8 Things We Are Thankful For in 2019

What a great year 2019 has been for William Carey Publishing! In addition to the things you noticed, there have been many more exciting things happening behind-the-scenes.

In this season of thankfulness, we identified 8 things we are particularly thankful for:

1. We get to work with some really cool authors.

While our team is small—only five of us—we have the privilege of working with a large number of additional “team members” in our authors. Publishing is truly a partnership where each person contributes their expertise and somehow it all pops out as this amazing, tangible book. None of that happens without our authors who give us insight into Gospel movements around the world.

Katie, our publishing coordinator says, “It's a huge privilege to know our authors and receive exciting updates from them about how the Lord is moving around the world. It is amazing to see God's goodness working in so many countries.”

It’s even more impressive when you consider what many of them sacrifice for the Gospel. Many of our authors serve overseas and “give up their comfortable lives in America, familiar schools, being close to family, safety, and religious freedom, to live among people who don't know Jesus in hopes of spreading the Gospel,” says our editor Melissa.

We are thankful for the opportunity to help them spread the Message.

2. Technology that allows us to communicate around the world.

Mike is our designer and he is thankful for “1s and 0s” because they represent communication and connection as much as technology.

“Just think that every character in a word is derived from a series of 1s & 0s! Every pixel in an image—1s & 0s. Sending digital files to an author for proofing—1s & 0s. Sending files to a printer—1s & 0s. ”

With those 1s and 0s we are able to make beautiful books that shape the Kingdom. None of what we do would be possible without them.

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3. Strength to overcome challenges.

Everyone faces challenges in their work and publishing books is no different! Whether we are designing covers, editing text, dealing with logistics, or just keeping the place running, we are constantly aware that we rely on the Lord for strength. As you know, there is an enemy who does not want us to be effective because effectiveness means the spread of the Kingdom of God. Melissa is grateful that “the Holy Spirit gives us the power to face each day, even when evil tries to overwhelm us.” Thank you to those of you who pray for us in this endeavor!

4. Stepping up our publishing game.

We work really hard to produce the highest quality books we can in all phases of the process from acquiring titles, to crafting the text, to creating beautiful and compelling covers, to offering them in an engaging way. This year, we have made some significant strides in each phase which we know is only possible because the Lord is directing at every turn.

"We're leaning into the vision the Lord has given us and trying to run the race He has set out before us," says Denise, our director.

5. Our families who support us through all the ups and downs.

Publishing is a ministry that often operates at the extremes. We have moments of triumph and exhilaration and others full of disappointment. That takes a lot of emotional energy and our families love us through it all.

Katie says she’s thankful for her husband. “My sweet husband,” she says, “who taught me how to grow in ministry, and to give of myself without being (too) afraid. He has been an amazing role model in local outreach, which has helped to craft my worldview and teach me to care deeply about others.”

Melissa shared that she is thankful for her entire family, “moms, dads, brothers, sisters, grandpas, grandmas, cousins, aunts, and uncles.”

Nothing matters more than the ones you love. Thank you to our extended William Carey Publishing family members. We often pray for you when we share in staff meetings. You make all the difference!

6. Momentum in the mission.

In 2019 we’ve been celebrating our 50th year of advancing the Gospel through publishing mission resources. We endeavor to shape the missiological conversation in the world by creating resources that are practical, tactical, theoretical or inspiring to our readers at home and abroad. Knowing our work matters to the Great Commission is a profound grace and we don’t take it for granted.

People are pursuing genuine, radical discipleship in movements around the world. It's a privilege to play even a small part in helping them do that with our work. “Momentum, collaboration, and breakthrough in movements to Jesus around the world,” is what we’re all about says our Director of Publishing, Denise.

7. The Lord and his abundant, amazing provision for us.

This one is both professional and personal. Professionally, we see some growth in the number of books we are able to ship to locations around the world. And this means more influence in the missiological conversation. We are grateful for the opportunity to drive even a small slice of it!

Personally, working at William Carey Publishing is part of the Lord’s provision for our families. This author, Eric, is grateful for the opportunity to learn the publishing industry, the missions community, and marketing all at the same time.

Katie says she is grateful for “the Lord's redemption in my life to provide for this job. He has used every seemingly disconnected interest, and every random life experience, heartbreak, and outright rebellion to bring me to this place, and equip me to do this work. I am so grateful to be able to contribute to His Kingdom in this way, and so grateful to God that he wastes nothing.”

8. Our customers like you!

At the risk of being a little cliche, we would be remiss if we did not acknowledge just how thankful we are for you, our customer. You take the Gospel to the ends of the earth. You often go at great risk to yourselves. You leave home and family and everything familiar and go. You support others who go. You care enough to learn and stretch your mind with new ideas and practices. You buy a book and let the Lord teach you through it. You mean everything to us and it’s an honor to serve you!