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As soon as I said it, I knew it wasn’t the best way to promote my book.

I was being interviewed about my recent book, Giving Hope An Address and I was asked the question, “What do you hope is the most important message readers will takeaway from your story?”

I answered, “That in the greater scheme of things my story is not that important.” I back peddled my words quickly because even the interviewer looked a little perplexed.

I tried to restate with more clarity, “What I mean to say is what I have written is just a small fraction of the story of the ministry of Teen Challenge. But God has written a greater story that no writer will ever be able to capture about what Jesus Christ has done in the lives of people who have found hope through the doors of every Teen Challenge program.”

Phew! That was better and cleared up a few things for the interviewer.

My answer to that question was a lesson God had recently taught me about what it means to be followers of Christ and to serve in ministry.

You know that saying, “There is no I in the word TEAM.” Well, here is the thing. When God calls you into ministry: be it a church ministry, non-profit organization, or the mission field. There is no “I” in the word gospel. In other words, it is not about you!

When God calls you to reach others with the gospel message, you have to leave your pride at the door. You have to lay down the world’s ambition of success, popularity, loyalty, and recognition.

In other words, it’s God’s story. You are not the author.

Let me use my own family’s story as an example. Through my family, God used individuals to start a faith-based rehabilitation ministry to reach those addicted to drugs, alcohol, and people broken with life-controlling problems. Then God called others to build onto that ministry. He used the faithfulness of not only my family but many others who were called to reach those lost in addiction with the message of hope.

That single ministry grew exponentially for sixty years through thousands of people, each with their individual stories. The Adult and Teen Challenge ministry is now in 125 countries and directed and led by leaders all around the world. And guess what? Today if you ask many staff and residents of a Teen Challenge program, they have no idea where, how, or even who began the ministry of Teen Challenge.

Why?

Because the author and sustainer of Teen Challenge is God, it is not my family, it is not any director or leader of any program, but through the power of the gospel of Jesus Christ who transforms lives and sustains the message that brings hope.

Now as a family member connected to the founding of Teen Challenge, I take great pride in knowing my family was used by God to begin a ministry that is now throughout the world.  It is why I wrote my book so that I could tell a new generation the founding story.

But here’s the lesson; we are not called by God to write a ministry story that we take credit for. We are called to give him the authorship of all of it.

Now, this is easier said than done. We are all human. We work hard in the kingdom of God just like in the business world. And we like recognition for our efforts even on behalf of God. But our objective as followers of Christ is to always point to a bigger story. The gospel story. The “author and perfecter of our faith.” (Hebrews12:2)

In my book, I quoted my uncle David Wilkerson who founded Teen Challenge. He said simply, “Give the ministry away.” He didn’t mean to let go of the calling on your life that brought you to your particular church or ministry. What he was implying was not to hold your ministry vision so tightly. If you release control and allow people to feed into your ministry with their gifts and talents, God will grow your ministry exponentially.  

So if you are feeling rejected, tired, overwhelmed, or unrecognized in your particular calling, remember that you don’t own the rights to the gospel message. It’s not up to you to write your ministry story. You will never properly serve people with the message of Jesus Christ if you are continually looking for self-recognition or feel it is all up to you.

To keep using the writing analogy: stop self-publishing!

The story has already been written. You are called to bear witness to that story of who the Author is. It’s only by God’s grace that He will sustain and grow your ministry through the people you serve and who serve along with you. The pressure is off. Your only responsibility is to promote God’s message faithfully. Let Him write the bigger story through you and beyond you.   

Don’t ever fall into the trap of taking credit for a ministry that was never yours to begin with. Then maybe one day, you’ll have the privilege of writing a book where you realize your name is on the cover, but God is the true author of that ministry story.

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  Guest contributor: Abby Klose, college sophomore
 

Since most media sources won’t report on the March for Life that took place on Friday and they consistently fail to portray the ideology of an average pro-lifer, I’ve decided to share my views as someone who is pro-life. My goal is not to change anyone’s opinion, but to give a glimpse into the heart behind the pro-life movement for those who have yet to experience it.

Today my heart grieves a little extra for the lives lost to abortion because of the circumstances of their birth or the makeup of their DNA. It pains me to know that someone won’t be born today because somebody else failed to see their value. The idea that the circumstances of my own birth afforded me life, while someone else’s circumstances brought them a death sentence places a burden on my heart to advocate for those who were less fortunate.

How can we expect to eliminate discrimination when it is encouraged while we are still in the womb?

How can we expect those who are born into unfortunate circumstances to understand their worth when we constantly tell pregnant women that their babies are better off dead?

