Stumbling blocks

Page 10

10

What I love most about Gavin and Anne is their integrity; their words ring true because they are writing about things they know all about. Although we might be tempted to see them as the kind of Christian leaders who’ve got it all sorted, they are courageous enough to let us in on the fact that their lives as followers of Jesus haven’t been smooth or straightforward. Their honesty about their mistakes and vulnerability about their hurts is a powerful challenge to us to be real and open about what we’re going through. They are also full of love for friends, like you, whose experiences may be taking them to places they never thought they would go. If you’re anything like me, in those early days or years of following Jesus you never made contingency plans for when things would get so tough that you would consider turning your back on God. And being in this place can be incredibly lonely. But the whole point of this book is to remind you that you are not alone, and all your questions are worth raising and all your fears are worth facing. This book is not an invitation to just get on with it. It’s not a slap on the wrist or a reminder of how “nice” Jesus is. It’s a real, sometimes raw, always relevant, look at the stumbling blocks to faith we all face and an encouragement to do something about it. You may have picked up this book having already decided in your mind to walk away from your Christian faith, in which case no book or talk or worship song is going to change that. Like the rich young ruler (Mark 10:17–27) you are free to say “yes” or “no” to Jesus – which is what makes Him so endlessly intriguing to me. But if you are prepared to be real about your nagging questions, or feel ready to shine a light on why you feel so let down by God, or Christians, or both, then feel at home. You’re among friends who care too much to let you just sit and


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