The Author of My Story

I love books. I cannot even remember what life was like before I learned to read. I remember when I got my first library card and when my mom signed me up for the Weekly Reader book club. I loved Scholastic book club at school and the chance I would get to run into Walden Books to get the next Nancy Drew mystery with my allowance. My Aunt Janie always sent books as gifts and later when I lived near her, we swapped them and talked about the stories we read. Books became friends with whom I had shared some intimate adventure. When I lived in Waukegan and worked at the library, often after work my friend and I would leave at 9pm (closing) and head over to Borders until it closed at 11pm.

In 7th grade I was allowed to write a book for my English teacher. And that was when I learned the reading books is a lot easier than writing stories! As invested in the characters I read about in other books, I found it extremely difficult to create a protagonist that I would ever want to know or a plot that captivated anyone to keep reading. You would think that I would have learned then to put the pen down on my own life story! I am a great reader, but I cannot write my own story with as much creativity and love as the Grand Story writer, God.

The Bible says that Jesus is the author and finisher of my faith (Heb. 12:2). He is writing my story, and I am promised that it has a happy ending! He has included amazing characters, written in plot twists I never saw coming, and dialogue I never would have imagined. Sometimes I have tried to edit the Lord, or looked ahead to figure out how the story will end. I have been known to pick up the pen many times and try to write it myself. Worse yet, I have even tried to write my kids’ stories or tell God what I think would be a great story line instead of trusting Him for the best story. And perhaps worst of all, I have arrogantly thought the Grand Story was all about me?! My story is NOT an autobiography. It is, rather, a biography of the Lord and every word is precisely right. Every event and subplot is a tool of His grace and each chapter advances His purposes!

I reread the chapters of life with Jim often and with deep gratitude for the the way the Author wrote it. I am so glad I couldn’t read ahead to the tragedy that came at 30 years, when Jim’s scenes moved to heaven. While I can’t say I like the way it was written I do trust the one who is creating it. In the margins he has developed my character and continues to teach me that He knows me better than I know myself, and He writes the best endings, beginnings and in-betweens (Rom.8:28). To the very last chapter I love Him and rely on Him more and more with hope and joy, as I continue to learn to put down the pen and let Him tell the old story of Jesus and His love!