About
the Making of Eye Witness
 From the time I was a teenager, I always had this feeling that I was destined to “do something special.” I didn't know exactly what that meant, but I always felt I was going to accomplish something that would make a difference…. and maybe even be famous?
As I grew older I had toyed with the idea that I would achieve this through sports, artistic or creative endeavors and even through TV/Movies. By the time I had reached my mid-twenties and was experiencing the reality of day to day living, I had began to surrender to the inevitable, that I would never really make a difference to the world in any appreciable way.
By the time I was in my thirties, the belief of my special place in life was nothing more than a memory that was becoming further buried with time and I began to question my worth and my very reason for being…as many people experience in their middle ages.
At the age of 39, I found answers to a lot of the questions that had plagued me for decades after surrendering to God and for the first time in my life accepting Jesus in my life and as my savior. I still did not yet know my purpose, but I now felt I was in partnership with a higher power, that supplied much of what seemed to be missing in my life and in my mind.
Over the Christmas holidays of 2002, I had sent my wife Sandy, along with our two children, Rob and Madie, up to visit Grandma and Grandpa in Wisconsin. We had just come through one of the toughest financial periods of our life together, (remember the impact that 911 on business?), and I felt I needed a time of peace and reflection that only solitude could supply. So armed with my Bible and a copy of Prayer of Jabez, (by Bruce Wilkerson), I spent at least a couple hours each morning in prayer, which for me meant having a lot of conversations with God. When I say conversation, I don't mean that I saw burning bushes and heard his thundering voice, but rather that I poured my heart out to God, asked for his help and guidance.
It was during this time, that God had taken this little idea that had been floating around in the back of my mind for two years, and made it clear to me, that developing this idea into a full blown project was going to be my future. I was charged to taking the story of Jesus' Passion, making it relevant, cool and approachable, to a whole new generation of readers around the world. Within a span of that one week I had taken what would become the first Eye Witness Book, from a story concept that was mostly in my head, to laying out a detailed story breakdown on paper and also establishing my production timetable for the project.
I felt revitalized! At this point I finally knew deep down inside that I had discovered the purpose for the wonderful writing and artist skills God had given me, which I had never really utilized to their full potential!
Through the last 4 years of hard work on the first two books of the Eye Witness trilogy, I have learned the definition of Faith: “Believing when the evidence needed to do so, might be absent,” because I just didn't think I had the talent, contacts and technical experience to tackle a job this large! Like any creative endeavor/project, I have run into continuous roadblocks, which have required a lot of prayer on my part to discover they ways around them. When I had run up against these kinds of issues, I would say, “God, since this is your idea and you're leading me down this path, I have Faith that you will provide a way!” And he has without fail, every time…though sometimes in ways that I would least expect!
So now at 48, I feel I am right where God planned for me to be all along…creating a version of the gospels that are attractive and culturally relevant to young people around the world; speaking to people about the spiritual gifts he gives us all, (including artistic and creative talent); and the importance of finding “his” purpose for those gifts in our life.
I am now “doing something special” all right, not only for my family, and myself but also for God. I have discovered something far more important than being famous; I have discovered how to have significance!
* See the Synopsis of: Eye Witness (Book One): A Fictional Tale of Absolute Truth
* See the Synopsis of: Eye Witness (Book Two): Acts of the Spirit
To schedule Robert James
Luedke, to share his testimonial, or to speak to your
youth group or ministry, about using their artistic
talent in worship or in witness . . . please Contact Us |
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