Why I Wrote “Making It on Broken Pieces”

A while ago, I heard a sermon based on Acts 27. It details a shipwreck in which the Apostle Paul was involved.

I often imagine how I would frame a message while listening to one. I know that’s not the best use of the time, but it’s like a filmmaker watching a movie and seeing all the technical things the average viewer wouldn’t. I imagined how Paul’s navigation of the storm might be viewed from my perspective, as if I were in his shoes.

I saw that the storm was unique not only in intensity and length. It was described as a nor’easter. The ancient version is not the one experienced along the East Coast of North America; Paul’s nor’easter comprised typhoon-like, blinding, hurricane-force gales. It was extreme and lasted 14 days.

There was no “Peace, be still” command from Jesus, nor was He walking on the water toward them. I often thought about what Paul was thinking. He had heard those stories, but none of them appeared for him.

I worked on a sermon and taught it at church and an outreach event. I had notes, but compressed them for sermon length. I had those notes saved on a thumb drive with all of my sermon notes.

I lived my life like everyone else and experienced what all humans have throughout history. I had storms—trauma, drama, pain, and heartache. I know a wide range of people across different races, genders, religions, no religion, and Christian denominations. One thing besides death and taxes is that everyone experiences storms. Yet, like Paul’s, some are intense and long.

It was after experiencing a major storm that I thought about what I had learned. It didn’t fit neatly into any religious ideology. I remembered those notes on the thumb drive. I opened the file and started to look at it again—not to prepare a sermon, but to dig deeper and gain some clarity about what I had gone through.

I expanded the notes and researched all I could find about trauma, tragedy, and pain. I searched for people who had experienced it. Some survived, and some didn’t, but there were lessons to be learned. I looked at people from all backgrounds and time periods. I didn’t want a biased view based on someone’s personal ideology and then be told it was directly from God.

I had some thoughts about a book, but didn’t act on them for years. I had long been an avid reader and writer. I wrote for my high school newspaper, and through the years I wrote articles that appeared in college newspapers and church newsletters. I arrived at a time when my main ministry outlet was the written word. Eventually, I got the bug to write again.

My first book was also something I had notes for from years ago. It turned out to be a Bible study: The Road to the Promised Life: From Bondage to Promise: The Spiritual Journey of Every Believer. It is primarily a teaching book.

After gaining the confidence that came with being a published author, I was ready to take on a more personal project. It’s still biblically based, but it contains practical insights that everyone can relate to. I share some of my own story, as well as stories of famous and not-so-famous people.

So Making It on Broken Pieces: Finding Purpose When Life Doesn’t Go According to Plan is a heartfelt book that I am convinced will be a blessing to someone.