Painted Into a Corner

I created The Story of With to be a fantastical allegory—part Alice in Wonderland, part Matrix, and part identity tale. My favorite memory from writing it was God’s playful invitation to increase the stakes for the protagonist named Mia.

I’ve always been a fan of chapters that end with jaw-dropping cliffhangers. The “what will they do now?” moments that keep the pages turning. So from the start, I knew I’d be placing Mia in a series of surreal situations.

That’s when I sensed God playfully up the ante: Go ahead and write Mia into the most impossible dilemma you can imagine. One with no conceivable way out. Then watch how I rescue her.

So I did. Chapter endings found Mia neck-deep in quicksand, running from a psychotic bat, or stuck in an elevator with a floor about to give way beneath her feet. Neither Mia nor I had a clue how she’d survive. At that point, I’d smile and pass the story baton to God.

And he always rescued her in ways that blew my mind.

I love how he did that for Mia. He does the same for us when we unintentionally find ourselves painted into a corner. Where we see defeat, he sees endless possibilities. For the stories we write…and live.

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