We’ve been on the road for more than a month now, and have more than a month to go. Already we’ve accumulated some epic memories, including boating on Lake Washington with author Barb Pine, and enjoying a trombone serenade in the lovely and hospitable home of the infamous Rob Bell. And, night after night, the fact that anybody, much less hundreds of people, would pay $15 to come out and hear an author speak amazes both Susan and me.
My favorite part of each night is guiding the audience into the tension involved in the idea that Jesus is not the climax to your human story, and that God intends and even lends very difficult conflict to your life. Both of these are Biblical ideas, largely indisputable, that are not taught in churches in America, and are downright opposed in most Christian books. You can cut the tension in the air with a knife, each time I get to that part of the talk. Hopefully the tension is relieved by the end of the talk, but sometimes it isn’t. I’ve actually had people come up to me and say they thought I was about to renounce my faith, which, in ways, I actually do. At least my faith in whatever has become of Christianity.
I’ve only had one heckler, a man in Des Moines who, during the Q and A kept asking a question I simply couldn’t understand. It felt more like he was trying to make a statement than ask a question. I usually just let a person make their statement then move on, but he wanted some kind of response I couldn’t give and this upset him. I felt bad for him, but I still don’t know what he wanted.
On down days, and there are fewer and fewer as the tour progresses, we try to find things to do in whatever city we are in. In St. Louis, our friend Annika Johansson was singing in the chorus of Phantom of the Opera and so we went to see her and got a backstage tour. And in that same town, we visited The City Museum, perhaps the most inspirational museum I’ve visited, and I’d include the MET in that mix. If I were to build a museum, The City Museum is probably what it would look like. Instead of coming up with a theme, they seemed to just ask themselves what would be neat or fun or interesting, then they just welded it all together. There are planes on towers, busses crashing off the roofs, caves in the basement, sixty-foot twirling slides that used to be shoots in a shoe factory, turtles swimming through aquariums, a pipe organ three stories tall, and a giant white whale. They even had a train running through the third floor. It was paradise, I think.
The group on the bus, which includes myself, Susan Isaacs, our World Vision rep Melody Wilson, our tour manager Brent Gibbs and our bus driver Bruce have gelled like a family. So far we’ve had no fights. Susan doesn’t allow us to look her in the eye or go into the back of the bus or use the bathroom or talk, but if we just do all those things, the going is great. We also have to jump across the bus putting a pillow under her head when she goes to lay down, but it’s a small bus so we normally get there in time.
We still have five more weeks of the tour. We’ve got dates in New York, Tennessee, Florida, lots of stuff in Texas, Ohio, North Carolina and Chicago left, so if you haven’t seen the show yet, come on out. We’d love to see you on the road. Thanks so much for even being interested in what we do. It’s been incredibly encouraging.
Best,
Don
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A friend of mine was visiting from Vancouver last week. She started reading a Million Miles and wanted to buy a copy asap. She bought the second last copy available at Chapters. She wants to pass it around to her family and friends. This writing style is a relatively new genre for her and she loves it.
In the meanwhile, I am cursing McKee for the whole take your character through hell bit. No worries. I knew the destination when I began 4 years ago and was reminded last year at a little talk you gave wherein you mentioned McKee and then I read it on the page in your book. I think the cursing helps to inspire. I know in the end I will feel especially grateful, but there’s no skipping to the end.
It looks like you guys are having a total blast! Enjoy.
Hey Don -
Just noticed you will be coming through Florida sometime on your tour. I noticed on your twitter you were doing some book signings or whatever along the way. Will you be stoping anywhere in the north Flordia area? I hope so. I really like to meet you finally. Thanks!
- Steve
If you like eclectic museums, try the House on the Rock in Southern Wisconsin. It may be the reason the word “unique” was invented. We already have our tickets to see you on Oct. 30th! Can’t wait!
