Why Tell Stories

Over the years, my readers have often asked, “Why do you write books? Why do you tell stories?”

Our Bible tells us that Jesus’ disciples asked him the same question after he told the story of the farmer planting seed (Matthew 13:1–9, The Message).

“Why do you tell stories, Jesus?” He answered, “I tell stories to create readiness, to nudge people toward creative insight. In their present state, they can stare till doomsday and not see it, listen till they’re blue in the face and not get it” (Matthew 13:10–14, The Message).

      Today, the practical among us would say, “Facts give us information but stories can bring us to transformation.”

I am passionate about my message: all people are God’s precious children, even our enemies, and the ones we don’t like. God calls us to love, respect, and forgive all of them—even ourselves. I believe this message is the foundation of Christianity. My small amount of knowledge tells me it is also the foundation of religion. When we learn to live this kind of unconditional love, we move closer to world peace.

And so, I tell stories because I want people to hear this message. I want to help bring transformation. My novels, short stories, children’s picture books, and worship resources—all carrying this same foundational message.

The Easter story, the story of Jesus’ death and resurrection, is central to the Christian faith. It is not an easy story. It speaks of our humanity—our inability to love all people, our tendency to include some and exclude others. It tells of pain, grief, disappointment, cruelty, and violence. And yet, it also speaks of mystery—the mysterious strength of love, God’s love and our love, overcoming death and bringing new life, transformation. Easter is a story. A story that can open our minds and hearts to love.

For more than thirty-five years, I have written and shared stories, all grounded in the same foundational message. My hope is that my stories open my readers’ minds and hearts. As Easter approaches may our hearts and minds, and the hearts and minds of the entire world come to believe:

We are all God’s precious children.
Let us love one another as God loves us.