Musings and Meanderings

Interview with Penguin Books

2012-01-02T11:14:00.001-05:00

Check out my interview with Penguin Books who recently published the mass market edition of The Bishop.

Spreading the News

2011-12-27T10:58:00.000-05:00

Our cyberworld is connecting people better than ever believed possible. It has allowed me to interact with readers of my books like never before. Each day, I hear from people around the world who have read my books. Some have questions. Some have a bone to pick. Some simply loved the books and wanted to let me know. Well, just as the Web allows people to connect, it can also cause them to drown. With millions of other websites out there, millions of other authors, it’s easy to get lost. If you’re looking for a practical way to help spread the word about my books, consider one of these easy things to do:

1. Word of mouth—always the best.
2. “Like” Steven James on Facebook at sjamesauthor.
3. Post an online book review. (A single review can go a long way. Copy and paste it to Amazon, Barnes & Noble, CBD and Goodreads.)
4. Make sure your book stores and libraries carry my books. If not, request them to do so.

Thanks for your support!

Fifteen Suspense Movies You Haven’t Seen But Need To

2011-12-01T17:03:00.000-05:00

Well, everyone, there are lots of great thriller films I could recommend (and I will someday), but I thought for now I’d pass along some of the little-known gems that are all on my all-time favorite movies list. Enjoy! (Use your discretion, of course. Some of these are rated R for a reason.)

15. A Murder of Crows

14. Night Train

13. Following

12. Black Book

11. The Cry of the Owl

10. Fear

9. Blink

8. Best Laid Plans

7. Dahmer

6. Joshua

5. The Dead Girl

4. Enduring Love

3. 11:14

2. Blood Simple

1. Hard Candy

What other recommendations do you have?

The Rhythms of Life

2011-11-28T20:19:00.001-05:00

I recently sent in the first draft of my latest thriller, Placebo, and as I was mentally regrouping, I was reminded again of the rhythms of life—the seasons of stress and recreation, of the long nights sitting at the keyboard contrasting with the warm afternoons strolling through the forest. It struck me that without the two extremes, something seems to be missing in my life.

If I don’t work hard I lose direction.

If I don’t play I lose perspective.

Right before Thanksgiving when I was flying home from a meeting at my publisher’s, I sat beside a man who’d recently retired. He told me that for the first year he liked it, but then he got bored. “You can only play so many rounds of golf,” he told me.

True enough.

We have deadlines, workloads, quotas, and we have Sunday afternoon naps, milkshake dates and family Uno nights. People who never take a break are just as annoying to be with as those who never take anything seriously. We have to live in this paradox or responsibility and relaxation, because when we slip into one extreme or the other—too much work or too much free time—we seem to become less human in the ways that matter most.

So, here’s to the coffee breaks.

And here’s to the reason we take them.

Both.

RX: Writing

2011-08-08T12:15:00.000-05:00

This week my intern, Tom Vick, will be heading back to college. It’s been a great summer working with him. I asked him to write one more blog before taking off. Here are some of his thoughts on how writing impacts his life.

From my first journal entry to my current book project, writing has been the best drug for me.
A very addicting drug that causes me to see fictional characters and to speak in a slur of poetic metaphors that leave my friends saying “Whatever, Tom.”

Without a doubt, writing impacts my life. Once you start thinking like a writer one of many things will happen to you:

1. Others will think you are weird for “people watching” and then trying to make up a story about that person.
2. Fictional people become your co-workers.
3. If you have what it takes, people will listen to you, and your writing days in those indie coffee shops will pull readers out of their mundane lives.

When you’re a writer, ideas never leave you alone. There will always be that new character that shows up, the new twist ending you didn’t see coming, and histories of entire worlds so complex you would become a cranky grouch if you didn’t write them down. But writing doesn’t just help me create it helps me process life.

Whenever I have a moral dilemma in life—you know the kind that keeps you up long hours boring a hole into the ceiling above your bed at night—I write that problem down. Then I write every single thought on the page after that problem. Somewhere, if I keep at it, I will find a solution. Or maybe not. But I always make new discoveries about life.

Without this narcotic ink I cannot really think.

One of my worst nightmares is where I get carpal tunnel, all the trees are dead, and the word processors have evolved into humans-harvesting AI with a vendetta for all the times I’ve hit their keyboards. But for now I get to pursue the dream of writing.

Your invitation to be ridiculous

2011-07-18T15:13:00.001-05:00

This summer I have an intern from Taylor University named Tom Vick. I asked him to be a guest blogger for the next two weeks. His writing comes deep from the heart. Enjoy.

“What is this?”
“It’s my portfolio.”
She handed the manilla folder back to me. “You can do better than this.”
“But—”
“Tom, you’re a good writer, don’t settle for mediocre.”

That sort of talk was what I needed to propel me into my career. People believing in me helped me survive high school English critique groups. I could graduate knowing two or three English teachers thought I was going somewhere. Even now my old high school buddies respond with “Oh yeah, you were always good at writing stuff,” when I update them with my latest stories. But now looking back I realize it wasn’t everything I needed.

When you grow as a writer or as a person for that matter, you need more than the confirmation of your peers. My teachers believed in me. My parents cherished every written word. Even my friends thought I was going to make it big, but I always doubted.

In my junior year of high school, I published my first devotional. That’s when people started putting the pressure on me. They threw expectations at me. I didn’t want those because I had already aimed my arrows north of the bulls-eye. All that did was put my publishing career on hold for three years after those devotions.

The Word was a place of constant refuge for me and it proved my self-deprecations wrong. Jesus called his first followers with these words. “Follow me and I will teach to you to fish for people.” What a ridiculous invitation, to “fish for people” and what a radical following those words kindled.

Jesus Christ died on a tree for us. That makes me think we’re worth something to him.

Maybe he would like to see me use talents he wrote out for me before the beginning of time. Believing in yourself, a creature of selfish ambition is ridiculous, but with blood paid for my life I found out that setting expectations for yourself is a way to glorify God even though logically it’s unreasonable. That’s it. Be ridiculous. That’s the writing advice he can give you. Be as ridiculous as possible. You are a supernatural entity in God’s eyes capable of one day judging angels. It’s your free invitation to be ridiculous.

A Few Thoughts on Creativity

2011-06-15T14:55:00.001-05:00

Landscape of Butterflies by Dali

Undefine normal - The more I think about it, the more I’m starting to believe that typical exists but, normal does not. To use the word ‘normal’ to describe something seems to imply that other ideas that don’t fit the criteria you’ve established are abnormal. That is, not good. So, instead, try thinking of what’s atypical, what hasn’t been done to death before. It’ll lead you to find new solutions and give you new perspectives. Whether that’s with a novel you’re writing, a painting you’re creating, or a new recipe you’re inventing.

Reverse expectations - Rather than thinking about what’s expected of you, think of what is not. But what you would accomplish if you didn’t have those expectations? What would you do if no one was looking over your shoulder? What would you write in your novel or sketch if there were no expectations, if there was only a dream to pursue?

Explore relationships - Look for unexpected connections, natural consequences of your idea, and apparent contradictions. Take this train of thought to its logical conclusion. Force yourself to stick together two ideas that aren’t typically connected. Be specific, not too broad. For example—I am going to write a 3000 word short story about a scuba diver with the opening line, “I woke up underwater and I knew I was going to die.”

Flailing at Success

2011-04-22T16:21:00.001-05:00

Today I was reflecting on success and it brought to mind some of the thoughts I shared a few years ago in my book Becoming Real.

After interviewing people about their definitions of success, author and speaker Denis Haack wrote, "Most people I've asked seem to have little trouble identifying the predominant version [of success] in society: Success means attaining some measure of money, fame, power and self-fulfillment—and then looking the part."

When I first read that, I had to ask myself how much of my life is spent in the pursuit of money? Or fame? Or power? Or self-fulfillment (however you define that)? And then looking the part?

Photo courtesy of nuttakit

For instance, why do we wear the clothes we do? Or drive the car we do, or live in the house and neighborhood we live in?

"But," I can hear a voice inside of me argue, "I can't afford a nicer car or a better house!"

True. But if I had the money, if I had the opportunity to get a better car, or nicer clothes, or a bigger home, well, admittedly, just like most people, I’d probably get them. After all, in our society, how successful are you—really—if no one notices?

Money. Fame. Power. Self-fulfillment.

It struck me that when I die, God is not going to ask to see my bank account or my 401K plan or my abs. He's not going to ask me how many friends I had on Facebook or if any of my books were New York Times bestsellers or how much I can bench press. But I think he is going to ask me if I was faithful with the gifts, with the ideas, with the time he gave me.

I came across an instance when Jesus said, “A person is a fool to store up earthly wealth but not have a rich relationship with God,” (Luke 12:21) and I realized that, for me, whenever my work becomes more focused on accomplishment than on faithfulness, I'm no longer on the road to true success, but am actually on a detour around it.

So, I'm curious. What are the criteria you typically use to measure success? How do you identify or define a successful person? And maybe, most pertinently of all, are you a successful person?

Looking out the Window

2011-04-05T11:14:00.002-05:00

Last week on my flight to Atlanta (this was before the Southwest plane’s roof blew off!) I sat next to a college-aged woman who’d never been on an airplane before. She didn’t hide how nervous she was and, though I tried to reassure her we’d be okay, as we took off she was seriously nervous.

However, when we got above the clouds she just stared out the window and gasped, “Oh! Do you see this? It’s like an ocean with waves!”

I looked out the window. Just a bunch of clouds beneath us. “Sure,” I said. “It’s nice.”

But she could barely contain herself as she saw them softly wisp across each other. “It’s the breath of God,” she said softly.

The breath of God.

Seeing the sense of wonder in her eyes, hearing the awe in her voice, struck me deeply. Here was a woman seeing something I’ve seen hundreds of times and she was astonished by the beauty of it, while I’d been staring at my in-flight magazine and hadn’t even bothered to look out the window.

Walt Whitman wrote, “A mouse is miracle enough to stagger sextillions of infidels.” This universe is full of whispers of God’s mystery, his presence, his character. But most of the time we’re too blind or busy or distracted to notice.

As a writer I’m supposed to notice what other people miss, see things from a unique perspective, help people open their eyes to the real world shimmering beneath the mundane, but it took a young woman seeing something for the first time to do that for me.

I remember thinking, Wonder is living around you, Steve, clouds are whispering by, carried on the breath of God.

So today, I’m trying to see life again.

Really see it.

As if I’m looking out the window for the very first time.

The Madness to Win

2011-03-31T10:42:00.001-05:00

(Photo courtesy of Salvatore Vuono)

March Madness made me think a little about my own history with B-ball.

And how it ended up shaping my view of competition.

When I was in high school I was addicted to the game. I practiced three-four hours every day of the summer, sometimes shooting 2000 or more shots in a day. If I missed a day I’d practice six hours-eight hours the next. Nearly every night during those four years I slept with my basketball so that I’d be holding it eight hours a day more than my competitors. (I should mention that I was never a great player, but our team did manage to win two state championships.)

When I got to college I asked a girl I really liked out on a date. After our meal, I wanted to impress her (hey, I’m a guy!) so I told her all about high school basketball, how hard I’d worked, how much I’d improved, and finally she said, “Steve, can I ask you a question?”

“Sure.”

“What was your god in high school?”

The question floored me and was one of the biggest kicks-in-the-butt that led me to eventually become a Christian.

And that’s where the trouble began, because I liked to win and I was willing to work harder than anyone else to do it. But I also realized how easily basketball could become my god.

Then, when I really began to study the teachings of Jesus and the authors of the New Testament, I realized that humility mattered more to God than victory. One day it struck me that all competition has, at its core, self-promotion. After all, the only way for me to win is for you to lose. That means I am honored and you are not.

I was forced to ask myself, “How can I love, serve and honor someone (above myself), while I’m wholeheartedly trying to defeat him?”

Chrysostom, one of the early Church Fathers, said that the cause of all evils was ambition. The New Testament reiterates this idea: “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves,” (Philippians 2:3).

Think about it this way. A person from the other team misses the shot that could win the game for him, and my team and my fans cheer. That other player already feels bad, how is cheering over his failure a way of serving him or valuing him above myself?

Yes, I still play hoops, still love the game, but that question always sticks in my mind. And sorting out where the quest for excellence ends and selfish ambition begins is still just as hard for me as ever.

To Tweet or Not to Tweet?

2011-03-23T12:54:00.004-05:00

Recently I was at a seminar on social media by a man who has 40,000 Twitter followers. He told us the story of how he was having trouble with his cable connection and sent out a tweet complaining about it. The next day Comcast’s truck was at his doorstep and they laid brand new cable for his entire block!

Now, that's certainly impressive, but it got me thinking—is there any other form of mass communication that you could send out a complaint like that to 40,000 people and it not be narcissistic?

In other words, imagine walking up to 40,000 people at a time and complaining to them about the speed of your cable connection, or sending out 40,000 letters or emails, or an announcement on the radio or television to 40,000 people that your cable connection was slow. How does it benefit 40,000 people to hear that you’re annoyed at the speed of your computer’s cable connection?

Pascal, a 17^th century philosopher and mathematician, wrote, “We do not content ourselves with the life we have in ourselves; we desire to live an imaginary life in the minds of others, and for this purpose we endeavor to shine."

Facebook and Twitter give us the chance to do that: to constantly insert ourselves into other people’s minds with the trivialities or our own lives. So, here are a few questions I’ve been asking myself lately about my facebook posts:

Am I using this post to get what I want, to maintain a certain image or identity, or to bring other people a better life? Who benefits from this?
If I were to give up this aspect of social media, would I feel that something important is missing from my life? I heard about a study of college students in which they had to give up social media and networking for a week and after three days one girl needed to see a therapist. “I feel like people might have forgotten about me,” she said. She needed to know that she was living in other people’s minds.
If no on “likes” or comments on one of my status updates, photos, blog entries, etc.… do I feel overlooked, hurt or slighted? Honestly, sometimes I do. And when I do, I can’t help but think of Pascal’s words once again.

What do you think? Is it (or isn't it) self-centered to inform 40,000 people that your cable connection is annoyingly slow?

(Computer keyboard image compliments of www.FreePhotos.com)

A Plan Beneath the Obvious

2011-02-06T15:43:00.005-05:00

Last week when I was at the National Prayer Breakfast in DC, I was reminded of the Bible verse that says, “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, whohave been called according to his purpose” (Romans 8:28).

It’s a pretty astonishing promise for those who are pursuing God, for those who love him.

Well, here was my thought: there’s a plan beneath the obvious; there’s a future that our circumstances cannot overcome.

No matter how many setbacks we face, how much bad news we get; however severe the illnesses we struggle with or how deep the rifts in our relationships, the default setting for the life of those who love God is eventual blessing.

So, if you’re facing a setback today, be assured that God is bigger than your circumstances and is able to weave a blessing through time to bring you closer to him in the end.

Creating the Right Setting for Your Novel

2011-01-26T13:05:00.004-05:00

Don’t let your story be transplantable. Is the setting integrally woven to the plot? If not, work at making it indispensable so that you cannot just pick up the story and plop it into another location. Ground your story in a specific time and place.

Think of setting as a character. Remember, the actual characters in your book will have a specific goal, attitude and (perhaps) history with regard to their environment just as they would for any other character. Let them express this in the way they respond to situations and other actual characters within that setting.

For example, if your protagonist visits the beach and this brings back memories of the time when he was ten and his brother drowned at the lake, or his experience playing beach volleyball in college, or a sense of peace, all of this will affect his actions, mood and demeanor.

So, ask yourself, “How does the setting make the characters feel? How does the setting affect the psychology of the characters? How do they interact with it? What annoys the characters about this environment? What gets in the way of them reaching his goals? What disadvantages does it cause them? What assets does it provide?” Show each person’s response to it. Give all of them an active relationship and attitude about each location.

I keep these questions in mind when I write:

Is the relationship between the characters and the story environment clear?
Are the attitudes of the characters clear (or at least strongly implied)?
Are there ways I can reshape the story to make the setting more significant to the plot or resolution?

