A Mile Wide by Brandon Hatmaker published by Nelson Books
The Blurb
A pastor for over twenty years, Brandon Hatmaker explores how the gospel works in and through believers. He challenges readers to pursue a more effective faith.
My Two Cents
It doesn't seem like it was that long ago that I became one of the 4500 and fell hard for them and for Jen Hatmaker's fabulous book, For The Love... Fast forward to now. (Is fast forward even still a relevant term?!) I am still crazy about that same group of women. They have prayed for, ministered to, and encouraged me. They have laughed, cried, and cringed with me. And now we are all reading together again...and this time it's another Hatmaker. Brandon chose the women of the 4500 to be his launch team because of the way we all rallied around Jen when For the Love was released. We went from the "B Team" to the starting line up! Brandon wrote a fabulous book called "A Mile Wide" and it will make you question how deep your faith is. It pokes and prods with questions like: Are you working for the Lord or are you just working? Are you exhausting yourself for Him or just filling your calendar to the brim? Are you measuring your spirituality with a measuring tape of fear, shame, or guilt? How vulnerable do you allow yourself to be? How do you love mercy and seek justice in your environment? Are you squirming from these questions?! Don't worry!!! Brandon illustrates the ideas beautifully and has you explore these topics slowly...as each chapter builds, so do the questions. It is such a beautiful exercise. And as Brandon writes, "the only person, besides Jesus, who can dig honestly beneath the surface of our hearts is us."
One of my favorite quotes from the book comes right in the middle of breaking down the parable of the seed falling in different types of soil: Without depth, the dazzle won't hold. We have to spend far more time nurturing what no one ever sees under the surface than worrying about what's above the soil. Things like Scripture and prayer and community root us so deeply. They are the unglamorous, unfancy work of discipleship. They fix our principles and resolutions; they root our habits and affections--they make us strong. They prepare us for what's to come. The same sun that warms and develops the well-rooted believer withers and burns up those who aren't. Unglamorous. That's Christianity. We love. We turn the other cheek. We hurt. We serve. We worship with our lives...and to live is Christ. It isn't glamorous, but it's holy.
If you love the Hatmaker family and the passion and zeal that they have for being the hands and feet of Christ, buy this book. If you have never heard of Brandon Hatmaker or Jen Hatmaker...or any Hatmaker...you should buy this book and see what all the fuss is about. They are the real deal. They are living out the calling and they are challenging the rest of us to do the same.
The Trailer
There is so much meat in this book and I am dying for you to read it!!
A Mile Wide