The title resonated with me.
A Memoir of Uneasy Faith
There was always a part of me that wondered do I belong here, really belong? I found a lot of value in that perspective, especially since Michelle is so honest about what it was like for her. Another way to describe it would be beautifully ordinary. Cuddling with my partner while we watch Wolverine and the X-Men and munch on pumpkin loaf makes me so happy I could cry.
She emphasizes the importance of living your faith. I may never have a come-to-Jesus moment, but I can do my best to follow his teachings. She says something toward the end that I loved:. For a long time I was waiting for the perfect moment to declare my faith: I was waiting for all the pieces to fall into place so I could declare, once and for all, without a shadow of doubt, that I believed in God. The reality, of course, is that the pieces of my faith had been falling into place all along. And the 1 reason!!! Throughout each page, we discover our search to belong, to fit in, leads us to the profound truth which is this — we have been loved all along.
We come to grips with the fact that this journey of faith — well — it is just that … our journey. For each of us, it will look different. And yet it will look similar.
We all have doubts and questions at various times throughout our lives. I have come to realize these are the very catalysts which God uses to grow us in our faith. He moves us deeper into our awareness of Himself and Who He is. We come to see facets of faith which may have remained hidden had we not questioned.
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Jun 22, Patricia rated it liked it Shelves: She married a man who did believe. She went to church with him most of the time or at least some of the time. For a while that was okay with her. Then she and her husband and small son moved from their home in Massachusetts to Nebraska where she had no friends or extended family. Now she began to question God, if He existed, what was He all about and why was He so important? That was when she began asking herself why and did it matter?
She was more attentive in church, bought a bible, went to bible study, and small group. She spent a lot of time frustrated with the answers of other people and the way they seemed so sure they were right. The answers to her questions were unclear and often confusing. She continued on her journey and came to faith, her faith. Faith in God who she knows is real. She believes and doubts and journeys on knowing it is okay to doubt. There are few black and white answers and she is sometimes uncomfortable in her faith.
This book may be surprising to some in its honesty and candor. DeRusha writes clearly with humor, and without apology for who she is, which to this reader was refreshing.
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Blogging for Books provided this book to me free of charge in exchange for an honest review. I found Michelle's telling of her faith journey to be both riveting and inspiring. Her engaging writing style kept me eager to read the next chapter. Both her overall story and the many smaller stories are inspiring and encouraging. Not since my first reading of Brennan Manning's "Ragamuffin Gospel," several years ago, have I highlighted so many quotable paragraphs, or had so many poignant passages bring tears to my eyes.
On the surface, Michelle's story and mine would appear to be polar opposites I found Michelle's telling of her faith journey to be both riveting and inspiring. On the surface, Michelle's story and mine would appear to be polar opposites. Unlike Michelle, I was raised in a faith-centered evangelical Christian home, with a strong foundation in biblical study and a firm grasp of God's love.
Yet, on so many points, Michelle describes a journey familiar to all true believers who have lived enough to experience the realization that this life is a lot messier than we realized in our youth and that God's grace is much higher, deeper and broader than we will ever understand.
Spiritual Misfit: A Memoir of Uneasy Faith - Michelle DeRusha - Google Книги
Like Michelle, I have learned that faith is more about living with unanswered questions than about knowing all the answers And, yet, somehow, in all those questions, fears, sorrows, and doubts, we come to know God much more personally than we ever would have by refusing to question the teachings of our youth. If you haven't read this book, buy a copy now May 30, Sherry rated it liked it Shelves: This book was thoroughly written.
If you don't have the patience for laborious, detailed back stories, this probably isn't the book for you. The wordage, the stories told, the humor of the book make this a generalized Christian book for women. Not to say that means it's bad, just not male friendly. After struggling through the first pages which probably could have been condensed to 20 pages , I really enjoyed the journey the author took to find her belief in God. Her struggles through every This book was thoroughly written.
Her struggles through every day things - rude people at the grocery store or picture perfect playground moms - are things that we have all felt. Where do these things fit into God's plan for us?
How does He use these things to mold us into Christians? The answers aren't in this book. This is the answer DeRusha provides, an answer that is probably a proclamation of every Doubting Thomas. I should not have it all figured out. And if I think I do, I should take that as a red flag because it probably means I have crafted a God of my own design, a God whom I can control.
