Searching for God Knows What

I picked this book up on a whim while visiting Powells Books in Portland, OR. It was just sitting there on the shelf, and pretty much summed up what I was thinking to myself at the time: I know I'm looking for something, but God knows what that might be. I picked it up, put it back down, continued browsing, and then saw it again on my way out the door, and decided to buy it. I don't know why it never dawned on me that it was a Christian book written by a Christian writer (It's not like the word GOD is in the title), which may have been a blessing, since in general I feel that most of that genre is stuffed with preachy type self help books trying to save you, or get you to come to Church. Once I started reading it and figured out that it WAS a Christian book, I had to pause and convince myself to keep reading, though I felt sure I would run into some of that convert or go to hell rhetoric, so popular among hard core Christians. To my amazement and delight there wasn't any of that in this book at all. It is, quite simply, a young man ( I assume, there is no picture), well versed in scripture, and theology, talking about why the human race is where it is, and why we are never satisfied with what we have. Not only that, but he never makes you feel guilty about anything. He stresses the relational nature of the stories in the Bible, as opposed to the formulaic nature of the people who generally interpret the Bible for their own means. The main point that Mr. Miller tries to pound into your head, is that people have become estranged from God (the fall in the garden) and that they no longer have the awesome glory of God within themselves. When we lost this link to God, we needed something outside of ourselves to show us that we have value, friends, loved ones, etc. We were no longer sure that we were worthy of love, and no longer sure of our own self worth since God was no longer there to tell us that we were loved. It is Mr Miller's belief that all the tragedies of human history, from cliques in high school to WWII all stem from this separation that now exists between humanity and God. Mr. Miller also talks in detail about Jesus, and his role in the salvation of mankind. He again focuses on the relationship with Jesus as the important part of the message, and not any rules or guidelines setup by some organization somewhere. He even takes right wing conservatives, and holier than thou Christian ministers to task on the Gay marriage issue, reminding them that homosexuals would probably have been among Jesus' closest friends, along with the prostitutes, tax collectors and other characters that Jesus generally associated with, and that Jesus' message about loving one another extends to all people, sinners and saved, alike, and not just to those people who agree with your agenda. All in all, this was an excellent book on Christian faith, which I enjoyed reading tremendously.

New Year's Eve we spent some time with old friends. My long held Christian faith was waning. I had been the 'good little christian woman', but my life had fallen apart really. I have been trying to make sense of it all. That night, my friend just gave me this book and said that I should read it. He didn't know anything; I hadn't told him anything about the state of my life, let alone my faith. I started reading Miller's book the next day and couldn't put it down. Donald Miller helped me with his book, "Searching for God Knows What". Basically he seems to say what I have already been learning, that there are no guarentees in life. Miller wonderfully explains why there are no Christian formulas, political formulas, nor any other formulas for that matter, in life, that will keep us safe and secure. In this book he explains, with intelligence, wit and a great sense of humor, how intamcy in relationship...(however, not with just anyone) will help you find your lost heart again. I love the way he uses Shakespeare's "Romeo and Juliet" balcony scene as an allegory of conversion. Thanks Donald...what a great way with words...wow!! and yes, elephants shouldn't be caged...(if i had emoticans it would wink and smile...)

Chapter 4 "Free Verse" actually made me get out of bed one night while I was reading and pad outside in my bare feet to where my husband was sitting. I promptly sat down and read him the entire chapter out loud. We both had tears in our eyes when we were finished. This is a book for people that know that there is more to Christ than systematic theology. This book captures the meaning of it all.

Don Miller has got an amazing ability (God-given, of course) to present a series of ideas that all tie together to emphasize an important point. In this book, just like in _Blue Like Jazz_, Miller gives thoughts that lead to criticisms as well as encouragement to the 21st-century church. In _Searching for God Knows What_, the topic focuses on how the modern church has trivialized the Gospel message by turning it into a short series of ideas, or a quick formula that bypasses most of what Jesus' life entailed. These thoughts are all but revolutionary, but so blatantly obvious to me as a reader (though I always wondered why I had never thought of these things in the way he presented...now that he had, it all makes sense). Specifically, he presents metaphoric symbols of what humans are trying to make in life: justifying our usefulness on a lifeboat, trying to entertain the masses in a circus, etc., and ties them together so well that you find yourself making other metaphors and expanding the range of the implications. Simply put, Don's ideas are ones that many Christians need to take to heart. He comments on our morality system as something that now takes the place of our loving of one another, a way of justifying our place on 'the lifeboat.' He talks as he did in _Blue Like Jazz_ about the dangers of using war-like vocabulary in our dealings with non-Christians: if we view it as a battle or a war, we feel like we are taking sides against other humans, instead of Satan, who is our true combatant. I looked forward to getting this book after Don e-mailed me to let me know there was a new book coming up (his 6 month lead time definitely left me eager). Once again, I was not let down. I feel this book is good for Christians and non-Christians alike, though much of the items Don talks about are more Christian-oriented than in _Blue Like Jazz_. I recommend reading this book to, at the very least, think about some issues facing the modern church and deducing your own reaction. It is sure to make you internally debate with your own thought process, but I believe that is the intention of this book. Let it. A+ job to Don, and praise to God for using Don to bring our hearts and minds on Christ and Christ alone.

I enjoyed "Blue Like Jazz" so much that I pre-ordered this one a month ago. It arrived yesterday and I read it this morning, lingering over a long breakfast at a local cafe. It was actually a bit embarrassing as I kept laughing out loud. Other diners were glancing in my direction (perhaps growing increasingly concerned about my sanity and their safety). At times I wondered if I was reading about the spiritual experience of the humorist Dave Barry. And yet - even before I stopped laughing, Miller would paint a word picture so poignantly that the my laughter stalled in its tracks (much to the relief of those seated at the table adjacent to me). Miller continues to talk about spirituality in a compellingly authentic and honest fashion. And there is more. He provides a fresh new lexicon for the journey to God. This book will make you laugh and make you think. If you really wonder what God is like, and are disinterested in the minefield of religious jargon - this is the book for you.