Spiritual Oxygen

August 27, 2010

As you can see, it’s been a while since I’ve blogged, June 19^th to be exact. Now that I open this thing back up I realize I probably should have told you then where I was going, but since “was going” has turned into “went,” I’ll tell you where I’ve been. You may or may not know, I was on vacation for 3 weeks in July, then worked like a dog in the office to catch up for 2 weeks and then left the office again and entered into a focused time to work on my book the first 3 weeks off August.

I have seen other blogs where people blogged about writing their book, while they were writing their book, but all of them were writing over an extended period of time, chipping away at the book a little at a time. I need blocks of time or it’s a waste of time for me and since I don’t have any time to waste and am not able to find big blocks of time during my weekly schedule, I have to schedule them away from the church.

Furthermore, I am already writing a sermon each week and I guess I’m just not prolific enough to find time to write a sermon, answer emails, write a blog and write a book. So, my plan was to devote all my attention on the book over an intense 3 week period and write furiously for those 3 weeks. (I did the same thing last year.) I just finished those 3 weeks and they were awesome!

I am so grateful to our church for letting me take a study leave and I’m jazzed about how much I got done. I’ve told a few people that I’m done with the book, and seasoned writers have scolded me not to say those words. “You’re not done until it’s published” they said with that knowing voice. “There’s always changes to be made and the publisher may have you do a major re-write.” Of course, those of you who know me, know I will be tinkering, editing, revising until they wrench it out of my hands.

So, I’m done, but I’m not done. Either way, it still feels awesome! More than one person has commented about how free and liberated I seem. I have to say it is an exhilarating experience writing a book. I couldn’t wait to get out to my writing space each day (a card table under a patio umbrella), arriving there most days before 7 AM and writing till late at night.

The current title for the book is “Spiritual Oxygen” The subtitle is: “How the Holy Spirit Makes Us More Like Christ.” I explore the concept of spiritual breathing and learning how Jesus cooperated with the Holy Spirit and how we can too. Just recently I’ve also toyed with the possibility of “Only A Breath Away” the idea being that “all that we need from God; help, grace, power, etc. is only a breath away.” More knowing people have also told me not to fret about the title, since if a publisher buys the book, they’ll probably change the title.

So, 2/3 of the book is off to an editor friend of mine. I’ve been warned about that too! I’ve told her I am a big boy and to go ahead and have all the freedom she needs to edit, but we’ll see how big I am really am when I see all her edits!