Everyone has a story to tell. And your story may be what makes the difference in the life of someone desperately looking for the truth.

Revelation 12:11 And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.

In these last days, Satan is desperate to keep you from sharing what God has done in your life. According to the Bible, we overcome the enemy by the blood of the Lamb and the word of our testimony. Satan tries to drown out the truths of God’s love and the miracle of the Gospel by flooding people with noise and distractions. Your story can cut through the noise in the lives of those that are close to you and maybe even impact someone you have never met.

You can dust off your personal stories and use them to expand the Kingdom of God. It’s easier to turn your life stories into a book than you may think. With new print-on-demand technology, you don’t have to write a bestseller to make an eternal difference. The following ideas may be helpful as you seek to publish your story in print or online.

Truths & Tips

• Give it to God - Jesus said that apart from Him we can do nothing. That includes writing a book. Since Jesus wrote the #1 bestseller of all time, I guess that He knows something about writing a powerful book.
• Just write without an agenda - There will be plenty of time to fix grammar, syntax and spelling later. The first priority is to get what is inside of you out onto the page. Don’t worry about the first draft, you’ll have plenty of time to fix problems later. Let it flow.
• Let your writing change you - As you write, read and edit your work, let the revelation you receive change you as a person.
• Don’t worry about getting published - It seems the thing that aspiring writers always want to know is how to get published. A better question seems to be, "How can I make a difference?"
• Do all things for the glory of God - Consider what Paul urged in his letter to fellow Christians. Paul wrote, "Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men" (Colossians 3:23).
• Be honest and be open to reveal your pain, struggles and failures as well as your triumphs - One of the things that I love about the Bible is that we see both the greatest hits and the bloopers. If you want to be relevant to your readership, you must be broken.
• Avoid Christian jargon if focusing on un-churched people - Terms like justification, sanctification, trinity, sacraments, atonement for sin, baptism, eternal security, rapture, etc. may be confusing to those outside of the church.
• Organize journal entries in logical chapters based on similar themes - When I wrote Organic Faith, I had dozens of little stories, journal entries, poems and Biblical commentaries on a variety of topics. Although the book covers a lot of things, I knew that I would have to organize everything into logical chapters. Read through everything that you have written and see if you can find any commonality among them. Separate what you have written based on the various chapter themes.
• Life message or metaphor - Ask God to reveal his primary message to you. Review your entries to see if a consistent theme runs throughout. For me, it is organic faith. Read the first chapter of my book to discover what my life metaphor means.
• Stop believing the lies of the devil - You do have something valuable to say because God has done a great work in you.
• Faith required - It takes faith to do great things for God. Faith is the evidence of that which is not seen. Relax if you face obstacles in converting your journal entries into a book. Obstacles are opportunities for God to demonstrate His love to you.
• Get help - Find a good editor and review board to look over your work. They can help you identify basic grammar and spelling problems as well as language flow and overall prose. When writing on Biblical issues, I like to have a review board of Spirit-led, knowledgeable people to keep me on a solid Biblical footing.
• Don’t get overwhelmed - Start small and ask God how to handle the pricing, printing, layout, distribution, etc. The Spirit will guide you.
• Do the first step - When you think of taking on something as big as writing a book, the size of the endeavor can overwhelm you. Resist the temptation to worry. Figure out what the first step is and take it. Don’t delay. Do it now!
• Use the Web - Consider putting the book online. Check out my Web site to see what I have done (www.organicfaith.com). PDFs are the easiest way to put something online.
• Sharing is caring - Share your story with others. Be enthusiastic and let God use your story to expand His kingdom.

Making excuses can become an art form, but that is not the kind of art that makes a difference. One of the biggest obstacles to getting a book published is the cost of printing. But with new digital printing technology, the cost of printing a book has significantly dropped. For less than $100, you can get your book printed and share your story today.

Example print-on-demand cost at www.instantpublisher.com
55 pages plus cover
25 copies
5.5x8.5 size book
Custom color cover

Total Cost Per Book: $3.90
Total For 25 Books (plus shipping): $97.50

There are some additional costs such as graphic design, shipping, Web site, ISBN registration, etc. These costs might bring the total to $250 or more. If you know people who can help design the cover, layout the book, provide proof reading services, you will not have to spend as much as you might think to see your dream become a reality. Tap into the talent in your local church fellowship and community. Many people would love the opportunity to work on a book and may be willing to help you for free.

If you are going to print a book, consider getting an ISBN number. This unique number allows your book to be purchased through any major bookstore in the country. The ISBN number can be looked up in the Books In Print database, which is used by most bookstores for special orders. Www.Instantpublisher.com or some other on demand printers will handle the entire process for a small fee.

Ways to Tell Your Story

• Book - You could self publish your story or send it to one of many publishers for them to consider.
• Blog - Similar to an online journal, blogs are posted on the Web for the entire world to see. You can get a free blog at www.blogger.com.
• Web - Post your story on discussion boards, submit for publication in online magazines or portal sites, or simply e-mail to a friend.
• Write a letter - One of the things that has made the largest impact on the modern Church are the letters written by the Apostle Paul. Although your letters will not become part of the Bible, they can become guideposts for future generations.
• Church newsletters - Most large churches have newsletters or weekly bulletins.
• Speeches - Tell your story out loud to a church or community group.