On
another page on this site I offer a free booklet titled "The Little Book of Overcoming: Trading Synthetic
Joy for the Real Thing Through God's Amazing Grace".
I want to address
some comments I've received as a result of writing that book. Below is a foreword that I am including in the booklet,
which I continue to distribute.
When I first wrote and released The Little Book of Overcoming, I made a mistake.
I didn’t explain under what circumstances the book had been written. I thought because I had a disclaimer on the
book that would help everyone else understand.
First, I’m not casting stones. Second, the book is not written in a negative, but
a positive spirit, and if there is chastisement. … it’s not coming from me. Like the
television character Monk would say …. here’s how it happened.
HOW THE BOOKLET
WAS WRITTEN
As a writer, I’m often asked by individuals to
write something for them personally, and often I do. In late 2003 my pastor at that time, asked me to ghost write a book
for his ministry. I agreed, explaining that I would need to sit down with him or, someone close to him so they could provide
me with the information to be included in the book.
Well, it was a busy season for the church, and the time never seemed to present itself when
I could confer with someone and receive the information and guidance I would need to write a book for the pastor.
Months
later, when I was frantically trying to finish my Secret of the Veil novel, I awoke early one morning … much earlier
than was usual for me.
I
remember getting up and going straight to the computer. I had something I wanted to write that had nothing to do with my novel.
I had something spiritual I wanted to say. But
wait! I had something spiritual to say? Me?
Well, apparently so. Although I tried, I couldn’t
get back in bed. So, I sat down at the computer and started to write. I didn’t have to think of a topic, didn’t
have to grasp for words, didn’t wonder how long or how short it should be. It just flowed.
Trust
me, I am not particularly a bible scholar, but I wanted to emphasize some points in the book with bible verses. I thought
nothing of it at the time, but every time I picked up the bible to look for something, it was right there, easily found ...
I'd turn right to it.
At
one point, I remember thinking I needed a bible verse that was just right for a rather sensitive point I was making. I had
the television on one of the spiritual channels, and just as I thought … I really need a verse that speaks directly
to this point, there it was on television.
The
television was on, but I was so engrossed in my writing, I hadn’t been paying attention. Amazingly, the program’s
host was making a point similar to the one I was making in my writing; which he clarified with a bilbe verse. I
couldn’t believe it. What a coincidence, I thought.
The verse appeared on the screen, I grabbed a pen, wrote down the book, chapter
and verse, and had exactly what I needed, exactly when I needed it.
I finished The Little Book … in one sitting. In a little under three hours. There
was a little refining to be done later, but it was written, as they say, chapter and verse in that less than three-hour
period.
REALIZING WHO REALLY DID THE WRITING
Now,
when I finished writing, I decided to read it over for typographical errors. Believe me, I thought I knew what I wrote …
after all, I had written it. Right? Wrong. When I started reading, I began frowning. Then, I started crying. Why? Because I hadn’t
the slightest idea what I’d written until I read it back to myself.
When I began writing about joy, I thought
my intention was to sort of “bring in the sheep”. I thought I was writing something to help bring people to Christ.
The first thing I noticed was that what
I’d written wasn’t about bringing anyone in, it was written directly to those who were already
supposed to be in. It was directed at Christians. People who were supposed to already have given their life to Christ.
What,
I wondered in amazement, gave me the right to write something like this.
That’s
when I realized … I didn’t write it. Oh, I was the one at the keyboard, but it hadn’t come from me. When
I read it, I was seeing it for the first time the same way others would.
As I read, I really understood for the first time how
painful it is for the Father to watch us do the things we do; and watch the way we can fully justify our actions. The
sadness I felt was overwhelming.
Right on the heels of the sadness was fear. I felt His anger. Yes, anger. It was the first time I realized that some
of us have this idea of the Father as this “all forgiving” entity that just loves us so much, it doesn’t
matter what we do, as long as we say I’m sorry … before deliberately doing the same thing again.
I was feeling the other side … the side that was clear about consequences for our actions.
THE DISCLAIMER THAT DIDN'T
CLAIM ENOUGH
Finally, I pulled myself
together and put my little disclaimer on the book, thinking whoever read it would understand that the book did not come from
me, but through me.
Now,
as for why I should be chosen to write what I did? I have no idea. Am I without sin? Absolutely not. I work
at being a good Christian everyday. And, some days are better than others. I believe a point of the book
was that it was not written by a religious leader, but by a layperson to perhaps demonstrate a need for greater
spiritual involvement by all of us.
I was raised and was baptized in the Baptist church, have always known God, and have
always believed.
Of course, I feel that oftentimes when we’re children, we can accept and believe, but there
must come a mature awakening and acceptance. Some call this being “born again”. I don’t know about labels,
so call it what you will … I’ll just say some Christians experience that awakening at some point in their lives
And, so did I. The
book was written shortly after this happened to me.
FOCUS ON THE MESSAGE
So, before stones
are cast at me, let me say, I am not perfect; have no intention of condeming anyone; and don't have the power to do that
even if it were my intention.
I enjoy life and live it to the fullest, however there are things in my life
that have changed because I understood, without equivocation they are wrong for me as a Christian. Everyone must decide for
themselves what they choose to do, or not do.
Maybe the booklet will help.
