Life rarely goes according to my plan. I planned to write this two days ago, for example. Then, it would've been on April sixth. Then, it would've marked a month to the day until we depart for Belfast. Then, I got sick.
Actually, growing up, I spent a lot of time sick. Allergies and asthma convened on a regular basis to make anything remotely physical, i.e. breathing, a challenge. Much of my time was spent inside, doing as little as possible, usually with a book or computer. It makes sense that I wanted to be a writer from an early age.
Really, I fell in love with story. I was fascinated by the idea that someone can express themselves so utterly without ever vocalizing a word, or even saying exactly what they mean, and still manage to reach out through time and space to speak to the minds and hearts of others. I was struck by the power of words and by the truth that underlies fiction. From as far back as I can remember I was trying to recapture some of that power and truth for myself. And so I wrote constantly. I think my long-term plan was to write something really profound one day, share it with the world, and then retire satisfied and wealthy.
Life rarely goes according to my plan. I never really wrote anything satisfactorily profound. And for some reason, I think it was so that I could understand my characters better, I ended up a Psychology major at Louisiana College. I've always kind of known that I naturally understand and empathize with people. It wasn't until Passion 2011 in Atlanta that I realized my mistake. I had spent all of my time trying to use my gift of understanding to get myself noticed. I wanted to write something I knew would impress people... and I hadn't understood why I couldn't until then. Selfishness. It was at that moment that I stopped caring about my stories so much... because I realized that God is telling a much bigger, much more important story, and everyone plays a part. More than that, He had given me the means to understand the parts individuals play. I gave up my dream of being a writer, and committed myself to seriously pursuing a degree in counseling. This was one of those earth-shaking, sky-parting, foundation-shattering moments that seem to be occurring more frequently with time.
The next wouldn't occur until that summer when I left the country for the first time and found myself amongst the CeLT. It was there that I fell in love again. This time with a group of people, a culture, a lifestyle, and the idea that I might be called to use my gifts to tell God's story among them. This, of course, depended on His plan.
- Sam R. Franklin
"Many are the plans in the mind of a man, but it is the purpose of the LORD that
will stand."- Proverbs 19:21
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