Increments

He must increase;  I must decrease.  He has to become greater while I become less.  John 3:30 has something to say to me these days.  It’s a rather exciting time.  The book is set to launch in just a few days.  Shilo and I received our first copy.  He posted a photo of himself and Lizzie as they opened the book for the first time.  My children were visiting when I received mine, and we did the same thing.  We sent each other a long distance “pinch”—asking one another, can it be true?  Is it finally a reality?  Then we heard the warehouse will start shipping books off to hither and yon on August 12^th.   And we spotted posts on both Barnes and Noble and Amazon that they’ll ship copies on September 1^st.  What a dream come true. 

And yet.  And yet.

From day one, Shilo and I have prayed that someone would be touched, changed, encouraged, inspired, or lifted up by his story.  It has been one way God has impressed both of us with the idea that telling this story is not for our good;  it is for the greater good.

It’s been good for us nevertheless.  We’ve grown so close;  ours has become a friendship I treasure very much.  He’s taught me so much about devotion, commitment, the warrior ethos.  He’s very brave.  And every time I recount the explosion, and every surgery after the explosion, I think of his sweet spirit, and his will to not only survive, but thrive, and bring others into a greater relationship with our Maker.

In the days ahead, we are praying for the “one” as well as praying that we both decrease as He comes closer and closer to each one of our readers.  We are almost giddy about the launch, wanting so much to show one and all that mercy trumps tragedy every time.  For Kat and Shilo, the book represents the culmination of one very difficult journey and the commencement of another.  And on the way, we petition our Lord...less of us, more of You.