The book that changed my life...

Recently i read Donald Miller's latest book "A Million Miles in a Thousand Years." This book literally changed my life. It is probably the perspective that i take towards life now that has changed more than anything -- but this new perspective actually changes my behaviors and actions.

The premise of the book (in my novice opinion) is that "Every life is a story. Whether it is a story worth telling and talking about, though, is up to you. People set out with grand dreams of changing the world, falling in love, doing something amazing. But the drift toward the merely acceptable happens almost without notice. That does not have to be your story."

That thought alone has stuck in my head (and Emily's too). What story are we writing for ourselves, for our marriage, for our kids, etc. Are we writing a great story? Is it a beautiful story -- or has it grown dull and uneventful? What i have come to realize is that our story is a CHOICE. Life (your story) is not something that just happens to you. It is something that you choose to make -- beautiful or ugly, lame or exciting, hilarious or sad, meaninginful or meaningless, full of risk/reward or safe, transformational or complacent. The amazing challenge is that you and i have a part to play.

And this is where my life began to change. Multiple times a day i would ask myself this question: "Am i writing a better story? A compelling story? A beautiful story? Or am i just letting life happen to me?" These questions began to become a regular dialogue between Emily and I. What story are we writing?

This book "A Million Miles in a Thousand Years" is full of much more inspiration and thought provoking content than just what i am able to discuss here -- trust me. It is the most profound book i have read in the past decade. Miller covers love, dating/marriage, commercialism, theology, etc. But for me, most importantly he uncovers the idea of "story" -- and an interesting one at that.