Herrick - 8 reasons your life matters

8 REASONS YOUR LIFE MATTERS

JOHN HERRICK

Bestselling author of From The Dead

PUBLISHED BY SEGUE BLUE

Copyright 2013 by John Herrick

All Rights Reserved

Published in the United States by Segue Blue, St. Louis, MO.

Author photograph by Pamela Rempe

Library of Congress Control Number: 2013937313

Scripture taken from the NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE, Copyright 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. www.Lockman.org

TABLE OF CONTENTS

DEDICATION

To Mom.

Thank you for your example.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

Thanks to Kelly Corday and J.D. God used your words to encourage me that, if I write these words, they might encourage others.

INTRODUCTION

If readers receive one message from my novels, I want them to know their lives matter.

It serves as the driving theme behind From The Dead , The Landing , and my novels currently underway. When I jot down concepts for a novel, I dont always seek a story to communicate that message. Story ideas flood my brain and intrigue me, ideas I would love to explore.

Because time is limited, however, I know Ill need to commit to a novel for the next couple of years. That means I must make each effort count. I seek to maximize the impact.

When choosing between two concepts, a question arises in my heart: Will this novel help someone?

Ive discovered if I can answer Yes to that question, it fuels me as I write. I picture the faces of people Ive never met, a sea of individuals who might receive encouragement through my written words. If a story concept makes me weep, I believe the story will impact the lives of somebody who might weep at the moment. As a result, while anyone can read my novels for entertainment purposes, I find it difficult to write for that purpose alone.

As much as I adore the writing process, I love to encourage people even more. I hold that privilege dear to my heart and take it seriously. And I know such encouragement is possible because Ive received encouragement from the written word.

A year ago, I pressed through a rare season that felt like an emotional rollercoaster. My life was in terrific shapebut a friends life had come crashing down, and that friends torment felt like my own. It weighed heavy in my spirit. Over the course of walking with the friend through their journey, I experienced a degree of hurt that opened up old wounds, the kind you thought had died during your childhood but, it turns out, had gone into hibernation for decades. When that happens, it forces you to admit you still have unresolved inner conflicts.

One Saturday, I climbed into my car, popped Casting Crownss Until The Whole World Hears into the CD player, and headed for an aimless drive on the interstate. I needed to clear my head and allow some of the ache to seep out of my heart. As Glorious Day (Living He Loved Me) played, tears flowed. Joy dawned in my heart as God delivered fresh revelation of His love.

On that day, I felt disposable in other peoples eyes. But God reminded me He loves me beyond my comprehension.

At the end of the ride, I parked my car in front of a shopping center and considered individuals who, at that moment, hurt much more than I didworse than I could imagine. Sitting in my car, I grabbed a sheet of paper and sketched out the concept for the book you hold in your hands.

Eight solid reasons to give life one more chance.

Eight solid reasons your life matters.

Chances are, you have moments of isolation, moments in which you wonder, Do I make a difference to anyone at all?

I believe everyone has pondered that question.

If youve ever read my blog, or if youve read or heard one of my interviews, you can deduce that Im a Christian. As such, I view my life through that lens: through my relationship with Jesus, through the hope and love Ive found in Him, through the Bible, through personal revelation God gives me as I journey with Him. That personal perspective shapes the pages ahead. Reader, youve received fair warning!

Whether you are a Christian or not, Ive written this book for you.

Im not a counselor or pastor. Im not the best representative of Jesus Christ that youll find out there. Im just a regular person who has observed and learned a few things in life. Im a Christian doing the best he can, a believer with more faults than he can count. And to my amazement, God chooses to love me anyway.

I dont like angry Christians. I dont like finger-pointing Christians. In my Bible reading, Ive noticed the only individuals with whom Jesus grew angry were the finger-pointing religious leaders and people who used religion to cheat people out of money. The Jesus I know came alongside individuals and treated them with love. Nothing about their circumstances shocked Him. I love compassion because Jesus loves compassion. I know how good it feels to receive it!

In the pages of this book, Ive endeavored to make myself vulnerable. It wont do the reader any good for me to pretend otherwise. When I walk through a tough time, I long for someone to be genuine, to be honest with me and let me know Im not alone. So Ive tried to do the same for you.

While I dont share my hardest struggles or deepest hurts in the pages ahead, Ive tried to share some personal experiences and lessons Ive learned firsthand. I pray they help you in whatever circumstances you find yourself. Ive also woven in some aspects of the Bible that have helped me along the way.

May the words in this book encourage you. If youre in a contented season, I pray this book gives you an extra boost. If youre struggling, I pray you discover someone cares about you. I cant reach out to each reader and befriend them personally, but I can speak from my heart to yours through the written word.

If youre questioning the value of your life, its direction, or even considering ending your life, I hope you will read on.

Never give up!

John Herrick

REASON #1: YOUR LIFE IS MORE PERMANENT THAN YOUR STRUGGLES

Im not a morning person. It doesnt matter how many cups of coffee I drink. If I got up at 6 a.m., my body knows it, and no cup of coffee can fool it into thinking otherwise!

As a kid, I grew frustrated climbing into bed by 10 p.m. because, by that time, my creativity had just peaked. I had trouble falling asleep because ideas and fantasies flooded my imagination. Even today, my most productive time to write is in the evening. By 9 p.m., Im operating at full capacity.

I resent bedtime. It feels like a thief. It interrupts my flow and, despite its health benefits, leaves me with nothing tangible to show for it. All those hours lostyet when morning comes, I feel less energetic.

And so, when I rise early, it always takes me a couple of hours to get into the groove. In fact, I noticed an interesting trend in my adult life: When I arrived at work in the morning and a voice message sent me into immediate troubleshooting mode, I never fully awakened during the day. For the rest of the day, Id feel tired, as if Id never received a chance to wake up.

Definitely not a morning person! If I dont need to wake up early, I dont.

That means I seldom behold one of my favorite sights: a sunrise.

Even during winter, when your job requires you to rise before dawn, you spend the sunrise minutes in the shower or getting dressed. If youre a night owl, you wont get an opportunity to enjoy a sunrise unless you schedule it as a special event.

The Miracle of a Sunrise

A few years ago, when my novel From The Dead hit the shelves, I did a radio interview on a news-talk station in Columbia, Missouri. The program host, David Lile, scheduled the live interview for his morning show and gave me two options: I could appear in-person at the studio, or we could conduct the interview by phone.