I long for the day when we treat every human being with the dignity that they deserve BOTH inside AND outside of the womb.

I long for the day when we refuse to cite moments when dignity was robbed from humans outside of the womb as a reason to rob dignity from mothers and their children within the womb. I say mothers too, because abortion hurts them just as much.

I long for the day when every person who calls themselves pro-life actually treats those outside the womb with the respect and the dignity they deserve. That includes post-abortive mothers. Those who call themselves pro-life but mistreat humans outside of the womb are NOT pro-life.


I long for the day when our first response to an unplanned pregnancy is to rally the troops and consider how we can best support women. On that day, abortion will truly be unthinkable.

I pray for a day when the church as a whole awakens and recognizes their sin of apathy on an issue that matters to God. I pray that their eyes will be opened and their hearts burdened.

All this being said, I don’t live with a misty-eyed view of life. We live in a world with pain and suffering, and that’s not going to change. But I also believe there is a light far greater than the darkness in this world. His name is Jesus Christ, and it is the power of Christ that can redeem any situation. He takes our brokenness and turns it into a testimony. He brings light to dark situations. Some people may be born with an extra chromosome. Some may be born into an abusive home. Some were a product of violence. Even still, I believe there is value in their life. This is why I am unashamedly pro-life.

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 “But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart.”  -Luke 2:19

My heart has never been as full as when I gave birth to each of my children. It sounds cliché but giving birth is truly a miracle. The exhaustion of each pregnancy and the pain of childbirth climax to what I consider the greatest emotional experiences of my life, and I treasure each one of those memories.

I guess that’s why during the Christmas season,  I become this emotional mess who can’t help but cry when I witness a living nativity scene in a Christmas play or reread scripture about Christ’s birth. It’s all about that swaddled baby. Shepherds and Kings kneel at the foot of the manger and Angels worship the miracle of the Christ child. And I sit with tears welling up because I can relate to treasuring the blessing of birth and the three gifts God gave to me.

I cannot even fathom Mary’s emotions, and her pondering God’s choice to allow her to carry in her womb the miracle baby— the salvation to the world.

God chose the most inconvenient circumstances for Mary to have a baby. An unwed, teenage mother who has to live with the cultural shame of an unplanned pregnancy. This could have led to the end of young Mary’s future. Giving birth out of wedlock could have forced Mary into a life of begging and prostitution, as that was the risk in those cultural times. But God asked Mary and Joseph to have faith and trust in this unplanned event in their lives as His intentional promise to the world.It was a choice to see beyond their circumstances, and faith to understand God could bring hope and glory from having a baby.

I don’t know about you, but the birth of Christ, especially at this time of year, draws me to my knees in prayer.

We live in a world where babies are in the headlines of politically motivated news stories instead of in birth announcements. Where words like pregnancy, unplanned, and birth are overpowered by the word “choice.” Babies are too many times reflected in sentiments of being unwanted instead of desired or treasured.

While our society gets bolder in shouting their abortions and embracing a woman’s right to “choose” as a cultural norm, I can’t help but reflect on that intentional message at Bethlehem.

God was deliberate in the plan of the miraculous conception of Jesus from a virgin and all the circumstances surrounding His birth. That baby—held by such a young mother and a father who risked societal shame to live out this mighty plan of God— is the hope of our salvation.

Ponder that! Let it sink in. We are the intended purpose of God’s plan. A plan derived from Mary and Joseph’s unplanned.

There will never be an understanding of the hope and sacredness of life without the acknowledgment of the Savior. Christ’s birth, death, and resurrection define the value of all life. It gives every baby’s life worth—planned or unplanned. When we understand why Mary “treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart,” then we can truly comprehend the sanctity of life.

This is why the gospel message must be wrapped in the pro-life message. Without the divine plan, it’s impossible to understand faith in the unplanned.

So, once again, as I watch that living nativity in remembrance of that miraculous day in Bethlehem and become an emotional mess of a mother, I pray that more people will know the gift of salvation. The hope of life. And treasure God’s intentional plan for all the unplanned circumstances in our lives.

*This is an adapted reblog from 2015.

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Photo from Brooklyn Teen Challenge archives

I love this photo!

This is my Grandma Wilkerson. She is my father’s mother, and this photo captures her familiar smile and an expression that I remember fondly.

I smile when I think about her. She was such a unique woman.

I was blessed with two very different grandmothers. I unfortunately never knew my grandfathers, so my grandmothers were what I knew of both sides of my family heritage.

