Tag: God and Hamilton

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Lessons I Learned Writing My First Book ‘God and Hamilton’

Writing a book has been a dream of mine twenty years in the making. On June 6th, I realized that dream when my first book, God and Hamilton: Spiritual Themes From the Life of Alexander Hamilton & the Broadway Musical He Inspired released on Amazon.com.

The process of writing a book was equal parts rewarding, frustrating, discouraging, and exhilarating. Throughout the entire process, God taught me invaluable truths that have transformed my relationship with Him and my perspective on writing and the creative act. I share some of those lessons learned here, in the hope that they will encourage you in your creative journey.

Lesson #1: Write for an Audience of One

I attended a writer’s workshop where the speaker challenged us with this simple idea: You have to write, first and foremost, for yourself. If what you write inspires, challenges, and encourages you, then it has the chance to do the same for other readers. Your writing has to start out as a project to learn, grow, and discover what you believe about your subject.

If what we write doesn’t impact our lives, then we have nothing to offer our readers. If you long to write, start here. Spend time and energy developing your craft, allowing the words you put down to work in your heart and mind first.

Lesson #2: Do the Work

82% of people dream of writing a book. Yet for most, the dream never materializes. Why? The predominant reason is a lack of discipline, routine, and structure. Writing a book requires one to put their butt in a chair and write and write and write. Whether you feel like it or not. Whether you have the motivation or not. Writers, or any creatives for that matter, simply have to do the work.

Author Steven Pressfield says this: “There is a secret that real writers know that wannabe writer don’t, and the secret is this: It’s not the writing part that’s hard. What’s hard is sitting down to write.”

Real writers say no to a thousand other distractions, discouragements, and excuses, and commit to the discipline of writing. Word after word. Page after page. If your dream is to write a book, the trick is to start today. Set a goal for how much you want to write each day and get to work.

Lesson #3: Surrender the Outcome to God

I won’t lie. I would love God and Hamilton to reach a wide audience, sell thousands of copies, and land on all kinds of best seller lists. But the truth is it probably won’t. The deeper truth is that I have very little control over whether this book reaches tens, hundreds, or thousands of readers.

When I worry about how many people will buy my book, I carry anxiety and fear around with me everywhere I go. It weighs me down and robs me of joy. When I surrender the outcome, I find enormous freedom and peace. I trust God, believing he will use this project to impact lives. How many lives simply isn’t up to me. I must learn to find peace in the truth that I was faithful to the creative act and put my work out into the world. The scope of that impact is largely out of my hands.

Now that my book is out in the world, I feel an enormous amount of pride and satisfaction. It feels so rewarding to have accomplished one of my life goals. I would never have anticipated how much God would teach me through the process. I am so grateful, not only for the finished product but for the lessons God has taught me. These lessons have transformed my life and my relationship with God.

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God and Hamilton: How Stories Transform Us

Why do audiences love Hamilton so much? Why do people pay thousands of dollars for tickets? Why do nearly a hundred thousand people line up in the digital lotteries each time new tickets go on sale? What is it about this musical that connects so deeply with people?    

Part of the answer lies in the truth that stories hold a unique power to transform our lives.

 I’ve spent the last three years of my life researching and writing about the spiritual themes found in Alexander Hamilton’s life and the Broadway musical he inspired.   My book, God and Hamilton, which released this week, wrestles through these different themes. But more than any individual theme, I continued to be struck by how story inspires, challenges, and motivates us to live a more fully human life.

Brene Brown writes about the power of story.   She suggests that “Story is literally in our DNA”¦.we are hard-wired for story.”   She tells about how studies show that when we engage in a story our brain releases chemicals that help us connect, empathize, and make meaning of this world.

Other studies in the field of neuroscience point to this same truth. They have found that when we watch a story, our brain activity jumps significantly. If we watch a scene in a movie about someone swimming in a race, the parts of our brain that fire when we actually swim are active. They call this phenomenon “transportation.” The idea is that when we watch a story we get transported into it.   We begin to feel like what is happening in the story is actually happening to us.

