Phil Bishop,
Exercise Physiology,
University of Alabama
“So what’s my story?”
That question came to mind when I was reading Donald Miller’s book, A Million Miles in a Thousand Years (Nelson). I really liked the book, chiefly because its message is practical for us as faculty.
Miller uses the metaphor of editing a movie about his life to remind readers that we all write our stories with each decision we make. Although this sounds obvious, Miller points out that few of us along the way give serious consideration to this simple concept. Even as I was reading, I reflected on my own story.
My Movie
Not surprisingly, the scenes that would make my movie are really significant events:
• College
• Marrying Brenda
• The birth of our kids
• Mission trips with Christian faculty
• Conversations (mostly religious) with family members and students
• Baptizing several of my children
• Seeing a grad student go from drug dependence to Christ-likeness.
It was what would not make the list that surprised me:
• My first peer-reviewed paper
• A big NIOSH grant that got me promoted to full professor
• My first book (Only one, but it sounds more impressive this way)
• Teaching awards
• Consulting with NASA
Now maybe the latter would make it into the sequel. Still, it was surprising to realize what scenes would be left on the cutting room floor.
If you have not reached my reflective and wizened age, you have more time to evaluate your own story, because there’s still time to add new scenes. Adventure, conflict, overcoming obstacles, a valiant struggle against long odds, and self-sacrifice, are all elements of good stories. How do we faculty members bring these into our stories?
During my early years in academia I was really helped in this by Rae Mellichamp and other successful senior faculty who modeled the life of a Christian professor. They were excellent in their teaching and research, and they pursued personal ministry in the time God gave them.
A Happy Ending
A similar commitment in my own life has led to some significant ministry opportunities. I have been able to share my testimony with scores of students at home, at professional conferences and on international trips.
Don Miller suggests that stories ought to end with a celebration, and that nothing says celebration better than a wedding and a feast. Thankfully our stories all have that happy ending, the wedding and the feast, the wedding of the Lamb.
So what’s your story? What are you doing as a faculty member that will make it into your movie?
© 2010 Phillip A Bishop