It was still dark and the mist dense this morning, but the weather was just right for walking. I felt different, more rejuvenated than usual—considering my schedule. Laura (my wife) fast asleep at home; I couldn’t resist the opportunity to take this time for myself after getting off from the graveyard shift to think on some things. And the things I thought organized into a plan of motivation for this next year, that, and Sunday’s service was brought up in a group text of friends—it was an awesome message over redemption from David Marvin at Watermark Community Church.

Now there is Christmas music in the background as I walk into my “office” (coffee spot) not too far from home with a Christmas tree of ornaments lit up, and several servers behind the counter skeptical of this guy that just walked in wearing all black, black cargo pants and a black panther hoodie as I find my place to sit down and get settled for some study and writing. One server had his eye on me, profiling me, until I looked up at him and waved. I’m a regular, they’ll know me when they actually see me.

There’s a guy reading a book behind me and lady with headphones in her ears rapid typing like her life depended on it to my left, and then there’s me and you, soaking in the environment for a story.

As I meditate on what a story means for people at different places around the world am found a little discouraged by the overwhelming amount of information flooding into my system to try and cope with understanding everything in light of my convictions, it’s not a new experience, but often forgotten until the research reminds me of the world so far outside myself. A world that seems unreachable, which is a false concept because the conviction of my belief in the Holy Spirit assures me of His providential agency that reaches the entire world for the salvation of all who would call on the name of the Lord—Jesus Christ.

What’s comforting is having the readiness to serve where the Spirit leads, and so here we are— well, I think you know what I mean (I’m curious as to where you really are), but reading and writing is such an awesome medium to influence the world with our new lives in Christ, which is so much more than a romance story. It’s every genre story!