Content | Content Creation | Inspiration

Your Worst Content Can Save a Life. Mine Did.

Here’s the story…

I grew up Southern Baptist.

Question: “Why don’t Baptists make love standing up?”

Answer: “Someone might accuse them of dancing.”

While the church youth group was a large part of my life, in college the church became increasingly rigid and fundamental.

So by the time I went to FSU for graduate school in counseling psychology, I had no intention of becoming involved with anything Baptist.

But then the ONLY person I knew in Tallahassee invited me to a Baptist Campus Ministry “Back to School Bash.”

The 2 co-leaders, Shuf Davis and Mitch Simpson, were asking OUT LOUD all the questions I’d kept inside at my old church.

They had me at hello…

A few years later

A few years later, after I had my Masters in Counseling Psychology, was working in town and on another degree, the campus ministry invited me back to speak at that same Tuesday night meeting.

It was my first “keynote talk.”

It was also my “worst keynote talk.”

While I’ve tried to forget most of it, I think my talk had something to do with self esteem.

Ironic, because I sure wrecked mine that night.

I had a few points and played pieces of songs on my portable AM/FM Cassette Radio.

I sweated. I stuttered. I forgot where I was in the talk. I never knew my upper lip could sweat so much.

And you know that gummy little white stuff you get on your lips when you’re nervous and talking?

Yeah, that too. Lots of that too.

I’m so very glad we didn’t video everything we did back then…

“You see that guy over there?”

A few years later they invited me back to help out on a campus ministry snow ski trip.

And they’d pay my way.

That was an easy yes.

In the wee hours of the morning we stopped to gas up somewhere in North Carolina. I was freezing as I pumped gas into one of our vans.

While I was pumping the gas, a few of the girls came over and said:

“You won’t believe what just happened!”

Me: “What’s that?”

Girls: “You see that guy over there?”

Me: “Yeah, what about him?”

Girls: “You remember that talk you gave a few years ago?”

Me: “Yes, though I’ve tried to forget it.”

Girls: “Well, he just pointed you out. He told us he came to your talk that night with a plan to go back to his dorm later and kill himself. But something you said made him change his mind.”

Me: I’m not often speechless, but I sure was for a moment. Then I tried to joke it off: “Geez, I was ready for suicide after that talk!”

Girls: “No Jeff. No joke. He just said you saved his life. He wants to thank you.”

All these years later, I still can’t tell this story without getting tears in my eyes and shaking my head in wonder.

Your content counts

Your content counts. Even when you don’t think it does.

Sometimes you’ll get lucky like I did that night, and you’ll find out how your content counted.

Most times you won’t.

Do it any way.

Just remember this:

“There are more people waiting to hear your unique message, who can only hear it from you, than you can ever get to in your lifetime.”

So get going, before your head hits the pillow tonight…

And if you’re wondering how I got from counseling psychologist to what I do now, here’s the story: