, you know, Lord, when is it our time? And I just want to say one of my favorite verses is Galatians 6, 9. And it talks about, do not grow weary in doing good, for at the right time, you will reap a harvest if you do not give up. And I talked about this in a recent episode, but I was ready to give up in the beginning of 2021. I was just tired. You know, we had been doing this business with and mentoring writers for over a decade, and I was just like, lord, I'm just not seeing the results that I want to see. I just don't know if this is really where my passion is anymore. And I was ready to sell Christian Book Academy. I was ready to try something different. And then the Lord closed every single door and showed me that we. We're not done yet with mentoring writers. And I'm smiling from ear to ear because the last year and a half has been a year has been a season of acceleration. And the Lord has just showed up in so many ways now. You know, you might see certain people and think that they're an overnight success, but really they've been working for a decade to really hit that acceleration point. I think of it like the book that Darren Hardy has written that talks about.

You know, your small, consistent habits over time will make the biggest results. And, you know, that is so true. I think so many times we give up in the day to day in, you know, in those seasons of obscurity or in those seasons of preparation of Building of growing, because we want to see the results now. And I was ready to give up, but if I would have given up, I wouldn't have seen what God has been doing and the fruit that he's been bearing and the lives that have been touched and the books that have been birthed, and the ripple effect of the people who read those books, their lives being impacted and. And so forth. And so I just want to tell you, don't give up unless the Lord tells you to do it, because there may be something around the corner for you.

And like I said earlier, Darren Hardy has a book, and it's called the Compound Effect. And it shows, like, this graph where you'll have little bit, little bit, little bit, little bit of results, and then all of a sudden there's a tipping point, and then it's like a season of acceleration, and that season of acceleration happens. I'm sure if you Google the compound effect and look at the images, you might be able to see a graph of that. But basically, he's talking about whether or not you're trying to pay off debt, lose weight, write and publish a book and market a book. You know, I mean, it could be anything. That in the beginning, there's this long stretch where it just is. You're seeing very minimal results either way, positive or negative. And then all of a sudden, there's a tipping point, and you really see more results happen. And, you know, it happens differently for every person. But it was in April of 2021 that I really sensed the Lord giving me a renewed passion for helping authors, and he really gave me some new ideas. And. And it's just been a season of acceleration the past year and a half. But I also want to say, like, when you're in this season of acceleration, it's also easy to want to just keep going and, like, keep going and going and going and going. And sometimes it's not meant to just keep going forever. Like, I mean, we all need rest, we all need down times, and it's good to really listen to the Lord and follow him each step of the way. So I really sense something different for this next year for us. And almost like taking my foot off the gas pedal a little bit, you know, we've really worked hard to establish even a better team that can help us. I have been doing a lot of things behind the scenes that none of you can see that are like creating SOPs, you know, standard operating procedures and creating more documentation and standardized ways of doing things for myself, our team. I mean, all of These things are just making our company stronger. But we are, I believe, coming out of a season of acceleration and, you know, just had, I think it was about a hundred members join Christian Book Academy both in 2021 and 2022. And so it's just been. It's just been a joy to see what God is doing. And, you know, it doesn't mean it's been all roses, you know, but, you know, it's been good. And I just want to say that whether you're in a season of obscurity or. Or a season of acceleration, there are gonna be good times and there are gonna be hard times. Just because you're in a season of acceleration doesn't mean that everything is gonna go your way or that it's gonna always feel good. There's still a lot of hard things. And what I found is that both seasons required, you know, me to keep my eyes fixed on Jesus. And it required me to keep moving forward, you know, in doing the things that he called me to do. And so, you know, in the season of obscurity, I was completely redoing all of the Christian Book Academy curriculum. That took me a year and a half. Then in the season of acceleration, he led me to do all of these marketing things and build, you know, all of these systems around marketing. That took about a year and a half. It's been about three years between both of them. And it's. It's been a lot. It has been a lot, but it is so worth it. Like when God calls you to something and whatever he's called you to regarding your writing, publishing and marketing, you know, I. I really believe that most of you are not being called to do this full time like CJ and I do. But whatever he's calling you to do with your writing, publishing and marketing, like, it is so worth it. You. Yes, there's gonna be blood, sweat and tears. Yes, there's gonna be hard times. Yes, there's gonna be moments you wanna give up. And that's why community is so important. You know, when we meet together with Christian Book Academy members and are able to encourage one another, it is just so powerful. And I just see, like, people continuing to take those steps forward because they have that community. And so if you're not yet a Christian Book Academy member, encourage you. Encourage you to join us@christianbookacademy.com but, you know, God has promised Ephesians 3:20 that, you know, that we can see him do exceedingly, abundantly, above all that we ask or think according to what according to the power that works in us. And that power comes from God. And so these season of seasons of acceleration do not come from grinding or trying harder or striving or following all the things that the gurus say or doing more, more, more. No, it's according to the power that comes from God. And I fully believe that God has given us certain ideas. Like in 2016, when I first started Amazon ads, I just don't think it was a coincidence. That was right after my Broken Crayons book launch. It was, you know, just at that time. I mean.

I know it just wasn't a coincidence. And that I really believe that helped our Amazon ads for that book do so well. And they continue to do well. And I just believe God has given us favor in that. So I just encourage you, friends, hang in there. Whether you're in a season of obscurity, in a season of acceleration, it is God and his power at work in you that will do the work that will impact lives, that will change you as you're in the process. And I just want to pray for you. So, Lord, I just pray for every kingdom writer listening right now and I pray that you would bring them into a season of acceleration at the time that you have for them, that they would be open, they would be willing, and that they would just yield and surrender to your power at work in them. Lord, take away any striving in the flesh in Jesus name, Lord, may we just die to ourselves and the striving, but may we be willing to do the work that you lead us to do, that you show us to do in your power and in your strength. And I just pray this in Jesus powerful name. Amen. All right, friends, I would love to hear, are you in a season of obscurity or a season of acceleration? Let us know in our Facebook group. You can go to trainingauthors.com group or email us. Supportrainingauthors.com.