I was blessed with the opportunity to achieve a lifelong dream several years ago by seeing my name on the cover of a book I had written and had published by a “real” publishing company. I was hardly prepared for what would come next – promoting the book, engaging with buyers/readers, doing media interviews, etc. For an introvert like me, the whole experience was more exhausting and stressful than actually producing the book! During the course of the many conversations with interviewers, friends, family, buyers and so many others, the most asked question had nothing to do with the book whatsoever. It was a question for which I had no legitimate answer and one I secretly fretted over:

What else are you working on? What's next?

I was sometimes brutally honest and told them I had nothing. “Just enjoying the moment,” I would say aloud while secretly telling myself “figure something out you idiot!” I jotted dozens of ideas down but none of them felt right and those that did got little traction when I deployed the “giggle test” via query letters with would-be publishers. As the months and years went on, the questions continued: “So, when does your next book come out?” “Working on any new books?” “What’s your next book about?” I handled inquiries as politely as I could and tried to be honest without fully letting onto the conclusion I had inevitably reached: I was stuck. Figuring out what to do after you reach a dream can be harder than reaching for it (you can tweet that). It might sound odd, but I may have made a dream that was too narrow in scope, despite how difficult it is to achieve. That is the other great irony of the question. "What are you working on next?" is a pretty casual statement - almost as if having a book published is an everyday task. If you have ever done so or even tried, you know just how difficult it is to achieve. It reminds me of a joke I once heard, where a doctor and writer are talking at a party. When the doctor finds out the other person is a writer, he says to the writer, “You know, I’ve often thought of publishing a book when I retire from medicine.” To which, the writer responds, “That’s great. I’ve often thought of being a doctor when I retire from being a writer.” I laugh at that, but it didn’t stop me from pondering the questions. What was next? I was a writer with no muse and I just didn't know what was next. Years went by and I was no closer to an answer. But God, as always, had something to say on the matter. More about that in a minute, but first, I want us to take a look at two passages. The first is Ecclesiastes 9:10. I have provided two translations for a little clarity:

Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might, for there is no work or thought or knowledge or wisdom in Sheol, to which you are going. (ESV) Whatever you do, do well. For when you go to the grave, there will be no work or planning or knowledge or wisdom. (NLT)

The second passage is  Colossians 3:17.

And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

These passages have a lot of impact for answering that question: What’s next? When I was a kid, I wanted to be a professional baseball player. I was going to be a catcher like Johnny Bench. I wasn't a Reds fan, but I read stories about him and wanted to be captain of the field just like him. As I grew older, I accepted that I was better at watching than playing baseball and I didn't have the knees to handle the grind of being a catcher. So I turned to writing. It came pretty naturally and it was something I loved to do, so I went with it. By my senior year of high school, my life goal was to publish a book. I worked toward the goal and did so with no genuine success. Then, the opportunity to align my current dream with a former dream came about when Baseball in Fort Wayne was published. It would be seven years before I even came close to publishing another book. Around the same time Legendary Locals of Auburn was published, I was already coming to an understanding that achieving my dream was as much for God's gain as it was a blessing to me. He further blessed me by giving me a taste of the “big leagues” by connecting me with former players, current professionals and more as it all came to fruition. For a brief period, I continued around the base paths in writing. But something still seemed off. And that's where these two passages come into play. By taking an opportunity that was clearly brought about through God's preparation in me, I was able to see Baseball in Fort Wayne get published. But the book became a secondary benefit of the real blessing. As I did book signings, attended events, managed a blog related to the topic and more, I connected with men and women of all ages. Baseball was a common bond that allowed us to talk and know one another. I often had the privilege of enabling people to see previously unknown photographs of their fathers and grandfathers. I had the privilege of helping people connect with their most cherished memories and ensure their places in history were well documented and preserved. Those moments were always accompanied with smiles, gleams in eyes and even a few tears of joy from time to time. That is what I loved the most - being able to be a blessing to others and bring joy to their lives. Such a simple thing. All it took was a little time, effort and responding to God’s calling. Our dreams aligned and we both were beneficiaries. The passage from Ecclesiastes tells us that the gifts for which we have received can and should find purpose. We use those talents to show our faith, share the gospel, serve others and as the Colossians passage reminds, ultimately glorify God through our work. So, what am I working on next? You’re reading it. 1Glories is the response to that oft-asked question. It’s one of the ways I am using my God-given talents to bring glory and honor to the one true God. The one, and only one who is deserving of all glory. Now, what about you? What are you working on next? Comment here and let me know! Note: This is a repost from December 2014. I thought it was relevant and wanted to share it with you all again.