What’s your cover look like?

I got my almost-final cover for Soulspeak: Praying change into unexpected places this week from my publisher. They still need to alter the font sizes some, but it’s nearly done. Here’s a sneak-peak at what we have so far.

Now that we’re nearly finished, I’m starting to panic. Do you feel that way when something you’ve worked on for a long time is near finality? Do you wonder about a decision you’ve made once it’s too late to change it?

Do you think this way about yourself? (Should I have said that, texted that, done that?)

I keep asking myself:

1. Does this represent the content well?
2. Does this make the book seem interesting?
3. Does it make sense?
4. Is it welcoming?

These are not bad questions for a book cover or for myself. After all, the me that I portray is really just a cover for the real me inside.

• I might dress stylish because I feel inadequate on the inside.
• I might spend a lot of money on my clothes, car, house, and activities because I feel un-valuable on the inside.
• I might be friendly and outgoing because I feel lonely and rejected on the inside.

None of us are exactly who we appear to be from the outside.

I might spend a lot of time and energy on the cover of my life because I know that people judge books by their covers. People might take one look at me and decide that I’m boring, intimidating, or insufferable.

Imagine that. Not everyone will like me.

We know it’s true, but it eats us up on the inside anyway. And so we design beautiful, frightening, or impassive covers for ourselves so we can control what people think. We feel ashamed when they don’t think well of us or when we can’t live up to the cover we’ve designed. (Read a blog on shame here.)

Spoiler: Controlling someone’s perspective is not really possible.

We hide behind fig leaves and pretend we don’t need anybody. We’re afraid we aren’t worthy. We’ll never be worthy. (Read about worthiness here.)

Unworthiness is what makes the Christian life so difficult because we are uncomfortable being dependent, beholden, and responsible. A person who’s good enough deserves to be blessed. But a person who’s not good enough feels humbled when he asks God for something.

Yep. That about sums it up. Humility is a cover-shredder.

If you’re living in reality with yourself and God, you are poised to experience the blessing of answered prayers and powerful impact. (Read about how to have impact here.)

Not to mention, a lot less stress about how you appear to people.