I shall never forget when I saw my first book in print by a Publisher. I was so excited because I had tried for nearly 5 years to publish "The Haunting of Downing Chapel."
But first I must go back to the beginning. After finding the Lord and the Lord finding me, I knew there was a calling upon my life but I wasn't sure what it was. I thought for awhile God was calling me to preach the gospel. I must be truthful, it frightened me to death. Me preach the Gospel? Surely He could pick someone better than me, someone more suited to speak in public.
I soon became interested in writing short stories. I would print pamphlets and put them in our church and I also sent some of the pamphlets to other people and churches."
Shortly after this God impressed upon my mind and heart to write a novel. When I began writing, I knew what God was calling me to do. In a way it is preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ but not in the way most people understand it to be. My preaching of the Gospel was to be in the written word. It was to be in the form of Novels.
When my first book "The Haunting of Downing Chapel" was published, I began counting the royalties I might get from the book. At that moment God spoke to me. Did you ever have God speak to you so clearly that you knew you better listen? Well, I did and believe you me, I listened.
God said, "Son, would you rather have all the royalties from this book or would you rather the messages I give you touch hearts?" I must tell you, that message from God brought me to my knees. I was only concerned with the money, not that the anointing was coming from God. I was being so selfish and God had me in His spotlight. At that moment my heart was changed for time and eternity.
I cried out to God, "Lord, You are the reason I write. I can't write a thing without you. Forgive me for thinking only of myself." Know what, He did! I told God at that moment I would rather the messages in the books He was inspiring me to write, touch hearts. I have made my choice and I've never been sorry.
I made a covenant with God then and there. I promised God, since He was my Partner, the majority of the profits from the sales of the books would go to Him and His work. Any expenses that I might have would come out of my share, not His.
Since that hour, the money means nothing to me. I would rather have God's smile and anointing on my life than to have all the money in Fort Knox, or for that matter, than all the money this old world has. Give me Jesus as my portion!
