Sailing Between the Stars: Musings on the Mysteries of Faith - Softcover

James, Steven

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0800731646 ISBN 13: 9780800731649

Publisher: Revell, 2006

Synopsis

The foundation of Christian belief is paradox: death is the beginning of life, foolishness is the pathway to wisdom, the meek conquer the strong. Everywhere we look we see mysteries piled upon mysteries, and for all our efforts to fit God into a box that makes sense, Christianity is not founded on common sense. Author and storyteller Steven James navigates this magical journey through the "uncommon sense" of faith in Jesus. Through his captivating style and arresting stories, James helps readers become more comfortable with a faith full of truth and mystery. With breathtaking writing, he shows readers a God who is illogical, unreasonable, unrealistic, and incredibly and unmistakably true.

About this title

About the Author

Steven James is an author, storyteller, and poet. He has been a full-time speaker for almost ten years and continues to speak at conferences, churches, and special events across the country, sharing his eclectic blend of drama, comedy, and inspirational storytelling. Steven is also the author of nineteen books, including the critically acclaimed Story. When he's not traveling or writing, Steven likes going rock climbing, watching science fiction movies, and eating chicken fajitas. He lives with his wife and three daughters in Johnson City, Tennessee.

From the Back Cover

Faith doesn't always make sense. We live in a world of tension, and as much as we'd sometimes like it to, our faith was not meant to relieve that tension but to make some sense of it. Through stunning essays and evocative stories, Steven James explores the wonder, paradox, and presence of Jesus in life today. Without trying to decipher or diminish the mysteries of a life of faith, James leads you deeper into the rich texture of the breathtaking story God is telling our planet. Rather than limiting God to human understanding, you can discover the joy found in not being able to ever fully comprehend the Creator or the depth of his love. From funny to poignant to profound, but always pointing toward God, James's stories help you develop a worldview of wonder at the incredible world in which we live. There's never been a better time to get to know this God who is illogical, unreasonable, unrealistic, and incredibly and unmistakably true. Storyteller and poet Steven James has been a full-time speaker for almost ten years and continues to speak at conferences, churches, and special events across the country, sharing his eclectic blend of drama, comedy, and inspirational storytelling. Steven is also the author of nineteen books, including the critically acclaimed Story. When he's not traveling or writing, Steven likes going rock climbing, watching science fiction movies, and eating chicken fajitas. He lives with his wife and three daughters in Tennessee.

Reviews

James (Story: Recapture the Mystery), an experienced storyteller, offers a series of casual reflections on the paradoxes of the Christian faith. He addresses all the old standards—like how can a good God allow pain, how much of salvation is our work and how much is grace, and why God calls us to be perfect when we all know that's impossible. James sees everything through the lens of story. He talks around the ideas he's addressing, taking circuitous routes through a series of tangentially related tales, sometimes touching and sometimes trivial, largely from his own life. Each chapter also includes original poetry—heartfelt but not terribly well written. There are deep insights here, if few hard-and-fast conclusions, and while these are not altogether fresh, they are presented with energizing honesty. At times the number of metaphors is overwhelming and confusing, like when James writes of "the thrilling romance of dancing with a rugged bridegroom toward the edge of eternity amidst the weird dreams, bad aim, and indecipherable miracles of life." Some readers will likely find the book difficult to follow, but James's postmodern fans will welcome it. (Sept.)
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Edition details

• Publisher: Revell
• Publication date: 2006
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0800731646
• ISBN 13: 9780800731649
• Binding: Paperback
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 256