Hello friends! I pray all of you are well and have been fruitful in the kingdom work God has entrusted to you. I wanted to share some exciting news. My first book is now available on Amazon – Let’s Get Real: The Journey to Authentic Christianity. Below you will find the introduction to the book. I hope all of you are able to pick up a copy, and it is truly my prayer that God will use this book to encourage you to be the Christian he created you to be.
Read more: Let’s Get RealNothing is as refreshing as being with authentic people. We all crave authenticity. In a world where technology, social media, and AI are quickly taking over, the hunger for authenticity will only increase. In this book, I am going to be real with you—very real! To some, this will be a breath of fresh air. To others, it might be appalling and uncomfortable. But let’s get real – no one likes a phony. No one wants to be around a person who puts on a fake smile while piously critiquing them. I stay as far from these people as I can. Why? Because I’m perfectly capable of judging myself. I don’t need anyone else to do it for me. I need to be around people who love and accept me as I am but encourage me not to stay there.
This book has been years in the making. It has been quite a journey for me to crush the perfectly molded façade I spent years perfecting. It hasn’t always been easy or comfortable, and I still find myself trying to remold that golden calf. However, I have found a freedom that I never thought possible. So, my promise to you is to be real. I have no desire to write this book from a boardroom, from an office, or from an ivory tower, but from the trenches, right along with you. I want you to understand that you’re not the only one who struggles. I’ll say things that many think, but most are afraid to say. I hope it makes you laugh, cry, gasp, squirm, and most of all, let go of whatever is holding you back from being an authentic person. My prayer is that you will find the freedom to be real with Jesus, others, and yourself.
One of many things I have learned about my Savior is that he isn’t looking for perfection. He doesn’t want your perfectly scripted prayers, your polished shoes, and pressed suits. He wants your heart. He wants the raw, unedited you. He wants the despicable pieces that you fear make you undesirable, and he isn’t the only one; the world is craving it too.
Christians are drowning in artificial piety. We put on our masks, head to our gathering places, pretend life is great, have shallow conversations about sports, weather, work, and hobbies, and leave even emptier than when we arrived, because our hope for authenticity was left wanting yet again. We lived up to what we believed were everyone’s expectations – life is perfect, I am happy, holy, and blessed.
But let’s get real – this is not the abundant life you hoped for, nor is it the abundant life Christ promised to give. You are literally suffocating behind your masks. You hate putting on the act week after week, but you feel trapped by the expectations placed on you by conventional Christianity. You embraced Christ because he willingly took you in all your brokenness; you were free to be real. But now you feel trapped with a different kind of bondage, not the bondage of sin but the bondage of never being good enough. You feel like your chains weren’t released; they were just relabeled.
So, I want to help you take those first steps into the frightening but freeing realm of authenticity. As you end each chapter, you’ll notice I’ve added a small section called “Your Journey.” That’s because this isn’t my journey; it’s yours. My hope is that you will embrace those challenges (or come up with your own) to help you begin your journey to authentic Christianity.
I sincerely pray this journey into authenticity will change your life and bring you the abundant life Christ promised all his followers. Are you ready?
You can find the book on Amazon by clicking the link below.
God bless you on your journey of growth.
