The Grand Paradox

The Messiness of Life, the Mystery of God and the Necessity of Faith by Ken Wytsma

Review by Lori Scearcy

The plan was that I was going to read this book on my own. I got through the foreward (by Eugene Cho, don't skip this, so good!), the intro, and a bit of chapter one... when I knew my husband had to hear this! So, we read it together. I recommend if you're married, you read this as a couple... so grateful we did.

This book is not a spiritual "Whole 30", or a "10 steps to a better you", or any of those follow the rules & your life will be awesome types of self help programs that we Americans seem love so much... nope. 

This book is a reset button.

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"If we were made for relationship with God, why do we often feel lost and distant from Him? When we, who call ourselves followers of Jesus, feel as if we're groping blindly, have we missed some key concept or failed to grasp the correct formula?" -Ken Wytsma, The Grand Paradox

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When our daughter was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes, it was heavy... it still is... but we are positive. We know God has allowed in this our lives and we trust that He has a purpose for our pain. But disease still sucks. She is a child. She has questions, she has doubts. We do too. We want our daughter to feel safe enough to ask questions, to share her doubts, to ask "why me"... to be real with us. In the same way, God wants that for all of us. 

Many of us have been misinformed, and/or built up our own misconceptions that being a Christian means our life will be easy, and if anything should go wrong (which it shouldn't) - we just pray about it and God will answer us and make it all right and good once again. And when He doesn't answer, when we feel as though He isn't there, we begin doubting if he really exists at all. Some of us feel betrayed, alone, hurt, disappointed - THIS is what it looks like to be a Christian?! This is what God has for me?! Most wouldn't dare share these raw, honest, deep questions and feelings with our Christian friends, or any of our friends... because that would mean they will see how messy our life is - but life is messy, isn't it? And without doubt, what is faith? What if following Christ means that life will still be messy? That's real.

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In The Grand Paradox, Ken answers some of the most deep questions we have as followers of God:

• Do we have the wrong definition of faith?
  
• How do I talk to God? More important, how to I hear from God?
  
• What is God up to in this world?
  
• Do I have to give up things that make me happy to have faith?
  
• I have doubts... does that mean I don't have faith?
  
• What is God calling me, personally, to do?
  
• This world is crazy... how am I supposed to live for God?
  
• Do we really need church?
  
• What is it all for?
  

Honestly, I believe this book is so relevant to where we are as a culture. I personally feel that this book has reset my faith back to how God originally planted it in me. 

"We're too wise and too jaded for cheap answers, promises of The American Dream, and religious quick fixes--they don't really satisfy us. Instead, they leave us desperate for something solid, hoping for a more sure foundation upon which to build our lives. Our hope can't simply be in controlling our present circumstances; if we are going to live lives of meaning and purpose, we're going to have to learn how to embrace The Grand Paradox: Life is messy and God is mysterious, but yet there is a way to follow Christ, develop a relationship with God, and pursue the happiness and joy we all long to experience." 
- Ken Wytsma, The Grand Paradox

The Grand Paradox is scripturally based, free of clichés, full of honest truths and real answers. 

Released today, look for it on Amazon (the Kindle edition is only $2.99 right now!), or at Barnes & Noble.