What do you think?
Rate this book
Honestly: Getting Real about Jesus and Our Messy Lives
Your life is messy, hard, and uncertain right now―and if it isn’t, it has been or it will be. Messiness is the human condition. Part of the messiness is the unpredictability of life, not the unrelenting evil of life. And Jesus shows up inside all of that, because He experienced every aspect of what it’s like to be joy, physical pain, family arguments, frustration, existential trauma, and more. If Jesus is a real person, we should expect to meet Him in all of life. And only through the Good News and love of Jesus can we learn how to thrive in the midst of our mess.
Daniel Fusco, a pastor and jazz musician, riffs on the major themes of the book of Ephesians to help each of us find God in the midst of our mess.
Daniel Fusco, a pastor and jazz musician, riffs on the major themes of the book of Ephesians to help each of us find God in the midst of our mess.
176 pages, Paperback
First published April 1, 2016
18 people are currently reading
77 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
March 18, 2016
A perfect book to hand to people regardless of their beliefs or stage of life!
May 11, 2016
Couldn't put it down. Whether you're a "new" Christian or "seasoned" Christian, I think this book will remind you of things that you need to be reminded of. It made me cry and laugh and made me want to buy a copy for all of my dearest friends and even for the friends that I've lost over the years. It answers questions that "new" Christians may ask about God but it's also a good reminder to those who have already heard the answers before. Especially those who think they only need to hear it once.
March 19, 2016
Couldn't put it down!
This book is a great reminder that we are all in process and that gets messy. What a relief! Daniel Fusco is a master of revealing truths in your life by sharing his. I found myself nodding in agreement, and audibly responding to the author's storytelling while absorbing the truth of God's word in the process. I'm so grateful for this message that it's ok to live life messy, because there is no other way.
This book is a great reminder that we are all in process and that gets messy. What a relief! Daniel Fusco is a master of revealing truths in your life by sharing his. I found myself nodding in agreement, and audibly responding to the author's storytelling while absorbing the truth of God's word in the process. I'm so grateful for this message that it's ok to live life messy, because there is no other way.
April 4, 2016
This was an easy read with a profound message. Written conversationally and with humor, in keeping with the title, Daniel Fusco gives an honest look at life through the lens of faith. He is artistic but realistic which gives his message a unique and refreshing flavor. I thoroughly enjoyed the message that I found useful not just for me, but for everyone who has ever struggled with wondering why God does some of the things God does!
March 22, 2016
I laughed. I cried. I Googled Coltrane's "A Love Supreme".
This book was so good I had a hard time not Tweeting the whole thing!
Short, easy to read, encouraging and convicting. Way worth it.
It was exactly what I needed at the right time.
This book was so good I had a hard time not Tweeting the whole thing!
Short, easy to read, encouraging and convicting. Way worth it.
It was exactly what I needed at the right time.
April 12, 2016
So Honestly Real. Lost/Found. Dead/Alive. Life is a beautiful mess on the journey with the Lord. Love Supreme. JESUS is REAL!!!♡
September 10, 2016
Fusco gets down to the basics in walking a life with Jesus. His ability to be witty, humble, and real all at once make for a very enjoyable and quick read.
December 21, 2016
Growing up, I was presented a very clear-cut version of faith. I was given a list of things to believe, a list of things to disavow, and very few things in between. This type of faith governed my life until college, when everything came crashing down. My columns of biblical right and wrong imploded. Now this didn’t mean I lost all sense of right and wrong, but everything got really messy. I tried to rebuild my faith but it kept falling apart.
One day, I was talking to friend about my faith mess and he suggested something that shocked me. He suggested that I live in the mess for a while and figure out what pieces should stay and what should go. This was bewildering to me. The idea that is was acceptable to live within the mess was unfathomable but so relieving.
Over the past few years, I found more books that address the mess. I am not sure if this is a new emphasis in Christian literature or one I am just recently discovering. Honestly by Daniel Fusco is another chapter in the library of messy faith. Christ does not offer us a simple life with simple answers.
And that’s ok.