Don
I was suppose to see you in Fremont, CA, but had doulble booked my self with a small group. My wife took her friend and took my ticket. My wife picked up your new book for me and I read it in 4 days. Needless to say I really enjoyed it. I have recommended it to peeps who are wondering what to do with their lives. Any ways keep teaching the good word about the real Jesus. Blessings
Sam
Hey Don,
I enjoyed the new book; it’s very thought provoking to consider what kind of story we are living.
One area I think you missed, however, was the greatness of the story of those who do their duty: mom’s who are there for their kids everyday for 18 years, who stay at home, etc, and father’s who work away 8 to 10 hours per day for their whole lives to provide, are loving fathers, etc. The whole book seemed to imply, although you didn’t say it, that you have to be doing exciting new things or your story isn’t very interesting. So it might be something you address in the future: the great story of the faithful and hardworking and reliable people who do their duty in service to others, but get little recognition and have very little excitment.
I also want to know what you mean by Jesus nbt being the climax to my human story. What are you saying in that?
Keep up the writing and exploring of life.
I have a stupid question. I won tickets on the radio today for York, PA next Friday night. I am really excited to hear you. But my question is this, I will also be at the NYWC in Atlanta, where you will speaking as well. Will what you be speaking on be similar at both venues? It isn’t that I don’t want to hear you twice because I know sometimes that is better. The reason I ask is because if they wil be similar, I want to bless someone else with the tickets I won. Thanks.
I’m loving A Million Miles. Great job.
This issue seemed to be the one that got me the most riled up when I read it in the book. I can’t wait to hear more on it, and hopefully I can piece it together. What I think you’re speaking to is what I’ve heard some (even some pastors) refer to as “making God your butler.” You ask for what you want, especially for nothing bad to happen, and fully expect Him to deliver.
I did that when I was a kid, before I really found out what Jesus was about. I prayed every night so bad things wouldn’t happen to me and my family. That was all I asked for. The problem is with prayers like that, faith turns into mere superstition. It is a weak faith, one which will flag and probably fail when hardship happens.
I heard journalist Al Tompkins once say the best people are those who put off the zenith, the climax as long as possible, staying on the uphill slope. As the old adage goes: Once you’ve hit the top, there’s nowhere to go but down. I think it would be great to build up to a climax as much as possible while we are here, but knowing the real peak will come once we’ve left this side and gone to the next, where the peak is permanent and the wedding is complete. I love that description by the way… I’m hoping for a good wedding.
Thanks for adding Greenville, Illinois to the tour! I couldn’t make it when you came to St. Louis. But I’ve bought my tickets for the Greenville stop. I was born in that town.
Oh, and you’ll only be 50 miles from the City Museum!
I’m simmering a brutal heckle to unleash in Jamestown. Was inspired to burn your books and destroyed my Kindle in the process.
Someone must pay.
It was so fabulous to have you in Des Moines. I love your books but hearing the unedited version coming directly from you was so refreshing. I hope your lasting memory of Des Moines won’t be the heckler in the balcony. Here’s an idea – you should come back with your bike in July and ride RAGBRAI (the Des Moines Register’s Annual Great Bike Ride Across Iowa – http://ragbrai.com). You could share The Mentoring Project with 15,000 fellow riders and thousands of other Iowans who live along the route. Travel safely and COME BACK!
Don, Saw you last night in Ohio. It was great. I have heard you speak once before at Harvard and I have to say that you just keep getting better. I can’t wait to hear you again. I may have to go again in two weeks!
passing this on to you…
a dear donald miller, thank you. http://lauraboggess.blogspot.com/2009/10/living-beautiful-story.html
Don, have the seeds of disenchantment finally sprouted its fruits? And yet you hold on to the edge with fingers that refuse to open. I ponder what reprieve you seek and where your rest may be found. With that said, perhaps our paths may cross in Portland yet.
We’re coming to see you in Chicago, and after finishing what I call “your orange book,” I cannot wait!
I laughed, I cried…seriously I did both. The Frankl stuff at the end hit me hard, and your take on God never promising us an easy life was spot on. I have a friend, 23, with leukemia, and I’ve been emailing her back and forth about prayer and your book gave me some thoughts to share.
