Columnist releases second book

Readers of The Springfield Sun and other newspapers in Central Kentucky are likely already familiar with David Whitlock and his work as a columnist, but now he’s given his audience a chance to find the best of his submission in one place.

Brandon Mattingly

Dr. David Whitlock signed and sold books last week at the Washington County Public Library.

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Whitlock’s book, “Life Matters,” is a collection of columns he’s written through the years in newspapers, including The Sun and The Lebanon Enterprise among other regional papers and Whitlock’s hometown publication, The Altus Times, in Altus, Okla.
Whitlock, who serves as pastor at Lebanon Baptist Church, was at Washington County Public Library on Thursday for a book signing of “Life Matters,” as well as another piece of his work, “Surviving the Storms of Life: How to Triumph in Tragedy.”
The author said his columns are not always religious in tone, but that they show the importance of every aspect of life and “Life Matters” was organized to reflect that.
“I grouped them together by topics -- marriage, tragedies, holidays, sports, etc. -- and the whole idea is that all of life matters and to experience life to the fullest,” Whitlock said. “All of life matters, whether it’s in sports or helping your parents or you being a parent, all the stuff of real life that we encounter matters.”
During tough times, Whitlock said he hopes he’s able to communicate a message of hope to his reading audience.
“It’s getting a good word out,” he said. “Everybody’s carrying a load and it’s good to read something uplifting or that at least makes you think.”
As far as the other book Whitlock had on display, he said he took a much different approach when developing “Surviving the Storms of Life.”
“That’s really a totally different book. It’s about triumph and tragedy,” he said. “The ‘Life Matters’ book is really like ‘Chicken Soup for the Soul.’ You can pick it up anywhere and read here and there. The ‘Surviving the Storms’ book is more of a front-to-cover book.”
Whitlock said he welcomed the challenge of writing a weekly column, that it’s been fun and that he even missed it when he took a few weeks away at one point. Writing has come as second nature to the pastor, who got his feet wet as a columnist in Elizabethtown first.
“I guess I’ve always enjoyed writing, but every now and then I’d send in a column to the News Enterprise. At one point, Stevie Lowery asked me if I would be interested in writing a regular column and I said sure.” he said. “My mother writes and it’s kind of been in our family that way. As a pastor, the whole thing is about communication, whether I’m speaking in front of a pulpit or communicating with the written word.”
Whitlock’s work continues on, as he’s working on a daily devotional book right now entitled “Just In Time.” The pastor emails a quote matched to a piece of scripture to subscribers of his mailing list every morning, and “Just In Time” will feature the best of those quotes with a devotion based on each corresponding scripture. That current work isn’t the only project Whitlock has his eye on, however.
“Long-range I’d like to do something different, like maybe write a novel. That may be about a year-and-a-half or maybe longer, I don’t know,” he said with a laugh.
To purchase “Life Matters” or “Surviving the Storms of Life: How to Triumph in Tragedy,” or to sign up for daily quotes visit www.davidbwhitlock.com.