Praise for Awake

Joel is on a mission to usher in a new and exciting form of creative storytelling, and with Awake, we have been given a chance to go along for the ride.
His inventive use of multimedia gives the reader a one-of-a-kind opportunity to dive deeper into his vibrantly told stories from his travels around the
world. Take this journey of story with Joel. You will be glad you did.
Matthew West, Contemporary Christian Music singer/songwriter

Awake is breaking new ground both in its integration of new technology and
in Joels invitation to us to wake up and join together in Gods Story. Joel is
a captivating storyteller who had me tearing through the pages to see what
happens next in his journey.
Tim Beatty, executive director of Christ Church, Fairfax Station, Virginia

Joel Clarks book Awake gives new meaning to the scriptural promise that
perfect love casts out fear. It is a compelling description of Gods invitation
to each of us to live boldly, to have the courage to be fully present to the
glory and tragedy that surrounds us in each moment, and to embrace the
opportunities to make a difference for good even in the most dangerous and
unexpected situations.
Shirley Mullen, president of Houghton College, Houghton, New York

Joel masterfully tells the storyhis, yours, and mine. His writing stirs the
reader to dream. His wild adventures awaken a hunger to have our own.
Inspired, humorous, and packed with revelation, Awake is just what the title
promises, a full-on invitation to dream, love, and live our own storya
story that can change the world. If you read one book this year, read the one
by Joels older and arguably better-looking brother, Jason Clark. But if you
decide to read another, I highly recommend this one!
Jason Clark, author of Surrendered and Untamed: A Field Guide
for the Vagabond Believer

0310334659_awake_sc_int_CS5.indd 1

2/7/12 8:54 AM

Awake grabs the very core of your being. The desire to awaken to ones
dreams rises with the powerful storytelling of Joel and Jesus. The captivating principles subtlety move ones spirit and sinew to courageous action.
Imagine how our world would flourish if every reader became AWAKE! This
would be the pleasure of God realized.
Jo Anne Lyon, founder of World Hope International and
general superintendent of the Wesleyan Church

From the midst of the raucous, chilling, glory-strewn, and hazardous events
of his life and profession, Joel calls out and points us to the God who yearns
for us fully awaken and respond to child slavery, kidnappings, HIV/AIDS, and
the gift of profound human love.
Evvy Hay Campbell, PhD, board chair of World Hope International

Jason Bourne and John Rambo, your lives are boring. Joel NykyforchynClark, is crashing through a life thats beyond crazy, and hes driven not by
a movie director but by a passionate faith in the Inventor of adventure. In
this page-turner, Clark tells of how he adopted years ago the life motto Do
it for the story and shares how it has led him to crisscross the planet ever
since, looking for the newest adventure to test his wits, exhaust his energy,
and scare himand usto death. Cant wait for the movie version to come
outbut it will take someone gutsier than Matt Damon or Sylvester Stallone to play the lead role.
Jack Haberer, author of GodViews: The Convictions that Drive Us
and Divide Us

0310334659_awake_sc_int_CS5.indd 2

2/7/12 8:54 AM

0310334659_awake_sc_int_CS5.indd 5

2/7/12 8:54 AM

ZONDERVAN
Awake
Copyright 2012 by Joel Nykyforchyn-Clark
This title is also available as a Zondervan ebook.
Visit www.zondervan.com/ebooks.
Requests for information should be addressed to:
Zondervan, Grand Rapids, Michigan 49530
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Clark, Joel N., 1976 Awake : discover the power of your story / Joel N. Clark.
p.cm.
ISBN 978-0-310-33465-1 (softcover)
1. Christian life. 2. Clark, Joel N., 1976- I. Title.
BV4501.3.C524 2012
248.4dc232011050005
All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from The Holy Bible,
New International Version, NIV. Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.
Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Any Internet addresses (websites, blogs, etc.) and telephone numbers in this book are
offered as a resource. They are not intended in any way to be or imply an endorsement
by Zondervan, nor does Zondervan vouch for the content of these sites and numbers
for the life of this book.
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval
system, or transmitted in any form or by any meanselectronic, mechanical, photocopy,
recording, or any otherexcept for brief quotations in printed reviews, without the
prior permission of the publisher.
Published in association with the literary agency of Fedd & Company, Inc., Post Office
Box 341973, Austin, TX 78734.
Cover design: Curt Diepenhorst
Cover photography: Joel N. Clark
Interior photography: Joel N. Clark
Interior illustrations: Mike Cody, Heidi Tungseth, and Holly Sharp
Interior design: SharpSeven Design
Printed in the United States of America
12 13 14 15 1 6 /DCI/ 20 19 1 8 17 1 6 15 14 13 12 11 1 0 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

