I, Paul, write this greeting in my own hand, which is the distinguishing mark in all my letters. This is how I write.

1 Thessalonians 3:17

Sure, I have heard the voices, I know what they say behind my back, and a majority of those critical voices are coming straight from my own head:

– “Why do you even try?

– “Why do you think you can even write?”

– “Why do you keep posting online, you are kind of annoying?”

– “Isn’t it a bit arrogant to think someone will care enough to read what you have to say?”

And of course, the one that I always ask myself right before I click the button to post on public media, “Chris, who do you think you are that you assume some people would actually want to read your words?”

Maybe I am a bit dewy-eyed thinking that my ideas actually matter. I know some will see my bird scratchings on paper as only the thoughts of a block-headed Honyak. In truth, you could ask this same question about anything a person does: Why work at something you think has significance? Why preach? Why teach? Why play sports? Why debate with someone on Facebook? Why even wake up in the morning?

Why not just crawl into a hole and die? Do you really think you matter?

Evolution says you don’t. You are a raindrop that has its one brief moment in the sky as it falls quickly to the earth and eventually splats on dry pavement never to be heard from again. Poor human.

But the Bible answers these questions differently.  And all of the answers end at one destination, one purpose: I must try because God put me here. 1 Corinthians 10:31 says, “…whatever you do, do it all for the Glory of God.” God put me, he put you, on the green grass to wake people up to his wonderful existence. We do all things for his glory.

The glory of God is a strange thing. It is here, there, and everywhere but people don’t see it. They don’t want to see it. So God put you and me here to help people see. God is letting my heartbeat because he wants to use me to help other people to see, really see, and I am trying to do it in my own unique way.

So I write.

I am not sure how many people will read, and I know multitudes upon multitudes won’t. But I believe the awakening of one mind is worth the rejection by the many! And yes, I know who those people are who could care-a-less about what I have to say. I see their disdain. I know they are busy, brilliant, and way beyond the primitive mind of a Honyak. But I will still keep trying to get them to listen.

It is like offering someone a free bowl of Macaroni-N-Cheese. When I make it I usually have a lot of it left over. I know it isn’t that impressive of a meal, but to me, I love it and it tastes great. Some will take it and find joy in the simple pleasure of melted cheese on the soft curve of a macaroni noodle, and some won’t. Some will even look at you with a haughty sneer and say, “Macaroni-N-Cheese, ha, no thanks…you benighted Honyak! I prefer Filet Mignon.”  But I still have to try. Writing is the same thing. Maybe, just maybe, one person will listen, wake up and see that God is standing right next to them.

So I try.

Here is how it began for me:

I was at a ministry conference and I went to a break-out session on writing for 45 minutes. Teaching up front was a 5’ 2” hobbit of a man. He was rather round, wearing a long-sleeved shirt with suspenders and had thick-lensed glasses that made his eyes look three times larger than normal. I thought to myself, “What did I get myself into? This is going to be b-o-o-o-oring.” He began with a question, just one little question, and it set my heart on fire: “What if Paul the Apostle decided never to write any of his letters to the churches? Where would we be?”

Where would we be? Just think, no book of Romans or Ephesians, no Galatians, no Philippians. Think about that. Those books have completely and utterly changed my life. I live by Galatians 1:10, it has given me such confidence and strength to live for Christ! One small man, a man who was despised by many, decided to write, and now I am different. He wrote because he had to. And it changed millions upon millions of people’s lives forever.

And I thought to myself, “What if you are supposed to say something and you decided not to because you let the opinions of others shut you down? Who would suffer?”

So I write. So I try.

The last 5 years I have decided to post online beginning with a little blog called Shopka and Coffee. I just wanted to try. If I was bad, at least going public would reveal my ineptness. I would know right away if I was all washed up. And after about ten posts, it started. People came up to me and said thank you, others from my past reconnected, and many got mad! I know I make people mad. But did you know, sometimes to wake people up you have to make them mad?

Last year I was encouraged by some very persistent and honest friends to put my words to page, “Why not write your own book?” I shooed them away and said, “Forget it, no one will want to read what I have to write.” I am great at downing myself…as most people are. But a few of those friends kept after me until I believed it could be done.

The world needs people who believe in others. Wow, what a gift!

So I decided to try.

THE ORIGINAL CHRISTOPHER J. WEEKS WRITINGS

BIBLE HELPS: New Believers, Bible Toolkit, Shapka and Coffee

First I put out some books that mean the most to me. How to know Christ and how to walk with him. New Believers Bible Study, Bible Toolkit and Shapka and Coffee. This small group of books is aimed to make reading the Bible easier. Surprisingly people are using these books and a few have even come to know Christ through them. Praise God!

DYSTOPIAN FICTION: 2085: The Rise & Fall of The Sisters

Coming in five short days is my next attempt. A much more risky endeavor. I wanted to try to tell a parable about the crazy, zany, world we are living in. 2085 is written as a dystopian novel, a dark look at the future, one ruled by political correctness.

On the back of your books, you need to have a personal bio. Have you ever had to write a personal bio? It is a condensed paragraph about why you should even want to read the writings of a certain writer. It is the chance to sell yourself in a few words. Last week I had to sit down and write one for my new book that is coming out. It is a strange assignment: How do you get people interested enough in who you are and what you have to say that they will take the time to read your writings? Here is what I came up with…

Christopher J. Weeks is old enough to remember when the Cuyahoga River in Cleveland, Ohio caught on fire. And ever since then he has wondered, when will the rest of the world catch? And that is why he writes. In his search for meaning, he has been a bartender, rugby player, salesman in the Chicago loop, teacher in Russia, and now for the last 25 years, he has been pastoring with his wife and four children at a rural church amidst the apple orchards of West Michigan farmland. 2085: The Rise & Fall of The Sisters is his first attempt at warning those who have ears to hear.

So, this Honyak decided to write. And hopefully, a few crazy, zany people will want to read. If not, I would be happy to make you some Macaroni-N-Cheese!