Your Meditation Has Been Chosen!

I receive a lot of "we've picked you" e-mails. For example, "you've been selected as a distinguished professional" or "congratulations, you have been chosen to receive a large sum of cash."

I know the tag lines so well that I don't give the subject a second look before it gets permanently filed in my junk box.

So, today, when a message landed in my inbox with the subject, "Your meditation has been chosen", I came very close to deleting it. I'm glad I didn't. Here is what it said:

"Dear Mr. Mills:

Your meditation based on Isaiah 41:9 has been chosen to be in the Sep-Oct 2011 issue of The Upper Room. If your meditation is deferred to a later issue, you will be notified.

Enclosed is a copy of an agreement required by copyright law. Please sign it and return it to us within 10 days so we can proceed with publishing your meditation."

I can't believe it. I've finally written something publishable.

I know it's only a small meditation for a daily devotional. And I know it won't be in print for a full year.

But it represents the accomplishment of a goal I set for myself at the beginning of the year--to get something published.

So, for those of you who are well acquainted with failure. Keep trying. One day you might surprise yourself and succeed.