Book Review - Blessed are the Misfits by Brant Hanson

In his unique style, Hansen looks to answer questions that millions of people carry with them each day:

If I don’t relate to God as emotionally as others do, is something wrong with me?
How does one approach God, and approach faith, when devoid of the “good feelings” that seem to drive so much of evangelical church culture?
How does God interact with those who seem spiritually numb?
Is the absence of faith-based emotion a sign of that God has moved on or was never there?
What if we aren’t good at talking to people about our faith, or good at talking to people at all?
What if I’m told I’m too analytical, that I “think too much”?
Where does a person who suffers from depression fit in the kingdom? Is depression a sure sign of a lack of faith?
This book is good news for people who are desperately looking for it. (And for their loved ones!)

It’s also for those who want to believe in Jesus, but inwardly fear that they don’t belong, worry that don’t have the requisite emotion-based relationship with God, and are starving for good news.

Blessed Are the Misfits is going to generate discussion, and lots of it. It’s simultaneously highly provocative and humbly personal. It’s also leavened with a distinct, dry, self-effacing humor that is a hallmark of Hansen’s on-air, writing, and public speaking style. 

MY THOUGHTS:
A huge thanks to Brant Hansen for writing this book, because the sort of misfits he's talking about are probably more common than any of us realise, but each keep quiet to save face. I can relate to several of his points. We hesitate to confess our misfit status because we may feel inferior, and imagine that we lack some sort of spiritual backbone. Even when we've prayed, striven and tried hard to fix ourselves for years, the deficiency still seems to be connected with us failing to measure up. Especially when we see our outgoing, full-on and super-spiritual friends and family doing what seems to come so naturally to them.

This book is for the sorts of Christian misfits, oddballs and introverts who often feel we don't fit into what he calls the typical American church culture (or Australian by extension, in my case). When people talk about sensing God's loving arms wrapped around us during worship... well, some people just don't. Preachers and counselors urge everyone to 'open up to the spirit' or 'stop leaning on our intellect' but there are those who can't effect any change. And some find praying is a bit like talking into a dead walkie-talkie. Hansen is a Christian radio personality who can relate to all this, and his book convinces us to stop feeling as if we belong on the 'Island of Misfit Toys of the kingdom.' Quieter, head thinking types of Christian can honor God just as faithfully as our more emotionally switched-on friends. What a relief.

He drops the names of some surprising people who counted themselves among the unfeeling faithful. Their lives bore real fruit, which is not the same as incredible spiritual experiences, wordy prayer times or impressive ministries. It's simply love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.

I appreciate how Hansen gently puts to rest some issues which may have the potential to give us colossal guilt trips, such as failing to live up the the Great Commission or being unable to aspire to warrior type prayers. In a nutshell, Mark 16:15 wasn't necessarily meant the same way for everyone by Jesus, and even fumbling, ten-second prayer efforts have great potential.

There's some lovely encouragement for the unnoticed, who may think they're consequently not worth as much as those in the spotlight. It's a reminder that we needn't look where everyone else is, because God operates a lot in the margins, and tends to nurture unobtrusive mustard seeds, sparrows and lilies of the field, while we're admiring lions and peacocks on the stage.

Lifting this weight of false guilt and unnecessary expectations off our shoulders is a great enough reason to read the book, but Brant Hansen also gives sound tips about how to face it whenever it creeps back, as it inevitably will. Developing the habit of ignoring our harsh and false inner monologue, and even challenging it as a liar, may do us a world of good. With the help of friendly books like this, I dare to believe it is possible.

Thanks to Thomas Nelson Publishing and Net Galley for my review copy

Paula Vince is a South Australian author of contemporary, inspirational fiction. She lives in the beautiful Adelaide Hills, with its four distinct seasons, and loves to use her environment as settings for her stories. Her novel, 'Picking up the Pieces' won the religious fiction section of the International Book Awards in 2011, and 'Best Forgotten' was winner of the CALEB prize the same year. She is also one of the four authors of 'The Greenfield Legacy', Australia's first and only collaborated Christian novel. Her most recent novel, 'Imogen's Chance' was published April 2014. For more of Paula's reflections, you may like to visit her book review blog, The Vince Review.