I also have another friend with the same disease, go figure, God brought her into my life to baptize about 6 weeks ago–she’s a student at North Central College and so turned us onto your visit. She was in the hospital last night reading your book, and I know she will be comforted by it in ways you can’t imagine.
I read some bits of different parts outloud to my husband, and he’s going to read the book, too. Since we listened to “Dragons” on CD, we hear your voice as we read, and it’s such good stuff.
You know, good, like the way God intended.
I really enjoyed both Susan & Don in Cincinnati. I was one of the 10 people laughing at Susan’s hilarious monologue. I had already read half her book before Friday so it was fun seeing what the character’s voices sound like in Susan’s head! I’m almost done with her book and will leave a comment on HER blog/website/whatever- when I finish.
BTW, I had already read ALL of Don’s book before Friday and, of course, think it is great and full of well illustrated & articulated insights.
Anyway, sorry for leaving you all hanging on the invite for something fun & cool to do after the show. As it turns out, my friends and I were so excited to get to the fun & cool party that we didn’t even stay for the meet & greet/booksigning. There were fabulous Belgian Waffles awaiting us at a huge kick ass party. So, sorry we didn’t wait for you! (Not that you were really looking forward to joining us)
And now for inciting an event- after a nearly 6 month dry spell on my blog, I will be writing a post before I go to sleep tonight. Even if it is short and uninspired, I will write!
I was in Des Moines, IA, and wanted to let you know that I too felt bad for the man who insisted on receiving an answer to an unknown question. You addressed him in a courteous manner but I felt he missed out on a fantastic evening. I think he just had to say “whatever” out loud. It was a joy-full night and I am glad that I travelled 1000 miles from Thermopolis,WY, to hear you.
Don, Any chance you have plans to come out to Wyoming after Chicago? It’s totally on the way. Let me know. We’d love to host you in Lander. Plus, Dorothy up there would only have to travel 79 miles! (not 1000!) I don’t see any downsides to this.
Dear Don,
Hello! I am a newbie to your works, which were recommended to me by a friend, and am still reeling from BLUE LIKE JAZZ. You are coming to speak at my stomping ground in NC and I have already bought my ticket.
One thing I would like to ask and hope it is not too invasive. You are so open with parts of your life, but I cannot find any indication if you are married, divorced, gay, celibate by choice, or just a roaming bachelor. I ask this not to for any personal reasons—I have a very nice boyfriend who takes up all of my time—but that is an important filter through which many of us read Christ’s message through you. Thank you so much for writing your marvelous books.
Thank you for your ability to put the human condition into words. I have found myself also in the struggle with what today’s “Christianity” is or my have always been. Continueing to live a life of love and equality for all has been a better thought for me. It’s almost like another name is needed for a lifestyle that really is what you feel is taught in the bible and other teachings. Thank you for asking the hard questions about life and the way we hold our beliefs. I love the illustration from Rob Bell in Velvet Elvis… So many have build their beliefs up like a brick wall with each brick being a truth. So There is no way you can take one brick or truth (like Jesus not being the climax of yor human story) out without the whole wall falling down. Or if it doesn’t fit perfectly in our wall we don’t include it. Instead, our walk should be moore like the springs of a trampolen. Your bounceing along in life and are able to remove a spring (belief) to study, keep , or change. The spring can streach, can be trrown out…we can still keep bounceing. You don’t have to stop just to evaluate your life.
Ive enjoyed living a life of loving others instead or worrying about NOT sinning… Suprise is the same ending result. If you are loving your neighbor there is no room to sin against them.
Life of Love!!!
Hey, I am trying my hardest to get to one of your Illinois shows, but the show in Naperville in sold out! Are there any more tickets?
Don, I enjoyed hearing you in Jamestown, NY, last weekend. I gave you a business card, which you tucked into your jacket pocket (hopefully, you didn’t file it in the trash as soon as you got back on the bus!). Best wishes with your Labrador; that breed is the best!
I am chortling over your latest book.
