A good snow cone in hell

1 comments | Aug 30, 07:39 AM | best-of-earl | by Earl Creps

I’m working my way through Gary Moon’s “Falling for God” these days. I met Gary when he called me a few months ago to ask if I would write an article for “Conversations: A Journal for Authentic Transformation” (http://www.conversationsjournal.com/).

He and Larry Crabb developed the journal to offer a realist’s perspective on spiritual formation. I like the way their website expresses it:

“This journal is the result of hundreds of conversations—honest dialogue among friends about how real change happened in their lives—and why it didn’t.”

The last four words of that quote are what really grab me, “and why it didn’t.” A negative or neutral outcome in spiritual formation is just not supposed to happen (unless we backslide). Gary (who is with the Psychological Studies Institute) and his friends are the only ones I know of who are talking about this aspect of spiritual growth—or lack thereof—on a regular basis. (I’m very, very far from mastery of the SF literature, so that last line, like most of my blogs could be real wrong.) In any event, you’ve just got to love it.

Since working on Off-Road Disciplines, I’m meeting more and more people who have interest in how God’s grace finds its way into unconventional, unofficial, and uncomfortable places. Maybe we will form a union, or something: “Local Brother&Sisterhood of UnPurpose-Driven Lives,” “Fraternity of the Devotionally Challenged,” etc.

I’m reading Falling for God slowly, taking just a section or two each day, and will work through the well-developed bible study and prayer exercises as I go. I love the variety in the book. Here are a few clips from my “highlight reel:”

* “little disciplines” – the practice of meeting God in very small ways, like when you hug your spouse at the end of a long day and your soul sighs, “thank God…there’s something more than work.” * Tasty quote from Walker Percy: “If the good news is true, why is no one pleased to hear it?” * Challenges to Christians like this: “If Jesus came to our planet so that all who would listen could be restored to relationship with the Father and enjoy the heavenly emotions of love, joy, and peace, why do Christians commonly feel as if we are alone in the world and burdened by the earthbound feelings of anger, depression, and anxiety?” * Best line so far: “Given our approach, union with God is less likely than getting a good snow cone in hell.”

You’re talking my language.

Gary has also contributed to a number of other books. Check him our on Amazon via an author search.

PS. Only now do I realize that my use of “union” above is a spiritual formation pun—a bad one. Sorry. Hmmmm…there really aren’t any SF jokes, are there…very serious people…

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