Preaching in Theaters [Book Writing Blogrimage Day 24/30]

My friend and I challenged each other to preach the Gospel everyday—no matter what. We found people on the streets, in schools, and the Mall of America to talk to. It was always a little awkward starting a conversation about the Gospel with complete strangers. “Hey, Can we Talk?,” we’d ask and get something like, “Uh, sure.” Sometimes we’d lead people to become Christian, and most of the time we’d irritate people and get dismissed. One time, on my way to watch “Monster’s Inc” with some friends at a Carmike Movie theater, I realized that I hadn’t share the Gospel with anyone that day. I considered where I might preach, and I felt like I should preach before the previews of the movie played. I decided I would preach at the front of the movie theater to a captive audience. At first I was nervous, but the crowd got into it. A few people became Christian that night. 

Witnessing before Converting to Christianity [Book Writing Blogrimage 23/30]

​I did something Christians called witnessing (sharing the Gospel to strangers) before becoming Christian myself. Somehow, I helped six people become Christian in a gas station, like I said, all before becoming a Christian myself. My life is proof that God can use anything for His glory. There are a lot of things I did with the church before I committed my life to Jesus. I joined the worship band by playing drums, started leading groups and inviting all my friends to church services. I began praying, lifting my hands in worship and inviting Christians to hang out at my house. It’s not that I was exceptionally talented either. Drumming my first time in a worship service, before confessing my faith in Christ, was a train wreck. I had never played with a band, didn’t know what tempo was and did not know any of the songs. Nobody seemed to care how bad I was at everything, and, gradually, I fell in love with God.

Shot by a Train Conductor [Book Writing BlogrimageDay 22/30]

​We ran as fast as we could from the salt bullets shot by the train conductor. He tried to shoot us because we trespassed on a railway company’s property. As he aimed, fired, and reloaded, we fled for our lives. It was two neighborhood kids and me. I usually got them into trouble. They both were younger than me and  already crying. We ran and ran, but the train conductor’s aim proved accurate. A salt bullet from a pellet gun doesn’t kill, but it burns a lot. This experience taught me about why people don’t want to rub salt in a wound. We gave up and got arrested. The younger kids kept crying. I didn’t shed a tear.

Openess [Book Writing Blogrimage Day 21/30]

​Relationships are joy and pain. People are avenues for expressing feelings, thoughts and ideas. To be fair, I can understand how hermits become hermits--hiding away in a shell of solitude. Solitude guarantees that bad feelings, thoughts and ideas will not be received. Solitude maintains a level of control and sterility. People that know you the best are able to hurt you the most. How many times have I thought, “Don’t say what you’re about to say. It’s going to hurt them too much,” and then I spew the hurtful words anyways. It’s in people’s willingness to share their lives, vulnerabilities and weaknesses with me that I have been able to hurt them the most.

Family Villains [Book Writing Blograimge 18-20/30

      Every story needs a villain. In a story about oneself, deciding a villain is difficult. In my case, some of my biggest struggles included family members. Almost all the people I minister to in my Pastoral position at a church have the majority of their issues stemming from family dynamics. Family is a big catalyst for growth, education, and pain. My story includes all of those characteristics. As I write my story, I find myself censoring, holding back, and diluting my perspective because I don’t want to hurt the people I describe. In the book, “Memoirs of a Geisha,” I believe the main character asked the story not to be told until a certain main character passed away. I always have friends that told me they would write a book about their life once a family member passed away. Especially in a culture of honor, like with my Sri Lankan family, it is important not to shed bad light on our name. In an individualistic American society, we often don’t protect family names and honor, but it is still an unspoken rule of eastern influenced families. I believe my story will help people. Much of that help will be in seeing that there are others who might be going through the same things they are, and it’s okay to talk about sensitive and personal issues. So, I don’t want to over vilify my villains, but I definitely want to showcase conflicts from my perspective. And maybe I don’t have all the facts write, but as a writer, I have to believe my perspective and feelings are valid enough to share.

Denouement [Book Writing Blogrimage Day 17/30]

I want to give the readers, at the end of my story, a good resolution. Not every part of my life has resolution, but there are things that do. This last part of my story shows the change in my life and how I view things from my learned perspective. 

1.     Resolution

a.     Going from no Community to God’s community

b.     Going from caring about myself to caring for others

c.      Showcasing what I’m doing now

d.     Showing the parties that my family throws now

e.     Showing where some of those relationships from the past are

f.      I have family all over the world

g.     Learning to love my mom

h.     Helping others fit in (Giving a sermon or something like that)

i.       Given a chance to be selfish, but show how I’ve changed (reference to the past)T