Every life has a story. Whether it is a story worth telling and talking about, though, is up to you ~ Donald Miller
For the past few months, I have been working publicity and logistics for a major motion picture release. By the time the campaign is over, I will have traveled to more than 40 movie theaters around the country. That’s a lot of people-watching. It’s also a lot of people-listening. Here’s what I heard over and over again as people made their way out of the theaters, depositing their 3-D glasses in boxes and dumping their leftover popcorn in the trash. “It wasn’t that good, but the special effects were awesome!” It appears Hollywood has gone ultra-cool with effects at the expense of great story.
I think we do that in our lives too.
So gradual that it’s hardly noticeable, many of us let go of the pen and stop writing our stories. We opt for a few special effects and forget that life is a series of choices and chapters and we only get one chance to make it a story worth reading and talking about. If this describes you, change it today.
Imagine the effort we put forth each day to limit ourselves. Think of how foolish it is to limit God. We have no idea what we’re capable of. We have no idea what He’s capable of.
Comedian Louis C.K. has a great routine where he says, “Everything is amazing and no one is happy.” Like most great jokes, it’s funny because it’s true. He describes how people complain about air travel, “We didn’t board for like, 20-minutes…..They left us on the runway forever,” we whine. Yet, never do you hear people scream, “WOW! WE’RE FLYING! WHAT USED TO TAKE DAYS WILL TAKE US A COUPLE OF HOURS! WE’RE SITTING IN A CHAIR IN THE SKY AND IT’S AMAZING!”
You awake each day with a gift from God; a new canvas in which to write your story. It is AMAZING. What do you do with that? Do you live every day with the mindset of gratitude and thankfulness? Do you see your opportunities to touch people as a privilege? Do you stand in awe of God’s grace? Do you accept His invitation to play a small part in His HUGE plan?
If you’re like me, you sometimes treat God like he’s a distant cousin living somewhere in New Jersey. He’s busy, you’re busy…whatever. And when He does something incredible in your life, perhaps you treat that like it’s getting on a plane; nothing really remarkable, in fact, somewhat expected.
Trust Him more. He’s also writing.
I believe there is a writer outside ourselves, plotting a better story for us, interacting with us, even, and whispering a better story into our consciousness. ~ A Million Miles In A Thousand Years
Special effects are really cool both at the movies and in your life, but not at the expense of story. Write a better one today. Ask for help. You have been given a great chance and it’s AMAZING.
