I just published my sixth book, Journey Through Genesis. Here’s a peek behind the curtain…
What’s it about?
It’s a devotional commentary on Genesis—the first book of the Bible. I cover all 50 chapters of Genesis, but unlike traditional commentaries, I don’t go verse by verse. Instead, I try to bring out salient points from each chapter—the things that spoke to me. I discuss ideas and principles that are applicable to my life. Hopefully, my readers can relate to that.
How did the book come about?
The original idea came from a discussion I had with my sister, Stacy, several years ago during a family gathering at Christmas. We were discussing my dream of doing some faith-based writing, and she mentioned a need for more writing that helps ordinary people to better understand and relate to the Bible. She planted a seed.
She was on to something?
Absolutely! The Bible is the most important, life-changing book ever written, containing the very words of God, and yet a 2021 survey of Americans found that 29% of people never read it and only 11% read it daily. Half of Americans read the Bible less than three times/year. More than a problem, that’s heartbreaking. It’s devastating to our culture and our future. A relationship with God—the most important relationship that exists—is built on two-way communication. We speak to God through prayer (Philippians 4:6-7 & 1 Thessalonians 5:17-18) and He speaks to us through the Bible (2 Peter 1:21, John 16:12-13, & 1 Corinthians 14:37). When we don’t read our Bibles, we cut God off, and the relationship becomes one-sided. If we also don’t pray, there’s no communication. Imagine a marriage relationship where neither spouse or only one spouse communicates. That’s a problem. This book is my modest attempt to encourage people to open or re-open their Bibles and let God talk to them.
Why are fewer people reading the Bible these days?
Lots of reasons. We’re busy. Our days are full of activities—working, playing, raising children, maintaining stuff, etc. I’m afraid, at the end of a long day, too often “mindlessly streaming Netflix” or some other activity trumps “meditating on God’s Word.” Too often the Bible doesn’t bubble up on our list of priorities. And, if that sounds like finger-pointing, know that the first finger is pointed at myself. I’ve got work to do.
I also think sometimes people view the Bible as old and outdated—a relic from the past. The old, dusty family Bible sits on Grandma’s bookshelf, next to her VHS player and flip phone. Quaint, but rarely opened. In the opening of my book, I compare many people’s views of the Bible to the way the young man views a bowl of flaky cereal in the 1992 Super Bowl commercial. He’s not sold on it—thinks it’s kind of boring—until he tries it. Like the young man in the commercial, sometimes we must taste something again “for the first time” in order to appreciate it.
So, you want people to try the Bible again for the first time?
Technically, that’s not possible. You can only try something for the first time once. Figuratively, though, it’s possible to see an old, familiar product in a new and different light. Old married couples can reflect on what first attracted them to their spouse and try to recapture the magic. You can retrieve the old bicycle gathering dust in the garage, wipe it off, grease the wheels, and take it for a ride on a new, exciting trail. Old things can be reimagined.
I’ve probably read or been told the story of Noah’s ark 200 times in my life. So, it’s tempting to not read it the 201st time. I mean, what else could God possibly want to communicate to me through that story? It turns out, quite a lot. When I approached it, and the rest of Genesis, with an open heart and a fresh set of eyes, God opened the spigot. I saw things at age 56 that I hadn’t seen before, and I wrote down what I learned.
Why Genesis?
Genesis provides the stage-setting—the context—for the rest of the Bible. To understand where you are and where you’re going, it helps to know where and how you began. We get that in the first few pages. This book of beginnings, written by Moses under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, sets forth the origin of the universe, humanity, culture, languages, marriage, family, sin, death, sacrifice, redemption, cities, and civilization. Genesis answers some of the most basic, yet profound questions you’ll ever ponder. “How did I end up as a human being on Planet Earth?” “Who’s responsible for this magnificent universe we live in?” “Why am I here?” To better understand our heavenly Father’s actions toward humankind throughout the Bible, it’s valuable to know how He felt about us right from the start.
As with your other books, you continue to self-publish. Why is that?
Unlike some writers who consider writing a career, for me it’s a hobby. I enjoy and benefit from the process. This book, as an example, had me opening God’s Word almost every day for the past nearly two years. That’s a good thing—a useful hobby. I hope others enjoy and share my book with their friends and neighbors. But I don’t track sales or proceeds and do very little marketing. I don’t enjoy that aspect of the process and don’t get caught up in that—not at my age. Turning my hobby into a business would suck the joy out of it for me.
I also like having complete control over content. When I wrote my books on hiking the Appalachian Trail, I didn’t want an outdoor/adventure publisher asking me to take out all the “God stuff,” nor did I want a Christian publisher asking me to take out references to bodily functions. On the AT, I experienced God and experienced some odd, humorous moments of bodily functions. With my books, you get what’s on my heart—the raw, real me—for better or worse. I don’t have a publishing company telling me what, when, or how to write.
What’s on the horizon?
I currently have two irons in the fire. The first is a memoir of sorts—scenes from my life and what I’ve learned along the way. I’ve been going through scrapbooks and photo albums and talking to family members. I’m finding that looking back on my life and trying to make sense of it is a challenging and useful exercise. I’m also working on a sequel to Faith in the Margins. I’ve gotten good feedback on that book and there’s always new material coming in. Beyond that, who knows? Maybe a Journey Through Exodus? Whatever I’m working on, you’ll find me with a cup of coffee either at Vienna Coffee Shop, the Blount County library, or on my back porch.
Final Thoughts?
First, I want to thank the “Fab 5” who read and provided feedback to me on early drafts of this book. Chase Turner, Todd Tipton, and Janet, Jason, and Kyle Johnson took this journey with me and provided key insights that helped me shape the narrative. They saw things I had missed and simply made the book better. I am eternally grateful to them!
I also just want to encourage everyone to read their Bible. Like I said, it’s the most important, life-changing book ever written. Sure, there are parts that can be tough to get through. But other parts provide hope and meaning and purpose. God reveals His love and His plan for humankind. Jesus tells us and shows us how to please God and live the very best life. For me to know what God’s Word can do and not share it would be like a physician having a life-saving drug and not prescribing it. With whatever time I have left, I hope my books can in some way point people to our amazing God.
I hope Journey Through Genesis—available on Amazon—will encourage people to pick up the Bible and “read it again for the first time.” I hope it draws out some practical applications of the text for you. I hope you’ll share it with others because you are my only marketing team. But whether you read my book or not, read God’s Word. It’s inspired. It’s the one and only God who created you and loves you wanting to have a conversation with you. I promise you reading and meditating on the Bible will change your life for the better.