In Hamilton, there are so many important themes that transport us into the story. We see the incredible initiative Hamilton takes throughout his life, as he sings about “not throwing away my shot.”   That example motivates and challenges us. We feel inspired to be that kind of person as well, the kind of person who takes advantage of our opportunities, who doesn’t throw away our shot.

Or we watch a scene where Eliza Hamilton forgives her husband for betraying her in his affair with Mariah Reynolds.   We are moved by her forgiveness and challenged to follow her example. Will we be the kind of person that forgives, no matter how difficult it may be? Will we offer grace to those who betray, hurt, or wrong us?  

So many reasons exist as to why Hamilton impacts audiences so deeply. But the transformative power of story is part of the answer. We watch or listen, to the story Hamilton tells, and find inspiration, encouragement, and hope to live a more fully human life ourselves.    

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Hamilton and the Life Altering Power of Encouragement

Hamilton, An American Musical, at the Richard Rodgers Theatre

Can you remember a time when someone saw potential in you and called it out? A time that someone encouraged you, believed in you, and cast a vision for your future? These moments have the power to alter the entire direction of our lives.

In my upcoming book, God and: Spiritual Themes From the Life of Alexander Hamilton & the Broadway Musical He Inspired, I highlight different themes found in Hamilton that engage and challenge audiences in their own spiritual journey.

The first chapter from my book talks about the grace given to Alexander Hamilton when some local businessmen in the Caribbean read an essay he wrote, recognized the intellectual potential within Hamilton, and raised money to send him to America to get his education.

The resources given to Alexander represent a gift of grace that he could never have earned for himself. Everything that Hamilton would become in America was built on the foundation of this grace.

Recently, I recognized that an entirely different grace existed in this moment as well, in addition to the monetary gift. These businessmen offered a grace to Hamilton by encouraging him – by seeing the potential and calling that potential out of him.

I like to imagine the conversation between these businessmen and Alexander, and how deeply their words impacted him. Living as an impoverished orphan boy, with no one caring about him or his future, these words were quite possibly the most meaningful words ever spoken to him.

“Son, we read your essay. We see great potential in you.”

“Alexander, you have a rare intellectual gift. We want to help you develop that gift.”

“We expect great things from you Alexander. You are going to America. Never underestimate what you can accomplish there.”

I like to think that these words shaped Hamilton’s entire future. Certainly, the money given opened up a new world of possibility for Hamilton. But what if the words were spoken to him we just as important as the money donated? What if their belief in his potential inspired Hamilton’s belief in himself, and propelled him into his role in shaping our country?

God and Hamilton

The Book of Ephesians says that we should use our words “for building people up and meeting the need of the moment.” Never underestimate the power of your words. When you call potential out in someone else, your words contain the power to change the entire direction of someone’s life. Just like they did for Alexander Hamilton.

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God and Hamilton: An Interview with Hamilton Broadway cast member Lauren Boyd

The following is an excerpt from an interview with Hamilton Broadway cast member Lauren Boyd.   In it, Lauren and I have a conversation about the spiritual nature of Hamilton, how the musical can transform our lives, and how reading my upcoming book, God and Hamilton: Spiritual Themes From the Life of Alexander Hamilton & the Broadway Musical He Inspired impacted her.

Kevin Cloud:   So many people talk about Hamilton not only as a brilliant musical, but as a life changing experience.   Why do you think that happens?   Why does this musical and the story it tells resonate so deeply with audiences?

Lauren Boyd:   Before every show Chris Jackson (George Washington, original Broadway cast) would gather up a circle of people to pray”¦that tradition has kept going.   We do that to this day.   We get in a circle and pray before every performance.   So the presence of God is there in the theatre.   Even if audiences don’t realize it, they are coming to see a service. They are coming to church.

KC:   This musical is much more than a play.   It creates a spiritual experience for people. There are so many moments of transcendence in this musical. You can feel the atmosphere in the theatre change.   Do you feel those moments on stage?   What is it like on stage when it happens?

LB:   Yes, you can absolutely feel it. There are definitely moments where there is an energy in the audience and on stage and you can feel something that is not tangible.   It’s quite exciting to be a part of that and a part of this story.

