The Angelguard Journey to Publication

Photo Credit: www.aboutmyplanet.com

I rushed out of the company’s lobby and hopped into a vacant taxi, a bevy of emotions bursting within me: shock, anger, hurt, disappointment and confusion. But surprisingly, genuine peace. I called Fiona and shared the news. Her response was also mixed. Could see the positives but the immediate financial impact wasn’t ideal.

“Hey Bill, you know how I asked you to pray so that I could attend Presence? Well, God listened and answered.” My friend Bill, was my second call.

A few weeks earlier, my client and I had agreed a launch strategy for the new business. It was to be in Melbourne, the week of my church’s Annual Conference, titled “Presence”. It’s a four-day event where all of our churches around Australia attend. My heart had sunk as I had sensed a strong nudge from the Lord the previous Sunday at church when the “Presence” trailer ran.

Why especially, I did not know. One of those obedience things, get the nudge and follow.

Hence, my enlisting Bill to help me get there.

That morning, I had left to meet my client expecting to receive a letter of employment whilst driving north to Newcastle (a two hour trip) to meet a prospective supplier.

My client, the CEO and Sales Director, were running late, having flown in from Melbourne. They rushed past me towards the main lobby reception with only a curt hello saying we needed to have a meeting before we left for our Newcastle appointment. Little eye contact and both visibly tense.

There was clearly something going on and I had to play catch-up. Once in the meeting room, it was obvious that something unpleasant was about to take place. And who was to be the recipient.

It was all over in fifteen minutes.

I stood up, emotion gripping my throat, handed them the details of the Newcastle appointment and sincerely wished both of them the best of luck.

I’d just been fired.

Shocked more by what was said and how than by losing my job.

God works in mysterious way, doesn’t He? He sure doesn’t follow the rules or accepted practices. One of the great things about Him.

It’s opening night of the Presence Conference, April 2010. I was seated next to my older brother. He was the reason I thought I was meant to attend.

After our Pastor preached he took us into a moment of open prayer and waiting on the Lord. Behind him on the huge screen was this “Stairway to Heaven-style” graphic. A half-open white door stood at the top.

“Come up the stairs,” my spirit sensed. So I did that in my mind.

“Now step through the door.” Ah, okay.

And fell.

After free falling for a few seconds I landed on a huge brilliant white, winged creature. I hung on for dear life as we proceeded to fly over large landmasses, zooming down irregularly to street level in crowded cities.

Once at street level my vision was shocked by what I saw repeatedly: newspaper headline posters, announcing

“Angelguard hits Bestseller list.”

I knew what I was supposed to do.

What had sat in a draw for the past five years was to have its time again. If you missed my first post on the journey please click here.

Doubts invaded my mind continuously over the next few days. I still harboured a desire for it to be published. I had a strong this sense of incompleteness. I had reflected on the images I saw that night at the conference. What was important for me was God wanted me to bring Angelguard out of the dark. How many copies were going to be sold wasn’t important.

Taking that step of obedience was what I needed to do. As my Pastor always reminds us, God steps when we step.

Where to begin with manuscript? The world had changed in five years. Google was still a pup in 2002 and the iphone hadn’t even been invented.

After reading the 200,000-plus words once again, I knew I had a major re-write on my hands.

I’ll continue the story next time.