I had the privilege of experiencing the typical “cookie grandma” on my mother’s side. Oh, how I still recall the smell of warm pies and homemade donuts in Grammie Hudson’s house. (I wrote about her here.)  She was kind of like your storybook grandmother. Her delicious home cooked meals, her crocheted handmade gifts, the rocking chair that rocked countless babies, and her long arthritic fingers that would cup my chin in her hands and offer up kisses. I am fighting back the tears remembering her. I miss Grammie Hudson!

But Grandma Wilkerson was a different sort of grandmother, and I learned to appreciate her for being atypical. I laugh remembering how she would offer up whatever I could find in her refrigerator to eat; which was usually an overripe slice of watermelon and a 2-liter bottle of flat Dr. Pepper. I don’t recall a rocking chair in her house. But I do recall her tattered and overused Bible on the coffee table. I remember staying with her as a young teenager and waking up to hear her humming church hymns in her room as she was getting ready for the day. My Grandma Wilkerson was a woman of deep faith and anyone who had the privilege of knowing her, found this out very quickly.

She was also a stubborn woman and would offer up her opinions regularly even when uncalled for. But any family member would tell you, that what Grandma Wilkerson lacked in motherly affection she made up for on her knees in prayer. She fought many family battles through her worn Bible and her private time with God.

When I was writing my book, Giving Hope an Address, about my family and the founding of the Teen Challenge ministry, Grandma came to mind often. I wrote about her in my story, but my book chronicles her in a time before I was born. I was the youngest of the grandchildren, so I knew an older Ann Wilkerson than I had written in my book.

But let me back up a little in my thoughts to get you to the point of this blog post…

Before I wrote my book, that shares the legacy of the Teen Challenge ministry and the legacy of the Wilkerson family, I had to come to terms with that dreaded word called legacy. I hated that word and everything I thought it represented.

To me, legacy carried every painful family experience, every character flaw I saw in family members, every expectation that family did not live up to in my mind, and I let it all root in my heart.  And it grew into bitterness and resentment. I let walls build up inside me, and each wall cast a shadow against the words family, legacy, and even ministry.

But praise God, the walls are gone! How?—By God showing me in His mercy my true family story.

He graciously and lovingly reminded me that the story I was to write was not about me. It was about God and how He uses all of us—despite our flaws—to write a bigger story as followers of Christ. A gospel story.

If you call yourself a follower of Christ, you immediately join a much bigger family. Legacy is your day-to-day interactions with those around you: family, friends, church members, those you work with… the list goes on. Legacy is how we live out the gospel of Jesus Christ.

It is not pride in our heritage or anger from a dysfunctional upbringing. Legacy is the grace of God that reminds me; it’s not about me.  There is a much bigger picture to legacy, and it is rooted in our faithful obedience and love for God. And yes, even in the obedience through our painful family circumstances.

I was recently reminded of this bigger picture through this beautiful example.

In the late 1960’s, Grandma Wilkerson had a coffee-house ministry in Greenwich Village, Manhattan. (I know, cool right?!) She told a man named Kurt Haas about the saving power of Jesus Christ, and his life was forever changed. He recently left this Facebook post next to Mom Wilkerson’s (as she was called) photo:

Photo taken from Kurt Haas.

“Wherever we go in life we leave footprints, whether they be good or bad, and 49 years ago on September 14, 1969, Mom Wilkerson left not only her footprints in my life but lovingly, after many months of sharing the love of Christ with me, she led me to the Master’s feet. Yes, Mom believed in me and never gave up on me. Thanks, Mom for sharing the light with me. Now I am sharing it with others.”   

 

 

Kurt has served the Lord faithfully for many years as a prison chaplain. He recently told me that when my grandmother was alive, he would often send her flowers to commemorate the day she brought him to the knowledge of the saving power of Jesus Christ.

That, my friends, is legacy!

I’ll continue to recall all the fond memories of Grandma Wilkerson. They’ll probably be mixed in with her quirks and stubborn ways, but the most important thing she’ll remind me of is the real definition of the word legacy. She lived that out in her life.

This quote reminded me of Grandma:

“The central ingredient to a divine legacy is godliness: to know God, to walk in His ways, and to teach future generations who He is.” (Kelly Minter)

And the most significant thing about that word legacy is that you don’t need to have children to offer that to the world.

Our stories, our family legacies, they are all linked by the cord of the gospel. God will continue to use imperfect people for His will and His glory. And I am so thankful that He does despite my often limited God view.

 

 

To read more about my family’s “bigger picture legacy story,” you can buy my book

on Amazon

or at Barnes & Noble.

 

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I don’t have a good memory.

I blame it on having three kids or not taking some natural vitamin that boosts my brain power.

I am constantly writing memos and lists so I remember to do all the things that I think of for a split second before it will vanish.

