Why Jesus Makes Me Nervous: Ten Alarming Words of Faith

In this fresh and anecdote-rich book, author Joy Jordan-Lake takes ten well-worn "buzzwords" in Christian lingo (resurrection, community, abundance, wisdom, holiness, peace, blessedness, worship, forgiveness, and hope) and gives them new life. She weaves a pastiche of gritty, detailed personal stories, which honestly portray the harshness of life, and then views them with eyes of faith to discern the glimmers of Kingdom life shining through. Her insights are gleaned from Scripture, theological writing, novels, poetry, hymns/spirituals, history, and even pop culture. However, she manages to avoid preachiness or cliche, making her points by showing rather than telling, making you experience the deeper truth of these 10 words for yourself. I highly recommend this book to anyone looking for a fresh perspective on the Christian walk, who is looking for an alternative to the frequently formulaic and lingo-ridden books which populate the "religion" shelf of the bookstore.

Joy Jordon-Lake offers a funny, poignant, down-to-earth look at what it means to follow Jesus in the 21st Century. In doing so, she avoids the superficial platitudes and cliches found in so many contemporary Christian books. She writes in a fresh, original style, often illustrating with stories from her own life. I have shared this book with friends who were going through divorce, ovarian cancer and other struggles and it spoke to them. If you think Jesus will solve all your problems and give you a safe, comfortable and successful life, this is probably not a book you will enjoy. On the other hand, if you're looking for a reliable guidebook for the difficult way of faith, I recommend this book. - Peter Larson, Senior Pastor, Lebanon Presbyterian Church