It Is What You Make of It: Creating Something Great from What You've Been Given

Justin McRoberts dares you to move beyond “it is what it is” thinking and become an agent of love and redemption in your household, neighborhood, and workplace.

“It is what it is”—a common phrase you hear and maybe even say yourself. But the truth is that there is not one square inch in the whole domain of our human existence that simply is what it is. Justin McRoberts invites you to embrace a new mindset: it is what you make of it.   

With warmth, wisdom, and humor, McRoberts shares key moments from his twenty-plus years as an artist, church planter, pastor, singer-songwriter, author, neighbor, and father, passing on lessons and practices learned about making something good from what you’ve been given rather than simply accepting things as they are. 

Thought-provoking but actionable, It Is What You Make of It declares that love doesn’t just win, mercy doesn’t just triumph, and light doesn’t just cast out shadow. Rather, such renewal requires the work of human hands and hearts committed to a vision of a world made right (or at least a little better). When we partner with God in these endeavors, we love the world well and honor the Creator in whose image we are made.

We will not be remembered for who our parents were or where we were born or what our socioeconomic circumstances were. We won’t be remembered for our natural talents and strengths or the opportunities we were given or the challenges we faced. In the end, each of us will be remembered for what we made with what we were given.

Justin McRoberts creates to provide language for the process of faith and life, helping people to live generously as well as to faithfully produce good work in the world. For that reason, Justin really like teaching, storytelling, and songwriting, which he has done for nearly twenty years. He's written books, recorded albums, and also curates and hosts The @Sea Podcast.

Whether he's teaching, sharing songs and stories, leading a workshop on the creative process, or inviting folks to engage in the fight against global poverty, Justin values every opportunity to encourage, challenge, and inspire.