Thank you, to the person who invented sticky notes!

Sometimes as a Christian, I wish I could remember my journey with God. I wish I could recall to mind all the times God spoke to my heart, taught me a valuable lesson, encouraged my faith, or answered that prayer that I thought would never be answered.

Why do I forget God’s goodness to me, time and time again?

It’s like I wish I could write God-journey-memos and put them on my heart, so I never forget God’s faithfulness to me.

Fear sets in… Pull a memo… Oh, yes, Lord, that’s right. You were there then. You are still here with me.

Anger gets ahold of me… Pull a memo… Yes, anger destroys but peace brings forgiveness and healing. You taught me that, Lord.

Doubt plagues my mind… memo found… Yup, I remember that prayer. That was a long journey with you, God. I doubted, but Lord you were there. You gave me peace and contentment in the process. God, you are always faithful!

I don’t know why I forget God’s faithfulness to me over and over again. Maybe it’s my memory. Or perhaps it’s because God wants me to keep pursuing my relationship with Him and lean on His words and not mine. If I remembered every God-journey-memo, then maybe I would depend too much on my thoughts, taking for granted the power of God’s word.

I am thankful I don’t need my memos because God gave us His reminders through the Scriptures. The only thing I need to remember is to keep pursuing Him.

Fix these words of mine in your hearts and minds; tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. (Deuteronomy 11:18)

I’ll probably always forget, but I am grateful for His daily reminder.

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Amy behind the microphone at CBS Sports Radio

Impressive! That’s an easy way to describe my friend Amy Lawrence.

I often thank God for leading me to wonderful friendships during my college years, and Amy is a part of that group. What makes Amy so unique? Not only is she a caring friend who is also a follower of Christ, but she has one of the coolest jobs.

Amy hosts the national CBS Sports Radio broadcast After Hours with Amy Lawrence. She is one of the only females you will hear hosting her own sports radio program. Let’s acknowledge here: glass ceiling—broken!

But what I appreciate about Amy is that although she has pioneered her way through the sports media industry and has navigated her share of ups and downs as a female in reaching her career goals, she doesn’t use her gender to force her way into a male-dominated environment. Instead, she simply works hard and gracefully maneuvers through the criticism (and sometimes through the prejudice) with a positive and grateful attitude.

Amy is a breath of fresh air in a society of feminist striving and outrage. She’s very much a proud female who also knows a thing or two about sports. But Amy focuses on more important challenges, like how to represent her faith and values in life, work, and ministry.

Welcome to my interview with Amy…

 

Julie: What’s one great CONNECTION that impacted and shaped your career path in sports media?

Amy Lawrence: When I made my full-time jump to sports radio in Oklahoma City in 2002, I frequently crossed paths with an established TV anchor. I would see Bob Barry Jr. at football and basketball games, press conferences, and other local events. Unlike most of the men who worked in the market, he was kind and helpful to the “outsider.” I came to rely on him when I had questions and concerns about the job, and Bob always made time for me.

After a year of hosting my first talk show, I was fired unexpectedly…and it sent me reeling. I’ll never forget those first few hours trying to process the news and struggling with fear. How would I pay my bills? Should I move home? Is my career over?? In my desperation, I called Bob and cried my eyes out. He listened, encouraged me, and then gave me the best piece of career advice I’ve ever received: “You haven’t made it in this business until you’ve been fired at least twice.”

Bob already understood what I would come to recognize in time. Failure is a very real and necessary part of success. We haven’t truly succeeded in life until we’ve fallen flat on our faces once, twice, three times…as many times as it takes. The triumph is getting back up and trying again, not allowing that failure to serve as a deterrent, but instead, turning it into a powerful lesson and motivator. I’ve been fired twice and dropped from a hosting rotation twice. Every time, a better opportunity was waiting around the next bend in the road. Bob helped me to see that failure is not a dead end.

 

Amy interviewing former Dallas Cowboys quarterback Troy Aikman

Julie: How do you set yourself apart as both a follower of Christ and a woman of excellence in the workplace?

Amy Lawrence: This question makes me laugh out loud since I naturally stick out like a sore thumb as a female in the male-dominated arena of sports radio. I can go weeks at a time without running into another woman at work. But that’s not enough. I want people to know what I stand for and why I’m different.

Two ways leap to mind immediately, especially in this age of social media. Compassion and respect are sorely lacking in person and online in 2018. Making the time to care about people and let them KNOW I care about them are two steps I try to take in my interactions with co-workers and listeners. Recently, a colleague shared with me about a family member who’s battling cancer. I was grateful that he trusted me and that I could tell him I’ll pray for her. It made a major impression on him. He said to me recently, “It’s good to know that you care.”

