Publishing Your Past

A week or so ago, I posted about authoring your future and publishing your past. As usual, we only scratched the surface. So, let's wrestle with publishing your past a bit more.

Two camps exist. The camp of debauchery and sin...which, let's be honest, is fun for a season. The other? The camp of faith and peace...which sustains season after season.

Regardless of your camp, you must publish your past. Here's why...

Camp of Debauchery & Sin:

I settled here for a season. Others settle here for several seasons. Others pass through season by season. Tent by tent. Camp by camp. Struggle by struggle. Relationship by relationship. Addiction by addiction.

We're shamed and humiliated and sit in silence as silence offers safety and security. Safety from condemning comments. Security from glaring glances. Oh, how quickly we forget on both fronts. The condemned and condemner as all have sinned and fallen short. There is not one righteous...no not one.

So...your struggles, relationships, and addictions are assets. Not scarlet letters. And...others resonate the same. Others drowning in despair while sitting in silence. Wondering if there's a way out as the stakes have driven deep within.

Here's where you fit in. Publish your past! Reach out and link up. Help these others author a future with the Lord as their guide. Ultimately, fiction will be squelched by fact.

Fiction: The scars of my sins should be hidden as they'll mar my future.

Fact: The scars of my sins should be spoken as they'll heal not only my future...but, others as well.

Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. James 5:16.

Camp of Faith & Peace:

Perhaps you lack these scars. And, relatively speaking, you've avoided these struggles, relationships, and addictions. My wife is the mayor of this camp...which I greatly admire and will proudly publish to my little girls. Proclaiming there's a road often less traveled...but, traveled nonetheless. The road of early faith in Christ and residence within the camp of faith and peace.

Publish your past! Once again, fiction will be squelched by fact.

Fiction: The lack of scars makes my life non-relatable.

Fact: The lack of scars makes my life obtainable.

Follow the steps of good men instead and stay on the paths of the righteous. Proverbs 2:20.