Donald — regardless of flu, we loved having you, Susan and your entire crew here in Bloomington, Illinois — the crowd was glad they took the trip in to hear you. Awesome stuff, thanks so much…. glad you dropped down from Chicago to our town! Your new book is fantastic — read it, everyone!!!
Don – read ‘Searching’ and ‘Jazz’ but not your latest. i was the bus driver for 4 years with a children’s choir who toured for 10 months out of the year. i just looked at the remainder of your schedule and can’t believe it. brings back some bad memories of very long drives i had to make with 22 kids plus adults. tell bruce i feel for him.
Hey.
11 months out of the year I travel for my job. Living on a tour bus teaches a lot about yourself actually. It’s odd when everyone around you sees your life as abnormal, special, active. And you just see it as usual. Not anywhere near what it could be! When you’re surrounded by literally thousands of people day after day and you couldn’t feel more alone and unimportant. So odd right?
After reading Million Miles I just think it’s funny that my life would be so extravagent for most. Why is it so impossibly boring for me? I live real, proactive stories everyday. Maybe I’m just not telling the right one.
Cheers,
Don
I was there in Des Moines when the fellow asked you that question. It seemed that he wanted you to quote scripture, like he could not get his head around a christian event that wasn’t quoting book-chapter-and-verse at every turn. When you asked for clarity he kept repeating the question, that’s when it took on a heckler vibe. I thought you handled the situation very well.
There are some who cannot spiritually validate life’s experiences unless they are sausaged into the casing of a Bible verse. Which is fine and good but man doesn’t live by bread or brats alone. The words that proceed from the mouth of God come from the Holy Spirit in the here and now as well as the pages of the Bible.
Hey Don–
Thanks for a great “show” in Memphis last night. This is the second time I’ve had the opportunity to hear you, and your message didn’t disappoint–even if you felt like you were completely full of it while talking. Best wishes for wrapping up the tour on a strong note!
Don,
Just wanted to say the “food talk” made me so hungry, well, I may have to cook, which I rarely do. I won’t have Internet accessibilitiy for a little while. I finally had the courage, with the Lord standing right beside me, to kick my atheist, pot smokin’ boyfriend out once and for all. Tried to, gently, tell him about you, your wonderful writing, all that is important to me now. He mocked me, of course, said people who believe in the Lord have something wrong in their brains, it’s been scientifically proven dontcha know….on and on…until I couldn’t stand anymore. It was if he wanted to have the Lord materialize right in front of him as proof that He exists. My oldest son says now that would’ve been really cool, because it would’ve scared the heck out of my now ex-boyfriend. (Well, he didn’t actually say “heck”, I’m trying to clean it up, here)
Your art, your writing is beautiful Don. You are a HUGE part of my life. I’m now really coming out of my self imposed exile, and reaching out so much to others. You mean so much to me, the people I’ve met here at this site are wonderful. I want to just also thank Shelly, a great fan of yours, and a wonderful person that I’m now communicating with on a regular basis. I am so blessed, Don. Thanks for just being who you are. I will have this computer a few more days, then I hope to eventually have another one, but for a while, thanks for your help, with my sons, with my life, with just everything. The Lord is still standing strong with me and I am truly blessed everday. My life has a chance to be new, all because I realized, one day, that I couldn’t “fix it” myself anymore, and gave myself completely to the Lord. You’ve been a large part of that. Bye for awhile
All Praise and Glory to Him Forever and Ever,
Catherine
Well, I would have enjoyed your tour if I had not made a huge mistake and I mean huge. I bought tickets for myself and my two daughters, we bought them as soon as they went on sale and could not wait to meet you and hear your talk.
The night before I googled the address to the location only to find out I bought tickets for Clevlend not Columbus like I thought. Which is about a 4 and 1/2 hour difference in local!! So we had to swollow a bitter pill, two actually. Money wasted and not being able to meet you and have you sign your book for us. It was a dissapointing night to say the least. Even as I write this I am sinking down in the dumps again over it.