Respect is a lost art in a world where social media and texting have replaced face-to-face conversation. When people can remain anonymous with no accountability, they will do and say whatever they like with no fear of repercussion. It has taken years; but I’ve learned that refusing to respond in kind to trolls and critics, using humor to deflect insults, and reacting with self-control sets me apart on a forum that resembles a cesspool most of the time. As much as I despise the way humans treat one another online, I’m thankful that God gives me the platform to be different.

 

Julie: How does a Christian woman fit into a world rife with feminism?

Amy Lawrence: This is such a challenging subject for me because I believe in equality for women with all my heart–and not only for women in America. I celebrated when women in Saudi Arabia were finally granted the legal right to drive this summer. I hate that women are still treated like property or second-class citizens in some parts of the world. Every trip I take outside the Unites States reminds me how blessed we are in this country. As females, we can pursue any career that we choose, however atypical. But just because we CAN doesn’t mean it’s easy.

I’ve battled discrimination and prejudice at every stop along my professional journey; some of the prejudice is so deeply inherent that people aren’t even cognizant of their warped views. I want to be a woman of strength, integrity, and confidence. I want people to respect me for my determination, tenacity, intelligence, and independence. Those qualities should be valued in WOMEN as well as in men. Despite resistance, those are traits to which I aspire. That’s feminism: recognizing that strength and assertiveness and self-sufficiency are valuable and desirable, regardless of gender. Feminism is believing that every person on the planet, male or female, should have access to the same opportunities. Feminism is a fancy way of asking for equality.

One lesson I’ve learned the hard way, though: “equal” doesn’t mean the same. I used to think I needed to be the same as the men in the sports media industry. I tried talking like them, laughing at jokes and stories I didn’t think were funny, blending in as much as I could. When being “one of the guys” didn’t open the right doors, I tried to force my way into the “club.” I developed a tougher, defensive exterior to prove to my bosses and colleagues that I could hack it and to show them that I was just as strong as the strongest guy. I dug in for a fight, and my first instinct became fighting, even when fighting wasn’t necessary. It took me a long time to understand that I can’t eliminate prejudice with demanding rhetoric; I can’t make people treat me equally. I can only control my response to the discrimination. I can carry myself with professionalism and integrity in the hopes these qualities will open the eyes of people who don’t consider me equal because I’m a woman.

At this point in my life, I always come back to grace. I can be strong; I can be tough. I can be assertive and confident and opinionated. But I have to lead with grace. Because God’s grace covers my mistakes, I should extend grace to others.

When colleagues or listeners or social media users are rude and disrespectful and tell me I don’t belong, I can still offer grace. When I’m passed over for a job or promotion because I’m a female, I can still choose grace.

When feminism is coupled with patience, humility, self-control, sincerity, and authenticity, it’s an unstoppable force! Not only do I represent myself in a manner in which I can be proud, but I disarm my critics. If they still choose not to see me as equal, grace allows me to let it go and move forward without the negativity breaking my stride.

Grace is attractive, even to the staunchest naysayers. Grace brings people close enough to see why I’m different and why equality is deserved. With grace, feminism drops the ugly connotation and ceases to be a bad word.

 

Julie: Is there an aspect of feminism that doesn’t represent who you are?

 Amy Lawrence: It definitely bothers me when all women who believe in equality are thrown together in one large cauldron of beliefs, values, and political views. Not all feminists can be painted with one broad brush. Not all feminists are liberal; not all feminists vote Democrat. And not everyone who believes in equal rights for women supports abortion. I believe life starts at conception, and I believe babies should be protected, even in the womb. Going back to my early teens when I first understood abortion, I declared myself to be pro-life, and I’ve never wavered. Life is precious and fleeting and too often taken for granted. Life is a GIFT, and I don’t believe my rights as a woman should include the right to terminate another’s life. Very few things are cut and dried or black and white; circumstances can be complicated and messy and far from ideal. However, there are some values to which I cling no matter what. The right to life will always be paramount for me.

 

Julie: What’s the toughest challenge you’re facing in your life right now?

Amy Lawrence: Throughout the last year, I’ve grappled with the same obstacle over and over. I KNOW that fear, guilt, doubt, and the trap of comparisons are not from the Lord. He doesn’t operate there, and we won’t find Him there. However, the enemy uses those tricks whenever and wherever he can.

My stumbling block always shows up in the form of the question WHY? Why is this road so hard? Why do I have to walk it alone? Why don’t I hear you? And the question that reduces me to a puddle every time: God, why do you watch me cry and not do something if you love me the way you say you do??