My only criticism of the book is that the book is a bit unspecial. It just felt like another run of the mill Christian book. That is not necessarily a bad thing, but the book does not really stand out. He shares wonderful stories, he makes great illustrations from Scripture, but I wasn’t drawn deep into the book.
This book would be a good launching pad for a church group.
One day, I was talking to friend about my faith mess and he suggested something that shocked me. He suggested that I live in the mess for a while and figure out what pieces should stay and what should go. This was bewildering to me. The idea that is was acceptable to live within the mess was unfathomable but so relieving.
Over the past few years, I found more books that address the mess. I am not sure if this is a new emphasis in Christian literature or one I am just recently discovering. Honestly by Daniel Fusco is another chapter in the library of messy faith. Christ does not offer us a simple life with simple answers.
And that’s ok.
My only criticism of the book is that the book is a bit unspecial. It just felt like another run of the mill Christian book. That is not necessarily a bad thing, but the book does not really stand out. He shares wonderful stories, he makes great illustrations from Scripture, but I wasn’t drawn deep into the book.
This book would be a good launching pad for a church group.
June 21, 2017
I really enjoyed Fusco's voice in this book, which seeks to get people to the heart of what living life like Jesus is. I ended up reading this book like a devotional, as each 'section' of the book explores a story of the author's life or a lesson he tried to get across, and was ended by a 'riff' (a nice nod to Fusco's bass-playing!) on the lesson itself that relates to what the reader was intended to understand. I liked this method and I appreciated Fusco's approach to the Word. I learned a thing or two about how God does not call the qualified or the people with the best 'magazine lives' so to speak, he qualifies the called. I highly recommend this for folks who are in fear of 'burning out' in their walk. I will most definitely be picking up another book by Fusco in the future.
July 16, 2017
It was a wonderful read. It helped me take a closer look at my messy life and my relationship with Jesus. i definitely recommend this book!
April 29, 2016
Daniel Fusco’s new book, Honestly, gets straight to the heart of the matter when he writes at the outset, “But life’s messiness isn’t just the negative headlines---it’s everything that keeps us unbalanced. Life is extraordinarily unpredictable. Things happen that we can’t fathom---some of which we choose, and some of which are chosen for us.”
With this premise as a backdrop, Honestly, looks at the book of Ephesians to the rhythm of John Coltrane’s legendary album, “A Love Supreme”.
Daniel Fusco’s musical background as a bass player and lover of all things Coltrane sets the content of the book in the four movements of Coltrane’s album: Acknowledgement, Resolution, Pursuance, and Psalm.
If you are a musician, you’ll love the upbeat language and the structure of each section. Questions at the end of each section of the four parts are labeled “riffing” and each of the parts’ summaries is entitled “coda”.
Even if you have never been a musician or a lover of Coltrane, you will discover a no nonsense journey of walking through the messiness of life with Jesus minus easy religious platitudes as Fusco makes it clear that life will always be messy.
Acknowledgment looks at the need to face the reality of the mess both outside of us and within us. It looks at the straight hard truth that when the messiness of life collides with the God who reigns over the mess, we have questions. The author gives great scriptural examples such as what Mary and Martha experience when Jesus doesn’t show up when their brother, Lazarus, is sick.
“Life is messy, and sometimes it feels like Jesus is the one doing the messing.”
Fusco doesn’t shy away from acknowledging that the Lord’s purposes and plans sometimes don’t run in the same direction as our desires. He also offers the remedy for such mess as grace and peace from Paul’s words in Ephesians 1:2. I especially loved how he broadened my understanding of the word peace.
Fusco shares that peace is a more complicated than thinking it is just the absence of conflict. He states, “The best way to understand biblical peace is with the Hebrew word shalom, which means both “peace” and “to join.” The implication is that when something is separated, or broken, it needs to be fixed.” So really shalom is putting things back together and isn’t that what we need when we are broken by the messiness of life?
Acknowledgment ends with some of these words by the author:
“So instead of using a magic wand to wave away all our external trouble, God’s after something deeper. It’s something we’re all deeply familiar with: a journey. Journeys have ups and downs, highs and lows. But we take them for a reason: to get somewhere we want to be.”