So, here it is in a nutshell: Treat the setting as another character and give the people in your novel an attitude toward it.

Why do stories matter?

2011-01-18T12:48:00.005-05:00

Last week I was a guest blogger for The Big Thrill and the topic for the week was “Why do stories matter?” I thought I’d share some of my thoughts here as well. Enjoy.

The topic this week really got me thinking. Obviously, stories matter to us all, they help us make sense of the world, we enjoy them, we find deep meaning in them, empathy, etc… but is there more?

When I was considering all of this, I remembered watching Braveheart and how, amidst one of the battles, I’d realized that one day I will die.

Yes, obvious, I know.

But here’s the thing, the paradox of it all—I while already know I’m going to die, I don’t seem to really believe it. After all, if I did, I would live differently, worry about different things, prioritize in other ways.

In a way, the story opened my eyes to a truth I already knew. Novels use a pretend world to help us to better see the real one. And it seems to me we need constant reminding. Because we know all sorts of things that we don’t seem to believe: love conquers all, eternity is but a heartbeat away, relationships are more valuable than possessions, etc…

I know this sounds a little odd to say, but stories help us to start believing the things we already know. After a story that has deeply engaged us, we drink in life more deeply, notice the sunsets more, the laughter of children more, value relationships more. Maybe that’s why we cry at the movies even though we know the stories aren’t real. Because the truths of life and death and love and hope and romance are real and we start to resonate with that.

If a story is well-told, when we “suspend our disbelief” during it, we actually open ourselves up to finally stop suspending our disbelief in reality and—if only for a moment—-to begin to truly believe in our hearts the truths we already know in our heads.

Dropping Scenes that Work

2010-10-27T08:42:00.005-05:00

As I work on my book I’m always tempted to include scenes that I think would be good, or that I want to see in that story, but more often than not, when I actually take the time to read through the book from the beginning, I realize that the readers don’t really care about those things.

That’s happening to me now as I work on The Queen.

I feel this tension between the desire to include stuff that I think would be good, and stuff that is contextually necessary. I find it easy to forget that my goal is to tell a good story, not to impress readers.

If you are a writer, don’t let what you want to happen interfere with what needs to happen to make the story work.

As you write your story, as you build the narrative world at the beginning of the tale remember that every character, every struggle, every significant setting that you introduce is a promise to your reader of the importance of that person, place or conflict to the story.

Eventually readers will care more about you keeping your promises to them, by showing the relevance of all that storytelling. And keeping those promises by giving the reader what he wants is more vital to telling a good story than including witty snippets of dialogue or clever descriptions of characters or fun little scenes that strike a chord.

When I finally finish a novel of 500 pages, I will have at least that many pages written that I cannot use, not because the scenes and dialogue aren’t good, but because they aren’t vital.

And so, here it is, one of the hardest things for me to remember when I am writing: context determines content.

It isn’t so much about what you include, it’s how well it fits and how well it meets reader expectations about where the story needs to go.

Twists that Work

2010-10-22T12:12:00.005-05:00

Lately, as always happens when I’m editing one of my novels, I found myself ripping apart my writing on The Queen and coming up with little hints and reminders to help me improve my writing next time around.

I’ve decided to start sharing some of these for aspiring writers, but also for readers, so that they can begin to see the process I go through as I develop my stories.

So, this time it has to do with creating satisfying twists.

While I was editing today, four truths struck me:

1 - The story that precedes the twist must stand on its own and not depend on the twist for its meaning, context or value. A twist has to be the icing on the cake and not the icing on the liver.

2 - A twist is simply something that’s unexpected. If readers see it coming, it’s not a twist, it’s a disappointment. However, it must also flow logically from what precedes it.

3 - Twists drive the story forward as long as they add layers of meaning to the preceding story-line. A twist must cause the reader to rewind the story in their minds and then replay it with the new information that the twist provides, and find that the story is deeper than they ever imagined.

4 - The bigger the twist, the more essential that the story make sense up until that point.

So here is my mini-hint, my reminder to myself: Always twist the story forward.

How to Desensitize People to Violence

2009-12-08T10:17:00.011-05:00

Some people have asked if my novels, which contain violence, aren’t exacerbating the problem of violence in the world. If they are not desensitizing people even more to violence and perhaps even inciting it as people imitate what I write about.

Here are my thoughts on the issue, and I’d love to hear your comments.

First of all, I agree that our world is desensitized to violence. I believe this happens when evil is mute and sanitized (TV shows where people get shot, fall over, there is no blood, no grief, no mourning), glamorized, or ignored. I think we become more sensitized to violence when it is portrayed with honesty.

So first, muting evil. Some books and television shows do so by diminishing the value of human life. A person will be killed and no one grieves. Cut to commercial. Come back and solve the crime. This is not real life. Death hurts because we are people of dignity and worth. Death matters because life matters. Unfortunately, this muting of violence often happens in books that are labeled “religious fiction.”

This also frequently happens in the news media. Think of a news program: “A suicide bomber killed 62 in Iraq.”

When you hear that do you weep? Do you mourn? No, because it is sanitized. Only when you see the screaming three-year-old children with shrapnel in their face, the desperate widows, the bodies in the street do you feel, do you recognize the impact of the violent, evil act.

Movies such as the Saw or Friday the 13th films glamorize violence. The most interesting person is the serial killer. This desensitizes people to violence. And since we tend to emulate those we admire, I believe movies or books that glamorize or celebrate violence draw people toward it.

In my books I want people to look honestly at what our world is like, both the good and the evil. The evil in my books is not senseless, people’s lives are treated as precious and I want my readers to hurt when an innocent life is taken. The only way to do that is to let them see it on the page and then reflect on its meaning.

I think that an effective way of dissuading someone from doing something is to make them see it as deeply disturbing. And the only way to make people disturbed by evil is to show it to them for what it really is.

Thoughts? Questions? Comments? I'd love to hear back from you.

Why I Write About Evil

2009-11-13T13:35:00.015-05:00

I thought I would take a moment and respond to a thoughtful comment / question from the previous post. The reader asked about the spiritual content of my novels, wondering if a Christian would enjoy reading them.

I often get asked if my books are “Christian” or not and I’m not always sure how to respond. If you are looking for a narrativized sermon, then I would suggest you bypass my fiction.

When I write my novels, I don’t do so from an answer, such as “It’s good to have faith in God,” or “We should all tell the truth.” Stories are built on tension, not resolution, so trying to tell a story simply to make a point would result in something that isn’t really a story at all, but a lesson dressed up as one.

It’s actually very sad to me that the most virulent and hateful comments I get about my books come from Christians who do not like the violence the novels contain. (Go to Amazon and check out the reviews for The Pawn. It’s informative.) Non-Christians seem to rate the books more on the quality of the writing, the plot, the artistic excellence. I genuinely respect and appreciate that.

Some people whom I’ve met seem to believe that a story needs to talk about God or have a conversion scene if it is to be considered a “Christian” story, but I was speaking with a pastor one time and he pointed out to me that there are no conversion scenes in any of the stories of Jesus. Also there is no mention of God in the book of Esther in the Bible. So, is Esther a “Christian” book?

Other people consider a book "Christian" if there is no sex, violence, nudity, offensive language, and so on. Considering the content of the Bible, that seems like an odd and arbitrary criterion list to me.

We live in a violent and fallen world. Rather than shy away from difficult and painful topics, the Old Testament includes frightening and vivid descriptions of murder, beheadings, cannibalism, sorcery, dismemberment, torture, rape, gore, blasphemy, idolatry, erotic sex and animal sacrifice. In the stories of Jesus, people are beaten, killed (Matthew 21:35), tortured (Matthew 18:34), dismembered (Matthew 24:51), and allowed to suffer forever in the fires of hell.

I believe that the Bible includes such graphic material to show how far we as a race can fall, and how far God came to rescue us from ourselves. That's what I hope to do in my novels as well.

So, what would make a book unChristian?

I believe an unChristian book (or movie or painting, etc...) would be one that celebrates the things God abhors, or promotes an agenda that he detests.

In my books I never glamorize violence or make evil look attractive. However, I believe that including graphic material within the broader context of a redemptive story, just as the Bible does, is appropriate when trying to reveal the truth about human nature and our relationship with the Divine. For the record, when I write my novels I strive to

(1) uphold the dignity and worth of human life,
(2) as much as possible avoid showing violence on the page (most of it occurs off the page, in the minds of the reader),
(3) show that ultimately, hope does not come from inside ourselves, but from God,
(4) honestly portray the universality of evil,
(5) celebrate life, love, imagination, beauty and family,
(6) validate the purpose and meaning of life within the context of the broader scope of God's story,
(7) tell the truth about the world--exposing the grief and horror as well as championing the hope and joy.

If you’re looking for inspirational books, or more theological offerings, please check out my books "A Heart Exposed," "Story," or “Sailing Between the Stars.”

Stay open to joy.

Book Release Party

2009-07-28T12:59:00.006-05:00

Come to the Book Release Party on July 31st to celebrate the release of The Knight, the 3rd installment of the Patrick Bowers series. The party will be held in Johnson City, TN at Cranberries located at 600 N. State of Franklin Rd at 7:00 pm. Be one of the first to enjoy the thrilling ride as Patrick Bowers leads you on a twisting and complicated chase through the mountains of Colorado. Beware: You may not get any sleep until you finish this book!

Visit www.becomeavictim.com for more information about the party and to see how you can enter the drawing to have your name as one of the vicitms in Patrick Bowers's next adventure, The Bishop.

Writing Effective Dialogue #2 of 2

2009-05-20T05:44:00.002-05:00

Here are some more dialogue tips. You might want to read the previous blog first to get the context. Enjoy.

______

Structure and Formality

Alex smiled, “Great. Okay, we’ve talked about staying focused as well as the art of digressing. What else adds to effective dialogue? Franklin?”

“I was thinkin’ ‘sentences,’ you know?”

An awkward pause.

“What, specifically, about sentences?”

“Well, dere’s a certain way, ya know, when some people write, that the sentences are structured. But it’s different when ya talk.”

Stacy agreed. “I think I know what you’re saying, Alex. When people speak, they don’t always use correct grammar, they talk in sentences that have a shorter number of words, they use more contractions and they sometimes blur words together. Consequently, in order for sentences to sound natural to our ears, we need to write them in such a way that they’re not too structurally complex or intricately woven.”

“Mm, hmm,” said Moesha.

“Right,” said Alex. “Now we’re getting into the nuts and bolts of dialogue writing. When people speak, they’re less formal. So, keep your sentences brief. And use contractions more often and more consistently than you would in the narrative sections of your story. And, use more idioms.”

“All right,” said Stacy, “I think we get your drift.”

“Clear as mud,” said Nadine.

Consistency and Redundancy

For a few minutes no one said anything. Finally, Jason broke the silence. “Something I don’t think we’ve really mentioned yet, is that each character should speak in a consistent and distinctive voice. When you listen to some TV shows, everyone sounds exactly the same. They use the same idioms. They speak in the same style sentences. They crack the same kind of jokes. That’s evidence of poor writing. And the same thing can happen in fiction--and nonfiction--if you’re not careful. Good dialogue reflects the uniqueness of each of the story characters. Their grammar, word choice, and sense of humor can all be unique.”

Moesha nodded. “Mm, hm.”

“Great,” said Alex. “And there’s one more thing I need to mention that’s a pet peeve of mine.”

“Was dat?” asked Franklin.

“It’s annoying when the writer tries to show off by using all sorts of different words to talk about the dialogue. Attributions should disappear so the reader hardly ever notices them.”

“Yeah,” exclaimed Stacy, “I hate that, too.”

“Me, too,” chipped in Nadine.

“Mm, hm,” rejoined Moesha.

“That’s so true!” observed Jason.

“Yo,” quipped Franklin.

“Great,” summarized Alex. “So we all agree. Let’s not do that. It just distracts the reader. Just use ‘said’ and be done with it.”

“Something else that distracts me,” said Jason, “Is when the same author uses the same word too much in the same sentence or in the same paragraph.”

“I agree,” agreed Franklin.

“And don’t restate what’s already been said,” said Nadine. “It’s redundant to keep restating everything.”

“Yeah, and you don’t need to keep re-saying the same thing in different ways. Either say it, or explain it, but not both,” explained Alex.

Pace and Flow

Nadine scribbled something in her notebook and then looked up at Jason. “In your fiction writing, have you ever used a question to get a conversation going?”

“Sometimes, yeah. Questions can be good conversation starters. So can observations about the setting--by that I mean the surroundings--or responses to dramatic situations. All of those things can be used to spark a conversation.”

Stacy cleared her throat. “I’ve noticed something else, Nadine. Sometimes when only two people are carrying on a conversation, you don’t need to include attributions at all because the reader will naturally be able to keep the speakers straight, just by the flow of the conversation.”

“Really?” asked Nadine.

“Yeah.”

“Are you sure?”

“I’m sure.”

“They won’t get confused about who’s talking?”

“No,” said Stacy. “You can trust your readers. Tell ‘em only what they need to know.”

“Huh.”

Jason agreed. “You got it, Stacy. It’s an insult to the readers when the author always identifies the speaker. Most of the time, context speaks for itself.”

Stacy beamed and glanced down at the table.

Alex smiled broadly. “Okay, then. To summarize: good dialogue expresses something about the characters, moves the story forward, is natural-sounding, easy-to-read--”

“Rather than cumbersome,” interjected Stacy.

“Right. And yet there’s an artistry to it. Sometimes you gotta break the rules in order to make the story work.”

“Mm, hm,” said Moesha finishing up her burger. “What’s for dessert?”

“Plot,” said Alex. “But not until next week.”

Thoughts on Writing Dialogue #1 of 2

2009-05-20T05:40:00.004-05:00

I'm teaching writing this week in North Carolina and I thought I'd share a few thoughts on writing dialogue from the course I'm teaching today.

_____

Alex plopped down next to Stacy. “So, we’ve gotten together today to talk about writing effective dialogue,” he said.

Nadine nodded. “Yeah, and I’m glad. Most writer’s groups never get specific enough for me. Too much info on general stuff. I really need some nuts and bolts advice to help me with my novel.”

“Great, well then, let’s get started.”

Stacy shifted in her seat. “One of the things that bothers me the most about novice writers is the way they handle dialogue. Instead of letting each person talk naturally and in turn, they just let one person keep on talking until she’s delivered a veritable speech. Nobody else gets a chance to say anything. The man or woman--I want to be inclusive here--just keeps rambling on and on and on and that’s just not how people talk in real life! Conversations don’t work like that. No one ever gets a chance to explain everything that’s on her mind all at once without interruption.” She paused and looked around. “Right?”

“Das, right,” agreed Franklin. “Yo. Dat, or de writers jes start makin’ up der own way of spellin’ wurds rather than lettin’ somun express hisself by just his word choises. Know what I’m sayin’?”

“Yeah, it’s too hard to read when writers do that,” agreed Nadine. “Don’t you think so Moesha?”

Moesha took a bite of her cheeseburger and mumbled, “Mm, hmm.”

“Okay.” Alex looked around the restaurant table at the other five writers. “So, those are two great points. Who can summarize them for us?”

“Well,” Jason said, “let’s see… first of all, in effective dialogue, exchanges are brief. Back and forth. Good dialogue mirrors real speech because people speak in spurts rather than long lectures to each othe--”

“And sometimes people interrupt each other?” said Stacy.

“Right. And sometimes folks just let their thoughts trail off… and…” he paused to consider his response. “And clarity is essential. Dialect is best expressed through the judicious use of idiom rather than by the creative respellings of words.”

The other writers nodded in agreement while Moesha took another bit of her burger.

Focusing vs. Digressing

Stacy cleared her throat. “Well, written dialogue might mirror real speech, but it isn’t exactly like it.”

“Yo. Why do ya say dat?” asked Franklin.