I can get so lost in the doubts and confusion when what I SEE doesn’t seem to line up with what God says in His Word. But I always come back to the same place. When I accepted Jesus as my Lord and Savior, I surrendered my life and control to Him. HE is God; I am not. My life belongs to Him. Sold out means 100% of me. Even Jesus told the Father “Not my will but yours be done” when He faced the cross (Luke 22:42). That surrender is a daily step for me; and at times, it feels like a part of me died.

It doesn’t sound very appealing, does it? Why would anyone want THAT?? What’s the trade-off when we become Christians?? It takes time to understand, and I’m not sure we can fully grasp what it means until we get to heaven…but there IS a trade-off.

For starters, we have access to the God of the universe! Not only does He love us intimately and know every detail about our lives; but He cares about all our hopes, dreams, goals, and desires. He doesn’t forget a single prayer; He doesn’t waste the tears. With that access comes peace. God offers a peace that is often unexplainable but also undeniable. It’s not rooted in circumstances; it comes from knowing HE is in control so I don’t have to be! The peace is a direct result of trusting Him to make all things work together for my good. When I get impatient, I try to come up with the answers and the solutions myself; but there is no substitute for the peace that comes from freedom in Christ. It is PRICELESS!

 

For more about Amy visit:

 

Amy’s Blog ——–> Play by Play Day by Day

 

&

CBS Sports Radio Host Amy Lawrence lives for Jesus first

 

 

 Julie’s new book titled Giving Hope An Address is now available.

Click book for more information. 

 

 

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Let me set the scene for you regarding this photo.

I was sixteen years old on a mission’s trip to Germany. It was a bike tour from Bingen to Bonn where we stopped along the way at different towns and ministered in the streets through pantomimes. Our faces painted, no words just gestures, and sharing our faith through action. A crowd would gather around us, and after our pantomime act someone would speak and share their faith testimony.

I have never enjoyed being in front of a crowd. My fair skin will often reveal my nervousness with red blotchy patches of embarrassment. However, this time there was a sense of comfort hiding behind that white face paint and only having to express actions and not words.

But then one day on our mission tour, I was approached with the most interesting question by one of the leaders. He asked me, “Would you share your testimony today after our street scene?”

I honestly answered him, “I don’t have a testimony!”

He looked a bit puzzled and questioned me, “Julie, are you a follower of Christ?”

I nervously laughed, “Um, yes but I don’t have a story. I have never done drugs, been involved in a crime, and I made a decision to follow Christ when I was about five years old. My life is pretty boring. I don’t have a testimony!”

You have to understand my frame of reference here. I was raised in a ministry called Teen Challenge. It’s a faith-based drug rehabilitation program that has ministered to many men and women with life-controlling problems. It’s a ministry that I have recently written about in my book titled Giving Hope An Address.

At sixteen years old, all I understood about sharing a testimony was that it somehow had to include a former life of drugs, abuse, crime, prostitution, and maybe even a prison sentence. That was all I knew about sharing what Jesus Christ had done in a person’s life.

When you grow up listening to residents in a Teen Challenge program tell their testimonies of amazing transformations of God’s saving power from addiction, your own somewhat sheltered life looks a little dull in comparison.

But I’ll never forget the words the youth leader said to me after my naïve proclamation. He looked into my eyes and pointedly said, “Julie, you have one of the most powerful testimonies. You have been caught in the grasp of God’s hands at an early age, and by God’s grace YOU ARE KEPT.”

I still choke back tears remembering his words to me. I will never forget them.

Even when I feel like I don’t live up to the life I am supposed to live as a follower of Christ, I still remember— I am kept.

When life is hard—I am kept.

When I experience pain—I am kept.

When I feel unloved—I am kept.

When obedience is difficult— I am kept.

God’s promises are true whether we fall in the grasp of His hands at five years old or fifty years old.

One of the reasons I wrote my recent book was to express my gratitude for all those who walked through the doors of Teen Challenge and were willing to let God transform their lives as testimonies of His grace and mercy. Their life transformations and their willingness to share their stories, sealed in my heart a devotion to Christ that has kept me. I am always learning and growing in the knowledge of who Christ is in my life, but I can STILL say with confidence that I AM KEPT.

 

Never underestimate the power of your testimony, friends!

Share what God has done in your life no matter how boring or how tragic you think your testimony is. Never let embarrassment or shame keep you from sharing your story with others. We are called as Christians to share the light of Christ to the world.

It would certainly be easy just to share my faith through actions and not words. To hide behind a painted face and not reveal who I really am. But I can’t do that no matter how difficult it is to express myself with spoken words and with blotchy skin.  Because when you experience the powerful testimony of being kept by the hands of God, it’s a place you want others to experience with you.

