SERIAL STORY

I am reading a book now that is the first in a serial series.  I could not put it down once I began reading and read far into the night a couple of nights.  I would love to be able to write a serial ---grabbing your interest with each installment and wanting you to come back to see what happens next in the characters' lives would be such joy.  It is truly a gift to be able to have such a vivid imagination that you can write a series of books---all with a common theme--one leading to the next.  Left Behind, The Hunger Games, Harry Potter are just a few of the many books that have been written as a serial.

There was a time in my life--LONG ago--that I went home from work everyday at lunch and watched a soap opera.  This was way before recording devices were around and if you missed an episode--you were out of luck.  Fortunately soap operas can be missed for days at a time and you can still catch on to the story when you return.  I finally clued in to what a waste of time this was and started working out on my lunch hour.   A serial of a different kind!

There have been movie serials---"Rocky" comes to mind immediately.  You got to see Rocky beat to a pulp by various other fighters--a different villain in each movie.  The made for television series "Lonesome Dove" and "Roots" were two of my favorites.  To be a series, the story has to have an historical flow, sit-coms do not meet the criteria---each one of them stands on its own.

The books of the Chronological Bible are a serial.  One of my readings through the Bible was done in a Chronological Bible---in date order.   I read through it twice--to be sure I had the feel for the timeline.  It places an interesting twist on the study of the Scripture.  It IS a history book and it does have a sequence of occurrence.

So it is with our lives---they are a serial story.  As I began thinking about my life and the proper division, if I were to write it as a serial story, I was fascinated.  There are mini-stories within the big story.  Childhood is our logical first book--but after that--we all have diverging stories.  Some stories are almost a fairy tale--and others--a living nightmare.  As I remember human trafficking, chronic illnesses, disabilities-mental & physical, great loss,and so many other tragedies of life, I know my story in comparison is a fairy tale.  What genre would your story fit in--Adventure, Romance, Christian, or just Biography? 

As I have thought about what the serial story of my life would look like, I have one strong desire---it would be a beautiful story of redemption.  Redemption from sin--redemption from pain and suffering--redemption from loss, redemption from a fallen world--redemption by God's Good Grace. Most of the series is complete, but the final chapter is yet to come--I pray my story ends with a clear revelation of His complete redemption through His boundless love as He calls me Home.

"Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for His compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness."

Lamentations 3:22-23