While there is truth in the idea that our past shapes our future, the gospel is all about the counter-intuitive promise that God is shaping us right now toward God's vision of who we will become. It is not our past that makes us into the image of God; God's redeeming love does that. In God, who we are not yet is shaping who we become.

Appealing to anyone drawn to a deeper understanding of their own story and a richer sense of God's transforming presence, this book will have special resonance for people at turning points in their lives. Career changes, loss of a loved one, graduation, illness, divorce, birth of a child, entering middle or later years: Life is filled with turning points at which we feel compelled to tell our story in a new and different way. Each chapter focuses on a gospel passage, leading to a reflection on a significant point in the author's life which uncovers deeper and more personal meaning in the biblical text. Questions conclude each chapter, engaging readers to look at their own lives-good and bad-and find God, experiencing the joy, surprise, and healing of God's future rewriting the past.

About the Author
Jake Owensby was consecrated the fourth Bishop of Western Louisiana in 2012, having served congregations in the Episcopal Church since 1997. Before entering seminary, he was a philosophy professor in a small college, a teacher devoted to helping students discover truth for themselves. As a bishop, he is still that sort of teacher. Owensby is author of multiple books and a blog, Looking for God in Messy Places. His podcasts are available on SoundCloud and at iTunes.


Book Information
ISBN 9780819232656
Author Jake Owensby
Format Paperback
Page Count 144
Imprint Morehouse Publishing
Publisher Church Publishing Inc