Entering Part ll, Resolution, Fusco brings us the good news of the resurrection and the truth that Jesus makes dead people (those lost to sin) alive. He also reminds us that some of the messiness of life is pure evil and that is when Jesus, the warrior, brings all authority in heaven and earth to confront it.
Nevertheless, in this life, the mess will never go away. Life means walking through the mess with Jesus at our side.
When we arrive at Part lll, Pursuance, Fusco brings us the reminder and hope that Jesus rules over the mess. Jesus also works in and through the mess outside of us as well as within us. As Fusco says,
“We can’t go around the mess because themes is everywhere: relationships, jobs, hobbies, churches, governments, nature, school”
Even as Ephesians talks about our walk with the Lord, Fusco uses his musician’s background when he says, “As we walk the bass line of our lives, we either create a context in which others around us can flourish, or we detract from their opportunity to do that.”
Part IV, Psalm, the author takes us to the foundation of it all: love. Near the end he quotes John Coltrane:
“May we never forget that in the sunshine of our lives, through the storm and after the rain—it is all with God—in all ways and forever.”
This book can appeal to many, but would uniquely speak to musicians!
The author, Daniel Fusco, is lead pastor of Crossroads Community Church in Vancouver, Washington.
Tyndale through the BlogNetwork, in exchange for my review, provided this book, published by Navpress. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
With this premise as a backdrop, Honestly, looks at the book of Ephesians to the rhythm of John Coltrane’s legendary album, “A Love Supreme”.
Daniel Fusco’s musical background as a bass player and lover of all things Coltrane sets the content of the book in the four movements of Coltrane’s album: Acknowledgement, Resolution, Pursuance, and Psalm.
If you are a musician, you’ll love the upbeat language and the structure of each section. Questions at the end of each section of the four parts are labeled “riffing” and each of the parts’ summaries is entitled “coda”.
Even if you have never been a musician or a lover of Coltrane, you will discover a no nonsense journey of walking through the messiness of life with Jesus minus easy religious platitudes as Fusco makes it clear that life will always be messy.
Acknowledgment looks at the need to face the reality of the mess both outside of us and within us. It looks at the straight hard truth that when the messiness of life collides with the God who reigns over the mess, we have questions. The author gives great scriptural examples such as what Mary and Martha experience when Jesus doesn’t show up when their brother, Lazarus, is sick.
“Life is messy, and sometimes it feels like Jesus is the one doing the messing.”
Fusco doesn’t shy away from acknowledging that the Lord’s purposes and plans sometimes don’t run in the same direction as our desires. He also offers the remedy for such mess as grace and peace from Paul’s words in Ephesians 1:2. I especially loved how he broadened my understanding of the word peace.
Fusco shares that peace is a more complicated than thinking it is just the absence of conflict. He states, “The best way to understand biblical peace is with the Hebrew word shalom, which means both “peace” and “to join.” The implication is that when something is separated, or broken, it needs to be fixed.” So really shalom is putting things back together and isn’t that what we need when we are broken by the messiness of life?
Acknowledgment ends with some of these words by the author:
“So instead of using a magic wand to wave away all our external trouble, God’s after something deeper. It’s something we’re all deeply familiar with: a journey. Journeys have ups and downs, highs and lows. But we take them for a reason: to get somewhere we want to be.”
Entering Part ll, Resolution, Fusco brings us the good news of the resurrection and the truth that Jesus makes dead people (those lost to sin) alive. He also reminds us that some of the messiness of life is pure evil and that is when Jesus, the warrior, brings all authority in heaven and earth to confront it.
Nevertheless, in this life, the mess will never go away. Life means walking through the mess with Jesus at our side.
When we arrive at Part lll, Pursuance, Fusco brings us the reminder and hope that Jesus rules over the mess. Jesus also works in and through the mess outside of us as well as within us. As Fusco says,
“We can’t go around the mess because themes is everywhere: relationships, jobs, hobbies, churches, governments, nature, school”
Even as Ephesians talks about our walk with the Lord, Fusco uses his musician’s background when he says, “As we walk the bass line of our lives, we either create a context in which others around us can flourish, or we detract from their opportunity to do that.”
