One type assessment I used to use describes the difference between planful people and pressure-prompted people. It teaches that we can have a preference for one over the other.  Depending on our preference we will do our best work when working within our preference.  It doesn’t mean we can do one and  not the other, it just means we have a preference.

Which one do you think you are? Pressure-prompted or planful? Both are good but are influenced by our preferences. Obviously good type development means that we can assess a situation and decide which behavior is most appropriate to exhibit. However, and that is a however with a capital “H”, it describes “preferences” as not what is best, or wise, or most efficient or easy for others around us to experience – they are just preferences!

When an author is writing, editing, and publishing a book a lot of change occurs throughout the journey – some of that change is more painful than others! Change can even include some unwanted ones – especially if you are the planful type like me. It is those unwanted changes that can elicit frustration, worry, or anxiety in me making it pretty tough to endure!

After reviewing a few book covers from the designer – I couldn’t find what I was looking for and since none of the images provided really resonated with my topic – I asked my oldest daughter, an avid photographer and army wife, to help me.  She enlisted a friend from their base, where they are currently posted, and began snapping photos with flowers and different themes. Even though a “cup” wasn’t on my list of images to take, she sent this one just for fun.

The thing about choosing a book cover is that everyone has different tastes. I wanted something that was welcoming and appealing to people of different ages, genders, and background. So, I decided to find out what others thought. Armed with 8 photos I polled approximately 50 people and the image of the woman holding a cup won hands down! Many described the image as: welcoming, warm, inviting.

As I kept mulling these words over in my mind I began to consider how a cup can symbolize the topic of my book. There are many biblical references to “cup” in the Bible. I thought of those, and then I considered how there are also times when our cup is almost empty and other times when it is full to overflowing. The contents of a cup can soothe us or even harm us. Sometimes other people, while well-meaning deposit things into our cups that maybe we just don’t want to swallow.

But most times, thankfully, we have the ability to choose what we put into a cup, what we can empty from it, or what we will accept or reject in it.

Sometimes when we drink from the cup in our hands, although sometimes difficult or unwanted, our hearts and minds can transform – because we take the time to stop, rest, reflect, and remember what is good and true, and drink in good things that bring us life despite the circumstances. And with those unwanted deposits – well we can learn to release what we don’t want, empty the cup, and start over again filling it with good, life-giving things.

I hope that as you grab your next cup of tea or coffee that you’ll remember to stop, become aware of what is filling you up, and take the time to release that which is unwanted and  welcome that which bring you much life and hope.