Pray without ceasing. Have faith. Don’t give up. Rely on God’s timing, not your own. Keep on keeping on.

Many people have given me these pithy pieces of advice over the past several years as I have sought to find a traditional publisher for my children’s books. I have appreciated their encouragement, but I often need to remind myself of the virtue of patience and the assurance of God’s answers to my prayers.

We are never alone in our waiting.

Madeline L’Engle’s A Wrinkle in Time was rejected by over two dozen editors before it became a best-selling children’s book. A publisher once told Louisa May Alcott she should stick with teaching because she had no talent as a writer. Thomas Edison made 1,000 unsuccessful attempts before he succeeded in inventing the light bulb. Albert Einstein did not speak until he was four or read until he was seven.

What prayer have you been waiting for God to answer?

The psalmist instructs us to praise the Lord’s name continually—even when our prayers have not yet been answered. When we seek the Lord, He will answer us, save us from our troubles, and deliver us from our doubts and fears.