This weekend at the Nashville men’s retreat, someone asked me how “the writing business” pays off for me. He was asking about things like royalties, dollars, and making ends meet.

It was actually a great context for the question. Men I had previously never known, opening their hearts to me in confidence; late nights sharing stories; deep conversations about faith; laughter and tears; communion around the Lord’s table; an invitation to join the journey of searching souls.

• This is the “pay-off” of the writing business for me.

One story I shared with the guys featured a letter I’d received “out of the blue,” from an American working in Europe. He was in a deep slump, spiritually, and ran across a copy of one of my books at a cafe in Italy. The encounter with just a few of my words sparked, he wrote, “An incredible spiritual renewal using your book, Get Real. The experience has been so enriching and transformational.”

• This is the “pay-off” of the writing business for me.

FACEBOOK: Then, early this morning, while scrolling through my “news feed” on facebook, an attractive graphic caught my attention. Here it is. The words, “10 Compliments Your Kids Need to Hear,” sparked an echo of recognition so I read further.

By the time I’d read the second compliment in the list I was convinced the article was my writing. So I did a search on my “mac” and found the article, written in April of 2010 for the All-Pro-Dad website. The content was identical, with the exception of one word change (“dad” to “mom” in one sentence). Click here for the original.

Here’s the cool part. It’s turned into one of those “you’ve got to read this” posts and it has – by 4:30 my time – 1,295 “shares” (and that number increased by more than 100 in less than one hour). That means at least 1,295 people have re-posted it on their facebook page. Who knows how many people have read the list of 10-Compliments? and that doesn’t count the tens of thousands of hits from the All-Pro-Dad website where it belongs.

No, I’m not upset that I’m not credited (although All-Pro-Dad might have issues with the lack of attribution). Instead, I’m thrilled that my words are having a positive impact on the world, and that they are thriving three years after they were first written.

• This is the “pay-off” of the writing business for me.

The bottom line here is that I know that God is using me. That’s actually the way Rebekah and I read the word compensation. “We don’t work to earn money,” Rebekah once said, wisely; “We earn money so we can do the work we’re called to do.”

• This is the “pay-off” of the writing business for me – DEREK