Note: This blog is my entry into Donald Miller’s (“Blue Like Jazz,” “A Million Miles in a Thousand Years) Living a Better Story Blog Contest. Read more about the seminar at www.donmilleris.com/conference. Watch video of Don below my blog entry. Thanks for reading! -Chase
I still remember the day I received Switchfoot’s new album, “Hello Hurricane,” in the mail. I had heard only the first single (“Mess of Me”) and pieces of other tracks before that, so needless to say, I was stoked to get into the genius lyrics and music by wordsmith Jon Foreman and Co.
I took a short trip out to my car and put the CD in. By the time I made it through the first song, “Needle and Haystack Life,” the knot in my throat was almost suffocating. I hit the “repeat” button and listened to it again. And again. And again. And again. And again. Ten more times, at least; tears were flowing by the dozens at this point. These words hit home, time and time again:
All is not lost
All is not lost
Become who you are
We are once in a lifetime
In this needle and haystack life
I found miracles, they’re in your eyes
It’s no accident we’re here tonight
We are once in a lifetime
I’m a believer in the perfect sentence, always have been. I believe that words can be the most powerful tool on the planet. Words turn water into wine, create and end wars, and seal love into marriage.
But in the end, we often forget about the words we create outwardly through our actions, or the thoughts that resonate in our souls.
It’s an easy metaphor to compare our lives to telling a story. It’s easy to want to make an impact, to “change the world.” We all want our stories to keep filling pages even after we’re gone.
I’ve been in this position for quite some time now, the position where I ask myself, “What am I going to do to change the world? What kind of story will I tell with my life?” My wife and I pray every night that God would put us in a position to make an impact, to be world-changers, every day of our lives.
I started writing a book about a year ago to tell a story. I like to think and say it’s a simple story of boy meets girl (or girl meets boy), but it’s a story where heartache, depression, hate and resentment meet an innate desire to love in the center of the ring. I like to think that writing a book is like putting together a puzzle — you have to fit thousands of “perfect sentences” in the correct place to create a story worth telling.
My ambition is to use this book as a story-teller — to both myself and my readers, however many there may be — of what life can be like with love in the driver’s seat. Much of my story is injected into this book, and being part of Donald Miller’s conference would, quite simply, be a perfect piece of the puzzle.
I want to tell a story where my words reach farther into people’s souls than miles around the globe. I want to share my experiences and help those who share a common history. I want to listen and learn, and then do my part to have an impact on those who I learn from and others who have a desire to learn what I have learned. Whether my place is in an organization that helps the fatherless, the homeless or the passionless, I can’t say for sure at this point. But, using this book as a springboard, my foot is ready to step forward, ready to start writing on the next chapter. This seminar would play a great role in putting my feet in the right place. It’s not about writing a bestseller and selling copies. It’s about telling a story worth being told, and following up on the story by using it to help and impact others. And there’s not a better place to start than to be in the presence of a person whose story-telling who has affected me greatly in my life.
Jon Foreman said that every day you wake up, you change the world. Finding that place — the place where you feel alive, where every breath you take is a second chance to make a difference — is quite a challenge. You want to make an impact in every way possible, but sometimes you need a little guidance. Having the opportunity to attend the Living a Better Story Seminar would be a perfect sentence to inject into my story.
Living a Better Story Seminar from All Things Converge Podcast on Vimeo.
