Grace in the Maybe

Book excerpt: In Whirlybirds and Ordinary Times author Katie Savage beckons you to join her as she embraces the mystery of faith and gently eases into the sometimes turbulent waters of contemplative exploration. She writes with honesty and humor about the uncertainty and doubt that is inherent in the life of the growing believer, finding that even in the midst of questions, bold assurances of faith emerge. You’ll find yourself falling into step with Katie as she meanders through the liturgical calendar of Advent, Christmas, Epiphany, Lent, Easter, and Pentecost, as this insightful book weaves ordinary stories and surprising insights into satisfying reflections of the spiritual life, relationships, and life as we know it. This delightful collection of essays will stimulate your thinking, stir your heart, and nurture your soul. *** “There was a time when I knew everything about God. I was young (you’re not surprised) and relatively arrogant (now you’re really not surprised). My team always won when we played Bible trivia games in my church youth group. I knew the stories of Jonah and Daniel and Saul like they were my own family stories; I could quote the most popular Bible verses; I memorized the order of the biblical books and could spell all their names. . . . Somewhere along the way, I lost all that knowledge about God—or at least I began to realize how much there was to learn. Each day that I was a Christian seemed to be a step backward in understanding my faith. I started acknowledging the questions in my heart, began discussing those questions with friends and fellow saints, as those in the church are called, however undeserving the label may sometimes seem. And I discovered, after whining about how difficult all of this Christian stuff was, that the mystery of not knowing was also absolutely, undeniably wonderful.” —Excerpt from pages 1–2