My Crazy So-Called Life

Many of you know that I have collaborated with a professor and friend of mine, Dr. Ben Witherington III on a couple of books. The first of these, Incandescence, came out a couple of years ago. Dr. Witherington offered me the opportunity to write spiritual formation excercises to go along with his sermons. It was a difficult, but rewarding task. It afforded me the chance to put my love of the saints and spiritual formation to good use. It also allowed me test my skills as a writer.

Dr. Witherington approached me again about collaborating with him on another volume. This one, entitled The Living Legacy, afforded me another chance to use my gifts in the area of spiritual formation writing. I was able to couple ancient practices with modern poetry and theological reflections. Also, this volume allowed me to write and reflect upon authors and saints that I love and have learned from through the years. It was difficult, as I worked on the bulk of it during my engagement! But it kept me focused on what is most important during a busy time in my life. I loved the freedom Dr. Witherington gave me to explore classic and current works of the giants of the Christian faith.

All that to say, I am an officially published author! The first volume was a collaboration and my name was graciously mentioned in the forward. This second volume has my name on the cover and everything! If you know me, you'll excuse my excitement about the latter. I am not gloating...just really, really honored and humbled by this fact! This is just another step along the way to my dream of writing on my own.

I can trace the roots of all of this back to a random conversation at Solomon's Porch in Wilmore, Kentucky several years ago. He had already approached me about transcribing some of his poetry (which are included in The Living Legacy) into a permanent book (I have pretty good handwriting which he discovered from the cards I sold at Solomon's Porch). I came in that day, as I often did, to do some much needed studying. He came by to say hello and I asked him what he was doing. He said he was finishing a commentary on Romans and asked what I was doing. I told him I was studying, but casually mentioned I would really like to write a devotional book someday. Well, Dr. Witherington took note of this and said we should collaborate on a book in the future. I smiled and said I would love that, of course. He left and I was dumbfounded, wondering what I had done! I figured nothing would ever come of it. Boy, was I wrong!

As I write, I am preparing for a trip to Kentucky in just a few short days. Jason and I are heading there to be a part of a book-signing at Joseph-Beth Booksellers in Lexington, Kentucky. Is that not WILD, and EXCITING news?! We are looking forward to the trip to Asbury and to Kentucky in general. Plus, anyone who has lived there can tell you that Joseph-Beth is one of the coolest bookstores. It is two stories of books...heaven to an avid reader like myself!

[If you'd like to see more on the books above, go to these websites:
Incadescence: www.eerdmans.com and The Living Legacy: www.wipfandstock.com. You can also just Google them both.]