0310334659_awake_sc_int_CS5.indd 6

2/7/12 8:54 AM

Megan,
you bring beauty, magic, and whimsy into my life.
I love that we live in a musical
for where there is music,
laughter and dancing will always be found.
My heart is yours, now and forever.

0310334659_awake_sc_int_CS5.indd 7

2/7/12 8:54 AM

Contents
Foreword by Mark Batterson

10

A Note to the Reader

13

1. Bring Back the Clowns

17

2. Whimsical, Magical, Beautiful, Wonderful

33

3. Smile at the Ceiling

53

4. Into the Darkness

69

5. The Great Couch Scare of 1999

87

6. Sloppy, Haphazard, Wonderful

105

7. Loving Three

121

8. Anywhere on the Planet

139

9. Get Rid of the Ashes

157

10. Patchwork

177

Acknowledgments

197

0310334659_awake_sc_int_CS5.indd 9

2/7/12 8:54 AM

Foreword
by Mark Batterson

I first met Joel N. Clark back in 2008. He called me up and asked if I would
be interested in working with him on a project. Joel had just returned home
from a month of filming in Antarctica and wanted to show me what he had
created while there. Intrigued, I met him for coffee. It was in this first meeting that I began to understand that Joel views life from a different perspective than most people do; he filters everything through the eye of Story.
After watching his Antarctic adventure, I immediately signed on to the project. Who wouldnt have? It was brilliant! Over the years, we have worked
together on several projects and met for many more coffees. Although I feel
like I know him pretty well, it wasnt until I read this book that I truly began
to understand him. Within these pages are enough adventures to fill ten
lifetimes. Whether hes running from the secret police in China, hiding from
UN tanks while spending days with Haitis top gang leaders, bungee jumping
off a Johannesburg skyscraper, interviewing child slaves for a documentary,
or chasing the girl of his dreams all over the world, Joel awakens a desire for
adventure in even the tamest souls.
Yet Joel isnt an adrenaline junky, and he definitely has both feet firmly
planted on the ground. In every story, even in those that might otherwise
feel unimportant, he somehow manages to transform the seemingly mundane into a meaningful adventure. And this, according to Joel, is the power
of story. When we choose to live a story that is greater than us, we find God
in the midst of it. These stories take him beyond the walls of the church into
places around the world where Jesus is inviting his followers to make a difference.
More than a montage of well-told stories, Awake is a call to action. From
the very first page, you will be swept into an adventure that will have you
laughing, crying, or feeling as though youve been punched in the gut. Each
story will inspire you to live a greater story of your own, to love more fully
and experience God more intimately. Think carpe diem with teeth.

10

0310334659_awake_sc_int_CS5.indd 10

2/7/12 8:54 AM

What I love about this book is that Joel doesnt try to teach us how to live a
better story. He doesnt give us the dynamics of story, a list of how-tos, or
rules for better living. Rather, he shows us what it means to live life to the
fullest. In these pages, I experienced the truth of what it means to find God
in the midst of my own story. I may not hang out with gangsters in Haiti, but
the truth I found within this story is still relevant to my life. Joel doesnt spell
out what a given story should mean to you or me; he tells what it means to
him and invites us to experience our own stories within these pages. And
this is the real power of Awake. Rather than preaching a message that stirs
the head, he presents a story that moves the heart.
You will notice that I have yet to mention Joels revolutionary new format.
Awake is interactive in a way that will take your breath away. The format is
amazinga game changer, in fact. The films, art, and websites embedded
in Awake are unlike anything that currently exists. Each entry is itself a story,
an experience on its own. For example, the films allow you to actually meet
the people and experience the places contained within these pages as well
as many other adventures that didnt make it into the book.
Before you begin this adventure, I will only tell you thishold on. Dont
simply get excited about the stories told within these pages, but ask God to
speak through them. Pray that youll not only find God in the midst of Joels
stories but that youll also see him at work in every aspect of your own story
as well.