’twas a good night in pasadena! i have helped out at the world vision booth many times and each time is unique. it was pretty cool to see young single guys come up to the table and sponsor kids both through world vision and the mentoring project; i’ve not seen that before.
the chicken nugget story makes me giggle every time!
Don,
Just wanted to say thanks for a very thought provoking evening in Georgetown. My best friend and I thoroughly enjoyed it, and it provided much discussion for us on our “girl’s getaway”.
Your talk was well worth the drive!
I had ordered a book, but then also had been sent a freebie because of a mutual friend of ours. I knew there would be someone out there who God would let me know would benefit from your book. And Catherine appeared! Thanks for signing both books. I’m mailing her’s off tomorrow.
May God continue to bless your tour, your testimony, and your walk with Him.
Shelly
Don,
I am wondering and hoping that you will plan more speaking engagements (Lakeland, Florida) in the near future. I will keep watch on your website for all the latest information.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts with us,
Suzanne Lindsey
I just saw you last night in Greenville, IL. I enjoyed much of what you had to say and did, indeed, buy your book. I’m looking forward to getting into it to see what truth God may lead me to there. In an attempt to “embrace the conflict” as you put it last night, I have to admit, something you said last night is leaving me a bit unsettled. You asked the question “what if the Bible is a story to be read and not picked apart?” (paraphrased). My issue with that is this: as Christians we are called to follow Christ. We follow his teachings. His teachings are in the Bible. In order to know them and understand them we obviously have to read them and give them more thought than just your typical story. The Word is not typical. Jesus said himself in Luke 11:28, “More than that, blessed are those who hear the word of God and keep it!” He said it! We are to hear it, then keep it. For me, the only way to “keep it” is to know what it says. The only way to know what it says is to study it. I suppose it is possible for some people to read the Bible (as a story like you suggest), then follow it fully without studying it any further, although it seems far-fetched. Bottomline… the Bible is victorious and tragic, simple yet complicated, and completely, supernaturally fully alive! Its a one of a kind and I WANT to study it more. I need to study it more; especially if I’m going to “keep it” as Jesus requests of me. This book has been divinely inspired by our maker, Himself. And that makes it more than just a story to me.
I am so sorry I missed you in Mobile, AL. Had all my plans ready to drive over there after work when I got a call that my 20 year old son was in the hospital. All is well now, but I went to be with him instead of heading to Alabama. The upside is I bought him a copy of Blue Like Jazz and he is totally into it. He called me to tell me he couldn’t put it down. So what was meant for distraction was turned around for something very positive. God still used you, just in a different location.
Just finished reading A Million Miles and I can’t stop thinking about it. Wow! Good stuff. My friend introduced me to your writings with “Searching for God Knows What.” Since then my husband and I have gobbled up your books. Thanks for sharing your concept of story. I think a dinner with you and Anne Lamont would be a very enjoyable meal. She is my other favorite author. I was pleased to see her comments on your book cover.
I too am a great admirer of Ann Lamott as well as Donald Miller, but Don, you dropped a total bomb in telling that she is a grandmother!!!! Do you mean to tell me that her son Sam, who she has been writing about so tenderly and humorously for so long HAS HAD HIS OWN CHILD? The ramifications are amazing for me—-her novel, Traveling Mercies, and Don’s novel, Blue Like Jazz are the two books that changed my spiritual life. If Don can’t answer this, couldn’t ANOTHER Lamott fan fill me in? and Don, I am glad you are safely home from the tour, although I was sorry to miss you in Columnbia, SC. There was a sad little group of us who were turned away and went to a coffeeshop and talked about you and your books and what they have meant to us……and then we weren’t sad anymore
Don,
I didn’t know the best place to post this comment, but considering you’re talking about being on the road here I figured this might work just fine.
I can’t wait to read your newest book, I’ve actually just started to read “Through Painted Deserts,” my girlfriend gave it to me as a Christmas gift. We’re thinking about doing a cross-country road trip in a VW bus ourselves, hence your book is in fact a bit apropos.
Just thought I’d share.
Godspeed.
- James
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