Living the questions and relinquishing control is so much more challenging than fashioning a God who is entirely fathomable and comprehensible. But living the questions is also more real - a truer, more honest approach to discovering and nurturing a relationship with God. An enjoyable and relatable story of what it's like to be a rational-minded, skeptical faith seeker. DeRusha grew up with the kind of Catholic faith that was practiced rigorously and never discussed, and she gradually fell away from belief as she became an adult. But she hid her doubts for years, and it took admitting them out loud to make her reconsider whether there was something worthwhile about faith after all.
Not every aspect of this book clicked for me — there was an abundant use of similes An enjoyable and relatable story of what it's like to be a rational-minded, skeptical faith seeker. Not every aspect of this book clicked for me — there was an abundant use of similes, and sometimes DeRusha took a roundabout way of making a point in order to tell some story that wasn't necessarily related to her faith journey. But by and large I resonated with her experiences and especially with her thought processes about faith, God, prayer, and the like.
Spiritual Misfit
Unlike many Christian books, she doesn't offer bland platitudes; instead, she provides concrete examples or detailed explanations for each conclusion she reaches along the way. She doesn't have any earth-shaking conversion experience. She figures out that the best she can do is to make a choice to continue seeking faith, which sounds like a weak conclusion but is actually a pretty honest description of where I'd imagine many Christians are.
For anyone on the spectrum from hardcore-believer to skeptic-but-open, but especially for the many of us in between, I recommend picking up this book. Jul 10, Kari rated it liked it Shelves: I remember enjoying her sense of humor and her way of looking at the world, so when I saw that I could request a copy of her book, I was excited to do so.
Michelle grew up in the Catholic church but did not consider herself a person of faith. After some conversations and experiences at church with her family, she decided to be more open to spiritual ideas and began to see God moving in unexpected places. This is her story of faith and doubt and not fitting in. One of the things I liked about her blog bugged me a little bit while I was reading the book — she is great at finding the humor in situations and is careful to make herself the butt of the joke and to protect her family. After a few chapters, I began to wish we had had more information on the people around her to balance out her portrayal of herself as a bit of a grumpy goof.
The book quotes a lot of authors I have read especially Kathleen Norris and there were times I felt that she was not adding a lot to those quotes. Still, I would recommend this for people who have struggled as outsiders in their faith, especially those who converted as adults. Aug 23, Mark rated it really liked it. Michelle DeRusha writes with wit and passion in her spiritual memoir, a journey that begins in religion, into an extended period of doubt, and finally into an uneasy faith. Her writing is engaging and vulnerable. I think nearly every Christian will be able to relate to some part of her uneasy journey through doubt and questions, whether or not we ever admit to it in public.
This is not a book about theology or answers to spiritual questions. Rather it is more like someone coming alongside you in Michelle DeRusha writes with wit and passion in her spiritual memoir, a journey that begins in religion, into an extended period of doubt, and finally into an uneasy faith. Rather it is more like someone coming alongside you in your own journey, letting you know that "I've been there, too, and I got through it. The journey of Christian faith is not all easy answers and quick fixes to the problems of life.
It meanders and takes unexpected turns. It is filled with difficulties and disappointments. We have to learn to let go and live a life of trusting in God. For all who travel the path, this book can provide needed encouragement. Nov 01, Sarah Paschall rated it really liked it. Foremost, DeRusha's writing style is excellent. She is clever, informed, and refreshingly candid about her experience with faith and faith followers. I would recommend this book based on style alone. The content, too, was excellent.
DeRusha, with an up-tempo pace, walks the reader through her journey and answers how she came to know God. Her humor-filled, yet serious, stories are fascinating, especially, for anyone who has really grappled--and wrestled--with not only the existence of God, but als Foremost, DeRusha's writing style is excellent.
Her humor-filled, yet serious, stories are fascinating, especially, for anyone who has really grappled--and wrestled--with not only the existence of God, but also the reality of a personal relationship with him. My main critique is that there is not a clear presentation of the Gospel message. Although brimming with spiritual truths and heavy topics, I see great oversight in neglecting even in the appendix of notes section to lay out the Gospel message for readers, especially those who are likely to pick up and read a book entitled "Spiritual Misfit.
