There Has to be a Better Way
Excerpt from my in-progress book:
“There Has to Be a Better Way”
These words are for the individual who feels that deep down something just feels off about the way we are living life.
Years ago I thought I was the only person walking through life with these feelings. I wasn’t happy with the way people treated each other. I was disappointed in the lack of intentionality. I was disheartened to see the amount of struggle in this world. I was brokenhearted by seeing all the hopelessness day after day.
I had to believe there was something more. Though I tried tirelessly for years to push and suppress this feeling, in 2019 I started the journey of writing this book because I am not alone… clearly.
You are reading this book because you also want to change the narrative.
In life, I was noticing two very distinct storylines…both were unrealistic.
The first narrative the world offered up was literally too good to be true, structured around status and materialistic achievements. Rather than creating comfort, it created comparison and led me to my wit’s end.
The other narrative was so dark and depressing that each page seemed like the last sentence I would read before we were hopeless and too far gone.
That’s when I realized our storyline is either going to continue to unfold as a counterfeit and obscene narrative OR we can write a story with the same characters, same trials, and same triumphs BUT they could be written a better way.
You might think, “I’ve tried”... and that’s kind of the point. These pages are not going to tell you to try harder. It’s not going to tell you to write your own narrative at all. This is actually a desperate attempt to get you and me to realize that writing our own story is the quickest way to get somewhere you never desired to be.
Ephesians 2:10 says, “For you are God’s masterpiece, created in Christ Jesus to do good works which were prepared for you long ago.”
The word masterpiece in Greek is “poiema” which is where we get our modern-day word, poem. In other words, this verse is setting the stage for your life and for mine. We are God’s poem. We are God’s story. The most beautiful part is that you and I aren’t responsible for writing the story. The One who knows what is best for us is the Author.
To be fair and blunt, you might be in a season where you hate the story being written for you. You may wish your story was completely different… heck, you might wish your story was on a completely different bookshelf. You might wonder why some of the pages are a part of your story.
Why is there so much hurt?
Why is there so much pain?
Maybe your story just brings up heartbreak. Maybe it’s a story you would never want to read, much less be a part of.
I hear you. I see you.
The story of my life was all over the place. Every other page was triumph or failure, with no in-between and no sign of stopping.
However, I realized that many times, because God is so patient, loving, and kind, He would allow me to snatch the pen out of His hand and begin to write what I thought was best. In retrospect, those are pages that I regret.
Think about it with me for a moment. At times, I thought I could write a better story than the One who knows all and is working all things together for my good.
In times of my pride, guilt and shame,
He didn’t scowl at me.
He didn’t say “I told you so.”
He graciously picked up the pen and began to write grace, forgiveness, and understanding all over my story.
He showed me there was a better Way. I want to help you find it too.
I understand there are many different people who will be holding this book in their hands at some point. Different age groups. Different religions. Different backgrounds. Different stories. Rather than hide behind it, let’s get it out in the open. What better chapter to do it than in the intro of the book?
In a culture that glorifies and elevates the demeaning of humanity, there has to be a better way.
I was a couple of months into writing this book when my pastor, Ted Cunningham, presented the church with the new sermon series we were about to embark on. (I’ll take this moment to show the utmost respect and honor for my pastor. He is a man of integrity who walks boldly into whatever the Lord calls him to.)
I’ll never forget this day. He walked up to the table on the stage, sat down his Bible and notes, took a deep breath, and pleaded for our church to take God literally and seriously. He asked the church to stand with him as he committed to taking a stand against the devil's schemes. He proclaimed the following words.
“I Will Not Be Silent
I am a child of God.
His Spirit is within me.
His Word is a fire in my bones.
The Holy Spirit gives me the Word I need in every situation.
I know the truth because it is written.
As the world drifts far from truth, I will stand my ground.
Satan hates God, His Word, my marriage, my family and my church.
I will speak up against the devil’s schemes and strategies.
He is not all powerful and his days are numbered.
I will not be silent for fear of landing on his radar.