“Well, sometimes in real life we just talk about trivial things--our jobs, the weather, clothes--”

“I wouldn’t say clothes are trivial,” interrupted Nadine.

Stacy smiled. “You know what I mean. Or the news, or who won the Mets game, or whatever.”

Franklin wrinkled his brow. “And so…?”

“And so, when you write, you have to use dialogue to move the story forward. Every word has to serve a purpose and not just take up space.”

“That’s a good point,” said Alex. “Writers are sometimes tempted to just put pen on paper and see where it takes ‘em. Too often, though, sections of dialogue just turn into sections of drivel. The story doesn’t move anywhere. It just stalls out. So, dialogue must always be purposive.”

Jason had been tapping his finger anxiously on the table next to his chicken wings.

Alex noticed. “Did you have something to add to that, Jason?”

“I think so.” He folded his arms and gazed toward the ceiling. “I’m not disagreeing with you or Stacy… it’s just that … well, if dialogue is too focused or too direct, it can also become too predictable for your readers. Sometimes you’ll want your dialogue to pool off in different directions. Yet, the real narrative artist can even do that in way that supports the story.”

Nadine was busy writing everything he said in her notebook. Stacy sat a little too quietly watching him.

“I don’t git it,” said Franklin. “Give me an example.”

“Well, let’s see… we’re talking about writing, right?”

Everyone nodded.

“So, let’s say we were writing this conversation down. You know, inserting it into a story or something.”

“Who’d wanna read about us?” asked Nadine.

“Just pretend. So, if we were turning this into written dialogue, we could leave out all the stuff we said when we first got here--before we ordered our food--all the small talk--”

“That’s what I was saying before,” interrupted Stacy. “That’s what I meant when I said you have to use dialogue to move the story forward.”

Jason took a deep breath. “Right, I know. I’m not arguing with you. But we’d want to include more than just the conversation. If we only included the bare bones stuff, it might tell the reader about our discussion, but it wouldn’t necessarily reveal the personality of the characters or the inner tension of the story. The readers want to see the motivations, the traits, the quirks, the uniqueness of each character. All of this can be shown by the careful use of digression.”

“Well,” Stacey said, “I don’t see how you can show all that by just a few words of dialogue.” She clinked her spoon loudly as she stirred her black coffee.

Jason sighed. “Forget it.”

“No,” said Alex. “This is good. You’re right. You brought up a good point. We can go too far to one extreme or the other. That’s what you’re saying, isn’t it, Jason?”

“Pretty much.”

Alex continued, “By digressing you can insert clues to what motivates your characters, throw red herrings to the reader--for, say, a mystery novel--foreshadow important events, or add new dramatic elements to the storyline.”

“Yeah. That’s what I was trying to say.”

Moesha nodded and wiped ketchup from her chin.

Awakening

2009-04-26T20:49:00.005-05:00

My daughters and I spent some time outside today in the absolutely beautiful spring weather here in eastern Tennessee.

Smelling the day. The flowers. The sunlight. It reminded me of how important it is to drink in each moment deeply. To experience life, to enter it, embrace it.

In reference to the idea that all of God's love, all of his presence is available each moment, Jean-Pierre De Caussade, a Jesuit priest in the early 18th century, wrote, “So every moment of our lives can be a kind of communion with his love.... This tremendous activity of God, which never varies from the beginning to the end of time, pours itself through every moment and gives itself in all its vastness and power to every clear-hearted soul which adores and loves it and abandons itself without reserve to it.”

Every moment all of the riches of eternity are available.

I needed a spring day to remind me of that once again.

Updates on my thrillers

2009-04-23T21:30:00.014-05:00

Recently we received some good news that my novel The Rook is one of three finalists for a 2009 Christy Award as the best suspense novel published by a Christian publishing house last year. The winner will be announced in July.

Last year The Pawn was a finalist as well, and I'm thrilled that both of my novels have made it to, well... the final cut.

The third installment in The Bowers Files, The Knight, will be released this summer, as well as a mass-market paperback version of The Pawn--with a cool new cover. Thanks to all of you for supporting this series!

Check out any of the novels on my Am azon Connect page. More soon!

An Excerpt from Sailing Between the Stars

2009-04-21T14:00:00.006-05:00

Everywhere you look in Christianity you see mysteries piled upon mysteries.

Here, death is the beginning of life, foolishness is the pathway to wisdom, the meek conquer the strong, a lamb tramples a snake, and the Almighty creator of the galaxies has a bellybutton. The foundation of this faith is paradox, not common sense.

Because logic can only take you as far as the confines of language and reason, but paradox can lead you all the way to the truth.

This is the story that bookends the ages. One day the garden with the snake who infects souls will be transformed into the garden where the Dove reigns forever. Here is a tale bigger than life, but just the right size to fit in your heart.

In the crazy world of Christianity, those who think themselves wise are really fools in disguise, while those who know they’re fools become our greatest prophets and teachers. Those who are the most aware of their sins are our greatest saints; while those who think they’re not really all that bad (at least not compared to most people) are the greatest sinners. Those who think they’re humble are proud, but those who know they’re proud are humble. Those who believe themselves to be free are the most enchained; those who see their chains are finally free.

As long as I think I can see, I’m blind. And only when I’m brave enough to admit that
I’m beyond all hope, does hope come crashing in and cleanse my heart.
We’re told to set our eyes on what we cannot see, accept a peace that’s beyond understanding, know a love that surpasses knowledge, and cling to the certainty of what we cannot prove. One day when my mind was spinning with all these paradoxes of faith, I prayed this prayer:

o elegant mystery,
creator of time,
revealer of history,
tune of the chime,
echo and swirl and curl through
my mind.
here i am waiting to be found
and to find.
seeker and shepherd,
blossom of laws,
lion of conquest sharpen your claws,
here i am waiting,
a child of your light;
no more debating
with my soul in the night.
circle and stir and renew my soul
o elegant mystery
splinter me whole.

To be splintered into wholeness is the goal of the Jesus-focused life.

Thanks for all of your prayers and support

2009-04-21T13:57:00.004-05:00

We can’t begin to thank you all for your kind financial support and prayers as we traveled overseas.

I was humbled to be able to train the children’s leaders and pastors in South Africa and India, and was incredibly blessed to have my daughter along. The trip refreshed me and reminded me again that I grow closer to Christ when I’m serving others than when I’m doing anything else.

A Couple of Days to Relax

2009-04-21T13:36:00.008-05:00

Ariel and I were able to get a few days off during the trip to explore some of the sites in Hyderabad and Johannesburg.

In South Africa we visited a lion park and it was one of the highlights of the trip for both of us. We saw hyenas, lions, cheetahs, zebras, and more. I fed a giraffe some potato chips (which was slightly against the rules), and Ariel was able sit in a pen with lion cubs and have them crawl on her lap.

We also visited a crocodile farm and a rhino park (unfortunately, we didn’t see any rhinos--maybe next time!). However, as you can see, Ariel met an Australian lizard that according to the guide at the crocodile park, can be trained to come when you call his name.

Cool.

Teaming up with Mr. Smith

2009-04-21T13:35:00.008-05:00

In Jo-burg I joined up with my friend Jeff Smith, one of North America’s most creative communicators, to speak to more than 900 children’s pastors and ministry leaders from throughout South Africa.

It was inspirational to work with Jeff again as we taught creative storytelling and scripture memory, drama and teaching techniques to the attendees.

By the way, Ariel was a great help during the whole trip, but especially during my workshops in South Africa. She helped lead dramas, performed readers' theater scripts, taught Bible verses, and took pictures and videos of the seminars. You rock, girl!

Prison Visits & Children’s Programs!

2009-04-21T13:02:00.005-05:00

March 17-19

One of the members of The Village Church runs a prison ministry that works with several juvenile prisons in the Jo-burg area. He invited me to speak to the youth and I was excited to be involved.

We visited two prisons and I spoke to the prisoners, sharing the message of the gospel. It was moving and powerful; something I’ll never forget.

March 20
In the morning, Ariel and I told Bible stories and taught scripture verses at one of the poorest schools in Jo-burg. The kids loved her!

Then, to kick off the Children’s Ministry Conference, one of the churches in Jo-burg hosted a children’s rally Friday night.

Hundreds of children and family members attended. After some storytelling, drama, and skits, I closed out the program by sharing the gospel: “For Christ died, for sins, once for all. The righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God” (1 Peter 3:18).

On to South Africa

2009-04-21T13:01:00.003-05:00

March 16

We left Hyderabad at 3:00 a.m. and flew to Dubai where we changed planes and then headed on to Johannesburg (or Jo-burg as they call it in South Africa).

While the sights, sounds and smells of India are much different than those in America, the restaurants, architecture, and climate of South Africa felt more like home!

We teamed up with the ministry leaders Lisa and Colin Ekman, both of whom serve at The Village Church in Jo-burg. They were wonderful to work with, and arranged for us to stay with the Herrmann family, whom we fell in love with right away. In the picture you can see Ariel with (left to right) Niklaus, Petra, and Kayleigh.

Visiting an Orphanage

2009-04-21T13:00:00.008-05:00

March 15

Three years ago I visited an orphanage on my first trip to India. This year I had the honor of sharing the experience with Ariel.

As you can see in the photo, each child has a trunk in which he keeps all of his personal items. The children sleep on the floor and have classes for school in the same building.

Not all of the children in the orphanage are missing both parents; some have parents who are too poor or sick to take care of them.

After sharing Bible stories and teaching games to the children, I was invited to speak at the morning worship service. I was honored to accept.

For me, this visit was the highlight of the entire trip. I loved the dances the children shared with us, and enjoyed teaching them, playing with them, and meeting them. Their pastor invited me to return next year to train 185 evangelists skills in creative preaching.  God willing, I’ll be back!

Excerpts from Ariel’s Journal

2009-04-21T12:56:00.005-05:00

During our trip, my 13-year old daughter Ariel sent a series of letters home with her impressions of the trip. Here are a few snippets.
_____

The traffic in India is incredibly horrible!! I asked Jacob, my dad’s friend from India, if he had ever run over anybody or hit anybody / anything. His answer was, “Not often.” Most everybody owns a motorcycle here. Everybody will drive in all different directions, and the only traffic rule here is-try not to kill anybody...

We tried coconut water. It is very different, but it is satisfying. It has a weird taste, but it fills you up. My dad likes it...

On every step, or in every trash pile are homeless people, beggars, disabled people, etc. You will not go anywhere without seeing either trash beside the road, or homeless people begging. It is very sad...

Today we visited the leprosy colony and took over one hundred pictures. It was very heart-wrenching...

Today was a busy day. We taught youth pastors creative ways to tell stories, and I did a couple performances. It is extremely hot here, and everyday during our performances the power goes out and the ceiling fans don’t work... Unfortunately the mosquitoes are attracted to us...

Yesterday I also went clothes shopping, and accumulated a little more than I had intended in the first place, but that is okay...

Heartbreaking Poverty & Beautiful People

2009-04-21T12:42:00.007-05:00

March 13
Today we had some excitement, which Ariel called “frightening, yet miraculous.”

Jacob took us to visit the slums. If you’ve never been to a slum, it’s honestly difficult to imagine. Try to picture hundreds of families living in lean-tos made of rags, all using one toilet--which is simply a hole in the ground.

In the pictures you can see Ariel and I playing with the children, telling Bible stories, and handing out sweets. Well, some of the people in the first slum thought we were there to take advantage of them, to exploit pictures of them for our own personal gain. We left before any trouble could happen, but found out later that they were very angry and were ready to beat our translator and us.

But God watched over us and no harm came. Later in the day, our translator helped four of the young men from the slum who’d been in trouble with the law and the people who lived there realized that we weren’t there to take anything from them, but to give what we had.

At least 50% of the people at the second slum we visited have AIDS. Jacob has hired a nurse to visit twice a week to treat as many of their symptoms as she can. His compassion and heart for people continue to be an inspiration to me.

Reflections from India - #3

2009-04-21T11:21:00.006-05:00

March 11-12

I enjoyed reconnecting with several of my friends in India: Caleb, an evangelist; Aneesh, a filmmaker; and Ben-hur, the manager of a TV station that provides Christian programming for more than 5 million viewers every day. I had the opportunity to spend a morning training the evangelists from Harvest Ministries, and Ariel and I led chapel at a girls’ school. My wolf puppet Jeddar even made a cameo appearance. I think the girls liked him more than me...

Visiting the Leprosy Village

2009-04-21T11:20:00.009-05:00

March 8
I know that neither Ariel nor I will forget our trip to the leprosy village where we both spoke at the Sunday morning worship service. We shared lunch with the people from the leprosy village and Ariel made friends quickly when she handed out treats to the children!

The families in the village are destitute and very poor. After we arrived home in the states, the girls in Ariel’s class took up a collection to help pay for surgery for one of the men who lives in the village. In less than a week they raised more than $300!

March 9-10
When I first felt called to go on this mission trip, I felt that God wanted me to share some of the tips and tools I’ve learned over the years for telling stories to children. My friend Jacob Chinnappa set up two Sunday School teacher training workshops and a day of teaching at Seva Bharat, a ministry that produces Bible curriculum that is used for more than 4 million children throughout India each summer. The response to the creative teaching ideas was astounding and I was greatly encouraged by the creativity and passion of the Indian teachers.

Reflections from India & South Africa - #1

2009-04-21T10:58:00.006-05:00

By God’s grace, Ariel and I spent nearly three weeks overseas and ministered to more than 1300 children’s ministers, evangelists, writers and pastors in two continents.

Here are some of the highlights and pics from the trip!

March 6-7
After taking a day to recover from the flight to Hyderabad, I spent two days teaching writing skills to Christian authors and journalists from throughout central India. This is the third writers’ workshop I’ve taught in Hyderabad since 2006. Staff from many ministries, including Joyce Meyers Ministries and Focus on the Family, attended.

Back at my desk

2009-04-15T16:39:00.003-05:00

Over the last few months I've been consumed with finishing my novel The Knight. Then, I left for India and South Africa to teach writing and speaking.

Whew.

Lots going on. I'll fill you in more now that I'm back at my desk again. For now, a poem that I found while going through some of my writing from a few years ago.

More soon...

The word-heat of your story
causes blisters on my eyes.
I’m seared into a new way of seeing.
Of being.
Of dreaming.

I can’t touch the page anymore
or my fingers might just
burst into love and
grow scars that look like yours.

Whenever I close my Bible,
steam presses out of the cover.

Teaching in India

2009-03-11T12:36:00.005-05:00

Steven and his daughter, Ariel, have been so blessed to spend the past week in Hyderabad, India teaching Creative Communication to those who are reaching India for Christ. From passing out candy to children in the slums to ministering to the precious people of a leper colony, Steven and Ariel have been spreading the love of God to whomever they meet. Please pray for them as they continue their time in India and as they prepare to leave for South Africa on the 16th.
I will update you on their journey next week.
Pam (office manager for Steven James)

Rebellion on Terra 5

2008-12-08T13:51:00.005-05:00

Here's a story to you for Christmas. I was going through some of my old files and stumbled across this retelling of Mark 12:1-10. It was first published eight years ago this month and can now be found in my book Astonishing Tales. Merry Christmas. I pray this will be a season of hope and light for you and your family.

Rebellion on Terra 5

Ambassador Lansing gripped the throttle and jerked his ship back on course. The flight computers were off-line and he hadn’t flown manually since he was at the academy. To make matters worse, the ship had been heavily damaged in his escape.

C’mon! C’mon! You can make it!

Up ahead he saw Phoenix Station quickly approaching. It wouldn’t be long now.

C’mon, baby. Ease in there… Just a little further…

The rear thrusters finally disengaged and his pod began to slow down. He veered sharply toward the left side of Docking Bay 12-C7. He knew he was coming in way too fast, but he didn’t have a choice. Not this time.

No… It’s not right!… The trajectory is too steep!

Everything was getting foggy for the Ambassador. He’d lost too much blood. And he was so dizzy--dizziness was one of the symptoms of the Demarian Plague. He’d most certainly been infected. If only he could make it into the docking bay to deliver his message!

