“I don’t
know if I can do this anymore. Sometimes I think I just might have to quit.”
I looked
at my friend across the table from me as he spoke. The cheerful chatter of the
coffeehouse around us played a striking contrast to his mood. It was obvious he
was carrying quite a burden.
The
pastor’s brows knit together, his eyes were downcast, and he was leaning
forward with intense interest. “I love counseling young couples – I really do –
but it’s just so hard, seeing them on the brink. It’s like I get them too
late.”
I hadn’t
listened to him long, as the answer started clearly unfolding before me. He had
the same predicament as so many other business professionals with whom I work.
Still, I let him talk it out over coffee, laying down some of his burdens from
the past week.
Finally
he said, “I wish there was some kind of instruction manual for young married
couples, you know? Then all the words and tools I give them could make a
difference before they even get married. But nobody’s written that book yet,
and I don’t know what to do.”
“Then you
have to write it,” I said. “It sounds to me like you’ve been called.”
He looked
up at me from his coffee, a bright light of recognition in his eyes. “Huh. You
think so? Maybe you’re right – stem the crisis before it starts by giving them
the manual… You know, that’s not a bad idea. In fact, I think I really could do
this.” He leaned back in his chair, mulling over the idea.
“Sure,” I
told him. “It’s a question of leverage. Don’t you think we’re given the
answers, contained within the problem?” His response told me he agreed.
And so,
another book was born.
As a
publisher, I see the act of publishing as a blessing. It’s not just about
saying your piece for its own sake. It’s about blessing the world with your
discoveries. Whether you’re writing fact or fiction, the words you publish
offer the world something new, something valuable, and something uniquely your
own.
Standing On the Shoulders of Published Giants
Gutenberg
made a wise choice when he published Bibles as the first mass-produced books.
Those in power accused him of working hand-in-hand with the devil. Certainly
they didn’t want their most priceless knowledge to be in reach of the common
man. Truly, knowledge is power.
But Gutenberg
pointed out that no one in league with evil would publish the Bible. By making
this choice, he demonstrated that the printing press was not developed as an
influence from dark forces. It was a convenient way to spread wisdom through
the land.
Publishing
spreads information democratically. That means it’s not just in the hands of
the few, but it’s accessible to anyone who can read. Each generation can build
upon the knowledge of the previous one – as Isaac Newton put it, “standing on
the shoulders of giants.”
I
strongly believe that writing is a gift to humanity, bettering the human
condition. It also can be the most powerful weapon on earth. Ideas can be used
to kill, or cure.
Sharing
your thoughts through the medium of books means you can reach people around the
world, now and in the future. The words you write today are a blessing to the
generations to come.
Like my
new friend the pastor, the world is hungry for your knowledge, experience and
wisdom. It is important for you to write your book and see it through. Who
knows what lives your ideas can change?
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