Showing Up When No One Else Does...

Imagine this...you've prepared for months, gotten all of the details in order, sent out the invitations, and now...it's here. The big day. The appointed time. You've set the stage and now, it's almost time for the curtain to go up. You assemble yourself as you go through a few last mental exercises to stave off anxiety. And then...the curtain raises.... the lights dim...the spotlight is pointed at you. You step up to the microphone and as you start to speak, you look out and you notice that the auditorium is absolutely empty. You clear your throat as you squint into the darkness...knowing that visibility is low. But it's pretty obvious--no one is out there. What do you do? Do you go ahead with your presentation? Or do you just slink back to your drawing board and spend the rest of the day crying over what is most definitely spilled milk?

If you're like me, you do a little bit of both. Granted, most often, my "stage" is a combination of social media platforms, podcast studios, and blogs, but I usually just go ahead and say what I came to say and then crawl quietly into my corner and think about how much it sucks to be so barely visible when you have so much good news to share. It's hard when your message isn't one that people want to hear, but one that they need to hear. And I've tried just about everything shy of attending a Coldplay concert to get the word out. What's it going to take to get more than a couple hundred people to tune in?

When you're writing or promoting books that tackle difficult issues like abuse, neglect, or adversity, the vast majority of people won't be interested in what you have to say because it either reminds them of past trauma that they are trying to forget or overcome or it puts something in focus that most people would prefer to leave in the blurry background. Unless you're a multi-millionaire who now feels compelled to share the story of their struggle, most people will opt not to read what you write when it's about conflict, struggle, or pain. But there are people out there who will eventually read it and who will benefit from reading it -- if only they can muster up the courage to open the book.

Confronting our demons isn't easy and it's something that can't be forced or coerced. People can't be guilted or shamed into breaking out of unhealthy cycles or relationships. This is something they need to choose to face when the time is right for them. And contrary to popular belief, there is no formula that covers every struggle. We can't look at someone's situation from the outside and say, "It's high time they make a change." It may not be "high time" for them. No matter how much we want to see them happy, healthy, and safe.

I'm a writer, but I'm also a trauma survivor. I've confronted many demons over the years, but I'm still running away from a few. And sadly, I'm in no shape to be running these days. But I want to get there. I want to reach the point where I can say that I fought them all and I stand victorious. Depending on the choices I make and the choices I refuse to make, I may or may not be able to make that declaration by the time it's all said and done.

Each day I look for ways to bring more people to the website. I seek out ways to engage with those who need to read what we write. I doggedly search for any new ways to present the material so that readers know that what we have to say will be useful to them. It's not always easy to find ways to draw readers in when your content is all about healing from brokenness and learning how to live in a very broken world. Especially when you don't do all the trendy stuff. We're not big Tik-Tokkers here. We don't make catchy videos. We talk about real life on our podcast (the veritable empty theater), and our posts are simple, straightforward announcements to keep people informed about what we're doing...or trying to do. I guess I keep hoping that one day, we'll be categorized alongside things like water, vegetables, and vitamins. Things you aren't necessarily excited about, but you make them a regular part of your day because they're good for you. I struggle to include these things in my daily routine as well, but in the back of my mind, I know I would be much better off if I would just do what's best for me.

When you're feeling drained and you've been through something terrible, knowing that there are others out there who have shared your pain or are going through pain of their own can be helpful in grounding us and giving us a firm foundation from which we can actively fight the battles we find ourselves fighting. I invite you to dip into our arsenal here at Higher Ground Books & Media. Pick up a story or two. Learn more about how someone just like you has endured a particularly difficult challenge...and how faith in God became their most powerful weapon and led them to claim the victory. We've got so many great stories of triumph. And we'd love for you to find peace between the pages of our books.

This weekend, use the code "SHOWINGUP" and save 15% on any purchase in the HGBM Shop.

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