He heard the warning blaring from the com device near his ear, but it was too late. As the ship careened wildly to the side, everything seemed to blur together like a dream. Like a nightmare.

You’re not gonna make it! You’ve failed. The Emperor will lose the colonies…

The last thing he saw before his ship exploded in a flash of light was the metal exterior of the space station zooming toward him.

***

“Sir? Sir? Can you hear me?”

The man lying on the operating table blinked his eyes.

“Your majesty, I believe he’s coming to!” said Dr. Exeter, Phoenix Station’s chief physician. He leaned over Ambassador Lansing’s body, prodding gently at the artificial limbs he’d just attached.

The Emperor stepped forward. “Excellent. That’ll be all, doctor. You may leave us alone now.”

Dr. Exeter nodded, bowed twice, and quietly backed out of the room.

“What? Where am I?” mumbled the Ambassador. “What happened?”

“We pulled you from a nasty wreck, my friend. But the good doctor found enough of you to piece back together...” The Emperor smiled. “By the way, you dented my space station, Ambassador.”

The man on the table closed his eyes. “My life for my mistake, your majesty.”

“No, no. I forgive you...” The Emperor leaned close and lowered his voice to a whisper. “Now, tell me about those burns on your leg and how your right foot came to be severed from your body… It wasn’t from the wreck was it?”

There was a long and uncomfortable silence.

“Ambassador?”

“No, sir. It wasn’t from the wreck. I was tortured. It was the rebels.”

The Emperor’s eyes narrowed. “The rebels did this to you? To my personal representative!”

“Yes, sir. They refused to listen to anything I had to say. And they wouldn’t hand over the antitoxin. They’re trying to keep it all to themselves, sir.”

“And what about the others--Ambassador Lege? Dr. Akersby? Sir Magel, the Honorable Envoy from Nebus?”

“Dead, sir. I was the only one to escape… I had to gnaw off my thumbs to twist my hands out of the shackles.”

The Emperor turned on his heels. “You serve me well and you will be rewarded for your loyalty. We’ll speak again soon. For now, rest. I have much to think about. I need to speak with my counselor.”

Ambassador Lansing bent his head slightly and glanced at his new thumbs. Better than the originals… he thought, as the dizziness returned. And then he was asleep again.

***

Four earth hours later he awoke in a hoverchair. Dr. Exeter was guiding him down the corridor toward the Emperor’s High Chamber. Counselor Pax and the Emperor’s son, Lucan, were already assembled in the council room. The Emperor motioned for them to sit down. Then he turned toward Ambassador Lansing. “Thank you for joining us on such short notice, Ambassador. Could you give us a status report of the rebellion on Terra 5?”

“Of course, sir,” he propped himself up with his arms and addressed the three dignitaries. “The rebels have taken control of the plantations that produce the antitoxin for Demarian Plague--” He glanced at Dr. Exeter.

The doctor looked grim as he added to the Ambassador’s report. “As you all know, it’s highly contagious and… quite fatal, I’m afraid. Everyone in the Terra System has been exposed.”

Ambassador Lansing swallowed hard. That “everyone” included him. He cleared his throat and continued. “They’ve refused to turn over the antitoxin. Every messenger that’s been sent has been killed or tortured... As I see it, your majesty, we have only one choice...” There really was only one option left--send in a squadron of Elite Force soldiers. Annihilate the rebels, seize the antitoxin, and then distribute it throughout the colonies.

But before he could propose this, Counselor Pax cleared his throat. “I suggest you send in Prince Lucan.”

“What?” roared the Emperor. “My son? My only son! You propose I send the one I love more than anyone else to those murderous rebels!”

Prince Lucan stepped forward. “I’m glad to go, Dad. The antitoxin can save whole worlds. Billions of people--your people. I’d gladly lay down my life for them–”

Counselor Pax spoke up again. “Certainly the rebels will respect your only son, sir. And then this entire incident can be resolved peacefully. They wouldn’t dare attack the son of their Emperor. Lucan will arrive in an unarmed ship. No weapons. Bringing only your undeserved offer of mercy.”

The Emperor gazed around the room. “What do you think, Ambassador?”

Ambassador Lansing shook his head. “Sir, I don’t see the wisdom in it. Knowing the rebels, they’ll try to assassinate your son. They’ll reason that if they can kill the heir to the throne, the entire galaxy will be theirs. I suggest an Elite Force offensive, instead.”

Everyone stared at the Emperor awaiting his command. A long moment passed. Then another. “Thank you Ambassador. Your suggestion is duly noted. But this time I must go with Counselor’ Pax’s proposal.” He drew a deep breath, and, despite himself, the Emperor clenched his fists in intensity. “But if they lay a hand on Lucan, I will bring them all to a wretched end. By peace or by force, the antitoxin will be taken from them and entrusted to those who’ll share it willingly with others, rather than keep it only to themselves.”

Ambassador Lansing couldn’t believe it. This is unheard of! Never has an Emperor allowed his only son to enter enemy territory in the middle of an uprising! He could be captured! Or even killed!

“When shall I leave father?”

“At once. Time is of the essence.”

“But, your majesty!” blurted the Ambassador. “It’s a suicide mission!”

“Perhaps,” said the Emperor. “But love will prevail in the end. It’s the only way to save the planet. It’s the only way to save… you.”

Prince Lucan turned toward the Ambassador. “I’ll be back,” he said, laying his hand on the Ambassador’s shoulder. “And I will bring you the antitoxin. I promise.”

Then Lucan nodded to his father and the others, removed his royal sash and robes, laid his weapons on the table, and left the room to save Terra 5.

From itself.

Being Loved Forever

2008-10-30T09:48:00.006-05:00

Recently I spoke in Florida and North Carolina and mentioned Ephesians 1:4-5, then on Tuesday evening our small group Bible study ended up studying the same verses. So, since I don’t believe in coincidences, here are the verses and a few thoughts for you:

“Even before he made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in his eyes. God decided in advance to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ. This is what he wanted to do, and it gave him great pleasure.”

Paul is writing to Christians, and it strikes me that even before God made the world he was in love with me. He was thinking of me. And that his unchanging plan all through the ages has been to bring me into his family. That was God’s dream, and it brought him joy. (The symbol above is the symbol for eternity. I thought that would be apropos for this post.)

As I consider these things, it strikes me how silly it is to walk around trying to affirm myself like the pop psychologists suggest—"I’m a good person. I can feel good about myself. I should have high self esteem. I am capable and unique."

If God himself has been in love with me for an eternity, and dreaming of adopting me into his family, what greater sense of acceptance, belonging and love could I ask for?

The Heartbeat of the Universe

2008-10-07T12:27:00.005-05:00

I've been teaching this week at a novel writing retreat in North Carolina. As I've been thinking about writing and art and truth, I've been reflecting on mystery as well, and how our relationship with mystery affects our relationship with God.

I think that theology is the greatest threat to spiritual pilgrims when it becomes the game of defining God and gets in the way of letting God define us. In one of the great ironies of faith, the more we try to pin God down, the less spiritual we become.

God doesn’t want us to be comfortable analyzing, categorizing and theorizing about him. Jesus shatters us the moment we try to make him reasonable. He refuses to become our pet. He must be our master or our nothing at all.

Yet when it comes to getting to know God, for some reason Christians all too often try to break him down into bite-sized pieces that fit neatly into one-page doctrinal statements and three-point sermons. We call it Systematic Theology, but the problem is, theology isn’t systematic. It’s narrative. God isn’t a subject to be studied, he’s a Person to be encountered. And we get to know people (and God) best by listening to their stories not by reading their resumes.

I guess that’s why the Bible is the story of God and not the lesson about God. The minute we try to draw lines through the story to explain it all in easy-to-digest morsels, it unravels. You can never experience the full flavor of a story by dissecting it, only by devouring it with the wide-open mouth of your soul. God isn’t an algebra problem to be solved. He is the heartbeat of the universe.

Become a Victim Contest - July 31, 2008 Book Release Event for The Rook

2008-07-30T12:04:00.007-05:00

Just a quick note and in the next post I’ll jump back into the competition conversation.

July 31, 2008, is our official Book Launch Party for The Rook, which will be released at bookstores nationwide on 08.01.08.

The event is in Johnson City, TN, from 7:00 - 9:00 p.m. at the Oasis Coffee House (call 800.527.8679 for directions). Free munchies, souvenirs, and discounted signed books.

At 8:00 p.m. we’ll be having a “Become a Victim” drawing. If you’re present, you can sign up and if we choose your name, I’ll write you into my next thriller and kill you off. It’s your one chance to get murdered and then live to read about it.

It should be a blast. If you’re anywhere in the area, please stop by.

Competition Revisited

2008-07-29T12:05:00.004-05:00

I’ve had some good discussions about competition with friends over the last few weeks and I’ve come to realize that many people confuse competition with participation. People might say, “Yes, OK we’re not supposed to try and put ourselves above other people, but what about just having fun… or doing your best… or trying your hardest… or getting some exercise… etc.”

To participate is not the same as to compete. For example, if I take a friend canoeing, we have to work together to have a successful trip. We accomplish a mutual goal. If we were to enter a canoe race, now we have entered the realm of self-promotion.

I should mention that a few weeks ago prior to the Christy awards, my Bible study small group asked what they could pray for me about and, even though I wanted to ask that I would win, I remembered this discussion on the blog and said, “Pray that it wouldn't’ matter to me one way or the other.”

As it turns out, I didn’t win and the prayer worked--mostly. I still wanted to win, but found more peace with it than I would have.

So on closing, here are the two questions I’ve been asking myself:

1) Why do I desire first place?
2) Does the desire to place myself above another person (in honor or position) promote humility?

Bare-Naked Prayers

2008-07-08T09:55:00.004-05:00

Sorry to drop off the radar screen for the last two weeks. I was working on completing my next non-fiction book, Bare-Naked Prayers. I just sent it in last night and over the next couple months, I will be dropping some of the prayers in here in the blog. In my next post, we’ll get back to competition. I have some new thoughts to share. Until then, here’s one of the prayers that will be included in my new book:

O Wind of Truth,
O Breath of Comfort,
O Spirit of the Living God,
you have sought me through
time and space
Captured, enraptured me with your love.
Now the earth chains lay heavy
around my feet.
What else can I do?
I blossom at your touch.

Sleeping with My Basketball

2008-06-24T05:53:00.006-05:00

I’ve been thinking about competition this week and I should mention that it isn’t the first time I’ve really considered the implications of participating in events in which my success depends on your failure and your success depends on mine.

If you ever read my book How to Smell Like God, you may remember my story of striving for success in high school basketball. To this day I’ve never met anyone who was more competitive than I was in high school: I kept track of every minute I practiced over the summers, averaging more than three hours a day between my freshman and junior years. That means if I missed a day, I would practice six hours the next.

If I missed two days for a family event, I would have to practice five hours a day over the next three days. Also, I slept holding my basketball for four years so that I would be holding it eight hours a day longer than my competitor. It was my life.

I told all of this to a girl I was hoping to date in college and she said, “Steve, let me ask you something.”

“Sure.”

“What was your god in high school?”

That question was one of the steps that led me from being a churchgoer to being a believer in Christ.

After becoming a Christian I realized I’m supposed to seek the good of others, love them, serve them, and seek humility rather than honor (see Matthew 23:6-12).

Since then, I’ve been asking myself a question that I’ve found over the years few other Christians seem to ask themselves when it comes to competitive events, and the more I honestly answer it, the more I’ve changed the way I view competition.

Try asking it of yourself and see where the answer leads. Here it is: How can I love, serve and honor someone above myself whom I am wholeheartedly trying to defeat?

I’d love to hear your thoughts.

You Can't Spell Competition without "Self"

2008-06-20T12:23:00.008-05:00

This last week I was speaking at a camp for about 1300 preteens. The students and staff were great, but one aspect of the program really struck me this morning and got me thinking.

The staff had a contest to see which group of children had the most spirit (not the spiritual kind, the excitement kind). As you can imagine the children went wild and the ones who won at the end of the week went crazy.

When they announced the winning group and I saw the excitement of the winners I realized that the best way to motivate people is to appeal to self-promotion.

It isn’t just at camp, and it isn’t just for kids. Every sporting event appeals to self-promotion—you’re trying to win, which means you’re trying to place yourself above another person. Commerce and capitalism appeal to self-promotion—the harder you work the more you benefit at the expense of others (although we typically don’t put it so bluntly). Every time I encourage someone to have me come speak, or to buy one of my books, or to read my blog instead of someone else’s, I’m promoting myself.

In fact, this appeal to self-promotion is so pervasive in our society that we’re like fish who don’t notice that they’re underwater. If you want to get someone to do something, have them compete with someone else.

And then Jesus comes along and tells us that to be great, we need to serve other people's interests instead (see Matthew 20:24-27). And Paul wrote, "Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others," (Philippians 2:3-4).

Imagine what our world would look like if we weren’t constantly trying to put ourselves above other people.

I can’t even picture what that would look like.

So here are my two questions: If I’m supposed to follow Paul’s advice and do nothing out of selfish ambition, should I ever compete with others? If I can still compete, how would following his advice change how I do so in the different areas of my life?

Thinking About the Story

2008-06-13T12:39:00.006-05:00

Great comments for the last posting. If you haven't read them, scroll through them. See what you think.

I added discussion questions for my book Story: Recapture the Mystery in the sidebar on the right. (I realize how lengthy the list is, but it was meant to cover the whole book. Just scroll through the questions, and think about any that catch your eye.) Even if you haven't read the book, I'd love to hear any responses to the questions. Some, I believe, are quite challenging and thought-provoking.

The Benefits of Author Shopping

2008-06-10T10:39:00.011-05:00

More than once I've heard sermons on how we shouldn’t sample different churches, like sampling appetizers, floating from one church to the next, trying to find out what makes us comfortable or what’s good for our personality. In fact I can’t think of a time I’ve ever heard a pastor refer to ‘church shopping’ in a positive light.

I understand the need for a commited community of believers as well as for churches to faithfully teach God’s Word and the mystery of salvation in Christ rather than pandering to public opninon, but I believe sampling different churches can be one of the most helpful things in your spiritual life. Many denominations are ingrown and the members don’t have a broad perspective of the Christian community and the way that their brothers and sisters worship.

Making someone feel guilty or unspiritual for trying different churches on for size would be like asking someone, “Do you still read Steven James’s books?”

“No, they don’t really speak to me anymore. I’m trying out some other authors for awhile.”

“What?! You’re author shopping? But reading’s not supposed to be about you, it’s supposed to be about God!”

“I know, but Steven James’s style doesn’t really connect with me.”

“You don’t go to a book to get something out of it, but to give something into it!”

“But he’s boring. I fall asleep reading him.”

“You're not supposed to go to a book to be entertained, that's not what reading is all about!”

“But really, the only reason I’m reading him is my parents read him to me as a kid. Are you saying once my parents introduce me to one author, I can’t switch?”

“You need to be faithful to your local authors. It shows a lack of commitment when you just start jumping around from one to the other.”

“Oh. I see. Well you know what? Then I think I might just give up reading for a while. If that’s how it’s going to be.”

Thoughts?

Doubt and Faith

2008-06-04T14:33:00.007-05:00

I’ve been thinking about Christianity and belief lately. Here are two thoughts: First, in Romans 10:9 (NIV), Paul wrote, “If you confess with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.”

So, God doesn’t say, “If you are happy all the time,” or “If you obey me all the time,” or “If you never have doubts or questions or heartache. . . then you will be saved.” It gives me reassurance to know that even if we have come to God with the wrong motives, or let the right ones slip away, he does not forget us or condemn us for that. He continues to love us and invite us closer to him.

Second, I just watched a very engaging debate between Christian philosopher Alister McGrath and atheist author Christopher Hitchens at Georgetown University. You can watch it for free online and I think you'll enjoy the issues brought up.

