The Last Shall Be First [Week 5: Story Post]

In 2013, one of my Twitter pals, Mark Wiggins, asked me if I wanted to contribute to a collaborative book he was spearheading. Sure.

They wanted all contributors to pay $250. Uh oh. I was working short-term contract and temp assignments at the time, so there weren’t a lot of “extra” funds available after I paid bills. But I still wanted to contribute.

I told Mark that I didn’t have the money and asked if I could add my story anyway. He said yes.

Over the next few months, I received emails notifying contributors that the people who paid would be featured first and everyone else would follow. That’s fair.

I created my masterpiece, submitted it and waited for a response. The editor contacted me with suggested edits and we worked together to make my work more impactful.

When I received word that My Now for the Entrepreneur was published, I looked forward to the finished product. Even though my contribution was going to be in the back.

After getting my books in hand, I immediately flipped to the back without looking at the table of contents, because I just knew that my piece was there. Disappointment began to set in after I scanned through at least three stories and did not see my contribution.

I told my mother that I wasn’t in the book. She asked me if I had looked at the table of contents. I had not because I was a non-paying contributor. Mother knows best, right?

I flipped to the front and was amazed and excited about what I saw! My piece, Step Out on Faith and Keep on Stepping, was the very first story in the book! Whaaaaatttt? It was published in the section titled Passion & Purpose. Hot diggity dawg!!

Here I was, thinking I was going to be last because of my inability to pay to contribute. Yet, I was first, literally and figuratively, both naturally and spiritually.

This experience taught me two lessons. First: although I was focused on my finances in the natural; my positioning was spiritual. And second: the last shall be first.

How About You?

Have you had any experience where you thought you were going to be last only to be first? Share your story in the comment box below.

 

Read previous posts:

Week 1 post: How to Manage Multiple Blogs and Maintain Your Sanity

Week 2 post: 4 Quick Tricks for Growing Your Social Media Following Organically

Week 3 post: Rejection Therapy: What It Is and Why You Should Do It

Week 4 post: 9 Aspects of Blogging

Next week:

Week 6 of Blogger’s Block Challenge: Inspirational Post