Spiritual Misfit (a Review and FREE GIVEAWAY)

Michelle DeRusha's debut book, Spiritual Misfit: A Memoir of Uneasy Faith, was the first package to arrive at our new house.  As a member of her launch team, I received a free copy and started reading it late at night while we waited for the phone and internet to be set up.

In my mind, I read it by candlelight, because at that point we had very little power in the house, but really I suspect there was a lamp or something shedding light.  It was an appropriate setting, as Michelle writes candidly and humorously about her own slow, uneasy journey out of darkness and into light.

Here are three things I liked about this book:

1. It's truly funny.  Yes, that's right, Michelle is a Christian and she's terribly, terribly funny.  Not funny in a cheesy, naive way, but funny in that truly human way that emerges when one dares to strip away all pretense, to expose the depths of one's own deep humanity.  Telling her story, Michelle does this again and again - honest with herself and honest with her readers, she gives us all hope as we laugh til we cry, seeing ourselves through grace light.

2. It's real about the tensions between faith and doubt.  Michelle grew up in church, but gradually drifted to a place of unbelief, where God no longer fit.  Never finding the freedom to ask questions, she simply decided to stop talking all together about God, about faith, about doubt.

Moving to the America's heartland only intensified her spiritual dis-ease.  Living in the land of bible and bread, Michelle did her best to blend in, hiding her doubts.  Finally, "hitting rock bottom" Michelle decided to fess up - facing fear head-on, she shares her deep doubts with her local pastor and begins to start again at square one, re-exploring the terrain of faith as an adult.

What I appreciate most about this section of the book is the way Michelle writes about the tension between knowing and believing and the choice to give belief a chance.  As she writes,

Almost as instantly as my heart told me I had experienced a blessing, a connection with God, my head squashed such a preposterous idea. . . . After twenty years of unbelief, doubt had become a habit. . . . The truth is, once I began to question my doubts at least as much as I questioned my toddler-step, doddering faith, I began to see small miracles everywhere (82-3).

3. It's not a "how-to."  Michelle resists the temptation to turn her life story into a three-step process finding faith and for this, I'm grateful.  As it stands, Spiritual Misfit's deeply personal nature is what will give it a nearly universal appeal for those losing and finding faith.  In shedding the masks and rules, Michelle dives in at the deep end and finds a way to float in the midst of faith and doubt.  Lifted by the grace she comes to know and trust, she invites us also to dive in, to open up, and look closely for the footprints of God in our own stories, our own lives.

Order Spiritual Misfit HERE. 
Visit Michelle's Blog to learn more about the book, read advance praise and peruse quotes.   

Interested in joining a book club discussion of Spiritual Misfit, either online (fb) or in person?  Let me know via the comments section below and stay tuned for further announcements here and on the A Field of Wildflowers Facebook page.

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Waiting Together (Cut Flowers For Advent)

I finally made it up to the attic this morning to dig out my advent books, among them, Watch for the Light: Readings for Advent and Christmas, a book of essays and sermons by a wide variety of authors.  My on-going favorite is one by Henri Nouwen entitled, "Waiting for God."

Nouwen skillfully explores the fear and anxiety of waiting while highlighting the fact that all of the characters in Luke's gospel are waiting for something that has already been promised to them.  The spiritual life, according to Nouwen, is "one in which we wait," but our waiting is done best when we wait together. 

Observing the interaction between Mary and her cousin Elizabeth, Nouwen writes,

          These two women created space for each other to wait.  They affirmed
          for each other that something  was happening that was worth waiting for.

Then he adds,
        
          . . . The whole meaning of the Christian community lies in offering a space
          in which we wait for that which we have already seen.  Christian community
          is the place where we keep the flame alive among us and take it seriously,
          so that it can grow and become stronger among us.  In this way we can live
          in courage, trusting that there is a spiritual power in us that allows us to live in
          this world without ebbing seduced constantly by despair, lostness and darkness.
          That is how we dare to say that God is a God of love even when we see
          hatred all around us.  That is why we can claim that God is a God of life even
          when we see death and destruction and agony all around us.  

          We say it together. 
          
          Waiting together, nurturing what has already begun, expecting its fulfillment -
          that is the meaning of marriage, friendship, community and the Christian life. 

What can I say but that I'm so grateful to be able to share some links with you, to help you gather together with those who are making spaces all across the web where we can wait together.  Take a few minutes to check them out.  Maybe you will find a new friend, a companion for the journey, or maybe even just a word to carry you like a light through the season ahead.  

Diana Trautwein, a retired pastor and active Spiritual Director is writing daily reflections on scripture over at her blog, Just Wondering. Diana's bold voice and captivating use of images will draw you in. 

John D. Blase is a poet, editor and former pastor who writes at The Beautiful Due.  His poem, Walk Straight, has been my theme this advent season and he just posted a new reflection on the song, Silent Night, that will simply knock your socks off. 

John Blase is joining with Winn Collier to write weekly reflections on a lectionary reading for advent every Monday.  Winn's is one of my never-miss blogs, one I'm sure to click on, and I can't think of anyone better gifted to explore the mingling of human and divine made evident in the stories of the nativity.

