Converting You to Convert Me

An excerpt from Dee's Untitled Conversion Story...

We camped in the suffocating dark in the plaza level seats of the Superdome when we heard the ceiling tear, a National Guard patrolman shout himself hoarse, overrun toilets spill steady drips, and then--the sound of my real fear--my baby boy’s squeal after two more gunshots rang out near the 20-yard-line.

I'm completing the final draft of my conversion story for the faith*in*fiction contest. I know I'm probably one of the few who still haven't submitted. I know submitting near deadline is not something I recommend. But I really wanted to do a good job with this story. Not just so that my f*i*f friends can see that I am serious about writing with faithful focus, but the idea of conversion as a theme is controversial and commonplace. And I wanted to do something outside the box, which meant it would take more time.

Readers tire of reading pieces that are camouflaged converstion attempts. But shouldn't the role of christian fiction be to convert? Whether to convict a person to come to Christ or convict a Christian to have a better relationship with Him? Either case, we know we need it, but do we want to be tricked into it. No. Amen?

Amen, Dee.

We love to read, because we want to experience a great something. We want to learn about something and hope from reading the story that our life is a little better for the time and money invested. We go to movies to be entertained and to learn something. Be it funny, romantic, whatever. In fact movies, plays and good novels convert us into becoming avid readers. Walker's A Color Purple converted me to praise God for everything. Dark Star: Confessions of a Rock Star idol converted me to believing in the power of prayerful persistence. Tia McCollor's Heart of Devotion converted me to drop my burdens and consentrate on God.

Books convict us. Convert us sometimes. Life converts us all the time.

Has anything converted you into a newer focus this year? For example, this weekend I attended Girl Scout Training now I am Girl Scout convert. Every woman I meet with a school age daughter I find myself asking, Is your daughter in girlscouts? Last year, my fitness trainer converted me to fifteen minute workouts. Every time an old friend says Dee you're doing the thang I preach the fifteen minute kick. So...what's new about you this year? How were you converted into it? And how can you convert me?

Dee