There’s this book I have been reading lately. It’s called “A Million Miles in a Thousand Years.” A guy named Donald Miller wrote it, and so far as I can tell he’s brilliant. Without giving away too much of the detail of the book (I want you to read it!), it’s really just Don’s reflection on recent years of his life as he discovers what it means to live life as a story. A story written by God. That may seem like a pretty old concept, but his take on it is fresh and new. He uses literary theory as a way to view life, all the while recalling beautiful anecdotes with pure, unbridled honesty. It’s marvelous.
I’m about halfway through Miller’s book, but I’m already inspired. I already find myself seeking to live my life as a story, to be a “good character,” as Miller calls it, in the story God is writing for me. I feel like I’m living with more purpose, intentionally. Everyone should read “A Million Miles in a Thousand Years,” even if just for the sake of reading beautiful literature. I feel more alive with each page I turn.
One of the adventures I can see God writing into my story is my involvement in Mosaic. Mosaic Birmingham is the church I go to in case you were wondering. We meet downtown in a bar and hold Bible studies and communion services in the lofts next door. There’s a group of maybe six or seven guys I’ve become friends with who have been given nothing short of a miraculous opportunity to serve a group of homeless people in downtown Birmingham. They are all in a group called Kaleber. God has been faithful to open up the doors for Kaleber to serve, so they are simply following God where he leads them. Last night I went to a Kaleber meeting where we sorted out the supplies we plan to offer to the homeless campsites (hopefully next week). We then sat down and watched a slide show of photos as one our guys, Austin Richardson, talked about his trip to India over Spring Break. It was exciting just to hear him recall the little mundane stories about the people and the culture. If only I wasn’t too tired to stay awake for the whole thing… But that’s what I get for studying late last night.
Anyway, my story is turning out to be an enthralling work of fiction.
Thanks for being slightly interested in it.
I’ll dedicate my next hit disco album to you.
Austin, we enjoy your blogs so much and you make us feel so proud. We feel so blessed everytime we read an email from you and the life you are living for God. We pray every day for you and we know that God is going to, and is using you in a very special way. The ministry you are involved in is needed greatly in our world. There are so many people that are longing for what your ministry is offering and we know that God is the answer. Thanks for being obedient to God and all that you are doing. We love you more than you will ever know…….Nana and Grandpa
Ever since Blue Like Jazz I had been looking for Miller to write another inspirational book (and not inspirational in the often cheesy Christian way), and after A Million Miles in a Thousand Years, I started writing less and living more…which has felt amazing. An yet, as I often do, there were moments were I stopped writing all together! I”m now finding my way back to a happy medium of writing AND living.
That’s so great! I’m glad you’ve found a story for your life. I actually just finished the book today, and I must say I’m pretty satisfied. It makes me want to go tour America… and Europe for that matter. Heck why not Australia while we’re at it? But seriously I felt more like a real person after I read it, that real humans have the same problems I have. Story… It’s the one thing I can be certain that you and I have in common. Because you’ve just entered mine. Funny thought, huh?
I love it when stories intersect!
I too want to continue traveling (I resonated with your friend’s trip to India, spent some time there back in 2006…very powerful!). Right now I’m trying to make due with finding a way to make cleaning my toilet interesting (to readers and to myself), but alas….my daydreams are much more fun than reality sometimes.
Also, I think it’s radical that you meet for church in old bar!
Haha I get a lot of comments and questions about the “church in a bar.” It’s actually a pretty traditional church (as far as protestant churches go). It’s ecumenical, and we sing both hymns and contemporary worship songs. The only really odd thing is that the seats are all chairs and stools, and of course all the alcohol on the shelf behind the bar.
See, two years ago the bar owner, being a faithful Christian, decided that he should give back what God has blessed him with: his bar. So he closes down the bar every Sunday and lets us use it for worship services. Every other day we just meet in the lofts next door which the church leaders live in.
I have always wanted to go to India ever since I learned what Ghandi did there. I think God designed me to be a traveller, to live wherever he desires. There is no place off limits.
As for making toilet-cleaning more interesting, you could pretend you are preparing for an alien invasion and applying alien repellent (cleaner) to the toilet so they can’t get in through your plumbing system. I mean that IS a possibility…