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Typically,
"About the Author" sections give facts and figures: credentials,
schooling, accomplishments, awards. Such dry data has always, in
my opinion, failed to paint a picture; it fails to make an introduction.
Let me, then,
make a true introduction.
I
am a Christian. Four words that mean less than a
breath of air when spoken without commitment, but that shake the
world when spoken with the conviction of faith. Yet what is this
thing called Christianity?
- Christianity
is a matter of relationship.
The Christian is one who has been restored to a right relationship
with God through faith in the redeeming work of Christ on the
cross. That relationship is ongoing, intimate, and dynamic.
- Christianity
is a matter of doctrine.
The Christian is one who believes the teachings revealed in the
Bible concerning God, Christ, man, sin, salvation, etc. A study
of Christian doctrine shows that faith and reason are perfectly
united in Christianity.
- Christianity
is a matter of practice.
The Christian is one who seeks to model Christ-like behavior in
every area of life, public and private. As Paul writes in the
book of Galatians, the Christian life is to be characterized by
love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness,
and self-control (Galatians 5:22-23).
I
am a writer. Again, four simple words. But again,
these four words carry far-reaching implications. There are three
watchwords that have illuminated my writing vocation:
- Creating.
An imagination that has been cleansed and renewed by God is a
powerful tool. Through imagination, characters come to life, stories
become for a moment our own reality, and symbol can become tangible
enough to pierce our soul.
- Teaching.
The written word is the primary vehicle through which I teach.
Each work, whether it is a full-length novel, an article, a non-fiction
book, or a ten-line poem, is written in order to communicate the
doctrines of Christian faith and practice.
- Healing.
Pain and sorrow make us curl in on ourselves, narrowing our thoughts
and choking our hopes. Through the written word, pain and sorrow
can be exposed, and we can open ourselves once more to God's redemptive
healing.
As you read
through the pages of my work, you will come to know who I am. The
words carry a portrait of myself that is truer than any I could
purposefully set down here. Yet my prayer is that in all these things
you would not see me, but that you would see only the God whom I
serve.
I
believe it is of great importance to state clearly the doctrines
of the Christian faith. To these doctrines I hold unswervingly,
and it is these doctrines that I seek to teach, explain, and demonstrate
through my prose and poetry.
The
Apostles' Creed
I believe in God, the Father almighty,
maker of heaven and earth;
And in Jesus Christ, his only Son our Lord;
who was conceived by the Holy Spirit,
born of the Virgin Mary,
suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, dead, and buried.
He descended into hell.
The third day he rose again from the dead.
He ascended into heaven,
and sits at the right hand of God the Father almighty,
from where he shall come to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit,
the holy church,
the communion of saints,
the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body,
and the life everlasting.
Amen.
My
whole desire -- who I am and why I write -- is summed up in II Peter
3:18:
to help others grow in the grace and knowledge of the Lord Jesus
Christ.
Amen.
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