I will not cower when accused of being unkind or unloving.
I refuse to be a pawn of Satan.
I will stand through the battle.
I will still be standing at the end of battle.
I will stand in battle with others who speak the truth.
When others “follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons,” I will speak up.
I don’t care what it costs me.
I will speak the truth in love, with compassion and kindness.
As Paul requested in Ephesians 6, “Pray for me, that whenever I speak, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel.”
Pray that I may declare it fearlessly, as I should.
I will not be silent.”
It was that day that the Lord affirmed that I had to finish this book. This was no longer just a project. It was a calling. The call was profound, yet so simple. It can be stripped down to this simple acoustic truth: TAKE GOD SERIOUSLY.
When God calls you to go, go.
When God calls you to serve, serve.
When God calls you to love, love.
It is very clear to me that so many of us are chasing after something bigger than ourselves. For years I have watched people try to find their “way” in life. This gave me a front-row seat to watching friends, family members, loved ones, acquaintances, and strangers search for belonging and value in sex, money, fame, substances, and everything under the sun.
John 14:6 says, “I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life, no one comes to the Father except through Me.”
My prayer for the person reading this is to take God at His Word and embark on a better way than the one you have tried on your own.
In the next 10 chapters, we will be breaking down overarching points that lead us to a better narrative than we could ever think about writing for ourselves. There is no doubt this book will take you on windy roads and long paths, but my prayer is that we wouldn’t just find ‘A’ way, but that we would discover ‘THE’ way.
Writing a book is interesting to me because whoever is holding this in their hands right now doesn’t see the internal war and countless lies battled in order for this book to make it out alive.
For example, this just reads as the first chapter/introduction. However, what you do not know is that 5,056 hours have passed since I allowed myself to start writing again. I was over 30,000 words into this book when the Lord had me slam on the breaks. I thought I was almost completely done. Instead, God introduced me to a season of waiting.
303,381 minutes to collect my thoughts, regroup, calm down, and continue writing. 211 days of fighting lies and preparing for battle. 6 months of pursuing God’s will for my life, family, community, and what I should dedicate my time and effort to.
Ultimately, many events within those 6 months inspired the pages you are holding in your hands at this very moment.
Though I am not going to go into all of the details just know that the past 6 months of waiting caused the following changes.
Book Title Changed
Less Surface Level, More Depth
Less Mild, More Bold
Less Me, More Him
Sometimes, a clean slate doesn’t mean starting over– it’s simply a fresh perspective. And in the most artistic way, that statement is the anthem or mantra for this book. I think part of the reason this 9-month draft turned into a little bit over 3 years of work was to allow me not to respond strictly on emotion. What good would it be for me to offer up my raw emotion hidden behind what appeared to be well thought out truth?
The waiting also revealed to me that I need to be transparent with the reader that I acknowledge how much I have grown in just 3 short years so I want you to know that I don’t have it all figured out. However, I promise to continue to listen before I speak/write the remainder of this book. I love you and I hope you hear my heart in the pages to follow.
If you want to get the most out of this book you are going to have to surrender control. Not to me. But to God. Why? Because I have read hundreds of pages before and done absolutely nothing with the information consumed. Ultimately, I was able to realize that most of my lack of willingness to apply some of the principles I have learned over time has to do less with consumption and more about control.
Control is a sad substitute for a Savior.
Surrendering control allowed me to fall into the arms of the Savior and allowed me to find the path God had laid out before me.
My prayer for the person reading this book is that you would know three truths that can transform your life forever.
You are chosen.
You are loved.
You are enough.
All of our lives tell a meaningful story. We all took different roads to get us to where we are today but for some reason, you ended up with a book in your hand. I do not believe it was by accident. My hope isn’t to be some renowned speaker, but to be an advocate for my generation. If this book even changes one life, I’m happy. If nothing else, this book has been life-giving to me as I process my thoughts.
This isn’t a book for a specific person or generation. It’s a book to represent the person who wants to be responsible for change.
Let’s rewrite the narrative. There has to be a better way.
