“Do not despise small beginnings, for the Lord rejoices to see the work begin …” Zechariah 4:10
“Your actions speak so loud, that I can’t hear a word you say.”
My dad’s (Rev. Perry Spencer, Sr.) translation of “Actions speak louder than words.”
“Talk is cheap, it takes money to buy land.”
My great-aunt’s translation of “Easier said than done.“ It was also her response when a person spent more time talking about what they were going to do instead of doing it.
Nike had one of the most iconic slogans of all time. Three simple words … Just do it.
We saw images of athletes, well-known or unknown, practicing, running, lifting, climbing, and focused. There were no excuses, no waiting, and no delaying … they were doing it. Then the three simple words … Just Do It flashed across the screen. Nothing else needed to be said.
Preparation is important, getting ready is essential, setting the stage is necessary … but at some point, you have to do it. You have to write the book, launch the business, post the profile, plant the garden, publish the price list, release the vision, share your blog, preach the sermon, record the podcast.
Just do it.
The Bible is full of messages that remind us to take action. We don’t have to wait until everything is in place and conditions are perfect. (They never will be.) Start with what you have and do it. Often, that means starting before you are ready.
God reminded me of this when I published my first book. I didn’t know anything about publishing. But I wrote the book, and then, in a casual conversation, connected with someone who edited and set it up for me. Through her, I connected with a printer. I remember sensing God saying, “Just start it, and everything will fall into place.”
That first step opened doors I could not have imagined. Since then, I have continued writing and publishing, learning something new with each project. And one lesson remains: You cannot finish what you never begin.
If you build it …
We have to give God something to work with.
In the words of Christian author Marshawn Williams, God can’t bless steps that we never take, a dream we never deploy, and a mission we never start.
Nikki Giovanni said, “The unwillingness to try is worse than any failure.”
Those words are a powerful reminder that failure is not always the greatest obstacle. Sometimes it is our unwillingness to begin. We can become so concerned about what might happen that we never discover what could happen.
Subtract the perfectionism and procrastination.
Just do it.
Several years ago, during a seminar, the presenter asked us what we loved to do. I said blogging. She looked at me and asked, “How often do you post?”
I had nothing to say.
That question reminded me that I needed to just do it again. I made a commitment to begin posting my reflections consistently. What started as one step became a journey of sharing words, stories, and encouragement with others.
Looking back, I am reminded that every beginning doesn’t have to be grand. Sometimes it starts with a conversation, a question, a decision, or simply the willingness to try.
And I am still learning this lesson. There will always be reasons to wait, reasons to question whether the timing is right, and reasons to wonder whether we are ready. But sometimes the next step doesn’t become clear until we take the first one.
Zechariah 4:10 reminds us not to despise small beginnings. God rejoices when the work begins.
I have celebrated with others and seen businesses launch, gardens grow, visions flow, creativity released, and projects increased.
And it all started with someone deciding to begin.
And I’m going to practice what I preach. I’m going to take my own advice, step out in faith, and just do it!
Just do it.
Stop waiting … just do it.
Stop delaying … just do it.
Stop waiting for it to be perfect … just do It.
Just do it.
Rev. Sheila P. Spencer is an author, storyteller, and spiritual director. At 4 p.m. on Nov. 8, 2026, she will present her one-woman storytelling show, “What We Carry: Stories of Care, Legacy, and Becoming,” at the Indiana Historical Society in Indianapolis. Join her in person or virtually for this special storytelling experience.
Tickets: https://www.tickettailor.com/events/storytellingartsofindiana/2281367
Rev. Sheila P. Spencer is an educator, minister, storyteller and writer. Stay connected to her at www.sheilapspencer.com and custommadeinspiration@gmail.com.
