I volunteered to help my friend, Jody, write a book about his life. I have always wanted to write a book, which is why I started this blog, but I always thought it would be about my own life. Who wouldn't want to read that?
I have no idea what this process entails, but Jody published a book a few years ago (You can get an autographed copy on amazon for $170), so he knows a few things about writing books. He has some interesting opinions about writing about yourself too. I'll give you a hint - he is not really a fan. Jody says you have to have a hook. His is that, more than 18 months ago, he was told he had a brain tumor and would be lucky to live another year.
I met Jody a month after he found out about the tumor, and even having only
known him a short time, I know that his story is one that needs to be
told. One conversation with Jody will tell you that. He is an
inspiration, an encouragement, a testament of faith.
Jody said two things to me the other day that will stick with me regardless of whether his book is ever published or even finished. When speaking of his life now that he has the tumor, he said, "When you are blessed with something like that, you've got to get up and go forward. If you sit still, you're going to sink."
He sees the tumor as a blessing because it opens doors to talk about his faith and share the gospel, or as he likes to say, "the true love of Christ." He spends most of his time now praying for other people and visiting cancer patients.
And when I asked him what his response was to the original diagnosis, Jody said that although he did make a bucket list and complete many of the things on it, like visit all of the Great Lakes, "A bucket list is an excuse to live. I don't need an excuse to live."