Story telling

I love a good story. One of the greatest joys in life is sitting down with a good book and escaping into the world that the author has created, especially if the story is one that is unpredictable and challenging and thought provoking. Yet what I love more than reading a good story is hearing a good story, especially other people’s stories. Real life stories from everyday people are the tales that really captivate me because through the stories of everyday people we can see the beautiful tapestry that God knits throughout our lives. And if there is one thing I have learnt over time, it’s that the greatest story writer of all is God.

In my work, I get the privilege to work with a large number of volunteers across Australia and New Zealand. I travel often to meet with different teams and when I am visiting with them, one of my favourite things to do is ask them their story; why do they do what they do? What bought them here? How did they encounter Jesus? While it takes some people time to open up, for the most part people are happy to share their story and can I say, as I listen to people share about their life and the events that got them to the very spot they are standing in, time and again I am left standing in awe of how God beautifully orchestrates events in our life to get us to where He wants us. And not only do these stories show us how loving and gracious our Heavenly Father is, they also encourage us to keep walking, to keep holding firm to the promises that God made to us because He is faithful.

A little while ago I was sharing at a conference and right before I was due to get up I felt led to share my testimony as part of my presentation. I quickly shifted my notes, got up and shared my story as well as what I had been asked to present and sat down. I didn’t feel anything at the time but once the break hit, people started to come up to me to tell me they were encouraged and inspired by my testimony, which is wonderful. Praise God! Then they started to share their own stories. Men and women were coming up to me throughout they day and sharing their God story. Stories of healing and divine redirection and impossible encounters and miracles. Stories of God reaching down and lifting people up out of their pit, of bringing the prodigals home and overturning court cases. So many stories that by the end of the conference, my heart was full and encouraged and expectant. I had planned to go to the conference and encourage and equip people yet I walked away more encouraged than when I walked in and with a smile a mile wide.

When life is hard, or good, hearing an everyday person, not a celebrity preacher or mega church leader, but an ordinary person like you and I share about the faithfulness of God in their life is encouraging and good for the soul. It is inspiring. Our stories need to be shared because our stories connect us. To each other. To God. To His people and to His Kingdom. And the beauty is that we all have a story to tell. You have a story to tell just as much as I do and they are both amazing, just in different ways. You may not have a radical conversion story or a story where God took you on a crazy roller coaster ride and that is okay. Your story may be one of steadfastness and faithfulness over a lifetime of following God and that story is just as important as the radical conversion or the crazy missions story because stability and faithfulness is exactly what somebody needs to hear about and see in action. Alternatively, you could be that person with the radical conversion story and that is also great because that could be exactly what the mother of a drug addicted son needs to hear; it could be exactly what helps her stay faithful in prayer knowing that at any moment God could radically change her son’s life.

Whatever your story may be, when we place it in God’s hand and share it to bring Him glory, it will be impact. Colossians 3:17 tells us that, “whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him’, and when we share our stories in His name, for His fame, people will be moved and lives will be impacted. So, what’s your story?


 Leila (Lays) Halawe is a Sydney based coffee loving nonfiction writer and blogger. She has published a short devotional, Love By Devotion, and shares her views on life and faith via her blog page Looking In. You can connect with her via Facebook at Leila Halawe Author and via Twitter at Leila Halawe.

Keep on Writing

I was getting ready to leave for the Omega Writer’s Conference in October when I saw it—a call for submissions for a Children’s Picture Book Writing Competition. They were looking for “creative, winsome charming picture books that help parents instill an open-hearted, transformational, lifelong Christian faith in their children”. I did like the sound of that. Better still, the first prize was $5000.00. Whew! Not an amount to be sneezed at. There were no entrance fees either. I knew I must give it a go when I returned from conference.

Would it herald my big writing moment?

A week later, I came back refreshed and revitalised after a fabulous time in Sydney, having caught up with those of like minds, learning an abundance of writerly wisdom, being inspired by people and places and best of all, filled with God’s joy. Unfortunately, as it often occurs, a week of intense fibro pain and weariness followed my energetic week away, so it was only a few days before that all important deadline that I had sufficient energy to sit down to create my story.

My dear friend Melissa popped in on the Friday before and spotted our family's pet giraffe (yes, he’s alive …or so we like to think). She suggested I write a story about Raffy - what a brilliant idea! The day before the story had to be submitted, I sat at my computer, concentrating hard. It took hours to craft and refine my award winning picture book. The next day was a busy one. My body felt weak and weary but I persevered, working also on my author bio and the story’s synopsis. Finally, close to midnight and exhausted, I was ready to send in my three documents. Just before I pressed the submit button though, the competition’s terms and conditions popped up.

