Stacey Thacker - Is Jesus Worth It?: Igniting Your Faith When You Feel like Quitting

HARVEST HOUSE PUBLISHERS

EUGENE, OREGON

Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are from The ESV Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version), copyright 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Verses marked T HE V OICE are taken from The Voice. Copyright 2008 by Ecclesia Bible Society. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Verses marked MSG are taken from THE MESSAGE. Copyright by Eugene H. Peterson 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.

Verses marked P HILLIPS are taken from J.B. Phillips: The New Testament in Modern English, Revised Edition. J.B. Phillips 1958, 1960, 1972. Used by permission of Macmillan Publishing Company.

Verses marked NASB are taken from the New American Standard Bible, 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. (www.Lockman.org)

Verses marked NIV are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version, NIV. Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Verses marked KJV are taken from the King James Version of the Bible.

Cover by Connie Gabbert Design + Illustration

Interior design by Janelle Coury

Cover images Mila Petkova / Shutterstock; Stephen Rees / Shutterstock

Published in association with Books & Such Management, 52 Mission Circle, Suite 122, PMB 170, Santa Rosa, CA 95409-5370, www.booksandsuch.com.

IS JESUS WORTH IT?

Copyright 2017 Stacey Thacker

Published by Harvest House Publishers

Eugene, Oregon 97402

www.harvesthousepublishers.com

ISBN 978-0-7369-7008-2 (pbk.)

ISBN 978-0-7369-7009-9 (eBook)

All rights reserved. No part of this electronic publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any meanselectronic, mechanical, digital, photocopy, recording, or any otherwithout the prior written permission of the publisher. The authorized purchaser has been granted a nontransferable, nonexclusive, and noncommercial right to access and view this electronic publication, and purchaser agrees to do so only in accordance with the terms of use under which it was purchased or transmitted. Participation in or encouragement of piracy of copyrighted materials in violation of authors and publishers rights is strictly prohibited.

For Mom
Thank you for loving and
living Gods Word every day of your life.

Mike: Thank you for your never-ending support and seeing the writer in me first. Love you. Always.

Emma, Abby, Caroline, and Alison: You are the best girls in the world. I know it to be true. Thank you for letting me get all excited about writing and not complaining too much when I go to Panera to work. I love you so much!

Lisa Chudy: Thank you for signing me up for Hebrews, not asking my permission, and mostly for saving me a seat next to you.

Robin Langford: I will always credit our friendship to Gods Word. I cant think of anyone better to do life with than you. Thanks for everything.

Tanya Cramer: I am so very grateful for your work behind the scenes on every word written in this book. You are a rare gift, my friend. I treasure you!

Emily Blackwell, Erin Warren, Teri Lynne Underwood, and Angie Elkins: You have read words and listened to me talk endlessly about this project. What would I do without you?

Kathleen Kerr: Some people are scared of their editors. I want to buy you all the coffee and tell you wholeheartedly that I am truly blessed. Your gifts make my work so much easier.

Harvest House Team: I am tremendously blessed to be part of what God is doing at Harvest House. Thank you for being more like family than publishers.

Janet Grant: Thank you for seeing the Girlfriend in the Guide and just knowing how to make this work. You are the best!

Jesus: You are worth it.

CONTENTS

Have you ever started something and then wondered what in the world you were thinking? Im reminded of the scene in the movie Tangled when Rapunzel bravely steps out of her comfortable tower room, where shes been sheltered most of her life. As she takes her leap of faith into the unknown, she joyously exclaims, Best day ever! However, in the next scene she is a weepy hot mess, lamenting her decision and branding herself a failure. She tumbles from heights of happiness to depths of despair, back and forth, over and over again.

This is a book based on a book of the Bible. Writing it has me experiencing all the feelings a girl can feel. I have bravely stepped out of my own comfortable tower room into what feels like the unknown.

On one hand, Im ridiculously excited because I love the idea of inspiring you to put down this book and pick up the Book that truly matters. Ive said it before, and it bears repeating: The one book I want you to read more than mine is the Bible. My passion for Gods Word has only grown as Ive placed myself at his feet and said time and time again, What do you want your daughters to know about your book, Lord? He has been faithful. I have been moved to tears more than once by his nearness and direction.

At other times, I find myself facedown on my bed, questioning my calling. I wonder what in the world Im doing trying to pen words about holy things. I have quit so many times in my head. Ive assured myself my editor would be grateful if I just sent the contract back and said, Truly, you have the wrong girl. Surely they would receive my regrets with relief. Surely.

Have you ever felt that way about something you were sure God wanted you to do? Did doubts creep in and give sway? What did you do about it? Did you pray? Phone a friend? Post on Facebook? Maybe, like me, you did all three. I like to have all my bases covered, you know.

Teri Lynne is the girlfriend I knew I needed in my own best day-worst day moment last week. She told me it was okay to second-guess myself as long as I remembered who this work was truly about. She even loaned me a prayer: Dont ever let me think, dear God, that I was anything but the instrument for your story.

The author of these words, Flannery OConner, struggled with this back and forth in her head as well. She was in college when she wrote that simple prayer. I was so moved by it I wrote it on the memo board in my kitchen and prayed it back to God while I was making dinner that night. It is such a sweet and timely reminder. The important thing for each of us to remember is that this is Gods story, not ours. As we place ourselves in his hands, he fills the pages of our lives with holy words that overflow into the lives of others if we let them.