Mark Batterson,
lead pastor of
National Community Church,
Washington, D.C.,
and bestselling author of
The Circle Maker

11

0310334659_awake_sc_int_CS5.indd 11

2/7/12 8:54 AM

A Note to the Reader

Welcome to the adventure of Awake! You are about to embark on a new
experience. This book is a first of its kind, and sometimes we need a map
to navigate uncharted waters. Perhaps you are already QR code savvy. If so,
skip this page and dive in. If, like most folks,
you look at that funny square code and wonder
what its all about, read below, and get ready
for an exciting adventure.

Simple to Use
A QR code is a mobile bar code that is embedded with content that smartphone users can
easily access. Just download the QR code reader
app of your choice (there are many free ones
available), scan the codes, and engage with the
page. There are even some places in the book
for you to lay your device directly on the page,
bringing it to life.

Exclusive Access
These codes give you instant access to videos
that will take you beyond the pages of the book
to meet the people and experience the places
in the stories. Youll also discover bonuses that
the text alone doesnt reveal.

No scanner? No problem.
Each QR code has a web address listed under it so you can you can access
all these fabulous extras on your desktop or laptop computer. You can go
directly to the website www.awakethebook.com and click on the chapters
link to view the films.

13

0310334659_awake_sc_int_CS5.indd 13

2/7/12 8:54 AM

Introduction Scene One

Scan QR code and
place device here or go
to zph.com/awake/intro1

14

0310334659_awake_sc_int_CS5.indd 14

2/7/12 8:54 AM

Introduction Scene Two

Begin your experience on previous page

15

0310334659_awake_sc_int_CS5.indd 15

2/7/12 8:54 AM

0310334659_awake_sc_int_CS5.indd 16

2/7/12 8:55 AM

Chapter One
Bri
Sep ng Ba
tem ck
ber the
200 Clo
6H wns
aiti

The Woman, Part 1

I watched as they dragged a screaming woman into the dusty streets of Cit
Soleil. Stopping directly outside our truck, a group of men threw her to the
ground, savagely ripping the shirt from her body. One man jumped in with
fists flailing. He was trying to drive away the others, but there were too
many. He took a fist to the face, immediately going to the ground. At least
ten men were involved in the fighting, but the crowd that had gathered to
watch easily numbered more than fifty, and it was growing by the second.
My eyes were glued on the woman who was at the center of it all, being
pulled back and forth like a rag doll.
Father Rick Frechettewhom I simply call the priestwas talking on
his cell phone, not yet aware of the brutality happening just outside his
eyeshot. Only when a man was shoved against the side of the truck did his
attention shift. We were inside a medical truck, and the woman was being
attacked just a few feet from my door. Unable to make myself move (and
unsure what I would do if I could), I sat and watched as the violence began

17

0310334659_awake_sc_int_CS5.indd 17

2/7/12 8:55 AM

to spread. Some of the spectatorsmen and womenwere beginning to

join in the fight.
The woman was screaming, agony obvious in her eyes as one of the men
brought his face close to hers, shouting angrily. Tears mixed with the dust
to make muddy tracks down her cheeks. Wrestling an arm free, she slugged
one of her assailants hard in the face. Shock shifted to rage as he grabbed
hold of her arm once again and slammed his fist into the side of her head.
Stunned, her legs momentarily gave way as she slumped between the men.
My breath stopped as a knife flashed from somewhere deep in the crowd.
The fighting seemed to be spreading to a much larger group. At least twice
as many men and women had now joined in the madness. Less than a
minute earlier, only ten men had been fighting, but now there were more
than thirty men and women who were shoving and screaming at each other
wildly. Yet it was this woman who was at the heart of the chaos. All of the
violence was centered on her. I didnt know what had caused it, but that
didnt matter. Someone was going to die.
Another man rushed forward, trying to free the woman, but he was shoved
hard. Stumbling back, he slammed against the side of the truck and fell to his
knees. Transfixed on the scene in front of me, I didnt hear the door opening
on the other side of the medical truck. I didnt notice the priest exiting the
vehicle.

