We feature Jonathan Hardy who shares with us about stepping into an unexpected "calling" to write a book and the result of that journey. Jonathan is now a successful author, speaker, and entrepreneur, and he writes about his journey of becoming an author. If you’ve considered writing a book, you’ll be inspired by his story of success.
Jonathan is a successful author, speaker, and entrepreneur. His first book, Arrow Striker: Live with Purpose and Leave an Eternal Impact... Every Single Day, instantly became an Amazon #1 Bestseller and has impacted people around the world. The book has endorsements from New York Times Bestselling Author, Mark Batterson, and many other successful authors and pastors such as Larry Osborne and John & Debbie Lindell.
The Journey Begins...
I never set out to write a book. It was not part of my plan. In fact, the thought of writing a book felt daunting. And yet I couldn’t shake the fact that I was supposed to write a book. It was almost a “calling” for my life that I couldn’t deny. I was destined to be an author.
As a Christian, I've always had a desire to serve God. I've strived to live for God and do all that He wants me to do. I never realised part of His “will” would be to help others live their lives the same way. However, as I got older and started serving as an associate pastor at James River Church in Springfield, Missouri, I developed an increasing passion to help others make a difference with their lives.
In my role with the church, I interacted with so many people each day, and I saw how they – without much effort – could make an impact on people in their spheres of influence. That’s really where I developed my desire to help others make an impact with their lives.
The Backstory...
I have this belief that all of us are hardwired to make a difference with our lives. This desire to make a difference is part of our DNA. Whether or not people are followers of God, we want to know that our lives matter. Specifically for Christians, I believe God desires they have spiritual impact for the Kingdom of God. That is the framework for why I wrote Arrow Striker: Live with Purpose and Leave an Eternal Impact… Every Single Day.
When I came across a short, obscure Bible story found in 2 Kings 13:14-20, the idea immediately came to me that I could write an entire book based on that story from the Bible. The day after coming across that passage, I was spending some time in prayer. I immediately felt God gave me the chapter outline for the book, so I just started writing out notes, comments, and thoughts of what this book could be.
At that time, I was 25 years old, and it wasn't until I was 40 that I actually published the book. I'm glad I waited because the book is much richer and much more impactful. It contains so many stories I collected over the years of how everyday people used their lives to make a difference.
The premise of Arrow Striker, as I mentioned previously, is from 2 Kings 13 – a story of Jehoash (the king of Israel) and the prophet Elisha. Elisha tells Jehoash to take the quiver of arrows in his hand and to strike the ground with them. The act of striking the ground represented victory for the nation of Israel over Aram (which is present day Syria).
(Book Trailer) Arrow Striker by Jonathan Hardy // Official Book Trailer
Unfortunately, King Jehoash gave a half-hearted effort and only struck the ground three times. This resulted in only a partial victory for the Kingdom, although God’s desire for Israel was to get a full, complete victory.
Using this Old Testament example, I wrote Arrow Striker to help people realize that they are figurative “arrow strikers.” Their responsibility as such is to keep striking their arrows by making a difference with their lives and to not stop short of what God might want to do through them.
Throughout Arrow Striker, I share stories of everyday people who go all-in and partner with God to be purposeful in their interactions with those around them in an effort to make an eternal impact on the lives of others.
Additionally, Arrow Striker identifies seven obstacles we commonly face in our lives that could prevent us from making a difference in the lives of others. Overcoming these obstacles will help people more effectively strike their arrows and make a bigger difference in their sphere of influence right where they are.
The whole point of the book is to help people realise that they don't have to move to a third world country in order for their lives to make an impact. They don’t need to have some huge "calling" in order to have influence. Right where people are, every single day, they can make a difference with the opportunities that are right in front of them. They don't have to change their career, it doesn't matter what stage of life they're in, how well they know the Bible, how spiritual they are, or even the past circumstances of their lives. None of those things ultimately matter, because God wants to use all of us, right where we are to make a substantial difference.
What’s Next?
Writing Arrow Striker has afforded me the opportunity to speak at churches and conferences to share its powerful message and empower others to step into all that God has for them.
It’s always humbling, and I have such gratitude when others share with me how the message of Arrow Striker has influenced their lives and helped them step into God’s plan for them.
This powerful testimony came from Crystal, a woman who read the book shortly after its release. She battled breast cancer and went through a divorce after 17 years of marriage. As a result, she put on the shelf her dream of writing a devotional for women because she felt unspiritual and that her life was too messy. After finishing Arrow Striker, she wrote:
This book awakened something in me that has felt stagnant. The enemy has made me believe that God cannot use me to make an impact, being a divorced Christian woman. I now know that is far from truth.
Allowing God to work through our pain and hardship to help others see His faithfulness and goodness is what Arrow Striker is all about!
I know that God is using the book to stir the hearts of people and it has been thrilling to see Arrow Striker become a #1 Amazon Best Seller. Arrow Striker can be found at ArrowStriker.com, Amazon or Barnes & Noble.
How Can I Learn More About Jonathan?
I’m also the co-founder of Leaders.Church and Church University, which provides valuable resources for pastors to equip them to level up their leadership abilities, develop leaders around them and grow the church.
Arrow Striker Website: https://arrowstriker.com
Leaders. Church Website: https://leaders.church
Church University Website: https://churchuniversity.com
Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/church-tips-growth-strategies-for-pastors-ministry/id1518862211
Instagram: https://instagram.com/jonathanlhardy
Facebook: https://facebook.com/jonathanlhardy
Twitter: https://twitter.com/jonathanlhardy
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