By Derek Maul
“Take hold of the life that is truly life.” – (1 Timothy 6:19)
Today’s column is about the opportunity each one of us has to share God’s wide-open invitation to “life that is truly life.” I’m thinking about this in response to some self-evaluation I had to practice this week.
Here’s the backstory: When I’m not writing this column, I do some reporting, write books and prepare articles for a variety of websites. I also publish a regular column at www.derekmaul.blog for over 6,300 subscribers including readers from six continents and over 150 countries. Until I did the research, I didn’t realize how many people are listening and in how many places.
For 2018 I decided to revamp my website. I needed a new design, a fresh layout, a new publication schedule and even a new title. Before I could do any of that, however, I needed to write a purpose statement – and that’s what I want to share with Christian Voice readers today.
The bottom line for this blog has not changed from when I first started, I wrote. I want to communicate, clearly, a sense of the adventure that my life has become in response to following Jesus. And in so doing I want to encourage those of you who are reading to accept God’s invitation too.
I’m not sure any of us realize just how influential a voice we have. We may think we live quiet lives, but our reach is greater than we think. It’s easy to point our finger at people we perceive as influential and judge the message they share with the world, but the fact is that each one of us tells a powerful story via the way that we live, and love, and work and play.
It may be a teen in Singapore reading my latest blog post; it may be a bagboy at the grocery who needs your encouragement; it may be someone listening to us talk with our kids in the park.
Regardless, we’re telling our story. Does our story offer the kind of invitation we intend?
—
Derek Maul has written for many news outlets, including the Tampa Tribune, The United Methodist News Service, All Pro Dad, FOCUS Magazine, Newsweek, USA Today, The Christian Science Monitor, Presbyterians Today, Guideposts, Chicken Soup for the Soul and many other publications. Read Derek Maul’s daily blog posts at www.derekmaul.wordpress.com