Share the hope of being KEPT. It’s a testimony that never gets old.

 

 

Note:

My blog is changing. I want to use this platform to share other people’s stories and testimonies. Today I started with my own.  From time to time, I might share another person’s story with you through a blog or interview format. So stay tuned by subscribing to this blog.

And in case you missed it, here’s another powerful testimony by my friend Kelly that I shared last year.

http://www.theradiancefoundation.org/eva/

 

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In two weeks, my book will be officially released! I had the opportunity to share my story with a few people before its release date on September 1, 2018.  I am so thankful for their reviews and words of encouragement.

 

Here are what friends and Christian leaders are saying about Giving Hope An Address:

 

“As a new believer in the early 1970’s, freed from drugs myself, I was deeply impacted by the Cross and the Switchblade movie. Then, twenty years later, while preaching regularly for David and Don Wilkerson at Times Square Church, I read the book and was powerfully impacted again. Buy now, I feel as if I have gone behind the scenes into the lives of these wonderful men of God and gained a new glimpse into their courage and faith and compassion. What an inspiring, encouraging read! Today’s generation needs to hear this amazing story afresh.”

– Dr. Michael L. Brown, Host of The Line of Fire Radio Show, Author of Playing With Holy Fire

 

“I just finished reading Giving Hope An Address. Julie Wilkerson Klose wrote the Teen Challenge story focusing on the relationship between her Uncle David and her father and the founding of Teen Challenge. The story of TC has been shared, but not from this perspective. It is expertly written and is relevant to this generation. I highly recommend this book to all my friends!”

– Jesse Owens, Founder of Global Renewal, Retired A/G Missionary

 

“It was particularly mind-blowing to me that before I was ever a thought on this earth, in 1960, that God was preparing an Address of Hope for even me…a safe haven from the lifestyle of drugs, violence and promiscuity… a place for me to seek and find Him. My appreciation for the Teen Challenge pioneers just grew so much more. Reading about their struggles and trials really gave me continued inspiration to believe that God is FOR us and that He truly is working ALL things out for our good.”

– Mariah Noelle Freeman, Walter Hoving Home Graduate and Brooklyn TC School of Ministry

 

 

“Giving Hope An Address is the most authentic, inspiring account of the extraordinary Teen Challenge story. Thank you, Julie!”

-Laurie Owens, Executive Assistant to the President at Shippensburg University

 

 

“I am so blessed and honored to be one of the featured testimonies in this book. It’s a terrific read! I encourage all that know of Teen Challenge or graduated Teen Challenge to get a copy. I promise you will not put it down!”

– Frank Livoti, Business Owner and Teen Challenge Graduate (1997)

 

Order your copy today at Bridge Logos Publishing or Amazon.

 

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I have an announcement to make. I have written a book!

By September 1st, on my book’s official release date, I will be a published author. You know what that means? It means I am an expert on all things written and published. (Cue the laughing track.)

That was a little dose of writing humor, but in all seriousness publishing a book has been one of the greatest experiences of my life. It has challenged me to be a better writer, and it has matured me (emotionally and spiritually) in ways I hadn’t anticipated.

During the process of writing my book, I read blogs, articles, and books about the book writing process. I wanted to learn from the experts on what made their writing successful. I searched for quotes about writing that might encourage me along the way. This quote (below) by Donald Miller helped me through the particularly stressful times when I felt that writing my book would lead to a mental breakdown.

 

There was always a common theme among the blogs I read or the advice I gleaned from other writers. Writing is all about confidence. And every writer—even the best-selling authors—face moments of fear and doubt about their books.

But I did notice one thing among a few writers.  Some authors are not willing to be transparent about the writing process. A few can be a bit judgmental and quick to criticize. My biggest pet peeve is when well-known authors point out grammar mistakes from other less experienced writers. Think this doesn’t happen? Spend time on Twitter, and you’ll be amazed.

My background is teaching. Teachers are by nature collaborators. We share ideas, curriculum, and we’re flattered when other teachers want to “steal” our plans for their classrooms. Imitation is indeed the highest form of flattery.

Now imitation in writing is, of course, plagiarism. But collaborating by sharing your particular writer experiences—the process of writing— is so invaluable to other writers. And it strengthens the writing community.

To be transparent, I want to share a few writing points that I hope will encourage and strengthen other writers. I am still a writer/author in progress. I am learning and growing stronger in my skills each day. But as a writer, I want first to be a collaborator and encourage others to pursue that desire to write, to gain that confidence, and write that book!

