Reading is therapy for me. I’m usually in more than one book at a time. My husband doesn’t understand it. I’m guilty of leaving laundry in the washer or dishes in the sink because of a good book. (Don’t judge me. We all have our issues. LOL!) One Sunday a few months ago he said, “Are you aware there’s a library being delivered to our porch today?” Well of course I knew. I had ordered eight books that were beckoning me. I’m certain that on some level, this is why I find myself pursuing some degree of writing myself. Whether it’s a biography or challenging me to learn new things, books and words are my jam.
Given my passion for books and reading, it would seem to make sense that I would share some of my recommendations with you. I can’t go out and buy books for everyone, so this seems to be the next best thing.
Brenna Blain is a young theologian that I recently discovered on Instagram (via Jackie Hill Perry). Her first book titled Can I Say That? was in my hands for a mere day. I devoured the content. She’s quick to state that not everyone will agree with her. She paints painfully realistic pictures of how the Church often falls short. And she asks tough questions which should cause us to wrestle mightily (with ourselves, maybe others, and even God).
While addressing topics such as same-sex attraction, molestation, drugs and alcohol, mental health, abuse, eating disorders, and even what we might call a mundane life, she always pushes us back to scripture to see how our experiences line up with what the Bible says. Whether she’s diving into the story of Matthew as the tax collector (who was called away from his life of sin) or revisiting the Israelites in the OT (who repeatedly forget about their Creator), the landing pad isn’t her opinion of the matter. The foundation she builds on is what we see from the life of Jesus.
Many of us grew up in a building with a steeple and a man yelling about what God hates. And certainly there are many things God hates; the Bible is very clear about that. But there was a disconnect somewhere. They forgot to tell us about the things God loves; that would be you and I. Of course they had us memorize John 3:16 and we sat around the campfires and sang Kumbaya. (Which, by the way, none of us knew the meaning of. And for the record, it isn’t about love.) What they didn’t tell us about was how hard life is. What they didn’t mention was that when you sin (i.e., getting drunk on Saturday night, the pastor getting caught in an affair, etc.) you don’t need to go hide with your shame in the closet. What you need the most is the unmatched love of God. So instead of waiting for the Church to get this right, each individual person should be picking up the baton and seeking out those who we recognize are in need of an outreached hand.
There are people who don’t want anything to do with Christians or the Church. There are people who attend a local church but have no personal relationship with Jesus. There are people who have called themselves Christians but are now deconstructing their faith (personally, I believe that’s because our culture has become so “me” centered which is antithetical to scripture). The list goes on and on. Regardless of which category you might put yourself in, this book has something for you. But as Brenna pokes the bear, she isn’t looking to persuade. She’s encouraging you to go ask the hard questions and find out for yourself.
Isaiah 6:5 ~ And I said: “Woe is me! For I am lost; for I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts!”