The Single Bible Verse That Inspired a Trilogy
At their core, character arcs are nothing more than a character’s journey from one state of being to another. Gift of the Tiding Bearer being the first book of its kind I’d ever written, I had a hard time figuring out Doran’s arc. As the main character he had to carry the bulk of the conflict and move the plot forward. But no matter what I tried, nothing felt right. That is, until… the Jeremiah Factor.
“Don’t let the wise boast in their wisdom,
or the powerful boast in their power,
or the rich boast in their riches.
But those who wish to boast should boast in this alone:
that they truly know me and understand that I am the LORD who demonstrates unfailing love and who brings justice and righteousness to the earth, and that I delight in these things.
— Jeremiah 9:23-24
Here Jeremiah pairs three vices: wisdom (pride in one’s intelligence), power (pride in one’s own strength, violence), and riches (pride in one’s possessions, greed). When I studied the passage further, I found the Bible lists this pairing many other places and in many other ways. But regardless of which arrogant boast one takes pleasure in, the solution is the same for all three: boast in this alone: the Lord’s unfailing love, justice, and righteousness. The passage is a template for growth and change—and for character arcs.
That’s when the process got really exciting! Now I knew the story needed three main characters and each character’s “Jeremiah Factor” would outline their journey: from pride to humility, from revenge to mercy, and from greed to selflessness.
In other words, Errol, Doran, and Mavis were born.
But the Jeremiah Factor wasn’t the only scripture to wind its way through the roots of the Tiding Bearer Trilogy. While drafting the sequel, Song of the Tiding Bearer, I was digging deep into 1 Corinthians 12 to research my spiritual gifts-based magic system, and read on through chapter 13. Here, God impressed another triplicate upon my heart:
Three things will last forever—faith, hope, and love—and the greatest of these is love.
—1 Corinthians 13:13
I wish I could say that I started writing the Tiding Bearer Trilogy with this blueprint in mind; that I always intended each book in the series to represent one of the Big Three; that I intricately planned Doran’s journey to represent faith, Mavis’s as a symbol of hope, and Errol’s as the ultimate analogy of love, but for this depth of spiritual detail, I boast only in my Co-Author, Jesus Christ.
Jesus moved my fingers over the keys, placed thoughts in my mind, and tugged my heart in just the right directions to bring the series to its full potential. Now, because of His faithfulness, I can offer you…
A boy’s journey from powerlessness and hatred, to mercy and strength; an story of learning to trust God’s word more than your own fears, and putting your faith in the truth that sets us free.
One girl’s path from selfishness to sacrifice. An allegory of finding of hope in heartbreak, and of singing the Savior’s song through the darkness of loss and the confusion of pain.
The ultimate tale of a prideful scholar-turned-humble messenger; of doubting your worth, losing your way, and finding the love that will never let you go; a tribute to the Sacrifice of Eternal Love.
I’ll be exploring each of these themes in their own posts eventually, revealing how each book captures the themes of faith, hope, and love in more detail, but until then, stay kind, curious, and courageous. <3 <3 <3