When You Walk: 365 Readings for Ordinary Followers of Jesus Who Sometimes Find the Going a Bit Tough

by Adrian Plass

"When You Walk" is a rich collection of warm, highly individualistic, sometimes refreshingly maverick responses to familiar and not so familiar passages, that Adrian Plass has contributed to BRF's "New Daylight" Bible reading notes over the years. The material, organised by Adrian himself, includes a new and substantial preface to each of the sections in the book. Laughter and tears abound in this book. The writer offers nothing less than the fruits of his own vulnerability in the hope that we, his readers, will be equally willing to react honestly, thus transforming our relationship with the Bible, and especially with those verses that have, in a sense, become invisible, because we have never given ourselves permission to look clearly at the way they make us feel. There is no doubt that such a process will also transform our relationship with God. Join Adrian for the walk. We know it can be very tough, but no-one has to do it alone.

Genres: Christian, Nonfiction, Christianity

528 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1997

About the author

Adrian Plass is a writer and speaker who has produced over thirty books in the last twenty years. The best known of these is probably The Sacred Diary of Adrian Plass, a gentle satire on the modern church, which has sold hundreds of thousands of copies worldwide. This and other books have travelled to other countries and are translated into a number of foreign languages. Other books include biography, novels, short stories, a fictionalised account of the author's experiences as a residential child care worker, and collections of poems and sketches. A bemused Anglican, Adrian lives with his wife and daughter in a small market town near the Sussex South Downs.

Adrian has been in demand as a speaker in venues as varied as prisons, schools, churches, festivals, literary dinners and theatrical settings. His work also includes contribution to national and local radio and television. Live presentations combine humour, poetry, and story telling, largely revolving around his own inadequacies and struggles as a Christian and a human being.

In recent years Adrian has been joined by his wife Bridget in presenting a more varied and dramatic style of performance. Adrian and Bridget met at the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School and have found particular satisfaction in being allowed to ‘do a bit of acting’. They have also been privileged to work alongside World Vision on several occasions, visiting Bangladesh and Zambia, writing two books and touring both in the UK and abroad with the aim of encouraging people to take up child sponsorship

Their work now takes them as far away as Canada, Australia, New Zealand and Africa, while trips to Europe have introduced the added dimension of speaking through interpreters. Not easy when you're trying to be funny!

Adrian's latest books include ‘Jesus Safe Tender and Extreme‘, published by Zondervan, ‘Blind Spots in the Bible’, published by BRF, and most recent of all ‘Bacon Sandwiches and Salvation’ published by Authentic Media. He and Bridget have also collaborated with friends in Canada to produce a CD of his favourite sketches from the last 20 years called ‘Preaching to the Converted’ while ‘A Touch of Plass’, CTA’s documentary video, is now out on DVD.

2008 began with a visit to Bolivia for Bridget and Adrian in collaboration with the charity Toybox to look at projects involving street children. Later on there will be a DVD, a book and a number of presentations promoting their work.

Adrian's central motivation continues to be his love for Jesus, although some may feel he expresses it rather eccentrically. His passion is to communicate the need for reality in faith, and a truth that he learned during a difficult stage in his life: "God is nice and he likes me..." Some have described his work as being ‘one long confessional’. They may well be right!

Reviews

[Sue · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've been reading this for about a year. It should have been exactly a year, I suppose, since there it consists of 365 daily Bible readings with commentary, but some days I didn't read any, and some days I read more than one. I was not consistent.

I have always enjoyed Adrian Plass's writing, particularly his humorous 'diaries', but very much appreciate his more serious work too. In this, a collection of readings that have appeared elsewhere, he covers a wide variety of topics, with passages from most books of the Bible appearing. The subtitle of the book ('for ordinary followers of Jesus who sometimes find the going a bit tough') was enough to inspire me to buy it last year, and I've found it - overall - a rewarding read.

I don't suppose I've learned anything new, but I've enjoyed Adrian Plass's insights, peppered with personal anecdotes and his pithy, ironic and sometimes amusing one-liners. There's also a depth of insight which I found revealing and often helpful.

Recommended to anyone who wants something of this sort. I don't know that I can remember anything specific from the book, but at the time I always felt it was well worth reading.

Longer review, on re-reading 13 years later: https://suesbookreviews.blogspot.com/...

[Saj · Rating 4 out of 5]

3,75 stars. I have been reading this daily over the past year (started in 2022). Some texts were very inspiring and stayed with me. Others were more confusing. So a bit of a mixed review for me. Over all I really enjoyed the warmth and wisdom.

[Remco · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a devotional with daily readings and contemplations in Plass' down to earth and charming style

[Calum Mackenzie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic. Great book, wise, encouraging and poignant. Can be read daily or over a few days.

100% recommend

[Karin Jenkins · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this a number of years ago and it got me back into the habit of daily devotions

[Ian · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wonderfully refreshing and real daily readings and prayers