Personally, I was surprised by the presentations the two men made. You can decide for yourself who answers the questions more cogently. It's about an hour and forty minutes long (but you can watch as much or as little as you like). Very much worth the time.

After watching the debate, I'd love to hear your thoughts.

Groaning to God

2008-05-21T08:59:00.006-05:00

Continuing the last post, here are some more thoughts on prayer.

Tell God your secrets. Show him your shame. Shout out his praises. Beg for his presence. Bring him your questions. God cares about the details of your life. Nothing is too big for him to handle, and nothing is too small for him to be concerned about.

Let joy dance on the edge of your heart. And when you need to give voice to your pain, don’t worry if you don’t know the right words to say. Open your heart up to God and his Spirit will do the rest, “And the Holy Spirit helps us in our distress. For we don’t even know what we should pray for, nor how we should pray. But the Holy Spirit prays for us with groanings that cannot be expressed in words. And the Father who knows all hearts knows what the Spirit is saying, for the Spirit pleads for us believers in harmony with God’s own will,” (Romans 8:26-27).

If the Holy Spirit himself groans when he prays, why are we so concerned with sounding articulate and eloquent to God? We don’t need the right words. We just need the right attitude.

Prayer is the process of shedding our lies, our masks, and our inhibitions, and standing in God’s presence as we really are--neither proud nor ashamed, simply accepted and loved and heard.

That’s how Job prayed. That’s how David prayed. That’s how Paul prayed. That’s how Jesus prayed. And that’s how we need to pray.

For then, in the midst of the turmoil, suddenly, taking us by surprise, comes the calm that we longed for. Peace within the storm. Within ourselves. Peace and comfort from the hand of the Spirit. A calmness and stillness that we wouldn’t have noticed unless it was surrounded by the gusts of hardship and sheets of slanted, cleansing rain that we call prayer.

God dwells there. Where all of life is sacred. All of life is worship. And where every moment can be spent dwelling in the center of a prayer.

Prayers with Teeth

2008-05-21T08:57:00.005-05:00

A few weeks ago I pulled out a project I'd shelved for two years. It's a collection of prayers that I'm writing, so I thought I'd spend the next two posts sharing some of my thoughts on prayer.

****

Let’s be done with these tidy, packaged, sacred-sounding speeches once and for all. Real prayers are unvarnished. They’re not soft, cuddly little kittens. They’re more like thunderstorms, windy and ragged.

They flash with insight and rumble with complaints. Wet and soggy sometimes, but opening to rainbows at the end. Real prayers express inspiration and drudgery. Fear and glory. Joy and praise and roaring truth. With God in the middle and all around.

Real prayers are not flimsy and weak, but big and round and bold. They don’t worm their way into heaven, they pound on the door and knock it down. A thousand volumes of dull, timid, pale, lifeless prayers will never move the heart of God like a single sentence exploding from the honest places of your life.

“How could you let this happen!” we scream into the unknown.
“Why, God?” we weep in our loneliness.
“Are you there?” we shout, shaking our fists at heaven. “Are you even listening to me!”
“I failed you, God. I don’t deserve your love,” we mouth, afraid to even speak the words aloud.
“So you are real. And I am so small,” we whisper in a moment of revelation.
“God, show me your mercy,” we beg, “I’m so, so sorry for what I’ve done....”
“God, can I be completely honest with you....”

Those kind of prayers have teeth. And guts. And heart.

Sometimes we throw our hands up in wonder. Other times we weep and pound the table. We’re broken. We’re angry. We’re amazed. We’re lonely. We’re inspired.

And we’re changed. Something happens during the storm. We’re washed clean again, shocked by the cold, but thankful for the reality of being alive in the middle of his love.

You can’t escape the raw experiences of life when you’re standing in the middle of the storm. Real prayers ache with the truth and pour from your heart with anger and agony and awe.

That’s why prayers, true prayers, reveal both God and ourselves. We stand naked and honest before him and become clothed and real. No more masks in the storm. No more gentle, rational excuses piled on top of each other like coats of paint; each trying its best to conceal the wood. Prayers scrape us clean and bare before God, where we can finally rest as calm and unashamed as a child in the arms of her father. In the arms of our Father. Who wipes every tear from our eyes.

Good News from Christy

2008-05-05T09:22:00.007-05:00

Just a quick note I want to share with everyone. Last week we found out The Pawn is one of the three finalists in the suspense category for the Christy awards, which is the top award given out to a novel published by a Christian publishing company.

I share this because in our conversations over the last few posts, we’ve been exploring art, faith and writing. I’m encouraged that The Pawn is a finalist, not just because I wrote it, but because it shows me those evaluating the novels are moving away from agenda driven stories that are really sermons in disguise toward books that are written from a Christian worldview that are not necessarily moralistic or didactic.

Check out the list of all the Christy finalists by clicking here.

Dropping Formulaic Prayers

2008-04-30T10:53:00.006-05:00

So often when I pray I end up in the "God, I praise you for..." or "God, please help me..." or "God, I'm sorry for..." trap. But then the other day I realized that when I talk to my friends, even though I might compliment them or ask for help or apologize for something, I also do a lot more. In fact, if all I did were those three things, I can't see how our friendship could really grow very deep.

My friends and I talk about what's on our minds. Sometimes we laugh or complain or remember good times together. And sometimes we don't talk at all all, we just hang out.

So, since I want my friendship with God to grow deeper, I've started trying to relate to him in a more balanced way. Rather than getting caught up in my typical formulaic prayers, I've started talking to him about the dreams I have, the stuff that frustrates me, the things I'm struggling with or concerned about and where I'm hurting and what I'm hoping for and what I'm thinking or planning or remembering.

Think about it for a few minutes. Let us know some of the ways you connect with your friends that we could add to the spectrum of ways we communicate with God.

The Non-Christian Fiction of Jesus

2008-04-27T16:51:00.007-05:00

As I've been considering all the great comments people have left over the last few posts on art, story, and spirituality, I started thinking about Jesus. After all, he didn't teach the crowds anything without telling them stories (Mark 4:33-34).

And the stories he told weren’t warm-n-fuzzy, feely-good fairy tales where everyone lived happily ever after (or where everyone got saved). In his stories people got beat up, imprisoned, tortured, killed and even sliced into little pieces. The good guy sometimes lost. Hard work didn’t always pay off.

Some of his stories are downright chilling, haunting even--like the one about the demons who slipped back into a careless person after a successful exorcism, or about the people being left out of the party and trapped in the darkness forever, weeping and gnashing their teeth.

And although his stories carried strong messages, almost none of his stories were overtly religious.

So here's the irony: by today's standards, a good number of Jesus' stories (maybe even the majority of them) wouldn't be considered Christian fiction.

If we need to label a story 'Christian' let's use the term to refer to stories that tell the truth about the world, not just ones that have ' little objectionable content' or 'good family values' (whatever those are).

The Paradox of Art

2008-04-25T10:51:00.009-05:00

All art, by its very nature, comes from some sort of moral grounding, some view about the world. Some novelists write from the perspective that life is ultimatly meaningless, that in the end, our choices don't matter. These are the depressing stories.

And they are partially right.

Other writers come from the perspective that we should pursue our dreams, follow our hearts and shape a new destiny for ourselves. These are the Disney-ending authors.

And they are partially right.

Art that speaks the truth about the world and about the human condition doesn't compromise and land in the middle between despair and puerile optimism, but embraces them both and expands on them.

It's true that life is meaningless--without God. And that should be a truth that is explored in fiction, but it's not the whole truth and so it can be misleading. It is also true that life is glorious and the future holds promise, but only because of God's dreams and the destiny he offers. The way I understand the Christian message, we shouldn't follow our hearts, because they are deceitful. And we shouldn't pursue our dreams, but rather tune in to God's.

And we shouldn't give up hope, because the best is yet to come.

Agenda-driven novels

2008-04-23T09:46:00.006-05:00

Following up on my last post, I thought I’d mention that last week I had a cup of coffee with Paul McCusker and he shared some of the same frustrations that (apparently) most of us do.

He said that in his seminars he'll ask people, “How many of you like agenda-driven fiction? For example, gay and lesbian fiction, or pro-abortion fiction?" (I might add, 'or fiction that slams religion, such as The Golden Compass series?') He said that nearly everyone will reply that they can't stand agenda-driven fiction, and then he’ll say, “That’s how people react when they read so-called ‘Christian fiction.’”

It makes sense to me. I saw a movie a few years ago called The Life of David Gale. The movie was basically anti-death penalty propaganda and, despite some fine acting, I was totally turned off from the movie. (This has nothing to do with my views about the death penalty, only my view about art.)

So here’s my question: What novels have you read (or movies have you seen) that have approached sensitive topics honestly and well; what agenda-driven novels (or movies) would you like to unrecommend for the rest of us?

Excusing Mediocrity

2008-04-20T21:53:00.006-05:00

First of all, thanks for all the great comments over the last few postings. I’m so impressed by the depth of insight and the lively discussions.

Last week I spoke at a scriptwriting conference in North Carolina and then at a writer’s conference in Delaware so I’ve had writing on my brain. Both events were for Christian writers and at both of them I made a comment that several of my writer friends took offense at. Here it is, I’ll be interested to read your responses:

“How many times have you talked to people and they say, ‘I don’t read to so many Christian novels, or novels by Christian publishers; mostly I just read ones by secular publishers.” And when you ask them why they’ll say, ‘Well, the Christian ones aren’t that well written. They’re like sermons in disguise.’”

Then I said, “It’s our job to change that around so that people say they prefer the novels by Christian publishers and when you ask them why they say, “Well, it’s obvious. They’re just so much better written.”

All too often Christians excuse mediocre art by explaining that it’s Christian. I think we should be producing art that reflects the excellence of the Creator, not agenda-driven writing that causes us to be marginalized.

A Brief Conversation

2008-04-07T22:43:00.004-05:00

"The idea that God is everywhere, all the time, is either the most comforting or the most unsettling teaching of all."

"So, let me guess: the only difference is whether or not he's on your side."

"No. He's already on your side. The only difference is whether or not you're on his."

Finding Your Place in the Story

2008-03-27T09:26:00.004-05:00

Well, last week I took a break from blogging to go rock climbing and to rehearse my part in our church's rather unique Easter presentation last weekend. To say it’s not your typical Easter service would be an understatement. The service was based on my book Story: Recapture the Mystery, and I hope you’ll check it out and let me know what you think. Click here to watch.

P.S. I appear twice. Once in a role that suits me well, another in a role I was assigned when I missed one of the rehearsals. (Isn't that the way it always goes?) See if you can find me both times...

Building the Church

2008-03-16T21:09:00.006-05:00

In light of all the thoughtful comments from the last two posts, I thought I’d stir up the pot a little more.

Many churches raise money for building campaigns; the church I attend is doing so right now. And I’m conflicted, because, while I understand the need to minister to the growing needs of a congregation, I’m not convinced church buildings are the way to do that. After all, there’s no command in the New Testament to build a church.

I'm not interested in bashing any pastor, but I remember watching a TV special when Lakewood Church opened and Pastor Joel Osteen announced that they had just spent $90 million renovating the arena (I think it’s the Houston Astrodome) for their weekly services. As I watched, I remember thinking, What would it be like to have a building campaign to do something Jesus actually told us to do, like raising $90 million to care for the poor, or serve the homeless, or minister to those in prison, or clothe the needy, or help to the sick, rather than renovate an arena so that you can worship more comfortably? What would that be like?

Imagine that.

A church holding a development campaign to do something Jesus actually asked us to do. Imagine a church raising $90 million to feed the poor instead of carpeting the aisles and buying more video cameras.

How does that sound?

Countering Culture

2008-03-10T22:38:00.006-05:00

The comments from the last post got me thinking about the question that's been gnawing away at me for the last couple years. Here it is: What does a follower of Jesus look like in an affluent society?

Here's what I'm getting at:

• I’m becoming convinced that Christianity is not what it appears to be in mainstream America. We don’t make choices that resemble those of believers throughout the world or in the early Christian church. We look and live pretty much just like the rest of society. Why? What have we lost? How can we regain a true passion for knowing and following God?

• Most people (including Christians) in American society spend their lives working in a job they don’t like, for a boss they don’t respect, with people they don’t get along with, to earn money to buy stuff that they don’t even need. And if they do this long enough we call them a success. Self-indulgence, materialism, greed are giant blind spots in American Christianity. How can we reshape our attitudes and lives, in the midst of a materialistic and consumer-driven culture, to reflect the beauty, truth, modesty, wonder and glory of living as children of the King?

Thoughts?

Secrets to Modern Ministry

2008-03-06T19:33:00.007-05:00

OK, I admit I'm feeling a little cynical today, but here goes. Let me know if you think I went a little too far.

To encourage people to give to your church, be sure to put their names on a plaque, or a chair, or a brick in the new building. Forget what Jesus taught in Matthew 6:3-4 when he said, “But when you give to someone in need, don’t let your left hand know what your right hand is doing. Give your gifts in private, and your Father, who sees everything, will reward you.” He didn’t really mean that. He really meant: Make sure you get your name on a shiny little gold plate on a wall or a brick so people can feel good about your philanthropy.

Always, always have little blanks to fill in on your church bulletins. Don’t worry, adults won’t feel insulted to have you read them the answers. They enjoyed it in second grade and they'll enjoy it now. Besides, they aren’t really smart enough to come up with their own way of taking notes so it’s much better if you spoon-feed them the answers.

The Discourse of Comfort

2008-02-25T09:14:00.004-05:00

Comfort spoke to me.

“I'm a gentle goddess,” she said. “I would never ask to control you, but want only to set you free. Isn't that what you want? What all men want? The end of the struggle and the beginning of ease?"

And I had to agree with her. Most of my dreams and my plans and my choices were rooted in the idea of and desire for more comfort.

“I'm not like the other gods,” she said. “I'm not like the gods of anger or justice or mercy or jealousy. I make no demands of you. I'm here to meet your needs and fulfill your dreams, not to ask you to fulfill mine. I require no service of you. No worship. No fire. I serve you, instead."

The words of Comfort stirred me and moved me toward myself with their enticements.

“I'm an easy goddess to honor. Some gods try to wake you up with conviction or conversion or contrition, but I’m most satisfied when you’re asleep in my arms. When you make your choices, don’t ask yourself what I might desire, but only what you would desire of me. For I give you my all. And I’m here to meet all your desires, not just your needs.”

Comfort reached her hand to me and I took it. For she was lovely to behold and her smile encircled my heart. We moved toward each other in a lover’s embrace.

“Lean on me. Come to me. Set down your cross and take my hand. My road is easy and the path is smooth and every step is more relief from the harsh load of other gods."

She led me to her chambers.

“Throw away your yokes, for I seek to remove them one and all. And in your dreams, don't think of other worlds, but of this one. You deserve all that this moment can offer, all that I can give. I'll shield you from suffering, close you off from pain, and protect you from any cruel thoughts of grief or death.”

I smelled her perfume as she leaned her body against mine. Then Comfort guided me toward her bed. And our lips met and I found in her kisses, the soothing and unhurried promises of ease.

“I'm a pillow for your head and shoes for your feet and gloves for your hands. I protect you and soothe you as you move from one moment to the next. I whisper to you; hear my voice! I'm the goddess of today and the moments within it. And I gently cradle all my children, singing them to sleep in my arms.”

And that’s when I saw the chains hanging from her wrists and the shackles hidden in her bed.

So I ran from her. I fled from her and limped away from her side. And since that night I’ve been careful not to return to her arms.

Yet, my heart is still beating with desire. And her perfume still lingers on my lips.

The Spirit of Nature

2008-02-22T07:46:00.006-05:00

While I was reading the Bible this morning I noticed Psalm 104. The anonymous author spends most of the first half of his poem talking about the wonders of the earth and the interplay of all creation--from the creation of our planet, to the seas and the mountains, to the birds and grass and cattle and plants that produce olive oil, bread and wine (that he mentions, to all my teetotaling friends, “gladdens the heart of man”). Then he highlights the moon and the sun and the game of tag between day and night.

