Butterfly Briefs

Steve Harrison, the catalyst person who helped launch the “Chicken Soup for the Soul”, the popular multi-million dollar book sales project, wrote the ad below to promote his excellent services for writers. I copy it here for a different purpose, however: to light a flame in your heart and plant an idea in your mind and spirit to write your story of overcoming some adversity.

Perhaps a short story, perhaps a book? Not necessarily a best seller reaching the top of the charts, but one which will help others and change their lives.

The bottom line is not to compete with the author for Facebook, Twitter and Instagram fans or followers. Wouldn’t it be eternally worthwhile if you helped one person through your writing?

If you have a story to share that can help others overcome challenges in their life, perhaps it’s your calling to get it out there.

“Seven and a half years ago I lost my youngest son and my world turned upside down, and in that chaotic moment, peace stepped in, and I want to help others find that peaceful spot and that wonderful place where they can be calm, effective, capable and step out of the darkest holes of their life and into greatness.”

Susan Mead is the author of the quote above and she’s gone on to amazing success helping others overcome tragedies in their lives.

After retiring from a corporate career with Johnson & Johnson, Susan decided to write a book but knew nothing about publishing or marketing books. But she was determined to get her story out to the world and help others.

Today, she has 2 stunning websites… over 18,000 likes on each of two DIFFERENT Facebook Fan Pages… over 70,000 Twitter followers and over 20,000 Instagram followers!

Even better, when she launched her book, Dance with Jesus: From Grief to Grace it immediately hit #1 in the Amazon’s Christian grief category.

How did she get such great results? More importantly, how has she taken a personal tragedy and turned it around to help thousands of others who need her help and advice?

One common thread I’ve seen is that most author and speakers use a difficult event in their lives to help others get through difficult times in theirs.

I’ve worked with authors who’ve lost husbands and children… abused and battered wives… people who were once wealthy and lost it all to unscrupulous business partners… in fact, you name a problem, and I’ll show you a brave soul who has used that strategy to help thousands of others.

But of course, there’s the stumbling block of actually writing the book, getting booked on speaking engagements, building a platform, creating a social media presence, and on and on.

Don’t let your fear of computers or the Internet keep you from sharing you messages to the thousands or millions of people you can help. You can follow Susan’s footsteps. See what she did to succeed and how she overcame the hurdles.”

I have proven the above true myself. Some of my most helpful and popular books are those stemming from illness, from surviving lung cancer surgery and resulting from my widowhood.

What difficulties have you overcome with the help of God to help others in turn who walk the same road in life?