For so long I thought I was the one writing my story. I wanted to be the one creating my destiny and my fate. I realize now I’m only the publisher. I can edit. I can adjust. But it’s up to me to show the world what I want. It’s up to me to show the world the things I’ve gone through. The trials. The tribulation. The pain. The problems. The miracles. The grace. The blessings. The good days. I know some of you may read the next few lines and just stop reading, but please give me a chance to show you what I’ve realized for me. I believe in a higher power. I believe in a lower power. I believe in God, and I believe in the Devil. I believe in them because they write my life. Some may not believe in either, and that’s okay with me. Some may believe in a different god than I do, and that’s okay with me. I love you no matter. We grow and adapt as to what we’re taught to know. But this is my life, and this is what I believe. So many think God and the Devil are so far apart, I think they’re just sitting across the table from each other planning out the day. I think the Devil says “Ha, I’m gonna get him pulled over and get a massive ticket.” God says, “Ok, he’s avoiding the accident ahead.” Devil says “I’m gonna give her cancer.” God says, “Ok, I’m gonna heal her.” The Devil says, “I’m gonna take her baby away from her,” God says, “Ok, I don’t think she’s ready yet anyway. But I’ve got twins on the way.” I think they have this great writing partnership, but we’re so blind to discount the work of the Devil just as much as we discount the work of God. See they are the writers, but the things they do for us are merely stories. It’s up to us to publish our life and show the rest of the world what’s happened for us. What if everything in the Bible had never been published? If the stories and books had just disappeared with those who lived them, we wouldn’t have the number one selling book. Too religious for you? If Bob Kane would’ve never published a story he’d created, we would never know of Batman. Too Hollywood for you? What if no one had survived the Titanic? We wouldn’t have any story of one of the most historical and devastating disasters ever. The Devil gives us great opportunity of disruption and says, “HA! I have a great idea to mess up their life!” Then God comes around, takes the cliffhanger, and says, “Ok, I like where you’re going with this. It’s going to be hard on them. This will be a difficult time, but I’ve tried and tried to show them what they need. I've tried and tried to get them to see where they could be in life. I’ve tried to show them the steps to take, but they’re just ignoring me. I see you’re problem Devil, and I raise you a solution.” The Devil is a liar, he is a problem. But at times he is a necessary evil. With every problem comes a solution. With every problem comes an opportunity for testimony. It’s time to take your situation and publish it. You may have gone through an embarrassing time, a hard time, and a “Dear God! I don’t know how I’m going to make it through this!” time, but it’s just so you can pass the testimony along to the next person who’s going to have a harder time with the same situation. You may be heartbroken from a death or a loss, but this is the time for you to publish your story to those around you and become an encouragement of hope. I’m not saying to go out and start spreading the word that you got out of a speeding ticket cause you felt God was telling you to be nice to the Cop. But some time you will find yourself standing in a store, at work, at school, maybe even the shower (that’s where this whole idea came from), and you will get a feeling in your stomach or maybe even a vision of someone in your mind. That is God dropping a new character in a story the Devil has started. You could be a solution to a plot that’s twisting in someone's life. They have the problem and you have the solution. PUBLISH. PUBLISH. PUBLISH. No one else can tell your story. You have to. I don’t know what all you've been through. I can’t tell your story, unless you want to sit and tell me all about it and I’ll write it for you($10 an hour). You have to do something about it. Move toward that person, talk to them. Go and make waves. You may be nervous and think there’s nothing you can do. But it might just be you giving a simple “Hello” that could make a change or an edit. It might be for just a moment, but there’s no telling what just a second can accomplish. If you don’t know what I’ve gone through you may not know to ask for help. But don’t just leave the story in the hard drive of your mind collecting cobwebs and hoping God is going to punch a hole in your “Overcame Situation” card. Tell others what you’ve gone through. Publish your story. Give your testimony. To you it might not be some epic New York Times best seller, Academy Award winning, history changing tale, but to the one who needs it, it is everything.
Now let me adjust for those of you who are reading this the wrong way. It does not have to be front page news. It does not have to be known to the entire world. There is a difference between gloating, bragging, publishing, and testifying. You will know when it is necessary. I've been thinking of this topic for a week now. Clearly I need to practice what I preach. But maybe it just wasn't time to publish.
If you’re still reading this I thank you. If you’re not...maybe you’ll be back.