In verse 24 he writes: “How many are your works, O Lord! In wisdom you made them all; the earth is full of your creatures.” He mentions that the creatures look to God for their food, and need God’s provision to survive. But what struck me most was verse 30: “When you send your Spirit, they are created, and you renew the face of the earth.”

God didn’t just spend six days creating the earth and all that lives on it.

He spends every day doing it.

That got me thinking about the whole concept of “nature” and “the natural world.” How natural is it, if God’s Spirit is what gives life to all things?

I decided to look up the word “nature” and found out that it comes from a French word nature in the 1300s that means “creative power in the material world,” which comes from the Latin word natura which literally means “birth” or, the verb form, “to give birth.”

Whoa.

So I guess I do believe there’s such a thing as nature. And it’s evidenced by the touching of God’s life-giving Spirit on every leaf that buds, every bird that hatches, every newborn animal and planet that awakens to the light of day.

Becoming a Calf Again

2008-02-20T07:46:00.005-05:00

So recently I was going through a rough time and I was praying to God, whining like we sometimes do, telling him, “Oh, God! People tell me I have to sacrifice for you, people tell me I have to give up something in this situation, but the only thing that keeps coming to mind is my happiness. Do you really want me to give up my happiness?”

Now, I should mention that God doesn’t normally speak to me--at least not like someone on a loudspeaker at a baseball stadium, but sometimes I do hear his voice whispering to me, telling me things I would never have thought of on my own. Jesus said that his sheep hear his voice, and this was one of those times when the Shepherd spoke, because when I said, “Do you really want me to give up my happiness?” God said to me, “Are you willing to give up your unhappiness?”

So I decided to try again, “But God, sometimes it feels like disappointment is the default setting for my life!”

And he said to me, “Would you be willing to let it be joy?”

Why does he have to do that to me.

I haven’t heard much from God since praying those things, probably because he’s still waiting for my answer. Am I willing to let go of unhappiness and disappointment, and simply accept the gift of joy?

Well, sometimes yes. Sometimes no.

When I was considering all this one day, I stumbled across a Bible verse tucked in the corners of the Old Testament: “But for you who revere my name, the sun of righteousness will rise with healing in its wings. And you will go out and leap like calves released from the stall,” (Malachi 4:2 NIV).

A rising sun with healing wings. Freedom. And a wide open pasture. That’s what I need more of.

So lately I’ve been praying that God will help me to stop letting my failures make me feel guilty, and just let my weaknesses make me humble. I’m praying that he’ll help me focus not on the times I’ve let him down, but on the ways he has lifted me up. To default to his promises rather than my circumstances.

To give up my unhappiness.

To let joy back in.

And to run in the open-gated fields of his love once again.

The Riddle of Temptation

2008-02-17T23:34:00.005-05:00

“Oh, wise Teacher!” called the students. “Speak to us of Temptation!”

“What do you know of it already?” he asked.

“I know it’s like an avalanche,” said one of the students. “Starting with only a small snowflake and burying the person in cold death.”

“Some temptation,” said the Teacher. “But not all.”

“Then it’s a piece of driftwood caught in a current. And the driftwood doesn’t notice it’s moving at all until it has been carried far downstream,” said another student.

“Yes, that is true of some temptation. But only of some.”

“But what of all temptation?” they cried.

“All temptation looks as the rose, with promises sweet and fragrant, and they are beautiful to touch, but once plucked, the thorns on the stem wound the picker of the rose. Yet every day, the person returns to pick another rose, and is wounded once again by its thorns.”

“But why would the picker not stop picking roses?” asked the students.

“Because the rose remains beautiful, even through the pain,” said the Teacher.

Tuning the Instrument

2008-02-16T20:54:00.006-05:00

Often in my writing seminars I'll talk about how the imagination is the instrument of the writer. And how, the more we hone and enhance our ability to think clearly, to visit worlds that only we can see, to make the jump from the visible to the invisible, we are tuning the instrument.

There's an old story about an archer who was giving a monk a hard time because he would take so many breaks walking in the mountains. "Sir," said the Monk, "please pull back your bow." The archer did and the monk told him to hold it... hold it... hold it... until the archer said at last, "But if I leave tension in my bow all the time, it will break."

"Precisely," said the Monk.

Sometimes the best way to grow a mature imagination is to give one part of your brain a break while you engage another. So the next time you take the afternoon off to watch a movie and someone gives you a hard time just tell them, "Hey, I'm just tuning the instrument, baby. Just tuning the instrument.

Now, time to get back to watching Babel, the movie I paused ten minutes ago so I could write this.

See? It works.

Sleeping Beauty

2008-02-14T07:53:00.003-05:00

It wasn’t until my daughter became a teenager that I realized “Sleeping Beauty” is not a fairy tale. The princess didn’t sleep for a hundred years because of a curse, it’s just that her alarm clock didn’t go off.

Today I was tempted to see if my daughter could break her record, but then I realized I’d miss all the wonderful joys of watching her grow up, get married, have kids of her own, and then try to get them up at 6:30 a.m. for school.

The Painted Veil

2008-02-13T07:15:00.003-05:00

Last night I watched The Painted Veil (2006, starring Naomi Watts and Edward Norton). Wow. It's a stunning film. The story, based on a novel by W. Somerset Maugham, takes place during a cholera epidemic in 1925 China, but it’s a timeless story and, with the outbreak of infectious disease angle, the film feels remarkably current. The cinematography and acting are superb and apart from some clunky editing the movie is altogether brilliant.

But what makes the film so striking to me is its honesty about life. The characters are flawed but real, multi-dimensional and struggling with misconceptions about others, a deep need to love and be loved, and a quiet urge to live a life that matters.

Watch this movie but don’t study it. Let it draw you in and wrap you up in its moments--both the painful ones and the redemptive ones. It does all that we could ask of a film: it entertains us as it reveals to us what being human really means.

The Road to Siloam

2008-02-11T08:55:00.001-05:00

So, I heard them talking.

I heard what they were saying and I’m wondering if maybe it’s true. It might be--that I’m this way because God is punishing me. Either for something my parents did or something I did. Or was going to do.

Or something I’m doing right now.

So maybe they’re right.

But he told them no, that a bigger reason was at work, and I wondered if his hint was a riddle or a promise. Then he touched me. With mud on my eyes and strong words in my ears, “Go to the Pool of Siloam,” he said. “And wash.”

And so I left him. In the darkness I’ve always known, I left him. And now I’m on the road wondering why.

The people around me, the ones I’ve been asking for directions, they tell me I’m close. The pool is just up ahead.

I took the first few steps full of raw excitement. I really hoped he could do something for me no one else could ever do, but eventually, with more steps came more doubt. Maybe this was all just another joke that those with eyes to see were playing on me. All a game to mock the man born blind.

So why am I still walking? I’m not sure. The trip has become something of an obligation. A way of going through the motions so that those who heard his words won’t ask me, “So why didn’t you go all the way? You never know. He might have actually opened your eyes.”

I can hear the splashing water. The pool is just ahead.

Something will happen when I wash my eyes. Either my infant hope will die forever, or a new kind of life will be born.

They tell me I’ve arrived. The pool is at my feet.

I bend down.

I’m not proud of the trip, my doubts, my weak efforts to hold onto the faith I first had in his words. But now I’m here.

My fingers tremble as I reach forward and feel the cool water swirling, swirling right in front of me.

Either simple water. Or a mystery as deep as my past. All I need to do is wash. That’s what he told me to do.

I don’t know what’ll happen.

As I lean forward I feel a flicker of fear that I’ve made the journey for nothing.

And so now, my hope and doubt mix together into a fumbling prayer as I dip my hands into the water.

And lift them to my face.

(See John 9:1-7)

Believing the Things We Know

2008-02-08T17:08:00.001-05:00

Recently, as part of a grant application, I had to write my artistic statement for my art form--fiction. For what it's worth, here are a few excerpts...

We don’t seem to believe the things we know.

We know that we’re not promised a thousand tomorrows, that eternity lies only a heartbeat away, that love is worth the risk and worth the pain, that relationships are more important than paychecks, that every moment matters… We know these things, but only the prophets and poets and mystics seem to live as if they believe them. The rest of us tend to need constant reminding. And therein lies the calling and role of the arts.

*****

The arts capture the essence of the world, the truths of human nature, and allow viewers, or readers, to enter that moment, that elusive moment, when truth finally touches time; when revelation finally occurs. The arts open our eyes to the world we so often miss--the world of truth lying hidden under the daily barrage of facts.

When we “suspend our disbelief” during a fictional story, whether performed theatrically by actors or linguistically by words, we actually open ourselves up to finally stop suspending our disbelief in reality and to begin--if only for a moment--to finally believe the truths we already know. So in a sense art, in my case writing, uses a pretend world to help readers see the real one more clearly.

Authors of fiction are engaged in the work not of telling facts, but of speaking the truth--the truth about life, about human nature, about the role that we each play in shaping the way the world is and the way the future will look. Fiction that matters is fiction that honestly explores the paradoxes of the human spirit, the human condition and the questions that influence our lives and our destinies.

I believe that passion and truth are the two clarion attributes of great fiction--passion that embraces the wounds and dreams of life, and truth that guides us toward experiencing them more fully. I’ve found that it takes unsettling courage to write stories that bite deeply into my soul, but these are the only ones that ultimately satisfy me because I know that I’m doing more than simply entertaining readers. I’m touching their hearts through their eyeballs.

The T and the Y

2008-02-06T21:14:00.001-05:00

Lately I've been reminded once again of how easy it is to slip into the trap of image-management. Of trying to get other people to like me, to respect me, to think about me.

But here's what struck me the other day—and yes, I do believe God told it to me, partly because I would never have thought of it on my own, partly because I believe he does speak to us. Anyway, here's the thought, "From now on Steve, delete the t and the y."

So, instead of thinking, "What will they think about me?" or "What will they say about me?" My goal is to delete the t and the y and instead, think about the thing that matters so much more than public opinion in the eyes of Jesus.

I’ve realized I’ve got a lot of deleting to do.

It’s hard, but it sure is freeing when I actually manage to do it.

The Pawn Makes a Move

2008-02-05T13:40:00.001-05:00

Just a quick note to share some good news. My latest book, The Pawn, just hit #10 on the CBA fiction bestsellers list. Here's the February bestsellers list for fiction:

(10) Between Sundays Karen Kingsbury, Zondervan, c, 0310257727
(14) Sabrina Lori Wick, Harvest House, p, 0736920781
(16) Home to Holly Springs Jan Karon, Putnam Adult (Penguin), c, 0670018252
(26) The Parting Beverly Lewis, Bethany House (Baker), p, 076420310X
(36) Just Beyond the Clouds Karen Kingsbury, Center Street (Hachette), p, 1599956772
(45) Cassidy Lori Wick, Harvest House, p, 0736916180
(48) Summer Karen Kingsbury, Tyndale, p, 084238748X
Redeeming Love Francine Rivers, Multnomah (WaterBrook), p, 1590525132
Skin Ted Dekker, Thomas Nelson, c, 1595542779
The Pawn Steven James, Revell (Baker), p, 0800732405
On Her Own Wanda Brunstetter, Barbour, p, 9781597896108
Marks Story Tim LaHaye, Putnam Adult (Penguin), c, 0399154477
The Christmas Promise Donna VanLiere, Thomas Nelson, c, 1595543325
The Screwtape Letters C.S. Lewis, HarperCollins/Zondervan, p, 0060652934
Sunrise Karen Kingsbury, Tyndale, p, 0842387471
Blink of an Eye Ted Dekker, Thomas Nelson, c, 1595542876
The Penny Joyce Meyer & Deborah Bedford, FaithWords (Hachette), c, 0446578118
Redeeming Love Francine Rivers, Multnomah (WaterBrook), c, 1601420617
Daughters Inheritance Tracie Peterson, Bethany House (Baker), p, 0764203649
Going Home Wanda Brunstetter, Barbour, p, 9781597896092

Thanks to all of you for your support and encouragement over the last year!

If you haven't picked up a copy yet, you can get a signed one off my website, or a cheap used one on Amazon. Also, check out the video trailer if you haven't seen it.

Tomorrow I'll try to have something more profound to share, but I was excited by the news and figured why not let my friends and readers know?

More soon.

The Song Around Me

2008-01-31T10:13:00.001-05:00

This morning I was reading through Psalm 32 and I noticed that verse 7 says (about God), "You are my hiding place; will protect me from trouble, and surround me with songs of deliverance." A few verses later it says that his unfailing love "surrounds the man who trusts in him."

God sings around me. He surrounds me with love.

Today I'm going to remember that whatever else surrounds me--stress, frustrations, computer problems, car trouble, bad weather, bad breath and barking dogs, that I'm surrounded by something more powerful. Unfailing love.

And I'm going to listen today too. Maybe I'll hear snatches of the song. A few notes that will teach my heart a new kind of harmony.

And who knows. Maybe others will begin to hear it too.

(Click here for more info about the cool image above)

Peace on Fire

2008-01-30T22:58:00.001-05:00

I’ve been thinking about the paradox of Jesus for the last couple weeks.

Here is a man of both sorrow and joy, of both peace and anger. And I think that the more we become like him, the more we’ll be filled with those things as well.

And while some people believe that when you start to follow Jesus you get to have joy and peace all the time (Galatians 5:22 says that the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness, and self-control), not even Jesus experienced happiness and serenity all the time.

Mark 14:33-34 says that when he entered the Garden of Gethsemani, he was “deeply troubled and distressed” and “crushed with grief to the point of death.” That’s not exactly a picture of pure happiness and tranquility. And when he made a whip and drove the loan sharks and swindlers out of the temple area, he wasn’t exhibiting the epitome of gentleness.

And yet, he was always filled with the Spirit. Always.

Jesus was closer to his Father in heaven than anyone else who ever lived. So, I think the closer we get to God, the more we’ll experience life and then process those experiences the way Jesus did. We’ll have more joy than ever before, but also more sorrow--joy because of what God has done, but also sorrow at the things that break the heart of God. We’ll have more serenity and more anger--serenity because of God’s forgiveness, but also anger at the things that enraged Jesus.

The more we grow in faith, the further we enter the fiery paradox of Jesus’s peace.

The Truth about UnChristian Fiction

2008-01-28T23:31:00.001-05:00

When The Pawn was first released, a woman emailed to ask me if it was a “Christian novel.” Her question really got me thinking, “What would make a book an unChristian novel?”

Hmm… well, maybe one that has lots of erotic sex, gratuitous violence, idolatry, blasphemy, cannibalism… then I thought, No wait, that’s the Old Testament.

I mentioned this little revelation at a Christian bookseller’s conference and I was relieved to see the attendees smile and nod. Then I added, “If the Old Testament were turned into a novel, I don’t think most Christian bookstores would carry it.” Yikes. At first I thought my audience might want to shoot me, in a Christian way, of course. But they seemed to all agree with me. It was refreshing, encouraging. And surprising.

I think they realized that the Bible is real and raw and earthy, and that it honestly tells us how far people can fall from grace, and how far God will reach to save us. Without seeing evil clearly, we’ll never fully embrace forgiveness.

Madeleine L’Engle observed in her book Walking on the Water that a Christian book is one that tells the truth about life, whoever writes it. And I think I agree with her, (although in reality a book can't be a Christian anymore than it can be a Buddhist or a Muslim or a Humanist, only people can). All too often today it seems that Christian fiction is most known not for its honesty about life, but for it’s avoidance of certain subjects--which is exactly the opposite of what the Bible does.

While I understand that some writing can be offensive, and that writing about some topics might lead people into certain types of sin, and that the goal of writing shouldn’t be to shock people just to shock them, I think fiction--especially so called “Christian fiction”-- should be honest both about evil and about hope, both about how lost we are, and about how far and how fervently God will come looking for us. Does The Pawn do that? Well, in a moment of shameless self-promotion, you'll have to read it and decide that for yourself.