I've also been following Christie Purifoy's blog There Is A River, where she's offering brief daily poems, prayers and reflections.  


Are you or someone you know writing your way through the season?  I'd love to hear about it, feel free to add your own favorite links in the comments section below.  Enjoy!

Cut Flowers Vol. 2 (for your Easter baskets)

We're still doling out Valentine's candy at our house and I'm sure there's some Halloween candy lurking in the darker corners of the pantry, so the idea of filling four (yikes!) baskets with sweets for Easter morning isn't exactly appealing to me.  And while I am actually considering putting things like new socks and underwear in their baskets (anyone know if that's a sacrilege, by the way?) Easter's also the perfect opportunity to give a child you love something that will feed their heart in the year to come. 

 

Below are a few of my favorite children's bibles and books of prayer, won't you consider purchasing one for a child you know?  These also make great baby shower, baby dedication and Christmas gifts too.   

  

 

The Jesus Storybook Bible, by Sally Lloyd-Jones is recommended for ages four and up.  I love it because it has GREAT pictures and formats the bible as one grand narrative, paying attention to the treads of redemption that run throughout.  My three year old used to sit for hours paging through the pictures and both of our older kids requested it for bedtime reading for months on end. 

 

I ordered The Children of God Storybook Bible for Easter last year.  The biblical stories in this book are paraphrased by Arch Bishop Desmond Tutu and the illustrations come from artists around the world and reflect the artistic styles and heritage of their culture.  I love the interesting artwork in this one as well as the fact that it includes some stories not often found in children's bibles (ex. the story of Esther and also Naboth's Vineyard).  The stories in this bible are shorter and each is followed by a short prayer.  This is also recommended for ages four and up.

Psalms for Young Children, by Mari-Helen Delval is another I bought last year.  Each page has a paraphrase of a psalm and the opposite page has an image to go with it.  My husband and I have used this at bedtime when we're too spent to think of a good night prayer; we simply read one of the psalms as a prayer and our kids love it. 

I don't own I Will Rejoice, by Karma Wilson (yet!), but I've checked it out of the library from time to time.  Karma Wilson is the author of the popular Bear Snores On series.  This simple book filled with beautiful, joyful illustrations is based on the text of psalm 118:24, "This is the day that the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad in it."

I did order this one for Easter this year.  Images of God for Young Children is, well, just that.  This book is for ages five and up and explores the biblical images for God, such as "God is Light," "God is Love," and "God is Wisdom."  I'm hoping this book might be helpful as my kids start to move away from a "God is an old man in the sky" view of God.  These are short reflections, like the Psalms book above, and I imagine we'll use this one for bedtime conversation starters (or enders!) too.  

 

 

 

 

I own Sybil Macbeth's Praying in Color for adults and, when my kids are a little older, will probably buy the kid's edition too.  If you're a doodler or simply love the smell of crayons and markers, praying in color is a simple, unintimidating entery into prayer.  This book is recommended for kids ages five and up.   

 

 



 

This last one, the Jesus is Calling Devotional for Kids, is by Sarah Youn and recommended for ages 8 and up.  Sarah is known for her direct style of writing which makes it feel like Jesus is speaking directly to you through her words.  Like the Jesus Storybook Bible, I know a lot of adults who've benefited from this book and I'll probbaly add it to our collection as the kids get older. 

 

What are some of your favorite children's bibles or devotional books?  How do you approach filling your child's Easter basket? I'd love to hear your ideas in the comments section below or over on the Field of Wildflowers facebook page!



Cut Flowers (vol1) (words around the web)

I don't think I'd ever read a single blog post before I started blogging, but since then, I've developed quite a list that I follow and read regularly.  Every once in awhile I'd like to share some of my favorite posts with you.  Simply click on the link provided to visit the site.  Enjoy!

For when you need to laugh: "After three months of negotiations, you have still failed to comply with what I feel are very basic rules when it comes to what you are to feed me. Since you show no indication of falling into line, I have been forced to strike until this matter is resolved."  10 Rules for Feeding a Picky Baby

For when you need hope: "My son now stands on that hill between resignation and acceptance, wrestling with God and self. Afraid." Ready for Spring 

For when your life needs a soundtrack: Emily Wierenga I completely stopped listening to music at home after we had kids - I simply couldn't stand the extra stimulation.  Recently, though, I started listening again but didn' have a lot of time to look for music I liked.  Then I stumbled across Emily Wierenga's blog where she has her own playlist.  Simply scroll down the page and look for the little player box on the right, click play and voila!  awesome hipster playlist at your fingertips.  Emily adds new music over time. 

For when you need to remember the beauty of loss: "He sits with his mother in room 710 . . ."  Absolute Sway 

For when you want to know more about the tree this apple fell from: "At the beginning of 2013 I believe God is telling me LIVE, really live, live fully, so that I might praise him through my life." Live Fully

For when you can't stand the noise any more: "Those ants know the value of a season of silence. They understand the importance of waiting. There is a time for scurrying and working and gnawing, a time for digging and eating and moving.  But there is also a time for stillness. A time for silence. A time for waiting." Why the Church Should Quiet Down

Have you read any great posts this week?  Did you like any of these?  I'd love to hear from you in the comment section below!