Out of Real, Back to Story

Stories draw people

Jesus was the master at telling stories. He used them for the whole three years He was teaching. His stories were dynamic and filled with real life examples. For this reason when the Gospels were written they begin with a story and end with a story. God has created us to be story tellers and listeners. We are drawn by stories (true or false) because they reverberate with us. A good story will make us cry and a bad story will fill us with rage. Every story Jesus told was meant to fill us with life. I cannot tell you a story that fills you with life no matter how hard I try because I do not have that power. I can only tell you a story to point you into the direction of Jesus who is the life (John 14:6). My story will only effect those who are being drawn by the Father to the arms of Jesus (John 6:44) and once He has you He will never lose you (John 6:39).

It is for this reason I have begun telling stories and improving my writing skills for fiction. Jesus told fictional stories and true life stories to teach His truth. I have been learning to combine both fiction and truth into one under His direction to begin the writing of Crown for Life series of books. I love to write for Jesus because He has and will continue to give me wonderful ideas and interesting characters to share with you. The stories of each woman is meant to reverberate with you to encourage you just as the stories of women in the Bible are meant to draw your attention. We are the Samaritan woman, the sinful woman, the woman with the flow of blood, Deborah, Mary Magdalene, Mary sister of Lazarus, Huldah, Pricilla, and all the rest. We are women created by our God to do what He has created us to do but we are having issues getting to that point.

The Biblical Life Skills Strategist

For 12 years I have been dreaming about the day God’s words would come into fruition in my life. In those years I could not see how He could make it happen but now I can see it working out in my life. God revealed to me I would teach life skills so I created my first complete workshop called “Leading Yourself to Success” to teach women in 2005. I have created twenty different two hour sessions but not before He told me to work out my new name. The Life Skills Strategist was the name He gave me. We worked together on all of the sessions using Biblical Precepts reversing worldly complications. In this process He taught me how inherently involved His Word is in our everyday lives. He directed me to create secular sessions so I would taste how the world walks. Seeing this every day afforded me empathy for every unsaved woman as well as the saved.

Jesus taught me the difference between the saved and the unsaved, Him. Each one of us longs to live a life filled with joy but the world is getting in between us and that joy. John 10:10 contrasts the world and Jesus. The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly. The contrast of the Prince of the World (John 14:30) is intent on destroying our lives while Jesus has come to give us a life filled with abundance resulting in the joy we so long for. He has taught me to teach you what His abundance life means. It is a large topic and it will take the rest of my life to teach you about it. This is Kathleen V. Derbyshire’s story.

Leola’s Story

I have embroiled Leola Lurned into my blog to introduce you to the lead character of the Crown for Life Series. Her story is a mirror of mine. She is 70% me and 30% who I want to be. When you read about her you are reading about me, what I have learned and what I still have to learn will be in her character. Just as I long for someone to work with teaching life skills she has longed with one difference, she has a friend. Her name is Veronica Keene. Veronica’s character is 70% me as I was growing as a Christian and 30% my friend Jennifer Walker. She has the image of Jennifer but the character of immature Christian Kathleen. Jen sat with me for days going over the first book to make sure I was closing every gap and spelling every word correctly. I have known Jen for several years and as our relationship develops over the coming years so will Veronica and Leola’s.

For Such a time as this…

God continuously brings this verse to mind from Esther 4:14, For if you remain completely silent at this time, relief and deliverance will arise for the Jews from another place, but you and your father’s house will perish. Yet who knows whether you have come to the kingdom for such a time as this?” He is reminding me I am His child born at this time to serve Him by serving His women in Essex County. The prince of this world is after women (2 Timothy 3) by drawing them away from God by their many lusts for the world. These lusts are so ingrained in us we would do anything or go anywhere to satisfy the cravings. This leads to all manner of oppression for us, from addictions to human trafficking. I am going after the devil by training women to fight him with the Life Skills Encyclopedia, the Holy Bible. I will also go after the prince of this world by helping the unsaved too.

Satan’s name is Haman to me. When Haman’s plan to annihilate the Jews game into being the Jews fought back and people were drawn to God. Many people became Jews (Esther 8:17) in the land because they began to fear (be in awe of) God. In Acts every time tribulation comes upon the Saints and they endured through the power of Christ more souls are accounted to them. This is my time to help the saints endure so many more souls are saved as a result of their testimony.

Crown for Life Pursues Biblical Boundaries

It is time for me to move Leola out of real back into the pages of my stories. The Biblical Life Skills Strategist is my name in the real and hers only in the Crown for Life Stories. It is me who is born for this day to help women endure temptation by leading them through the Life Skills Encyclopedia to Jesus. When they find their way to Jesus they will find their way of escape from the prince of this world. This series of books will be a gateway to Jesus and His escape from sin, one book at a time.

The first book in the series, The White Picket Fence, available later this year, has Crown for Life owners pursuing information from the Life Skills Encyclopedia regarding personal boundaries. What are they and how does our God speak to them? You can follow along in the lives of five women who have enlisted the help of Crown for Life to pursue a solution for their particular dilemmas. There will be an instruction following this book should you too need to pursue Biblical boundaries. I am excited to go back to helping with your Biblical Life Skills rather than inventing stories. Let this new life begin and the old perish.