Visiting the Land of the Calgarians

2008-01-26T23:30:00.001-05:00

This weekend I’m in Edmonton, Alberta presenting at Breakforth Canada, a ministry conference with, the last I heard, over 15,000 registered. That's a lot of Canadians to pack into one auditorium. I only wish I knew more about hockey so I could actually converse with them.

Yesterday I heard someone call her friend a Calgarian, and I thought she was referring to some sort of race of aliens from Star Trek, but then I found out it just means someone from Calgary. I asked her if someone from Edmonton is called an “Edmontarian” but she told me no, if they were they wouldn’t be allowed to eat meat.

Well, there you go.

I was really moved by Erwin McManus’s message last evening as he talked about the beauty and tragedy of life--the paradox of the human condition. I felt a real connection, since I’d written some of the same thoughts in Story and Sailing Between the Stars. Check out his site, or the site of Mosaic, the church he serves in L.A. I think I've found a kindred spirit.

It's been a great trip, great people, and I even found a great little Indian restaurant that served great red curry chicken. Which tasted alot better than Calgarian stew.

I Hear the Eggs Cracking

2008-01-26T09:22:00.001-05:00

Sometimes it seems to me that the past has a stranglehold on today. That the mistakes I've made and harsh words I've said and petty grudges I've held somehow reach up through time and wrap their course fingers around my throat. And squeeze.

This morning when that started to happen, I was thinking about the Bible verse that says that God’s mercies (or compassions, see Lamentations 3:22-23) are new every day, and I realized that those words mean the mercies are new for me this minute; but that's what the past can never promise. Second chances.

All too often I get caught up thinking "if only" I’d said this or done that or shut up before I said the things I knew were going to turn into daggers in the air. The past doesn’t offer a chance to take them back. But today God offers a chance to forgive and be forgiven, to start fresh, to let him unpeel the clinging remnants of yesterday and move forward instead of getting dragged backward.

New mercies were born this morning. I heard the eggs cracking when I woke up, saw their tiny heads poking through my regrets. I think I’m going to pick one up and carry it with me through today.

Who knows. By tonight it might be fully grown.

And be carrying me.

Those Who Worship Artists

2008-01-04T22:42:00.001-05:00

Chris Tomlin is a gifted musician and songwriter. I like his music, his passion, and his faithfulness. I mention this because if you didn’t know it, you might think I’m dissing him in this blog. That’s not the intent. Bear with me. I think you’ll see where I’m going.

Recently he came to my hometown to perform. On the radio spots advertising his appearance, they announced that “Artist Worshiper” Chris Tomlin was coming to the civic auditorium.

I remember sitting in the car thinking, Artist worshiper? He worships artists?

Then, after a minute I realized what they were trying to say. No, I don't think Chris Tomlin worships artists. I think instead his publicity team was trying to make his job as a performer sound more religious or spiritual to us—Oh, he’s not just an artist, he’s an artist worshiper. Wow! Let's go worship with an artist!

I wonder it that’s what his business cards say. “Artist Worshiper, Chris Tomlin.” Maybe we should all have cards like that: “Plumber Worshiper” or “High School Drama Teacher Worshiper" or "Novelist Worshiper."

Other times in the past, when other Artist Worshipers have come to town to perform, they’ve been advertised on the radio as leading Worship Concerts or Concerts of Praise. It's a good thing they're not just performing a concert. That wouldn't be very spiritual of them. Of course, we still get to pay $18 to go to their Worship Concert. And $20 to buy their T-shirts for sale at the door.

Over the years I’ve seen more and more of an attitude in Christian circles that being a performer is not as spiritual or significant as being a Worship Leader--or wait, now they call them Lead Worshipers. Maybe they worship lead. Or silver. Who knows.

A comedian using his talents to make people laugh in a nightclub is as much a worshiper as a soloist in the balcony of the church. It’s time to stop all this semantic nonsense of trying to sound spiritual, and let all those who seek Jesus—including those people who just happen to be artists or performers—be known as God worshipers.

Spiders on the Web

2008-01-03T10:23:00.002-05:00

Over the last few months I’ve been sequestered away working on my next novel, The Rook. Now, with final edits just around the corner I’m starting to reconnect with the parts of my life I’ve lost touch with--the outdoor side (more hiking, even in the snow, yes!), the dusting part (I finally took one of those air-blaster-things to the computer and, I kid you not, I found spider webs in my Dell), and the blogging part.

After recovering from two severe computer crashes (in my two remaining non-spider webbed computers), kids with strep, hundreds of emails, and the stress of finally turning in my manuscript… two months late, I feel like I'm shedding layers and layers of life and recovering myself.

So, thanks to all of you who have left comments and stopped by on this blog over the last couple months. I’m finally back, and I’ll be posting alot more regularly once again.

Even if ths spiders don't leave my computer.

Worry According to Jesus

2007-07-06T06:29:00.001-05:00

I was reading through Jesus’ words on worry yesterday and it struck me once again just how down-to-earth and practical they are. In Matthew 6 he says things like, “Doesn’t God clothe the flowers with beauty and the birds with feathers? Hello! Won’t he take care of you too?... So what are you so worried about?... Friend, don’t worry about what you’re going to eat or drink or wear, those are the things that worldly people live for. Choose to focus on living out and spreading God’s story instead and trust me, he’ll take care of all your needs…”

All this makes so much sense to my heart, but it’s so hard to actually do. Then Jesus said, “Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?” And I realized that worry never adds anything positive to life, it only detracts from life. It detracts from peace, from faith, from relational harmony, from your spiritual, physical, emotional health. Worry only takes away from the life and doesn’t actually change anything in the end. It has no power to heal, to add life, to deepen relationships.

I know firsthand just how destructive it can be.

I think if our world didn’t have to deal with guilt, shame, grief and worry we’d be experiencing the foretaste of heaven.

Today my prayer is going to be that God lets me have a little nibble by leading me away from worrying about tomorrow. It’s like Jesus said, “Every day has enough problems of its own.”

The Paradox of Freedom

2007-06-29T11:18:00.001-05:00

In a previous post a reader asked me to explain what I meant by the paradox of freedom, one of the tips I list for writing. Good question!

Here’s what I’m talking about. Let’s say that you and a friend are trying to decide where to go our for supper. You say, “Where do you want to go?” And she says, “I don’t care, where do you want to go?” “It doesn’t matter to me.” “Well it doesn’t matter to me either.” “Wherever you want.” “I don’t really care.” This can go on for hours. Days. Weeks.

Sometimes in my writing workshops I’ll say, “Write a story.”

“What about?” people ask.

“Anything.”

And ten minutes later when we check to see how everyone is doing, some people haven’t even started yet. Why not? “I couldn’t think of anything to write,” they say.

But, if I say, “In the next ten minutes write a story about a pickle who doesn’t want to get eaten,” every one of them will have a story. Why? Because the problem isn’t that they didn’t have any ideas, the problem was that they had too many ideas. So many ideas in fact, that it crippled their creativity and decision making ability.

It’s the same with a restaurant. If you can go anywhere it’s more difficult to decide than if you are limited. Perhaps by distance, or price, or preference. So here is the paradox of freedom—the more freedom you’re given, the more crippled you become. I know it sounds strange, but there is nothing as liberating as limitations.

So, the first step to writing, actually to making any decision, is to limit yourself. That will free up your creativity and your ability to make decisions.

For more articles and ideas on writing and storytelling, visit my website.

How to be Seriously Funny - part 2

2007-06-27T16:53:00.000-05:00

I’ve been busy working on The Rook. Forgot about this for a few days. Sorry!

Ok, here are the other ideas. Some overlap a little but you'll get the point.

1. No one gets hurt. Think about the funniest movies you’ve ever seen. Buildings may fall one the actors, they may be right next to an explosion, have cement poured on their heads, catch on fire, and then walk away and brush it off and say something like, “Man that’s going to hurt in the morning." It’s never funny when someone gets hurt for real.

2. Misunderstandings. This is huge in romantic comedies. The guy thinks the girl is thinking one thing, she thinks he's thinking something else. The situation becomes more and more absurd, not just because they misunderstand each other, but because the audience doesn't misunderstand. We see the big picture, we're in on the joke and since we see what's coming. The anticipation of the encounter between the to people is what we look forward to. I think that’s what makes it so funny.

3. Irony and parodies. The secret to using parodies is that the person listening to the story has to know the original story or else the parody isn’t funny. They just don’t get it.

4. Physical humor. Watching movies from other cultures and seeing their comedians is really eye opening. It doesn't seem funny to Americans. It’s almost all exaggerated body language and clowning around. To us, it seems like they’re trying to be funny or acting childish. The early days of TV and lots of our children's programming rely almost entirely on physical humor and silly body language. However, we loved Kramer on Seinfeld and the early antics of Jim Carrey. So there you go. Maybe we're ready for physical humor again.

5. Callbacks. You’ve seen this with comedians. They do a routine early on and then later, they refer back to it and we laugh. I'm not exactly sure why this bit works, but id does. And when it does, when it's done well, it's hilarious.

Finally, a few things that are not funny:

Making fun of someone other than yourself is not funny.
Sarcasm is not funny.
Someone trying to be funny is not funny. In fact, there’s nothing less funny than someone who is trying to be funny.
Off-color jokes are not funny.
Puns are not funny. At least not usually. We don’t like investing our interest in something that ends up being an intellectual gimmick.

There you go. Hm. Thoughts?

How to be Seriously Funny

2007-06-22T10:55:00.000-05:00

In March when I was teaching writing in India, we brainstormed on the topic: “What makes a story funny?” My students came up with a list that really impressed me. Here are a few of the ideas:

1. The Unexpected. Just like a good story, the end of a joke is unexpected by also inevitable. For example, Question: “What’s the difference between boogers and broccoli?” Answer, “Kids won’t eat their broccoli.” But the joke only works if the end is both unexpected and inevitable. If it’s only one or the other, it’s not funny.

2. Truth. Humor almost always tells the truth about life, but from a perspective we hadn’t noticed. We hear the story and we say, “Yes! That’s so true, why didn’t I think of that?” This is evident by the popular comedian shtick, “Did you ever notice that?...” And we laugh because we have noticed it, but we’ve never had our attention drawn to it. I think that's what makes the cars and computers bit so funny (see my last post). But this approach is only funny if people have actually noticed it. If they haven’t they’ll just say, “No. I don’t see what’s so funny about that.”

3. Self-deprecating humor. People don’t ever want you to make fun of them, but you can poke fun at yourself. Once when I was introducing myself at a conference I said, “Last year when I was here a woman said, ‘Has anyone ever told you how handsome you are?’ I smiled and said, ‘No.’ And she said, ‘There’s a reason for that.’” People laughed, but they would have turned against me big time if I told it the other way: “Yeah, it was cool. I went up to this woman who was speaking here and I said, ‘Has anyone ever told you how pretty you are?’ And when she said, ‘No’ I told her, ‘There’s a reason for that.’” Definitely not funny.

More thoughts tomorrow.

Cars and Computers Revisited

2007-06-17T21:12:00.000-05:00

Ok, I know this has been around forever, but a friend of mine just sent it to me today again, and I was reminded of how funny it is. It's from some very clever anonymous cyberspace author.

Later this week I’ll write a few thoughts about what makes something funny. Here it is:

At a recent computer expo (Ha! Urban legend warning!... ), Bill Gates reportedly compared the computer industry with the auto industry and stated, "If GM had kept up with technology like the computer industry has, we would all be driving $25.00 cars that got 1,000 miles to the gallon."

In response to Bill's comments, General Motors issued a press release stating: If GM had developed technology like Microsoft, we would all be driving cars with the following characteristics:

1. For no reason whatsoever, your car would crash.....Twice a day.

2. Every time they repainted the lines in the road, you would have to buy a new car.

3. Occasionally your car would die on the freeway for no reason. (My dear MG!) You would have to pull to the side of the road, close all of the windows, shut off the car, restart it, and reopen the windows before you could continue. For some reason you would simply accept this.

4. Occasionally, executing a maneuver such as a left turn would cause your car to shut down, refuse to restart, in which case you would have to reinstall the engine.

5. Macintosh would make a car that was powered by the sun, was reliable, five times as fast and twice as easy to drive - but would run on only 5% of the roads.

6. The oil, water temperature and alternator warning lights would all be replaced by a single "This Car Has Performed An Illegal Operation" warning light.

7. The airbag system would ask "Are you sure?" before deploying.

8. Occasionally, for no reason whatsoever, your car would lock you out and refuse to let you in until you simultaneously lifted the door handle, turned the key and grabbed hold of the radio antenna.

9. Every time a new car was introduced car buyers would have to learn how to drive all over again because none of the controls would operate in the same manner as the old car.

10. You'd have to press the "Start" button to turn the engine off.

The Beekeeper's Song

2007-06-14T17:28:00.001-05:00

A few years ago when I visited Kazakhstan, our driver stood up to sing during the Sunday morning worship service. That afternoon I wrote about it.

I was thinking about him today when I went outside and heard the summer unfolding around me, saw the bees busy at our flowers.

the beekeeper’s voice

anatole, the man who drove us around the city,
(the man i couldn’t help but smell from the back of the van),
steps to the front of the church,
he is a beekeeper who lives up in the mountains of kazakhstan,
they tell me.

but then, before my eyes, he changes,
and he steps into the music where he was meant to dwell all along
and his voice fills the room and
makes your soul weep and faint and shudder in awe.
and the walls are not strong enough to hold in the voice of this beekeeper.
it spreads out across the land and takes over the world.
something holy and divine and everlasting dwells in that song. in that moment.

and then, suddenly, he is finished.
his big shoulders slump, and he quietly takes his seat.
and he becomes a reeking russian beekeeper once again.

but the rest of us are changed,
forever.

The Man of Sorrows

2007-06-13T23:34:00.001-05:00

As I was thinking about the topic of discernment and telling the truth in fiction, I remembered a conversation I had with a very thoughtful man from Iran on a flight a few months ago. We began talking about spiritual things and he had a ton of great questions. I struggled a bit with my answers, especially to his question about why there’s evil in the world if God is good.

At one point in the conversation I mentioned that I sometimes struggle with depression and he said, “If Jesus is so powerful, why doesn’t he help you with that?”

Wow. And I had no idea what to say. I sat there for a moment speechless because I do believe in Jesus’s power, but I also know we live in this imperfect, painful world. And we each have our struggles.

Then I remembered the verse in Luke where it says Jesus was a man of sorrows. (I just looked it up, I was wrong. It's Isaiah 53:3. Luke 22:45 just says Jesus was exhausted from sorrow.) I mentioned that to my friend and that also, in the book of John, Jesus is called a man of joy, complete joy (see John 15). I asked him, “Why do you think the Bible would call Jesus a man of sorrows?”

And my friend thought about it for a moment and then he said, “Because he saw the world as it really is.” Then he turned to me and nodded. “Jesus was a man of sorrows. That’s the best answer you’ve given me all night.”

But I think his answer was the best one of the night.

Jesus saw the world as it really is. And the more we become like him, the more we will see and experience that sorrow and that joy too.

I believe that the stories we tell, the novels we write, the sermons we preach, the movies we recommend should be honest about both facets of our world, both sides of the truth. The minute we pretend there’s no reason to feel sorrow, or that there aren’t enough reasons to feel joy, we’ve drifted from the truth and stopped seeing the world as it really is.

Developing Discernment

2007-06-11T08:00:00.001-05:00

Just a quick note, I’ve been thinking about how we evaluate media because I received an email last week asking me, “Is The Pawn a Christian novel?”

Hm. What makes a novel, a story, a movie, Christian? I agree with Madeline L’engle that it’s Christian if it tells the truth about the way the world really is.

Ok, so here you go. I think that when it comes to movies and media, discernment involves evaluating at least three things:

(1) The artistic quality. If it’s a film, how well is it directed? Is the acting excellent or cheesy and second-rate? What about the storytelling? How well is the movie edited? How coherently do the scenes fit together? How about the cinematography, camera angles, pace, dialogue?

