I want to bang a drum and ring a bell … to set off fireworks. I want to shout out loud
to the world that I am writing a book, and that I am confident I will finish it this coming
year.
To some readers, writing a book may not seem like such a big deal – perhaps even a
piece of cake. But for me it is huge and unbelievable. Let me put it another way – an
impossibility. Ever since my first conversation with God twelve years ago, I knew He
wanted me to put all His messages relevant to my life experience into a book so I
could help others. Having been a biology major whose work was in the field of
science, I knew this would not be easy because I lack the writing skills and
imagination that most authors have. Yet I know that God never jokes about
anything, and it does not matter what I think. His command will be done. It’s just
that simple.
Still I am amazed by the audacity that has led me to proclaim to the whole universe
that I am publishing a book. I have this urge to do it, and I cannot seem to suppress
it. Since the beginning of last September, I have felt I’ve been riding a roller coaster.
Things around me started going very fast … out of control. For example, the number
of subscribers to my English-language blog, www.loveneverending.com, have
doubled. I established it on May 20, 2010, and the number of subscribers grew
steadily to around 140. Yet, after posting “The World of Wisteria” in September
2013, I was surprised to see the numbers jump tremendously. Subscribers seemed
to just pour into my site. I would get five subscribers a day for a while and then two
or three more each day. I had no clue as to what was happening.
The same goes for my acting. A week ago, my agent told me to go to an audition
immediately. An hour after the audition she told me I’d been booked for the show.
I went to do the shooting right away – the very next two days. Nothing like this had
ever happened before. Actually, this TV episode will not air until February, but the
director tried to complete shooting early. This sense of acceleration spread to other
things too. All I could feel was that there was an unseen force pushing the wheels
forward.
For example, I was thrilled to find I could complete the writing of three articles
(“When Tomorrow Starts Without Me,” Parts 1-3) in a relatively short time. I even
finished them and posted them on my English-language blog before posting them
on my Chinese blog as I customarily do. This is quite unusual. It gave me a special
feeling – as if something extraordinary would happen. Maybe the unthinkable –
writing a book – will become a reality after all these years.
Meanwhile, I am reminded of the story of Moses and Red Sea. God brought Israel
out of bondage in Egypt with a miracle – He parted the Red Sea, opening up dry
land for the Israelites to escape the pursuing Egyptians. Going into the Promised
Land, the priests had to have faith to cross the Jordan River. As soon as the priests’
feet touched the water, the river ceased to flow, the water started piling up, and the
children of Israel could cross over. (Joshua 3:15-17) If priests had not had faith or if
they had shown any hesitation, the water would not have parted, and the people of
Israel would not have been able to enter the Promised Land.
I saw a lot of similarities between the Israelites and me. Time after time He brought
me out of a bondage that had long kept me from growing and reaching my potential.
He led me out of a profession I had held ever since graduating from the university
and into totally different fields – public relations, acting, dancing and writing. Just
as He set Israel free from slavery and bondage in Egypt, He freed me too, making it
possible for me to see countless opportunities and unimagined potential.
Today, when I think about the faith of the priests who stepped into the Jordan River
and led Israel into the land of milk and honey, I think I get it. I finally understand
why I have the urge to announce that I will write a book. It is faith manifested in
action. Without such faith, there would be no story of God’s people entering the land
of Canaan – the Promised Land. It took forty years for God to build their faith. For
me, it has been twelve long years since my first conversation with God. This biblical
story helped strengthen my faith. With all the events that have taken place in recent
months, I finally summoned the courage to take action – to announce my intention
to write a book. Maybe the miracle of making the impossible possible will follow.
