Puttin' it Out There

I'm trained as a journalist. I love words and how they can crystallize thought.

For 25 years, writing has been a huge part of my "day jobs." I imagine that will always be true while I'm in the workforce.

But for some time, I've felt the nudge (or even push) to write more than a blog in my "spare time." I've had the desire to create a book. The problem is that I have had many good thoughts on how the book starts, but have not been able to create an outline that looked like a complete product...until now.

Recently, I attended a seminar called "Leading by the Book," conducted by my former seminary professor Bob Lowery. Bob, who is in failing health, is a force of humility, knowledge, and passion for God and for teaching others. That day, he repeated words that had crystallized a thought for me years ago. Bob asserted that God's grace is ever saving, sustaining, and surprising.

I've used that thought in sermons, in conversation, and in my personal meditations over time. But when he said it during the seminar, my mind and heart woke up to the focus the book to be written: "The Case for Grace."

The concept is a combination of stories from Scripture interlaced with personal experiences of how "real" God and His grace are in our lives. The work will by divided into the categories of saving grace, sustaining grace, and surprising grace.


Here's the prologue: God is alive. He’s as real as anything or anyone you can see or touch. Jesus, His son, came from heaven to earth, taught truth, died for all of our failures, and yet is alive again. Jesus’ sacrifice was a gift to all who will believe in Him. It was and is a gift of grace. Grace empowers all who believe those truths. It’s not a psychological crutch; it’s high octane, life-giving and life-sustaining fuel. How do I know these things to be true? I live it! But it wasn’t always that way…

I have signed up for "Write to Publish" seminar in June and need to have the outline and a 10-page chapter excerpt complete.

I'd like to know if this approach appeals to you as a potential reader or one who would recommend such a read to others.