Many so-called “Christian films” and “Christian novels” are concerned with not offending people, or getting some kind of message across, rather than telling a good story. As a result both the message and the story suffer. And that’s more offensive to me than objectionable content.

(2) The worldview of the movie. Does this movie portray a universe where choices matter, or one in which fate and destiny rule? Are good and evil portrayed as equally strong, or does good have the power to conquer in the end? Are life, and the choices we make, meaningful and substantive, or is life simply meaningless and random? In this movie, do the ends justify the means? Are values of right and wrong dependant on the situation, or are they derived from a higher good?

When the Harry Potter books and movies came out, many fundamentalist Christians avoided them because of the content (spells, magic, wizards, etc…) and didn’t acknowledge the artistic excellence of the storytelling. In addition, the world of Harry Potter is unashamedly moral, choices matter, life is not just a matter of fate and timing. However, in the Harry Potter world, the ends justify the means. I believe discernment is harder than blind condemnation, but also more worthwhile.

(3) The content. I do think it’s legitimate to be wary of a film’s content. Sometimes the images will lead you into thought-territory that you have no business trespassing into. Graphic violence, gory murders, glorified eroticism, titillating sex, and gutter language can all affect the way we think, the way we relate to other people, the way we relate to God--and the scenes don’t typically have a purifying effect. However, content is only one of the factors a discerning person will use when evaluating media.

Undoubtedly some people will not welcome the violence in The Pawn. But I believe discerning readers will connect with the story on many other levels.

There you have it. I welcome your response.

Christians at the Movies

2007-06-10T16:51:00.002-05:00

I love movies but I have a problem--I also like to recommend them to other people, and that’s where things get weird.

You see, some of the movies I like include what many of my friends would call "objectionable content." To me, objectionable content includes bad acting, idiotic storytelling, poor directing or lame writing, but usually to my friends it means that the movie includes: (1) sex or nudity (it doesn’t even matter if the sex is between married couples, it’s sex so it’s objectionable), (2) bad language, (3) violence, or (4) depictions of drug or alcohol use.

Their evaluations of the movie tend to go like this: “You should see it, it’s great! There’s no sex or violence or bad language or anything!”

I’m always tempted to point out to them that a blank movie screen also includes none of those things and that I wouldn’t pay eight bucks to sit and watch that for two hours, but I usually hold my tongue. That, or I feel like encouraging them to avoid reading the Old Testament where erotic poetry, brutal violence, blasphemy, prostitution, and scenes of drunken orgy populate the pages. Typically I just say, “Oh, well. It sounds like you really enjoyed it.”

I think that if the content of the Old Testament wasn’t in the Bible, but was published as a novel instead, Christian bookstores wouldn’t carry it because of all the "objectionable content."

Tomorrow I’ll share the three factors I think discerning people should use when evaluating media. Stay tuned 'till then.

Meanwhile, check out some of Ransom Fellowship's thoughtful, insightful and balanced movie reviews at http://www.ransomfellowship.org/movies_reviews.html
I'll bet you leave impressed and filled with great ideas for your Netflix list.

Here's The Pawn Trailer

2007-06-09T18:35:00.001-05:00

Part of my brain is still stuck in the 20th century and it took me a couple of days to figure out how to add the video to my blog. Alas, here it is!

Btw, thanks to all the folks at Revell Publishing for inviting me to meet with them in Michigan last week. They were amazingly supportive and encouraging. The coffee was good. The food was good. And I'm excited to see what unfolds. You guys rock! (Or as we say here, "All y'all rock!")

Also, thanks to Kyle Long who produced the trailer. If you want to check out more of his work, go to http://www.digital-fridge.net/

Stupid Signs

2007-06-05T21:53:00.000-05:00

I just feel like sharing some of the weird signs I've seen while traveling. I saw this one at Faith Memorial Gardens (a graveyard) in Huntsville, Alabama: "Buy 3 spots get 1 free!" Now, just think about that. Let that sink in. What kind of a person would offer a promotion like this? What kind of a person would impulse buy four funeral plots?

I saw this sign at a highway construction area in Virginia. Now, track with me here, don't let me lose you. The sign had all these lights around the outside of it and it read, "Construction workers present when flashing."

I just sat there thinking, "That's the last thing I want to see."

And this one up in the mountains of Colorado: "In case of flood, seek high ground."
And this one on a gas station in Kentucky: "One Month Unlimited Tanning!"
And this one on the front door of a supermarket in Tennessee: "Push. Do Not Enter."

That last one's a very bad sign if you're schizophrenic. That, or maybe if you're a college philosophy professor: "What is the meaning of the push if you're not allowed to use it? If you're told to push the door, but have no purpose in the push, do you push it of your own free will? If so, why? If not, why not? Please write a 500 word essay on what the sign really means."

But my favorite of all time might just be the sign I saw a couple of weeks ago in Decatur, Alabama: "Decatur Radiator Service - The Best Place in Town to Take a Leak."

And then next to it, a sign that read, "Customer Parking in Rear."

A few more of my favs are on the right.

Video Trailer for The Pawn

2007-06-04T08:36:00.000-05:00

Hey! I wanted to let you know that the video trailer for my new thriller, The Pawn, has just been posted on YouTube. Check it out, I think you'll like it!

Very creepy. Here it is: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6_HlC7Kvap8

The book will be released on September 1, 2007. You can preorder it off my website or from Amazon.com: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0800732405/ref=cm_arms_pdp_dp/102-7288999-5686541

P.S. If you like the video, it'd be very cool if you can rate it on YouTube, save it to your favorites, send the link to your friends, or add it to your MySpace or Facebook page. It'll help get the word out and, of course, save us money on marketing. Thanks!!

Let Me Be Young Enough

2007-06-03T10:07:00.001-05:00

This morning we stayed home from church to worship as a family and I wrote this prayer while I was sitting at the dining room table waiting for the service to begin:

God of the Dawn and the Day,
Let me be young enough to kiss your elbow and believe in fairies and dragons.

Let me be young enough to run, not walk, toward the playground,
and when I fall, to just get back up again,
and when other kids cry, to join them and not
be ashamed.

Let me be young enough to make snow angels and
climb trees in the twilight;
to be frightened of the darkness
and unwilling to stay in the big house all alone,
and astonished by dandelions and quick to chase
fireflies.

Let me be young enough to believe,
really believe, that you rose from the dead
and live in my heart, and then, make me
so excited about it that I can’t help but tell
all the other kids at recess that God actually
lives inside of me.

Let me be young enough to be afraid of
what’s going to happen to me when
Dad gets home, but humble enough
to run to him and cling to his leg when he does.

Let me be young enough to spill my ice cream
and then presumptuous enough to just ask for more;
young enough to say my prayers
and trust that they’ll be heard.

Let me be young enough
to bring you my stick-figure drawings
and know you’ll find room for them on your fridge.

Let me be child-enough
to step through the door to your kingdom
and then realize, in one astonishing
moment of somersault excitement,
that heaven is more like a sleepover
than an elders' meeting,
more like going camping and
eating macaroni and cheese with Dad
and playing in the tree house
than sitting through a Sunday morning
church service.

Because then, when I’m finally that young,
I’ll finally be born.

Surviving the Pitfalls

2007-06-01T12:57:00.001-05:00

A couple of months ago I was speaking with my pastor and during the conversation I wrote down some notes. They’re all ideas on helping a marriage survive difficult times. (I’ll bet you don’t have to guess who needed the advice more, my pastor or me.) Most the ideas came from him, a few from me. Here they are:

1. Come to the place of loving and accepting yourself. When you’re consumed with guilt rather than acceptance (of yourself and your spouse) you’re caught in a downward spiral that doesn’t serve either of you well.
2. Don’t forget that she is a real person, full of needs and desires and longings and frustrations just like you. It’s easy to forget when you live with someone long enough.
3. Sometimes you need to be a hypocrite to your feelings. If you’re not feeling loving and you say, “I love you,” then you might consider it hypocritical, but you’re also affirming your commitment toward love. If you say, “I don’t love you,” then you might be telling how you really feel right now, but you’re breaking the promise you made to love until death. So, you need to choose—either be hypocritical to your commitment, or to your feelings. And only one serves your spouse.
4. Enter her world, give her what you want out of a relationship. (I suppose this works the other way as well, from wife to husband.)
5. It’s more of a blessing to give than to receive, so look for ways to give rather than defaulting back to finding ways to take.
6. Help her flower. She’ll naturally reflect your moods, so let her reflect light instead of darkness.
7. Guilt can be either a road that leads closer to Jesus or it can become a pit of selfishness, focusing only on your mistakes rather than on God’s grace. Let guilt serve you by leading you further from yourself and closer to him.

I think it’s good stuff, good advice. I’m still working at living it out. Any additional advice anyone wants to offer?

Room Rules

2007-05-30T17:06:00.000-05:00

I was digging through some old files and found a copy of the room rules from my 5th grade class.

Yes, this is for real.

I've included the complete list on the right. My favorites are 8, 21, 24, 36, and the granddaddy of all, 27. All of the misspelled words, grammatical mistakes, and poorly constructed passive voice sentences appear in the original.

As I was reading through the rules I realized I don't even remember the name of my 5th grade teacher.

The Ethos of Typos

2007-05-30T12:55:00.000-05:00

Yesterday I was working on a book proposal for a series of books I’m hoping to write for preteen boys. To give you the flavor for the series, here’s one of the titles: “The Valley of the Living Dead and Other Creepy Tales From the Bible.”

The idea is to retell Bible stories that boys would like (such as the title story about the vision of the valley of dry bones). Ok. So just before sending my proposal in, I found this typo as I explained that the goal of the series was to “ignite interest and lead kids back to the Bile for inspiration and guidance in life.”

Nothing like a nice dose of inspirational bile to keep you going for the day.

Yummy.

Strings of a Thousand Pearls

2007-05-28T11:02:00.000-05:00

Loneliness is the heaviest stone of all to carry around in your heart. I heard about a Charlie Brown comic strip long ago that read, “Nothing echoes like an empty mailbox.” I guess I’d agree.

Wang Wei, and 8th century Chinese poet, captures this feeling so powerfully in his poems that it leaves me breathless. Here is one of my favorites:

Drafted while still of low rank, he was sent far away.
She grieves in her lonely chamber, feeling old and ugly.
Though bravely she puts on her finest silks to match
the spring-clad trees,
Her tears run silently together in strings of a
thousand pearls.

*****

Sometimes Christians talk as if once someone trusts in Christ that person will never be lonely again. As if having a close relationship with God will fulfill us and complete us.

I disagree. I think of the story of Adam and Eve. Adam had a perfect relationship with God, but yet God said, “It is not good for man to be alone.” Adam had God but was still alone. Even if we have a close relationship with God, our tears may still run silently together in strings of a thousand pears.

*****

God chose not to create us one at a time and place us on a perfect world because it is not good for us to be alone, even if we have him. Our hearts were made to be filled with both God and each other.

Building relationships with each other—our lovers, our family members, our friends, our enemies—is one of the ways we become more fully human. More fully alive.

Fractures

2007-05-26T14:42:00.000-05:00

The other day a guy cut me off in traffic. Really close. And I had to crush my brake pedal to the floor, you know the routine, and still, I was barely able to stop in time.

I felt this huge rush of anger and I yelled at the guy who couldn’t hear me and I slammed the heel of my hand against the windshield.

And it cracked.

A spider web of anger, spreading across the glass.

Of course he didn’t see me or hear me, just raced on and I felt slightly stupid and, ok I admit it, slightly proud of myself for actually punching a crack in my windshield with my bare hand. Then I got to tell my wife and that was exciting too.

She took it a lot better than I expected.

And so, now it’s going cost me, not the guy who cut me off, to get the cracks fixed. Or the windshield replaced, we’ll have to see what happens.

I can blame him all I like, but the damage is the fault of my fierce anger, not his reckless driving.

****

My heart, glass as it is, fragile and unsuspecting, stands cracked in so many places where I’ve slammed my fist into it, again and again, pounding my rage against the world, splintering my life from the inside out while the world races past me. And never even notices or cares.

And all the while I am the one.

I’m the one responsible for all of this fractured glass, all of this brokenness, not the world.

Every time I form another fist and start swinging, I just hurt myself. And the world continues to rush past me on its way to wherever it is we’re all going, together.

The Story of the Stars

2007-05-21T10:01:00.000-05:00

I’m teaching at the Blue Ridge Christian Writer’s Conference this week so I’m thinking about story a lot. And every time I think about story, it teaches me more about God.

Here's what I mean. (I’ll try not to get too theoretical—yawn, yawn). At the heart of every story is a transformative event--either a transformation that we see occurring or one that we realize will occur. Typically, movies begin by showing a portrait of a character in normal life, then a crisis that turns everything upside down, then the person's struggle to return to normal, and finally a discovery and a changed life. Written stories follow this basic pattern as well, but usually include a gripping beginning to snag the reader's attention.

So.

That's what we see in the Bible in the book of Ruth as Naomi moves from a full life to the emptiness of loss, into the struggle to find balance again, and then arrives at last, smack dab in the middle of a new kind of normal. It's what we see in the life of the prophet Samuel as he moves from normal life serving in the temple, (without knowing God), to a transformative encounter with God that leads to a new and different life (both knowing God and speaking for him). It's the story of Jesus's disciples, of St. Paul, of Moses, of Abraham, of Adam and Eve.

And of me.

Every day we live in the middle of another struggle or a discovery on our way toward terror or worship or retirement as we plod through life on our way to a new kind of normal. The sweep of the Bible takes us through God’s narrative of the transformation of a planet and it’s flesh-covered ghosts who are all the time searching for hope and truth and Cool Ranch Doritos.

I think that this universe is shaped from the material of a story. Tales woven through our genes. And, since I am one of its characters, the grand story of the stars is the intimate story of my heart.

Ok, forgive me for waxing eloquent there. I’m at a writer’s conference. What can I say.

Speak

2007-05-20T09:49:00.001-05:00

Last week I saw one of the best movies I’ve ever seen—Speak.

You need to watch this movie. Especially if you have kids. Especially if you have daughters. I don’t want to give too much away, but I’ll just say that after I watched, the next night that I was home I watched it again with my wife and two oldest daughters, ages 11 and 13.

After you watch it once, watch it again and look for the imagery of hallways and pathways, trees, flowers, voice (for example, in the scene where Melinda is riding on the bus you’ll see a quick shot of her backpack, and on it is a drawing of a face with no mouth. Brilliant.) The subtle use of symbolism is everywhere in the film, in nearly every shot of this film, but brilliantly done and not distracting.

Everyone deserves a voice, everyone’s voice matters.

I don’t know how this movie slipped off my radar screen for three years.
If you have amazing movies to recommend, leave a comment. I’ve listed some of my favorite movies on the right of this page.

The Clouds Above Me

2007-04-28T16:38:00.001-05:00

I was staring outside at the clouds today and I realized that at no time in the history of the world had any other person on the planet ever seen that exact formation of clouds. I mean, maybe someone else was looking up with me, but never in the thousands or millions or billions of years of this galaxy’s existence has anyone else before, or will anyone else ever again, have the opportunity to watch the clouds meander through the sky in just this exact formation.

Just think, unless the sky is totally clear or completely overcast, the odds of the clouds being formed in just the way that they are right now, at just that height, are astronomical. I’d say, impossible.

The wisps and curls of the clouds are like the whorls in our fingerprints. Every day God leaves his fingerprints etched in the mists of the sky, and most of us don’t even notice. Billions and billions of people have lived and died without ever really noticing. Without realizing how unique the sky above them was every single moment.

In fact, when I look around the street, I see that no one else is looking up at the sky.

Look up at the sky right now. Take a minute to cherish the gift of his moment’s unique view. In all the span of time, no other human being has ever had the chance to watch the clouds outside your window curl and wander the way they are doing right now.

And no one will have the chance, ever again, once this moment has passed.