You, Unleashed

Let’s rewind to 1999.

(And not because it rhymes)

It’s the year the story of Lu began, and many of you know it. As a new Christian, I walked down the “inspirational fiction” aisle and kept on walking – past the lacy collars, bonnets, and buns. I was planning to stop as soon as I saw a cover of a girl who looked like me. I would also settle for a title with words like real people used, but all I saw was saccharine. I had a heart, but did it flow gently to the horizon? I didn’t think so, and I left the bookstore empty handed.

People come to me with their ideas all the time, a happy byproduct of being an author and entrepreneurship professor. I love hearing about ideas, and I encourage them like no other, but here’s the thing …

Ideas are not that important. My books – the one I published 3 years ago and the one I will publish in 5 weeks – are not that important. What is important is me, 18 years ago, and the problem I faced in that book aisle.

Louisa is launching August 10, and over the next month, I want to share the story behind the story in a way that’s interesting and helpful. For me, this goes back to mission, which goes WAY beyond shelf space for my books in that book aisle.

I want to see the inspirational fiction aisle transformed.

I want to see the “inspirational fiction aisle” in every industry transformed.

I want Christians to stop playing it safe, clean, and convenient so that we can reach people where they are, as they are. The Gospel that we are saved through salvation in Jesus Christ alone is the weightiest platform around. It’s the only platform that can hold us, and when we insist on promoting the sanitary over the real, we send a skewed message that people need to clean it up before they can come. There’s not one story in the Bible that runs this way.

So how do we do this?

How do we engage in work that syncs with who we are and what we believe? How do we create stories, art, products, messages, and services that reflect the whole of God and the whole of a person? How do we produce work to help people? How do we create work that helps people in different ways? New ways? How do we refine our work so it’s good? Is it possible for our work to reflect a higher order?

Let’s answer these questions on the blog in this next month. I’ll take you through the steps I used to bring Louisa to life (and also teach in my entrepreneurship classes). It’s a well-researched and flexible process for anyone to use, regardless of your industry or skill.

It’s for those of you who:

Want to do something but are not sure whatStarted something but now feel stuckQuestion whether your work is making an impactSeek to get better at what you doLove all things Lu and want to gather as many tidbits as you can about the sequel (I will share plenty!)

If this sounds like you, sign up for the blog so you don’t a miss a thing. But also – does this sound like someone you know? Do you have a friend, co-worker, or family member who could use some creativity inspo in her work? Encourage her to sign up, too!

We all have our space. Imagine you, unleashed in your space, working for the glory of God and the good of those around you.

This is the blog goal of the next month, which we will go about in a fun and practical way. What questions are coming to mind? What questions would you like me to answer specifically? Are any doubts surfacing? Dreams? What topics would you like me to address?

Either put them in the comments below or contact me. We will get started next week!