Out of Sorts
Making Peace with an Evolving Faith
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4.7 • 3 Ratings
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- $18.99
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- $18.99
Publisher Description
From the popular blogger and provocative author of Jesus Feminist comes a riveting new study of Christianity that helps you wrestle with—and sort out—your faith.
In Out of Sorts, Sarah Bessey—award-winning blogger and author of Jesus Feminist, which was hailed as “lucid, compelling, and beautifully written” (Frank Viola, author of God’s Favorite Place on Earth)—helps us grapple with core Christian issues using a mixture of beautiful storytelling and biblical teaching, a style well described as “narrative theology.”
As she candidly shares her wrestlings with core issues—such as who Jesus is, what place the Church has in our lives, how to disagree yet remain within a community, and how to love the Bible for what it is rather than what we want it to be—she teaches us how to walk courageously through our own tough questions.
In the process of gently helping us sort things out, Bessey teaches us how to be as comfortable with uncertainty as we are with solid answers. And as we learn to hold questions in one hand and answers in the other, we discover new depths of faith that will remain secure even through the storms of life.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Bessey (Jesus Feminist) combines intimate storytelling and spiritual reflection as she recounts how she has grappled and continues to grapple with her faith. Weaving together a disarmingly honest profession of her own spiritual journey with insights from theologians and writers, Bessey explores the ideas of a Christ-centered Christianity, community, grief, social justice, and vocation. She is candid about her struggles to reconcile the Bible with her concept of Jesus, and the six years she spent away from church. She encourages others to not be afraid of sorting through spiritual concerns, the uncomfortable in-between, or even the wilderness: "Religion tells us that it's all figured out, there is nothing left to learn, here are the answers, so learn them. But instead, I pray you would be an explorer, you would recover delight and wonder and curiosity about your faith, about God, and about the story with which you continue to wrestle." Bessey's charming, beautifully expressive writing transforms a subject often plagued by anger, frustration, and sadness into one of forgiveness, redemption, and hope. Accompanying discussion questions invite the reader to sort out their own faith.
Customer Reviews
Amazing
Amazing. Honest, thought provoking book. Thank you, Sarah, for sharing it with us!
Permission to Wonder
I'm a church girl. Born, raised, educated, youth grouped, short term missions, volunteering on Sundays, Bible schooled, dedicated and baptized. I 'gave my heart to Jesus' when I was 4 years old and from that moment on I spent my whole life trying to figure out what being a Christian really meant.
I was disillusioned with the representation of The Church that I saw as a teen and young adult but I felt as though it was something wrong with me, something weak in my faith, that caused me to ask questions. For years I bit back my frustration and struggled with my understanding of Jesus. Once I became a wife and mother I pushed my Great Big Questions aside and returned to the 'safe' Bible stories of my childhood.
Somewhere in those years I decided that the best way to know who Jesus really is was to just read the Bible for myself and let those words alone teach me. As I did that I began to really, really like Jesus and relate to Him in a completely personal way.
I thought I was the only wanderer, the only out of sorts church girl to ever struggle like this ... Until I read Sarah Bessey's book Out of Sorts.
For the first time EVER I felt like ask questions was normal and working out faith was meant to be messy and real. Bessey gave me permission to doubt and wander and wonder. She also gave me a road map back yo following Jesus with my whole heart.
Bessey challenges readers to embrace their questions and be okay with no clear cut answers. She makes room for child like faith and encourages following Jezus with wild abandon. Mostly she writes with grace and love and authenticity.
Whether you are a born and bred church going, a teen convert Jesus follower or a wanderer in search of a place of rest for your soul you will find comfort and permission and welcome in the pages of Out of Sorts. You will also find an introduction to Jesus, as He is, waiting to love you, as you are.