Hey Fam!
According to a survey conducted by OnePoll on behalf of Thrift Books, over 55 percent of Americans think their life stories could be turned into a book or movie. Fifty-four percent stated they wanted to write to share their challenges and how they overcame them. That’s a lot of people with books cooking on the inside of them.
The funny thing is the study showed only a small amount of people ever really get around to completing a book. About 8 percent to be exact. Ouch.
That means that although people have the desire to tell their stories, whether fiction or non-fiction, somehow, they are missing the drive it takes to actually get it done!
Now, if I had a dollar for every time someone told me, “I’ve always wanted to write a book about my life” or “I have a good idea for a book,” I’d be rich—super-rich. I’m talking Jeff Bezos rich.
I believe the stories people have inside of them would really bless others. This made me wonder why people don’t get around to telling their stories. Ahem. Let me get personal. We’re friends, right? Why haven’t you gotten around to telling your story??? Hmm…
I know that life gets in the way. Time is a huge factor for most of us. It’s hard enough to find time for some self-care, let alone penning a whole book! I get it.
You may even be thinking that writing a book sounds good, but you don’t have a clue how to start.
Maybe you started but lost your momentum along the way. The idea of writing a whole book can be daunting. But it’s not impossible. In fact, with a little consistency, you can make your dream of writing a book become a reality.
One of the first spiritual (as in Holy Spirit) books I read as a new Christian was Rick Warren’s The Purpose Driven Life. I had only been saved a short period before my life was turned upside down.
It seemed that in an instant, I went from a married woman with a family to a financially struggling single mom.
I hadn’t known God for long, and I wondered what on earth my purpose was.
Someone had bulldozed my white picket fence and happily-ever-after, and I was struggling to find a purpose for my life.
In The Purpose Driven Life, one simple sentence transformed my thinking and has stayed with me all these years. Very simply put, the first line in chapter one says, “It’s not about you.” This changed my life. Talk about growth! So, what does this have to do with you telling your story—writing your book?
Well, like Rick Warren said, “It’s not about you.” It all goes back to God. It’s about Him. As a bonus, when you are following Him closely, there are some things that naturally occur in your life when you tell your story:
1. YOU REALIZE IT’S YOUR STORY, GOD’S GLORY
Your story is your testimony! It is developed from the experiences God has used (and continues to use) to shape and mold you into the image of Christ, in character and conduct. And that story needs to be shared.
When you tell your story, you are a living witness of God’s power. Packaging your story in a book to share with others could be just the breakthrough that someone else needs! Not only the testimony of how you came to know Christ, but also testimonies of how God continues to work in your life.
Rick Warren’s book helped me to realize that my main purpose is to serve God—in whatever way He chooses. It caused me to seek God more to find out what specific ways He wanted me to serve the Kingdom.
I discovered that I was called to teach the Word and to exhort/encourage His people. I’ve taught youth and adult Bible studies and I’ve encouraged the body through my Christian fiction books.
Likewise, your story could lead someone to develop a closer relationship with God and help them discover their specific calling.
Someone is waiting for the blessing that only you can give.
Think about it. We each have unique stories to tell based on the individual experiences, lessons, and growth we’ve encountered on our journeys.
God can use your story to transform the lives of others. When you allow God to use you to help others, you are putting God in the center of your life. You are a light shining in this dark world. That brings God GLORY!
2. YOU GROW IN YOUR FAITH
One of the wonderful things telling your story does is allow you to reflect on what God has done in your life.
When you are telling your story, you can’t help but reflect on the miraculous ways God has brought you through different situations, when you had no idea how you were going to make it. This reflection grows your faith.
You solidify in your heart that God is faithful. When you have doubts, you can rely on your past experiences with God to give you the encouragement you need to trust Him.
Psalm 18:6
In my distress I called upon the Lord,
And cried out to my God;
He heard my voice from His temple,
And my cry came before Him, even to His ears.
If you have ever felt like you needed a faith “jump-start,” writing down the things God has allowed you to overcome will definitely give you the boost you need. When you remember how He answered your prayers in the past, you can rest in his faithfulness.
3. You Leave a Spiritual Legacy
Telling your story by writing a book is a testament to God’s awesome power. It enables you to leave a spiritual legacy for your family, friends, and others who will read your story and benefit from it.
Long after you are gone to be with God, your loved ones, and others who may not even know you, will have the story God gave you to encourage them on their faith walk. That’s nothing short of awesome.
There is something about holding a book in your hands that you know will be passed down and discussed by your future generations. The mere fact that God gives you the talent to communicate the precious details of what He has done in your life is a blessing!
There is no personal growth without God. Your personal growth comes by deepening your relationship with God. This is how you grow spiritually. And your spiritual growth is the umbrella for everything else in your life.
If God has given you the desire to write your story, what are you waiting for? Even if the book that’s cooking inside you is a “How-To” about crocheting or cake decorating, it’s still your story. It’s still what God gave you. Don’t wait any longer. You’ve waited long enough. Start jotting your ideas down. If you need help, seek out a writing coach or a ghostwriter to help you pull it all together. In the near future, I’ll be sharing writing tools and mini lessons to assist you. Whatever you do, get started. I look forward to reading your story soon!
Until next time,
Grow You. God’s Way.
Sherrhonda