Ive been in a fight to protect someone on two occasions, but neither of

those experiences came close to preparing me for what was happening now.
With the Haitian woman, life and death hung in the balance. I felt both concern for her safety and powerless over the situation. It was the powerlessness that distinguished this occasion from the time almost ten years earlier.
When I was nineteen, I dont think I would have gotten much more than a
bloody nose.

18

0310334659_awake_sc_int_CS5.indd 18

AWAKE

2/7/12 8:55 AM

Take Your Hands Off the Girl

December 1995Pittsburgh
She was screaming, the sound reverberating off the alley walls. Stuart and I
ran to the window. We were three stories up, inside a church in the center of
Pittsburgh. It was ten oclock in the evening, and the church was locked for
the night. We were trying to pry the window open, but it looked as if it had
been rusted shut for the past twenty years.
I was in Pittsburgh with a team of students who were volunteering with the
church for a week. We had been spending our days serving in soup kitchens
and helping out wherever needed. The pastor had graciously allowed us to
sleep at the church so we wouldnt have to spend money on hotel rooms.
Although Id spent a little time with Stuart, we didnt know each other very
well. We just happened to be together when we heard the scream.
When the woman screamed for the second time, she sounded like she was
struggling with someone. Stuart and I stared at each other for a moment,
uncertain about what we should do next. Stuart quickly darted for the stairs
as I followed close behind. The stairs led directly to an emergency exit that
seemed to be in the right place. Stuart shoved it open and stepped aside,
allowing me to run out at full speed.
My feet crunched on newly fallen snow as I slipped on a layer of ice beneath,
barely keeping my balance. I was wearing jeans and a T-shirt, and it was well
below zero. I turned, frantically searching for the woman and already feeling the intense cold. Standing next to the now-opened door was a man who
stood with his hands clasped around the neck and shoulders of a woman.
She was pressed against the wall in the back alley of the church. He was
wearing a suit and a warm-looking leather jacket. The woman was dressed
in an evening gown that shimmered when she moved. She had golden hair
and was quite beautiful.
When the man saw me, he took his hands off her throat and grabbed her
by the wrist. I looked at Stuart, who was still standing in the open doorway,

19

0310334659_awake_sc_int_CS5.indd 19

Bring Back the Clowns

2/7/12 8:55 AM

looking as scared as I felt. We briefly locked eyes just before he turned and
ran, the door slamming shut behind him. The door didnt have a handle on
the outside. Stuart had locked me out in the alley with the man.
As he turned, I immediately knew I was in trouble. Ive always been the
skinny kid. Throughout my childhood I dreamed of being the wiry kid
who was hard to pin down in a fight, but this was only a dream. There is a
difference between skinny and wiry. Skinny means you just have skin over
your bones. Wiry means you have tight muscles under that skin. Wiry kids
are cool. This man, on the other hand, was neither skinny nor wiry; by the
looks of him hed probably always been the muscle kid. The muscle kid
has a six-pack by the age of five and never loses it.
Both the man and the woman seemed as confused by my presence as I was.
He looked at me, waiting.
With a voice that squeaked with fear I stuttered, Take ... I had to clear
my throat. Take your hands off the ... girl. Im sure my tone was more
distressed than forceful.
Im not sure why I chose to speak like a superhero. It probably came from
watching too much Batman on TV as a child. The man looked me in the eye,