Part IV, Psalm, the author takes us to the foundation of it all: love. Near the end he quotes John Coltrane:
“May we never forget that in the sunshine of our lives, through the storm and after the rain—it is all with God—in all ways and forever.”
This book can appeal to many, but would uniquely speak to musicians!
The author, Daniel Fusco, is lead pastor of Crossroads Community Church in Vancouver, Washington.
Tyndale through the BlogNetwork, in exchange for my review, provided this book, published by Navpress. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
April 16, 2016
In the Midst of Your Mess
Teaching or leading in a Christian context is always a bit of a risk.
There’s the perception that you just might have all the answers; that your life is all nice and pulled together; that you and God have some kind of agreement about how life is going to unfold — when the truth is that most of us (teachers, leaders, and writers included) have more issues than National Geographic. Daniel Fusco, church planter, pastor, and musician, begins Honestly with the . . . well, honest admission that there are certain things in life that just don’t make sense. Life is messy.
Messiness, however, is not a post-modern phenomenon. People in biblical times had their fair share of it, and Paul’s letter to the Ephesians provides a backdrop for Daniel Fusco’s examination of the root truth that Christianity is not intended to resolve all the questions; nor does it sanction sweeping unanswered questions under the rug.
As a bass player and lover of jazz, musical themes carry buckets of Daniel’s narrative flow, and the metaphor is powerful. Just as music goes into minor keys and just as improvisation can sound really chaotic and unstructured to the untrained ear, so goes life. However, “when we listen closely to life, we can start to hear the melodies in the midst of the mess. . . Nothing we do is free of the mess, but sometimes in our mess we catch the tune of the Master.”
In a startling and refreshing take on the pure Gospel, Daniel concludes that “Jesus will always be our beauty in the middle of the mess.” A quick perusal of the gospel accounts will confirm that His earthly existence was a study in messiness, but in His dealings with people he demonstrated the fact that “issues precede miracles.” And we all have issues.
Daniel Fusco opens a window and lets in all kinds of fresh air with his voice and approach. Normally, I would object to so many occurrences of the word “like,” but somehow, Daniel’s conversational style earned him a pass for all the “so, yeah’s” and the explanatory words that precede dialogue: “Paul is like . . .” Daniel assists his readers in seeing that the Bible is NOT an answer book, but a collection of “thoughts and stories that lead toward hope.” And if you give your life to Jesus, guess what will happen?
“Nothing — and everything!”
“Your circumstances may not change, but you change. You change because you come into relationship with the God of your mess.”
With theological precision, we are freed from the algebraic approach to Christianity where A+B behaviors equal “a good Christian,” when the truth is that “it’s not about what you’ve done or left undone — it’s about what Jesus has done for you.” Or to put it another way, “God does not love you because you’re good; God loves you because God is loving.”
Following Jesus through the mess is the theme of Honestly, and His calling transcends our circumstances, providing the rhythm to which we walk through the mess. Prayer is the basis for this life of intimacy with God. Ephesians 3 finds Paul on his knees on behalf of his little Ephesian flock, asking God to grant them a sliver of comprehension of the vast dimensions of His love for them. This is key for all believers in managing the unanswerable questions about the Christian life such as “Why doesn’t God give me what I ask for when I ask for something that is clearly good?” When God does something that we don’t understand, we need to rely on what we do understand about God.
Ephesians 5:2 lays down the bass line. Let’s move our feet and our hearts together in the dance of faith:
“And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.”
//
This book was provided by the publisher in exchange for my review. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
Teaching or leading in a Christian context is always a bit of a risk.
There’s the perception that you just might have all the answers; that your life is all nice and pulled together; that you and God have some kind of agreement about how life is going to unfold — when the truth is that most of us (teachers, leaders, and writers included) have more issues than National Geographic. Daniel Fusco, church planter, pastor, and musician, begins Honestly with the . . . well, honest admission that there are certain things in life that just don’t make sense. Life is messy.
Messiness, however, is not a post-modern phenomenon. People in biblical times had their fair share of it, and Paul’s letter to the Ephesians provides a backdrop for Daniel Fusco’s examination of the root truth that Christianity is not intended to resolve all the questions; nor does it sanction sweeping unanswered questions under the rug.
