What was I working on this week?

Something that I won't start promoting for another 336 days.

For years now, I've wanted to offer an Easter template pack for churches, some easy digital and print assets they could use to promote Easter Masses, since it's a prime time for evangelization.

I've never really been able to land on a theme though, and so I dismissed the thought for this year.

Until, as usual, the Lord gave me a fountain of inspiration all at once, and I eagerly set to work.

The only problem was, the inspiration came a teensy bit too late.

You see, church bulletins for major days like Easter need to be submitted waaaaaaaay in advance.

And it was really, really close to the deadline.

But, I figured, if the Lord wants this to happen, He'll give me the time for it.

I asked Him to make it really obvious if He wanted me to rush to make this happen.

And oh, did He make it clear.

We had some family stuff come up. I got sick. The baby decided she was allergic to sleep.

So it didn't happen.

And yet, I can still feel the pull on my heart. He continues to give me the inspiration, the ideas, and the confirmation — even in Father's homily yesterday and at Daily Mass today — that this is 100% the theme He wants me to focus on, even though it's too late for this year.

So what am I doing instead now?

I'm going to share the ideas I had with the churches. Even if I can't make it happen for them, maybe they can run with it themselves.

And I put together my marketing plan for it...for next year.

I started a doc with subject line thoughts, the beginnings of templates, fleshing out the full plan...

Which I won't actually start to implement for another 336 days.

I know so many of you are fitting these businesses and ministries in the spare moments of your busy life.

We can choose to see that as a disadvantage — after all, we can't grow as quickly as those who have 40 hours a week to spend on marketing.

Or, we can give God praise for the absolute honor it is to serve Him in multiple ways, and use it to our advantage by planning ahead.

Because a marketing campaign that is planned well in advance will convert better than one that is thrown together haphazardly at the last minute.

We have the time to plan ahead that others who do this day in and day out don't often get, because the urgent crowds out the important.

Instead, we have the luxury of forced patience, which allows us to prepare even a year in advance and thereby make our marketing even better.

We often hear that God answers our prayers with yes, no, and not yet. And honestly, I'm super impatient, so the "not yet's" are always the hardest for me.

But unless He tells us to, "not yet" doesn't mean we should stop entirely.

We can still prepare. We can still plan ahead for when "not yet" becomes "yes."

We can be confident that if the Lord put something on our hearts, He will make it come to fruition on His own timeline.

Our job in the meantime? Do what we can to be ready, just like the Israelites preparing to escape Egypt.

Our plans and preparations become like our staffs in hand, sandals on our feet, and unleavened bread before us so that when the Lord says "go," we are ready to move.

So even though it won't be ready in time for this year, I'm going to keep working on this Easter packet now, while it's fresh in my head.

I know that He will always give me the time I need to accomplish His Will — provided I use the time that He gives me well — and I can plan ahead so that I have put my very best behind the marketing of it next year, so it can best give Him glory.

And for now, I'll give Him praise for the fact that He thought I was special enough to give me the ideas just for my own spiritual edification this year.

Then next year, I'll be ready for when He says "go."

For His greater glory,

Emily

P.S. Did you take my About page challenge this week? I spent about 20 minutes instead of 10, but I was able to update my patron saint list and add some photos. Hit reply and let me know if you updated yours so I can cheer you on!