20

0310334659_awake_sc_int_CS5.indd 20

AWAKE

2/7/12 8:55 AM

the edges of his mouth curving in a small smile. Even the lady didnt seem as
appreciative as I would have hoped.
Get out of here, he said. Leave us alone or youre going to get hurt. His
tone was more irritated than angry.
He was right. This man was at least twenty-five, and I was only eighteen.
I was a kid from the suburbs who had never been in a real fight. This was a
guy from the city. Everyone knows that guys from the city know what to do
with their fists. Id seen Lean on Me.
I cant ... He turned and gave me an are you really still here? look. Taking a step back, I continued. I cant do that. You need to let her go. This
time I sounded more like I was asking a question.
I spent my childhood dreaming about being in this kind of situation. In my
dreams I had bigger muscles and a lower voice, and I was never scared. Id
stare into the mirror, furrow my brow, and then point and say, Let go of
the girl, or, I guess Im going to have to teach you a lesson, or, Prepare
to meet Mr. Pain! Id practice these and many other ridiculous lines with
the desperate hope that I might someday have a reason to say them. I still
practice these kinds of lines, but now its usually while Im driving, which is
much more grown-up.

21

0310334659_awake_sc_int_CS5.indd 21

Bring Back the Clowns

2/7/12 8:55 AM

A moment later, I found myself lying flat on my back in the snow. My jaw
was throbbing, and I had no idea where I was. I honestly never saw him hit
me. I was looking at him, but the whole fist coming toward my face thing
somehow escaped my notice. After a moment of confusion my eyes focused
on the man. He crouched low and grabbed my shirt. I still didnt know what
was happening; to this day Im not sure if he was trying to hit me again or
pick me up and tell me to run along. I started thrashing around, like a
snow angel in distress. Just then the emergency door opened again, and this
time there were five men standing in it. Stuart had returned with backup,
thank God. When my friends saw me, it looked like I was wrestling with
the man.
Until now, I havent felt the need to tell the truth of this story. If they wanted
to think I was wrestling, who was I to tell them different?
Although this story is slightly embarrassing, its also something Im proud of.
I stepped outside and stood up for someone who needed help. Even though
I lost the fight, I lived a story that would help define me for years to come.
But when I watched the woman being beaten in Haiti, I dont think I could
have made myself grab the door handle, let alone get out of the truck.

Death on the Wind

Hours before the woman was attacked, I had arrived at a hospital in Ptionville, just south of Port-au-Prince, the capital of Haiti. I was there to do some
research for a documentary I was planning to direct. As soon as I walked
through the gate to the hospital, the priest spotted me and asked if I would
help his staff load the trucks. He told me we were heading into Cit Soleil
with much-needed medical supplies.
In 2006, the priest was the only white man who could come and go in Cit
Soleil with relative ease. He was well-known as a man who stood up for the
poor and the oppressed. Although this was the first of many days I would
spend with him, it was immediately clear that he has a deep affection for the
Haitian people. He has lived and worked in Haiti since the early 1980s, and
his French/Creole comes more naturally to him than his English.

22

0310334659_awake_sc_int_CS5.indd 22

AWAKE

2/7/12 8:55 AM

23

0310334659_awake_sc_int_CS5.indd 23

Bring Back the Clowns

2/7/12 8:56 AM

I followed a few young men up a long, dark stairway to grab some supplies
from a storage room. They all seemed to be in a hurry to load the trucks and
get moving. Later I learned that virtually all of the men who accompanied
the priest on these outings owed him their lives. Every one of them had
either come out of gangs or from off the streets. The priest had loved them
enough to actually step into their worlds and be the love that I usually only
talk about.
At the top of the stairs was a storage room filled with portable X-ray machines, crates of medical supplies, and long, rectangular boxes. Only when I
picked up one of the boxes did I realize what it was. I had never touched a
coffin before. This wasnt one of the fancy coffins Id seen in movies; this was
a thin, long box made of cardboard. I carried it down, wondering if we were
going to a funeral. After I loaded it into the back of the truck, I went back
upstairs with the young men and grabbed another. In the end we loaded
eight coffins and a myriad of medical supplies.
As we drove away from the hospital, the priest told me the story behind the
coffins.
When we drive through Cit Soleil, we often find bodies rotting on top of
the trash heaps scattered throughout the city, he said very matter-of-factly.
I started bringing coffins with me because I cant imagine what it would be
like for kids who have to walk past these bodies every day on their way to
schoolnot to mention the diseases the bodies spread.
You find bodies just lying on piles of trash? I couldnt believe it. How do
they get there?
On a bad week well find seven or eight, but sometimes its only a couple,
he said. They are people whove either been killed by a gang or have died
from malnutrition or some disease. Most households dont have money for
a proper burial, so the bodies are thrown on piles of trash. Imagine what
it does to a five-year-old child to walk past a rotting body on a daily basis.
That child doesnt have a chance of growing up normally. People wonder
how some of these gangsters can be so cruel. Just think about that five-yearold and then see if you still wonder. In just a few years, these boys and girls
will be young men and women, and unless someone does something, they

