An unsolicited book review!

Denial Is My Spiritual Practice by Rachel Hackenberg and Martha Spong  is a book that everyone needs to read!

I received it on Thursday and finished it Sunday afternoon. Their courage and vulnerability in sharing such hard parts of their personal stories, stories that we often only share with our closest companions, and then connecting them to Biblical stories, filled me with awe and also brought tears to my eyes. I raced through it so fast, I am only now going back and rereading parts of it and underlining gems.

Having followed both of their blogs for a number of years now, I had no trouble recognising their unique ‘voices’ as the chapters went back and forth between them. And I will channel my inner Elsa and ”Let it go…” when Rachel writes that she hates labyrinths! (page 65).

Martha introduced me to six word memoirs, something I hadn’t heard of before and something I have been pondering.

As someone who grew up on Air Force bases, where the unwritten rule was ‘don’t air your dirty laundry’ and then leadership experiences in various workplaces that very quickly led me to the ‘fake it until you make it’ pattern. I learned early to keep my vulnerabilities to myself or only share them with a few trusted friends. To share so openly, when confessing vulnerabilities may impact employment or relationships is courageous. I don’t even like to share with too many people how many migraines I get!

Their words remind me of Brene Brown’s work on courage and vulnerability. Their words challenge me: How can I be a leader who also voices discouragement? How and what do I share about my personal struggles? What am I denying? As I was finishing off this post, this post from a blog I follow came in. Read it. Buy Denial is My Spiritual Practice. Be vulnerable, be courageous.

That’s my window on God’s world.