Life as Story--Donald Miller

Donald Miller starts his new book "A Million Miles in a Thousand Years" with a story. He tells about his friend Bob who is writing down hundreds of pages detailing the stories of his life. Then he imagines getting heaven and hearing God ask, "Donald what did you do with your

life?" After a pause he remembers getting a merit badge in Cub Scouts to report to God. But he predicts that when Bob with all his stories comes face to face with God, they will probably talk for days.

So he begins tales of his and other people's stories--stories written across lives. His idea is to write a story that worthwhile with his life. He never uses the word "intentionality," but that is the bottom line. There are few sermons as motivating as a well told story, and this book is full of them.

My favorite story is of a friend who comes to Miller and says he and his wife were distressed to find marijuana in their 13 year old daughters backpack, likely from her older boyfriend. The father lamented that she didn't like the story her parents had written for her and had channel surfed to find a better story. Over time the father takes the family to Mexico to work on building an orphanage, a new story for his daughter that makes all the difference.

I read Donald Miller's first book "Blue Like Jazz" a few years back to see what my girl's friends were all reading. I didn't expect to like this modern take on Christianity, but was pulled in by his likable, honest, often convicting stories. This new book continues to move me to construct a well storied life.