24

0310334659_awake_sc_int_CS5.indd 24

AWAKE

2/7/12 8:56 AM

will be the next gang leaders of Haiti. So we pick up the bodies when we see
them, and we bury them. The people appreciate it, and the kids can walk to
school without having to experience that kind of thing.
My mind couldnt comprehend this kind of horror. I didnt say anything
mainly because I didnt know how to respond. It was then that he said something I will never forget.
The current life expectancy in Cit Soleil is sixteen. Can you imagine that?
He knew this was pushing my limits of believability. The gangsters Im going to introduce you to are
mostly in their early twenties. They are some of the
oldest people in Cit Soleil.
We talked about many
things that day. His
words carried a wisdom
that can only be found
in someone who has
given everything he has
for what he believes.
Over the next few
zp h .c o m /a
days, I watched as he
wa ke /1.1
served the poorest of
the poor, his every interaction giving them
a dignity and respect
many had likely never received before.
The priest doesnt
see himself as doing
anything special. He simply does what the Bible commands us all to do: love
with action. Although I work in Haiti often, Im not able to see the priest every time I go. Since the first time I met him in 2006 Ive been able to shadow
him on four separate occasions. Each time Im able to spend a day or two

25

0310334659_awake_sc_int_CS5.indd 25

Bring Back the Clowns

2/7/12 8:56 AM

in his presence I feel like Im in the presence of Jesus. In fact, when I

think about Jesus, I often see him with the face of the priest.

The Woman, Part 2

The woman was on her knees now, tears flowing freely as she struggled
to rise. Her shirt was lying on the ground, trampled by the madness that
raged around her. A thick sheen of dust filled the air, eerily framing the
scene.
Another woman who looked to be much older, with the leathery skin and
deep wrinkles of someone who hadnt had an easy life, pushed through
the crowd, trying desperately to reach the woman on the ground. Her
arms were fully extended, but she couldnt get to her. Two men were
holding her back as she screamed and pushed against them. They had
their backs to me so I couldnt tell if they were trying to keep the old
woman safely away from the madness or if they were angry with her for
interfering.
The gathered crowd had changed to a mob more quickly than I could
have imagined. Everywhere I looked, people were shoving and punching
each other wildly. The madness was spilling into the road as some of the
mob began to fight in front of the medical vehicle. I was still frozen in my
seat.
As the woman rose unsteadily to her feet, I saw another knife rise high in
the air, the sun reflecting off the blade like a mirror. This knife was different from the others Id seen. The others had been shaken violently in order
to threaten; this one was raised with the intent to kill.
Thats when the miracle happened. I watched it unfold right in front of my
eyes. Out of nowhere another hand shot into the air, grabbing the hand
with the knife and stopping it before it could plunge the knife into the
heart of the woman. The mob quieted in an instant, like waves suddenly
calmed. The man with the knife lowered his eyes with an embarrassed,
almost apologetic look. Thats when I saw him, the priest, standing at the
center of it all. He had walked into the heart of the mob and stopped a