  

10 Writing Tips From a New Author

1.  Where do I begin?

I think this is the biggest question for anyone wanting to write a book. The whole process feels daunting. My advice is to start with a rough outline of your book but don’t commit yourself to the outline. Just write and see where your story takes you. You’ll be surprised at the natural path that comes from just beginning to write down your thoughts.

2.  Know Your Audience

When I started writing my book, I had two audiences I was writing to. I typed out in bold lettering the names of both groups of people, and I made a paper sign and placed it near my laptop. If my writing veered away from that audience, I tried to get back on track. My hope is my book will reach all types of people, but writing with a particular audience in mind organized my thoughts and gave my book the direction it needed.

3.  Less is More

I recently read a biography where I felt that I was learning about every single day of that person’s life. It was exhausting to read. Half-way through, I decided to skim the pages because I was a bit fatigued about this person’s life. The best biographies or testimonies share a slice of the person’s life. Give the reader a good taste but leave them wanting to know more about that person’s life or the whole pie (to keep the analogy going). Don’t think you have to include every bit of information on your subject. Leave leftovers for marketing the book or maybe for book number two.

4.  A Timeline is Everything

I wrote a book with a defined time frame. Now I jumped around a bit, but I tried to keep to an organized timeline. I hope it reads well and readers can follow along. Many writers tend to write their anecdotal stories without giving thought to the timeline. A personal story or a testimony is compelling when it builds upon itself. Liken it to a photo album and how photographs tell a natural story. Use the natural progression of time to enhance your story.

5.  To Christian Writers: Don’t Draw Denomination Lines

The title is self-explanatory. Unless you are writing a book specifically on church doctrine from your particular denomination, don’t exclude a whole Christian audience that could benefit from your story. Broaden your Christian audience and let the reader gain another Christian’s viewpoint that you probably might not sit next to on a Sunday morning.

6.  Be Your Own Editor

Edit your work, over and over again. Invest in a good writer’s manual and make it your writing bible. Forgot certain grammar rules? Look it up. The more you learn from your own mistakes, the stronger your writing will become. That doesn’t exclude using editors. Let me emphasize here: Every writer needs a good editor. But the only way to strengthen your writing skills is to learn from your mistakes.

7.  Know When and Where to Use Tone in a Story

I am a sarcastic person. I like to be humorous in my writing as well. (Note: my opening paragraph.) But it is essential to know when to use the right tone in your writing and where. I tend to use my comic and sarcastic tone only when I blog. A blog is less formal, and you can write more creatively through a blog post. Always lean toward a more formal tone in a book. You should express your heart and personality through your story but be careful about annihilating a whole audience of readers by a tone that doesn’t translate well on paper.

8.  No One is Perfect

I was reading a book by a well-known author the other day, and there was a big typo on one of the pages. I immediately made a fist pump in the air and said, “Yes! Even this writer makes mistakes.” I’ll admit, it felt good to know that even an author who has been writing for many years is not a perfect writer. Anne Lamott said, “Perfection is the voice of the oppressor.” If you want to be a writer, throw perfection out the window. It’s not possible, and it will hinder your confidence in writing.

9.  Grow Thick Writing Skin

Prepare yourself for criticism but don’t take it too personally. I write that as if I have all the confidence in the world when my writing is critiqued but I don’t. It always hurts, and it is emotionally difficult to grow tough writing skin. But again, if you want to grow as a writer, you need to learn to accept advice or criticism. Don’t ask for feedback about your writing unless you are willing to listen and accept it.

10.  How Do You Eat an Elephant?

I am a finisher. If I am given a task, I want to finish it and check it off my list quickly.  But writing a book takes time, and the process cannot be rushed. Writing my story took nearly two years. Many days I just had to encourage myself to keep going and find satisfaction in the small tasks that inched along toward the completion of the book. Remember writing—especially writing a book—is a huge task. My advice is to journal your progress or write simple notes on a calendar marking each small success. You will soon find that there is a light at the end of that long writing tunnel.

 

Keep writing! Keep growing! And congrats on that future book!

 

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Last week, I wondered if I should keep blogging. Since then I have received new followers to this blog. I took that as a sign to keep going. Obviously, people are reading. When I am not here writing my thoughts, I also write for an organization called The Radiance Foundation. It is led by my friends Ryan and Bethany Bomberger. They are passionate about speaking up for the lives of the unborn and their vision is to affirm that every human life has purpose.

The following is a link to my recent article at The Radiance Foundation. If you like what you read here, you will love following their site. Check them out after reading my latest article.

Click here to read my latest——>>>>> Life, Unity and the Church Rising Up Against Abortion

 (March for Life event with friends of the Radiance Foundation)

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