It was then my dream was shattered - a crystal vase smashed into a million shards.

The very first clause had my mouth open, while my jaw dropped a few kilometres downwards. Apparently, the competition was open only to US residents. I could have cried. I’d read the competition details many times over—but for some reason this vital fact had not been publicised. I could hardly believe it. How foolish I'd been!

I wonder what your writing year has been like. Was it filled with instant success, millions of books sold, a plethora of fan mail, TV appearances, a bulging bank balance and a celebrity lifestyle? If you are like most of us Christian writers, you are presently plodding away on your current story, a few drops of hope glistening in your heart, but perhaps also a little discouraged as to the number of writing dreams yet to be fulfilled.

In a few weeks, the curtain will fall on 2016 and we will be left with our memories of the past year. Whatever it brought you in your writing sphere and whatever the future holds for you, let me ask you three questions:

1. Has God called you to write for Him?
2. Have you strived to walk with Him?
3. Have you sought to be obedient to His call?

If you answered ‘yes’ to all three questions, let me shake your hand. Let me celebrate with you. Success for us comes not from the world’s yardstick of accomplishment. It’s simply getting up each morning and doing all that God calls us to do. Persevering. Learning from failure. Not giving up. Perhaps like me you've made a few blunders? No matter - God can redeem them all. He's good at that! So permit discouragement to fly out of your window like a captive pigeon set free. Congratulate yourself for all the writing you’ve done these past 12 months. Celebrate your conquests with a smile. And let your heart be quick to hear the sound of God’s ‘Well done’.

And now ... put on your writer’s shimmering cloak of joy.
And Keep On Writing.

“Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.”
Philippians 3:13-14


Anusha Atukorala is a writer and speaker with music in her heart and a message to proclaim. The abundant love of a faithful God is her theme song. God’s call to writing in 2007 led Anusha on a Grand Adventure which continues to surprise and thrill her. Anusha loves to build the body of Christ and to encourage others through the written and spoken word. Her first book ‘Enjoying the Journey’ is comprised of 75 little God stories. She has twelve short stories published in Anthologies and plenty more books in the pipeline. Do drop in to say G’day at her website Dancing in the Rain. She’d love to meet you.

Book Review: Things Not Seen: A Fresh Look at Old Stories of Trusting God’s Promises by Jon Bloom

Blurb

God is doing far more than we can see in our pain.

We plead for God’s deliverance from our pain and wonder why he keeps letting it go on. We are not alone. A cloud of witnesses surrounds us and they help us understand. In these 35 creative retellings of Bible stories, Jon Bloom explores the hope and joy that Abraham, Moses, Naomi, John the Baptist, and others experienced in the painful process of discovering that God’s promises really are more trustworthy than our perceptions.

My Review

Jon Bloom is one of the authors and Board Chair of John Piper's Desiring God website, a site I frequent one or two times a week.

I found this series of 35 sketches of Biblical characters to be so encouraging. Bloom explores matters of the heart by shining new light on some of the better known biblical stories. They are short with a brief introduction on the truth being explored followed by the vignette and each ends with a short commentary on the story and truth.

All of the stories and truths are topical and very relevant for us all. I so appreciated the story of Jonathan and David. Bloom introduces the sketch with the notion that yielding power can be a tremendous challenge. We are then transported to the time when David is on the run from Saul. Bloom depicts the beauty of their friendship and in particular Jonathan's humility in yielding his succession to the throne to David.

Samson's story was another one that particularly touched me: "the gifts God gives us are about God's greatness not ours. They should keep us humble …"

It ends with a few pages of great encouragement. Our journey with Christ is a hard one and Bloom acknowledges this with a series of verses that he connects with a relevant angst that we all contend with most days. The sketches “remind us that God hides His most precious treasures in our most difficult and painful experiences.” Bloom’s parting words of "Don't give up" sum this magnificent work up so well.

It’s a quick read, each sketch being only three to four pages. I'm sure I'll be reading this again before too long and will be sharing it with others. BTW, the PDF of the book is accessible from desiringgod.org. 