26

0310334659_awake_sc_int_CS5.indd 26

AWAKE

2/7/12 8:56 AM

Scan QR code and

place device here or go
to zph.com/awake/1.2

27

0310334659_awake_sc_int_CS5.indd 27

Bring Back the Clowns

2/7/12 8:56 AM

murder. He is not a tall man, but he definitely stood above the crowd that
day. I watched as he took off his jacket and put it around her. He said a few
things to her in a language I didnt understand and then led her over to the
young men who had followed him out of the truck. These men were trying
to look like his bodyguards but ended up looking like mere boys standing
next to this real-life hero. The priest must have instructed them to take the
woman home because they all surrounded her and guided her away from
the crowd. He then said a few more words to the people, putting his hands
on their shoulders and calming them.
A minute later, he was back inside the truck. Putting the phone to his ear, he
continued with the call he had been on before the whole incident erupted.
He hadnt even hung up his cell phone when he stopped the murder. After
the call was concluded, he simply continued telling me the story he had
been in the middle of before being interrupted by his ringing phone. He
made no mention at all of what had just happened.
Father Rick once told me that much of the world is sound asleep and feeling
empty. He said that we are sleeping to what life is really about, and only
when we step out of our comfort zone will our talents and abilities be drawn
out of us.
Im desperate to live a greater story. Ive spent much of my life fantasizing
over what I might do and daydreaming about who I hope to become. Yet
often when I find myself in a position to actually do something about it, I
continue my dreaming, too afraid, jaded, or cynical to step up to the plate.
I think most of us want to be more than we are now. We want to be kinder,
bolder, more passionate, more assertive. And in our dreams we know exactly what to say or do. Yet when we find ourselves face-to-face with an
opportunity to act, we run back to the safety of dreaming, too afraid to live
fully awake.

28

0310334659_awake_sc_int_CS5.indd 28

AWAKE

2/7/12 8:56 AM

Three
I bet when the Old Testament was written, men and women who had access
to it couldnt believe their eyes. The Old Testament was the worlds first bestseller. In fact, it was a whole conglomeration of bestsellers put into several
scrolls. The marketing was sheer genius. Not only was the Old Testament a
book of bestsellers; it was a book inspired by God himselfat least that
was the story around town.
And then one day, hundreds of years after this book hit the shelves, along
came these guys who decided to write a sequel. In Hollywood, great films
are often ruined by their sequels, but this group had never heard of Hollywood, and understanding the risks or not, they boldly moved forward.
Lets call it the Old Testament, Two, one of them said.
No, said another excitedly, lets call it Return of the Old Testament.
Wait, said yet another, lets call it ... the New Testament.
The New Testament, one of them mouthed silently. Thats brilliant!
And it was. Ive heard the New Testament has done quite well over the
years.
I grew up thinking that Gods story was already written. These two Testaments, the Bible, climaxed with the epic Jesus moment, and then the ink,
quill, and parchments were put away. The story was complete. From that
moment on, we were simply meant to learn how to live out what had been
taught in the Scriptures.
No wonder so many of us seem to be sound asleep and feeling empty. We
feel that all we can do now is read the Bible as a textbook and try to learn
from it the way a historian studies the writings of ancient worlds. If the story
has already been told, then we are all late to the party and the clowns have
all gone home. And as a result, we think we have no role to play in this twopart epic adventure.

29

0310334659_awake_sc_int_CS5.indd 29

Bring Back the Clowns

2/7/12 8:56 AM

While in Haiti walking with the priest, I began to wonder if Gods adventure
series was still being written. Maybe, like all great series, this story is a trilogy. If this is true, then just maybe were all playing roles in the most exciting
installment of the entire story. The third act in any story is always the most
intense, magical, and beautiful. And as a general rule, the third act is always
bigger than the first two.
I think the story is still being written and that its epic. Its not over yet. The
best stories contain tragedy and comedy, true love and adventure, heartache and joy, magic and beauty. All we have to do is take a look at our world
to see that all of the pieces to the best story ever told are in place.

