WHEN TO STOP
I’m reading Crazy Horse and Custer by historian Stephen Ambrose. I’ve read two other books by Ambrose: D-Day, and Ike’s Spies. I like Ambrose because he knows when to stop. Some historians give us too much supporting information, going on and on with barely relevant quotes or statistics that go over one’s head. Ambrose knows when to give just enough supporting details to give us a good sense of the background to the story, without losing us. I appreciate the balance.
When I’ve written family histories about my ancestors, I had to find that balance. To get to the truth, I want to leave no stone unturned, researching old agricultural censuses, unearthing gossip editorializing in old newspapers, and checking out tax records, but that’s too much information for someone who just wants the exciting parts of the story. So, one of the big jobs of writing history is to know when to stop. When it comes to learning about one’s ancestors, summarizing is important.
Its like that with preaching, as well. I need to gather all the info I can on my text, but I need to make the scriptures relevant to the listener’s life and learn when to stop. When it takes a 2’x4′ up side the head to awaken one person, it will destroy another. When it comes to sharing your story, know when to stop.
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