For many years before I started writing short stories, I worked on a nonfiction manuscript that spoke of the same gospel truths, that told God’s story in four basic chapters, and revealed how much His story has always “showed up” in other stories. The manuscript also included my story, how I came to faith, and then, even more incredible -- how God delivered me from the one thing in this life I had always worshipped more than Him!

Four versions over ten years, and yet, that manuscript has not seen the light of day. But it has not been forgotten. Its time will come.

But I would like to begin to share some pieces of that manuscript with you, especially as they pertain to the conversation we’ve been having on the power and meaning of story.

In this conversation, we’ve been focusing on two primary things, captured by the phrase Tim Keller popularized: “I’m worse than I ever imagined, but more loved than I ever dreamed.”

The real story of humanity -- the one, real story of this world -- is captured in this simple phrase.

Understanding the depth of God’s love for us, but also the depth of our need, are both necessary for our lives to change.

We have been talking more recently of the depth of that love, that it is a covenant, a promise, that God first made with Israel, but through them with the rest of humanity. It is a promise He will never break. It is truly, our only hope.

In continuing to demonstrate this truth and just how fundamental it is to understanding . . . anything and everything . . . I want to share with you a chapter from my unfinished manuscript entitled, “The Natural.” It was meant to be the sixteenth chapter of an eighteen-chapter book, and so there a few references to things spoken of earlier in the book, but I don’t think that will be a significant distraction.

I hope you enjoy.