Ian Acheson is an author and strategy consultant based in Northern Sydney. Ian's first novel of speculative fiction, Angelguard, is now available in the US, UK, Canada and Australia. You can find more about Angelguard at Ian's website, on his author Facebook page and Twitter

Staying the Course

Photo courtesy of arztsamui/FreeDigitalPhotos.net

My church is currently working through a series that goes by the title of this post: “Staying the Course.” It’s a series of teachings aimed at providing some practical wisdom to persevering, to keep running the race.

This past Sunday, we had a guest Sy Rogers share his thoughts on the topic. As an aside, if you haven’t heard Sy speak do check him out. Besides having a fabulous personal salvation story that has framed much of his thirty-year ministry he is tremendously engaging and entertaining.

Sy emphasised the importance of understanding God’s character and highlighted the point that He is deliberately mysterious. This trait often causes us much frustration. “Why don’t you just tell me what to do, Lord?”

But it’s in the mystery where we find faith. Yes, God first pursues us but He too desires we pursue Him.

“Pursuit is the proof of your desire; you’ll never possess what you don’t pursue.”

Stay in the Pool

This topic made me reflect on the writing life. In fact, we really can relate it to most things: friendships, marriage, career, vocations, etc. When I wrote Angelguard I was continuously amazed how when I set out on most days I really didn’t know what I was going to write. (Yes, I’m a pantser). However, once I sat down at the computer, the characters would take over and that daily word limit would soon be complete.

That hasn’t been my experience second time round. I was relating this with another author the other day. Jim’s working on his seventh novel and he laughed at my comment and expressed he was experiencing the same even though he’d done it six times previously. He then proceeded to mention a similar conversation he’d had with another prolific author, who said even though he’d written in excess of thirty novels, he was finding the latest one the toughest yet.

I took great encouragement from that brief exchange.

One thing I’m absolutely sure of with both of those authors is, even though it’s tough going now, they’ll persevere and get the novel done. They’ll finish the race.

They will turn up every day.

We’ve all read the quotes about not waiting for inspiration before we sit down to create. The inspiration comes out of the work. The Holy Spirit has no one to guide if we’re not playing our part by turning up.

“You’ve just got to stay in the pool longer than the others.”

Michael Phelps, the champion swimmer, spoke those words. Don’t you just love that? One of the greatest swimmers of all time attributed his achievements to that work ethic.

The Christian walk is like that. We often go through a slump simply because we haven’t spent enough time in the pool with God. Life gets even busier, stuff happens; you know the drill.

And what about that manuscript, yes, Ian what about that manuscript? Have we spent too much time writing blog posts, reading another book on how to be a bestseller or getting lost down some research maze?

Keep turning up to write. God’s waiting for you and is ready to create some magic with you.

Ian Acheson is an author and strategy consultant based in Northern Sydney. Ian's first novel of speculative fiction, Angelguard, is now available in the US, UK, Canada and Australia. You can find more about Angelguard at Ian's website, on his author Facebook page and Twitter

Books with Hands and Feet

Christians have been called the hands and feet of Jesus. Sometimes, when I've considered that God has met me in a time of need, it's been through people with just the right word of encouragement, a small gift or a bit of warm feedback showing that I'm on the right track. We may see people looking at us with such love in their expressions, it is as if Jesus is looking at us through their eyes. The blessings He provides may come through people rolling up their sleeves and giving a physical helping hand. Most of us have probably been both on the giving and receiving end of such blessings, which is great. But I find just as often, the touch from God will come through a book.

I believe books have the potential to be a mega-blessing because when they go into print, there is no limit to the impact they can make. They are like prayers to God and messages from God in print. If they come in the form of fiction, we may experience valuable truths with the characters, without having to go through their ordeals. And if they come in the form of biography or fact, it's exactly the same. We get to benefit from the insights and wisdom of people down through the ages.

As a reader, I've found myself looking for paper and a pen to copy quotes full of beauty, encouragement or inspiration. Often, these moments have spoken to my heart just when I needed them. And just as often, the authors have no longer been with us for many years. I've learned deeply from people such as Jane Austen, Albert Einstein, Helen Keller, Henry David Thoreau, and many others who weren't as well known. Even though these people are long gone, the flames they've ignited are still setting off a fresh combustion in people's hearts to this day.

