The Power of Collaboration

Today my book, the 2nd Edition of “Peering into the Tunnel: An Outsider’s Look into Grief,” went live on Amazon! What an exciting day for me. I feel like blasting the Hallelujah Chorus through my speakers and singing at the top of my lungs. Maybe even dancing! (I don’t dance.)

These past few weeks have been crazy! So many details to figure out, many of them on the fly. I don’t generally do “on the fly” very well, but I got better at it this month!

I see that in the first paragraph I said “my” book, and exciting day for “me” and I, I, I. In a way it does feel like mine. It’s been about a 9 month marathon, sometimes jogging, sometimes walking, sometimes pacing myself well. But these last weeks were a sprint to the finish line! I am exhausted, to be sure, but it is a joyful exhaustion. It is done. I finished!

And here are a few reasons why:

• I had a slew of brave people willing to share their stories with me, and then in print. Their vulnerability blew me away, and their words were so powerful.

Would there even be a book without them? No.

• I’ve had a faithful prayer team alongside me for the entire journey. (I think their excitement matches mine!) They have prayed me through the ups and downs and through the walking, jogging and sprinting. They’ve prayed against the fiery darts that certainly came against me. They constantly encouraged me – in fact, they named themselves “Angie’s Allies.” I love that.

Could this book have happened without them? No.

• I’ve had expert help with graphics, editing, formatting, and publishing. I also had stellar help creating a website. These are all things that are beyond my scope. (I am not friends with most technology. I try hard though!) These folks have literally saved me thousands of hours and thousands of dollars .

Would this book exist with them? No.

• I have friends who have held me accountable – including holding my feet to the fire when I needed it – and I am so grateful. They were gentle and kind but quick to rein me in when I got off course.

Would I be done by now without them? No.

And I would have never gotten off the ground without God. I believe that God literally breathed it into existence, and He used these and so many other people to make it happen. That’s collaboration! I’m just coming to understand how important it is, and how many people are around me to collaborate with. That in itself is exciting.

But what really excites me about collaboration is that is contains the word co-labor. That feels a little different, doesn’t it? Labor is work, right? So we’ve been (and will remain) co-workers. These good folks worked alongside me. Not behind me, not on the sidelines cheering me on – they worked alongside me the whole time.

ONLY GOD could have made this thing happen, and I am grateful to Him for surrounding me with these godly, obedient people.

If there is any credit to be given, it is to Him alone. Everything else is trickle-down and I dare say any of my co-workers would agree that their part, even when it felt like work, was important.

We are co-workers for Him. There is a synergy that has happened, where the whole is greater than the sum of the parts. God wrapped all those parts up with love and mercy and grace, and Peering is the result.

I’m that girl that has always said or felt like, if I want it done, I better do it myself. Which is a pretty far cry from collaboration – from finding co-workers. How many opportunities have I missed with that kind of thinking? I tend to be a loner anyway, definitely an introvert, and honestly, reaching out to all these folks was not an easy thing to do. God blessed that reaching in ways I could have never expected or dreamed of.

I think this is a permanent shift in thinking. And I know it’s good.

To collaboration,

Angie

NOTE: There will be a multi-author book fair on Saturday, October 29^th, and I get to participate! It will be from 10 am to 12 pm at Homer’s Coffee House, 7126 W. 80^th St., Overland Park, KS and I’d love to see you there!