I really need your help. If you are interested in hearing why, read on…
I have been divided about Divided. This is no silly pun. As I mentioned in the blog last week, so much of being an author today is about promoting yourself, getting your message out, growing your platform. Since the book released last month, I have felt divided. In my head, I knew this was a necessary part of being an author, but in my heart, I felt a messy stew of hidden agendas and old lies percolating.
In promoting the book, my old ache for fame became easily tangled with my longing for affirmation. Throw in my fear of failure, and I then became driven to succeed. Whatever language I used about the reality of Jesus was divorced from these pulls in my heart. Theology and psychology were sundered once again with neither side winning. Sadly, this is the story for much of my life, feeling pulled in opposite directions. Paul admitted the same dilemma: “I do not do the good I want to do” (Rom. 7:19).
Ironically, the breakthrough came when we were shooting footage for the promotional video above. I was driving to the Natchez Trace bridge, intrigued by the prospect of using a drone camera to capture my bike ride across it. But as I thought about the book, my intrigue unexpectedly turned into anger. I got angry over how much misery the divide between my head and heart has caused, how much life it has stolen from me. Then I got angrier as I thought about the misery it has caused in so many lives I know.
I told the videographer about my anger, and it felt good to go here, angry over evil and sin and tragedy. No longer was this about me or affirmation or failure or fame. All that seemed trivial, even inane. This was about planting the Kingdom of God into the hearts of others so that they become whole and holy. I want to fight for that, and I know the book Divided can be a real help in the fight. Ironically (again), it was anger that joined head and heart back together.
So here’s the deal: I need your help. Would you fight with me? Here are three simple things you can do:
- Share this video on social media or email and invite others to watch and then share it.
- Inform leaders you know about the book and video.
- Take advantage of the 2 for $20 deal on the website store and give the second book to a friend.
- Share the audio introduction to the book.
Whatever you do, enjoy the video. Thanks to Jim Cook, the videographer, and David Huffman, my book agent, for putting it together. It’s amazing (especially the drone camera shots!).
And thanks for your help.
Bill