As a writer, I've sometimes knelt in prayer, seeking answers, and then a sudden rush of ideas will kindle my heart and thoughts, which my gut instinct tells me is right on the mark. Our moments of inspiration and hard work may go on influencing others for centuries, for all we know. How wonderful to think that we don't need to focus too hard on any visible results of our writing we may perceive in the short term, for the ripples our words are making may continue for a century or more after we've written them. How great to think that for years after a book is written, it may still be changing and challenging readers' minds, filling them with new hope or much-needed entertainment, giving them fresh ideas, although these ideas, as far as we're concerned, are old and long past.

It's great to think that all the books written by contributors to this blog may even now, be entertaining and touching people's hearts without our knowledge. I'm glad books have this type of hands and feet.

Paula Vince is the award-winning author of several contemporary Christian romances with elements of mystery and suspense. She lives in South Australia's beautiful Adelaide Hills with her family. Her most recent novel, 'Imogen's Chance' will be published in April 2014.

Mates Matter

Among the things I like to consider when writing historical fiction are the cultural idioms and colloquialisms of a particular era. One of the great ones for Australians has surely been ‘mateship’.  Although ‘mate’ is a term which has been used for centuries in working-class British english, it surely came into its own in Australian culture during the World War 1, and depicted the bonds that were forged between those who served together in battle. Jack Simpson Kirkpatrick, the stretcher bearer during the Gallipoli campaign, who used a donkey to carry wounded soldiers from the front lines, exemplifies the spirit of mateship. John Howard, as Prime Minister in 1999, used the term in a Draft Constitutional Preamble … We value excellence as well as fairness, independence as dearly as mateship.

'Mateship' denotes equality, loyalty and friendship.

I’m wondering if this is a word that may be losing some of its earlier meaning as Australian society  becomes more and more diverse, with many different cultural backgrounds. Perhaps there is less sense of common ground, or less that brings about the bonding which occurred between those in the trenches of war. Although I’m sure the value of friendship has not decreased, it may be changing in quality.

As I look back on my own writing, I’m aware that my stories have almost always included close relationships between friends, and highlighted the value of loyal, trusted, dependable mateship, even though I haven’t always used the term ‘mate’ in reference to these relationships. I find such friendships deeply moving to write about, and at least as inspiring as romantic relationships. I think love, in the context of friendship, can have beautiful, profoundly meaningful significance in a character’s life. I believe in the early days of Australian history, mateship was necessary for survival, as so many people were without family, or any familiar source of support. But no matter the situation or era, I believe through characterisation of such relationships we can portray many Godly qualities that we would want our readers to aspire to.

In thinking about this I have come to realise that a source of mateship for me recently has been amongst the community of Christian writers in Australia and further afield. While many family members and friends have encouraged me in my writing, very few have a real understanding of the process that begins with an idea and ends with a printed book. It is those who are on the same journey who can identify with the agony and the ecstasy, the sense of calling, the vulnerability, the pleasure of immersing oneself in an emerging story, the awesomeness of the birth of a publication.

Having self-published my first four books, I am extremely grateful now to be part of a writing community; people who not only understand my journey, but are willing to give advice and feedback, who can offer constructive criticism, who are willing to mutually promote, and who participate in a non-competitive network of writers who are as excited about the success of others as they are about their own. Of course this includes those who offer their professional services in editing, publishing, design and marketing. Even with those I have not met in person, but have connected with on-line, or at one of the writer’s conferences on one or two occasions, there is such a strong sense of ‘mateship’, and mutual good will.

I pray this will continue,  and see us all further our dreams.

Mates matter because they affirm who we are as individuals, and what we are about. They test our dreams and give us a safe place to express our ideas and grow, to be challenged without fear of consequences often present in family relationships. They give us the opportunity to reflect honestly on our understanding of what God is calling us to, and whether we are getting side-tracked or seduced by lesser motives.

I pray that our valuable network of writers will never be soured by success, competiveness, busyness or loss of interest. And I pray that any writers out there who do not feel part of this wonderful network will contact the groups on Facebook and blogs; Australiasian Christian Writers, Omega Writers, or any of our authors individually. You’ll receive a warm welcome, and valuable encouragement and support.

Mateship really does matter. Long may it be part of our Australian culture!  

Carol Preston   

www.carolpreston.com.au

www.amazon.com/author/carolpreston

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