KC: Are there specific moments where that happens for you?   Where you feel a weight or presence?

LB: When Eliza forgives Hamilton. I find it sometimes difficult from a woman’s standpoint forgiving Hamilton for what he did. He cheated on his wife.   That is a very hard thing to forgive. But the way you presented it (in your book) I realized I needed to have more mercy and compassion towards Hamilton because he is a sinner like all of us.   Your book broke down these walls I had put up toward him”¦I was looking at it as “How dare he do that do me?”

KC: You wrote such a nice blurb for my book. You wrote: “God and Hamilton turned me inside out and revealed to me a side of Hamilton that I never thought to explore.” Can you expound on that quote?

LB: Mercy is a huge thing that I learned (reading God and Hamilton). I learned that Hamilton is, in fact, a human being that lived and died and breathed”¦the book helped me to humanize him in a way that I didn’t approach him before because I came into the show knowing Hamilton from a different angle.   When we think about Hamilton we think about this amazing show”¦it is already glorified.   You were able to demystify all of that and bring Hamilton to life.   That’s where I was able to have a little more mercy and kindness (towards Hamilton).

God and Hamilton

God and Hamilton  weaves together insights from the musical itself, the lives of Alexander and Eliza Hamilton, and the story of Scripture into a tapestry that challenges people of faith to reexamine their lives.

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Hamilton Opens in London to Rave Reviews

Hamilton, An American Musical, at the Richard Rodgers Theatre

Hamilton is no longer just an American sensation. Lin-Manuel Miranda’s smash hit Broadway Musical opened last week in London, at the Historical Victoria Palace Theatre.   The musical has been met with five-star reviews from the London media, crossing a cultural boundary with little resistance.

Manuel didn’t sense much difference from the audiences across the Atlantic.

“I was here for all of tech (rehearsals) and I was here for the first few previews, and the audience is exactly like New York,” he said.

Miranda believes that making the jump to London would make Alexander Hamilton smile. “Alexander Hamilton had so much admiration for Britain and Europe but never left US soil. So to have his story on the stage here in London, well – I think he would be very proud.”

The overwhelming response of London wasn’t a slam dunk.   Some wondered if a story about the Founding Fathers of America, fighting for their independence from Britain would resonate as deeply with London crowds.   But the London success points to the reality that this story resonates with audiences, even across national and cultural boundaries.

Matt Trueman writes in his Variety review, “Hamilton is going to be just fine here in London”¦Reviewing it feels like sizing up the Mona Lisa or Beethoven’s Fifth and, in truth, Hamilton lands on the London stage looking every inch the classic.”

He closes his review with the thought that “it is Hamilton’s story that stirs.”

Hamilton’s story does indeed stir something powerful in us, a point I make in my upcoming book, God, and Hamilton: Spiritual Themes From The Life of Alexander Hamilton & the Broadway Musical He Inspired.

One universal reason this musical stirs audiences so deeply is that Hamilton’s story is a deeply spiritual one.   His story intersects with our lives across a number of significant spiritual themes.

His story is a story of grace, as his entire life in America was made possible by a generous financial gift by someone who saw great potential in him.   His story is a story of shame, as he never quite escaped the stigma from being an illegitimate orphan.   His story is a story of forgiveness, as his wife Eliza wrestled through forgiving Alexander for betraying her in the worst possible way.   His story is a story of redemption, as the musical ends with Eliza singing about the orphanage she built out of love for her late husband.

This story stirs us because it is a spiritual story.   It stirs us because it is our story.   We too live our lives built on the foundation of grace.   We too struggle mightily with shame from our failures and shortcomings.   We too must give and receive forgiveness for all the mistakes we make in our lives.   Hopefully, our story is one of redemption, where God takes all the broken pieces of our lives and makes them beautiful.

The story Hamilton tells stirs audiences, no matter the culture, the nationality, the race.   It does so because it tells a deeply spiritual story, one that intersects with our lives, and has the power to transform our lives if we let it.

Even, apparently, across the great expanse of the Atlantic Ocean.

God and Hamilton

My  upcoming book: God and Hamilton is available June 2018 on Amazon.com, (www.godandhamilton.com).

 

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