I was talking to my mother on the phone when she asked me what I had been doing lately. I told her I was working on another book.

“Oh, really. What is it about?” she asked.

“It’s about my favorite subject,” I replied. “Me.”

She laughed. She is ninety-five years old. She understands that her eight children’s favorite subject is themselves. She still lives in the house in Terra Linda where we grew up. When her children, or her thirty grandchildren and great grandchildren, come by to visit her, we say hello, kiss her on the cheek and head straight to the refrigerator to see what she has to eat.

My mother shopped at Costco a couple of times a week until she was ninety-three. She would drive herself there, load a cart until it overflowed with groceries, and then wait until a Good Samaritan offered to push it up to the checkout counter and then load it into her car. I call her Mrs. Magoo. She loves company and knows if she has food, her family will come to visit. Over the last seventy years, she has provided more meals to more people than some food banks.

My mother gives away food. I give away life lessons, or advice. Some call it wisdom. Some call it my opinions. Some think it is nonsense, while others take it to heart. I’ve learned a few things the hard way, by experiencing the consequences of poor decisions. I’ve learned many things from the teachings in the Bible. The Scriptures have wisdom that is more valuable than gold. Money can buy possessions, but wisdom can enrich our lives, strengthen our relationships, and give us a good future.

Chris Schoenleb, an eighty-six-year-old friend, helped me edit my first book. When it was published, he gave a copy to his neighbor. When the man finished the book, Chris asked him, “So, what did you think about it?”

“Well, that never happened,” he replied.

The man assumed I had made up the stories to make the book more interesting. I actually left out a couple of the most outrageous stories. When I mentioned his comment to my mother, she said, “Tell him I lived through most of it with you!”

One of my close friends read one of my Reflections and wondered if I was speaking metaphorically when I mentioned stomping on a scorpion in our house. I went to one of our numerous scorpion glue traps and took a picture of a scorpion we had trapped and texted it to him.

I wish we had no scorpions in our house, but we do. I wish I never encountered rattlesnakes on my hikes in the desert, but I do. I wish in my younger years I would have been wiser so that I never overdosed on drugs and ended up in a mental institution, but I did. I wish I had never needed deliverance from demonic spirits, but that is what Jesus did to set me free. When I write, and when I preach, I tell what really happened.

I learned my effectiveness in preaching and writing is dependent on several things. I need illumination from the Holy Spirit to give me insights into the Bible. I need the power of the Holy Spirit to give me boldness so my words penetrate people’s hearts. I need to be honest and avoid exaggeration in order to maintain credibility. I need to clear up any personal offenses as quickly as possible.

If my sermons are not inspired by the Spirit, I’m not effective. If people are offended with me, they won’t receive anything I preach or teach. If people think I am exaggerating, they will discount everything I say. A good reputation, character and credibility are essential for effective ministry.

So why do I write about me? Why do I tell stories about my life? I do so because God speaks to me through the experiences I go through. He is the Good Shepherd; he leads me to still waters, makes me lie down in green pastures, guides me on the path of righteousness, and delivers me from evil. The Lord is also the one who disciplines me and forgives me when I do stupid things.

I like to read biographies that allow me to see how God worked in a person’s life, whether they are Christians or not. When I hear sermons, I like to hear some of the good, the bad, and the ugly of how the preacher has handled the challenges and trials of life. I learn more from people who share their mistakes, than from those who project an image of a perfect life.

The funniest friend I had growing up was Mike McQueeney. Mike was always telling stories about how he accidentally screwed something up. He laughed at himself and taught me not to take myself too seriously. He showed me the best stories we have to tell are often those about the messes we make.

The greatest marriage lessons I learned came from Ken and Diane Searle. They led our marriage group in Novato by sharing the struggles they were going through that very day. Some people will tell you about a problem they had to resolve years ago. Ken and Diane were secure enough to talk about what was happening right then. They were struggling with the same things we were all trying to work through. I thought people would judge me if Kristina and I talked about our marriage issues. I realized from the Searles that I feel closer to people who are open and honest about their trials.

The Bible tells us about the failures of many leaders. The Lord worked through them in spite of their stumblings to illustrate the truth of his Word. My ministry is to try to make the Scriptures come alive so more people will trust God and his Word. I’ve realized my style does not suit everyone.

Jesus is really my favorite subject. Jesus did not come to judge us, but to save us. He is the one I most want to please. From Jesus, we learn the truth about God. To know the one true God, and Jesus Christ—the one he sent—is eternal life.