The Book of Priest, Part 1

The Bible is packed with stories of men and women who fully experienced
life, who were fully awake to the world around them. They made mistakes;
they failed and struggled; they experienced extreme loneliness and heartache; their lives were often messy and chaotic. Yet their lives were also filled
with miracles, intense beauty, unheard-of wonder, amazing God-experiences. They lived fully awake lives.
I think I have yet to live a story that truly compares with those in the Old
or the New Testament. But I believe it is possible to live this way. I know
someone whose current-day stories definitely compare. The priest lives his
life fully awake. He would be the first to say that some of his days are filled
with failure and struggles, and I know firsthand just how messy and chaotic
they can be. Ive heard his stories of loneliness and heartache. Yet I have
seen insane miracles while I was with him, and he has told me stories of
amazing beauty. The priest has collected more God-experiences than anyone Ive met.
Many of us have been taught that our lives arent supposed to be messy or
chaotic. Weve been told that living safe is better than getting it wrong, and
if we are a little bored, well, thats OK as long as we dont fail or make any
major mistakes. Yet this isnt living; this is sleepwalking. The priest showed
me what it means to awaken to my life. He showed me a new way to live.

30

0310334659_awake_sc_int_CS5.indd 30

AWAKE

2/7/12 8:56 AM

And someday, when we arrive in heaven and God shows us the New-est
Testament, I wouldnt be surprised if the priest gets a whole chapter. He
might even get his own book.

zph.com/awake /1.3

31

0310334659_awake_sc_int_CS5.indd 31

Bring Back the Clowns

2/7/12 8:56 AM

0310334659_awake_sc_int_CS5.indd 32

2/7/12 8:56 AM

Chapter Two
l,
ica l
g
a
l, M nderfu
a
c
i
Wo
ims
Wh utiful, 01
Bea ber 20
o
Oct

Are you awake?

Even at 2:00 a.m. I could hear the excitement in Douards voice.
No, Douard, I said. Why would I be awake? Its 2:00 a.m.
Wherever he was, it was extremely windy, and I could hear someone yelling
in the background. I was lying in my nice warm bed. It was dark except for
the soft white glow of my cell phone. There was a pause as Douard waited
to answer. In retrospect, I think he meant it to be a dramatic pause, but at
that point I still wasnt completely awake, so it went unnoticed.
Do you remember the last time I called you at 2:00 a.m.?
My mouth went dry.

33

0310334659_awake_sc_int_CS5.indd 33

2/7/12 8:57 AM

You told me you werent feeling good. You used the flu as an excuse
not to join us.
Immediately my stomach started churning. I reached over and turned
on the light, sweat already forming on my hands. I didnt know what
to say. My mind began searching for an excuse.
I didnt know anyone who had died recently, so there were no immediate funeral obligations. And aside from my churning stomach I
was actually feeling quite good. It was 2:00 a.m., so I couldnt claim
to have an appointment.
Douard wasnt the kind of guy to let me off with a feeble excuse. Id
met him a few years earlier, just a few weeks after he woke up after
being unconscious for a few months. Hed been climbing one of the
highest mountains in South America when his appendix burst. He
was rushed off the mountain
in record time and spent the
next three months unconscious in a hospital bed. A
month after he awoke, he
moved to South Africa,
where I was living at the
time. After getting to
know one another over
coffee, Douard and
I had become close
zp h.co m /aw

34

0310334659_awake_sc_int_CS5.indd 34

ake/ 2.1

AWAKE

2/7/12 8:57 AM

friends. I enjoyed his company, in part because he was always pushing me to try new things. The problem with this night was that I wasnt
sure I wanted to try this new thing.
The kicker was that I didnt really think he would do it again. The last
time Douard had called and asked if I could join him and a few of his
friends, I honestly had the flu.
I spent the next few days listening to Douard and the others do that
thingyou know, that man, you missed it thing. I dont know that
I actually regretted not joining in the fun; it was more I regretted not
being a part of the conversation afterward. There is nothing worse
than sitting around with a bunch of people who have all experienced
something amazing or scary or beautiful and having no idea what
theyre talking about, because man, you missed it.
Yes, Im on my way, I said after a moments hesitation.
Looking back, I couldnt have said no. Did I want to do it? I really dont
know the answer to that. I think that something in me wanted to do it.
Would I ever go out of my way to do it? Would I ever be like Douard
and spend all that time dreaming it up and getting all the right players
together to pull it off? Without a doubt, no.
Ive never been an adrenaline junky like Douard. My stunts are usually
a little tamer.

35

0310334659_awake_sc_int_CS5.indd 35

Whimsical, Magical, Beautiful, Wonderful

2/7/12 8:57 AM