Jul 14, Kimberly Simpson rated it it was amazing. I loved this book. It touched my heart and made me laugh out loud. It took me a long time but I finally began to understand that I didn't need to impress God with perfect words, fully articulated thoughts, and catchy phrases. God didn't need me to come to him as someone else. He didn't need me to dress up my prayers in poetry or lace them with special, s I loved this book. He didn't need me to dress up my prayers in poetry or lace them with special, sacred words. He wanted me, the rambling, bumbling, awkward me.
Mumbling and chanting, begging and pleading, thanksgiving and praise, petition, song, gesture, breath and even wordless attention- all were ways to turn in the direction of God. Few memoirs have made me laugh like Spiritual Misfit. Michelle deftly walks you through her tenuous faith journey.
From her Catholic upbringing to her personal doubts to the warming of her heart, she testifies to a God Who loved her completely and pursued her passionately. Spiritual Misfit is a perfect selection for a book club and is sure to invite a lively discus Few memoirs have made me laugh like Spiritual Misfit. Spiritual Misfit is a perfect selection for a book club and is sure to invite a lively discussion.
Her experience is unique, but her ponderings are universal. Hilarious affirmation of your faith journey! No matter where you find yourself on the faith journey, you are sure to find yourself on the pages of this book. Michelle talks about the doubts and curiosities we all experience as we grapple to get our little arms around a big God and all that he offers us.
As I read Spiritual Misfit, I nodded my head in agreement and paused to reflect on my own coming to faith over and over again. She left me with a deeper sense that God really loves me just the way Hilarious affirmation of your faith journey! She left me with a deeper sense that God really loves me just the way I am, right where I am, questions and all. Michelle's gift of telling it like it is will crack you up.
So be warned - reading in a public library might not be the best idea. You are gonna love this one! Beautifully written and so genuine, almost to a fault. I found myself relating to Michelle and her faith wrangling , remembering my own forays into doubt and insecurity and "otherness".
I often responded to her stories with an ache, wanting so much for her to have those mystical experiences she desired. I love the way she redeemed her experiences, seeing them for the God-glimpses they were, even if they were seen with different eyes than her neighbors. Truly, we all have our own journey and have Beautifully written and so genuine, almost to a fault. Truly, we all have our own journey and have only the responsibility to respond with what we have been given. In that is the true grace of the Spirit. Jun 09, Meg rated it really liked it.
This is a beautifully written book about one humble woman's journey to embrace the unease of faith and appreciate the beauty that accompanies it. Michelle deftly spins the tale of her life, providing clear footholds along her climb to a better place; a climb that is circuitous and slippery but no less worth the ultimate destination. I dogeared several pages maybe a couple dozen and even had my hubby read several parts readers will recognize "Mof, I love you," Dairy Queen, and Cheez-Its.
I am This is a beautifully written book about one humble woman's journey to embrace the unease of faith and appreciate the beauty that accompanies it. I am privileged to know Michelle through book club but I have such a greater appreciation for her as a person having read this personal, touching memoir of hers. Thank you for your story, Michelle! Jan 31, tonia peckover rated it really liked it.
Michelle DeRusha doesn't write so much about the extreme highs and lows of faith as about the kinds of questions and roadblocks that plague many of us. She's so transparent about her feelings and her reactions to her life that she becomes instantly accessible. I especially appreciated the ending of this book. There is no spiritual high, no happy "ending. The best part of this spiritual memoir is the way the author reveals her rough edges, her sharp corners and abrasive parts. You wish as a Christian that there is a sweetness and light resolution, where it all gets smoothed away in some spiritual revelation or immersion in prayer or worship or something.
I think that will be something that's hard for non-Lutherans to appreciate about deRuscha's journey. She remains as fully a sinner as she ever was even as she accepts she can be o The best part of this spiritual memoir is the way the author reveals her rough edges, her sharp corners and abrasive parts. She remains as fully a sinner as she ever was even as she accepts she can be one of the saints. Apr 04, Dena Dyer rated it it was amazing.