Have you ever heard of the saying, “Pain is often the birthplace of a revolution”? No? Well, I wrote that. It is one of my inspired quotes and it is exactly how my book, The Dunes, was born. I initially wrote The Dunes because I was journaling. I decided to turn the challenges that I was experiencing into an allegory. I never intended for anyone else to read it. It was purely a creative form of self-therapy. Two years later God put it on my heart to expand The Dunes and make it into a book with journal questions, testimonies and challenges for the reader. I had no idea if what I wrote would actually resonate with readers. I did know, however, that I was willing to put it to the test. I put an ad on Craigslist asking for strangers to read my book, answer the journal questions and do the challenges while allowing me to chronicle their journey on film. http://bit.ly/U9LRSz
The five strangers who answered my ad are the bravest people I know. Not because they answered my ad but because they had each come to a place in their lives where they wanted something more and were willing to release the things that had been holding them back in order to get it. To say we were a motley crew is an understatement. The ages and backgrounds ran the gamut. A sincere heart for change was the sole commonality. Over seven weeks, these five strangers searched their hearts, released their fears, forgave past hurts and stretched themselves in ways that were uncomfortable. Yes, there were some days with tears; but the joy, the growth and the freedom that they all now experience, made it well worth it. http://bit.ly/1hxaOC1
During my journey with those readers there were moments when I wanted to quit. Following five strangers lives over seven weeks and trusting them to not only read my book but to authentically put their best foot forward in conquering their own demons was a bit nerve wracking. It forced me to examine my own issues of trust and vulnerability. As they were going through their “Dunes” journey, The Dunes was growing its author yet again in a whole new way.
In the end, when I saw how deeply The Dunes affected each of the readers and how profoundly their lives had changed as a result, I knew that I had to get it published. I used the footage of their experiences as my book trailer but more than that I use the truth of each of their transformations to remind me of the time five strangers and an author dared to believe.