As a bass player and lover of jazz, musical themes carry buckets of Daniel’s narrative flow, and the metaphor is powerful. Just as music goes into minor keys and just as improvisation can sound really chaotic and unstructured to the untrained ear, so goes life. However, “when we listen closely to life, we can start to hear the melodies in the midst of the mess. . . Nothing we do is free of the mess, but sometimes in our mess we catch the tune of the Master.”
In a startling and refreshing take on the pure Gospel, Daniel concludes that “Jesus will always be our beauty in the middle of the mess.” A quick perusal of the gospel accounts will confirm that His earthly existence was a study in messiness, but in His dealings with people he demonstrated the fact that “issues precede miracles.” And we all have issues.
Daniel Fusco opens a window and lets in all kinds of fresh air with his voice and approach. Normally, I would object to so many occurrences of the word “like,” but somehow, Daniel’s conversational style earned him a pass for all the “so, yeah’s” and the explanatory words that precede dialogue: “Paul is like . . .” Daniel assists his readers in seeing that the Bible is NOT an answer book, but a collection of “thoughts and stories that lead toward hope.” And if you give your life to Jesus, guess what will happen?
“Nothing — and everything!”
“Your circumstances may not change, but you change. You change because you come into relationship with the God of your mess.”
With theological precision, we are freed from the algebraic approach to Christianity where A+B behaviors equal “a good Christian,” when the truth is that “it’s not about what you’ve done or left undone — it’s about what Jesus has done for you.” Or to put it another way, “God does not love you because you’re good; God loves you because God is loving.”
Following Jesus through the mess is the theme of Honestly, and His calling transcends our circumstances, providing the rhythm to which we walk through the mess. Prayer is the basis for this life of intimacy with God. Ephesians 3 finds Paul on his knees on behalf of his little Ephesian flock, asking God to grant them a sliver of comprehension of the vast dimensions of His love for them. This is key for all believers in managing the unanswerable questions about the Christian life such as “Why doesn’t God give me what I ask for when I ask for something that is clearly good?” When God does something that we don’t understand, we need to rely on what we do understand about God.
Ephesians 5:2 lays down the bass line. Let’s move our feet and our hearts together in the dance of faith:
“And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.”
//
This book was provided by the publisher in exchange for my review. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
June 21, 2016
Life is hard. If you've been following this blog for the last couple of months, you know that life has been incredibly messy for my family as we are entering a new season of normal. Because of that, I've searched out books and resources to help keep my head on straight while I navigate these new waters. This latest book, I stumbled into after being accepted by Tyndale to read their books in exchange for reviews.
Honestly: Getting Real About Jesus and Our Messy Lives is an incredibly honest read. I was unfamiliar with the author, Daniel Fusco, before I started reading the book, but I love his writing style! It's like we're having a conversation with one another, and his sense of humor is spread throughout every page while still acknowledging the hard and messy moments in life and the truth we need from God in order to navigate those messy times.
There's no sugar coating things or using fancy words that no one understands. Fusco takes you on a 'melodious' journey through Ephesians to look at how Jesus moves in and through our messy lives. I've never ready anything quite like it. Fusco breaks up the book into the four movements - Acknowledgement, Resolution, Pursuance and Psalm. Each movement contains several sections that take you on a journey through Ephesians, building your understanding of how Jesus moves in your life.
We all need the gospel all the time. It needs to be a living, breathing, every moment kind of thing for us. Fusco reminds his readers gently that we need to be allowing the gospel to permeate every action, thought and moment of our day. He acknowledges the hard without being condescending, and for the first time ever, I felt like there was a book, and an author, who knew how I felt about life after cancer and the messiness that occurs because of it.
This book is for anyone, non-believer, new believer, lifelong believer. At times I would just sit and nod my head in agreement, thankful for the reminder and new perspective on the gospel. I finished the book, grateful for the truths, the acknowledgement that life is messy and it never really can get unmessy - just less messy with Jesus .
Honestly acknowledges that life can be tough and doesn't give you a fake formula to try and fix it, it acknowledges the tough, gives you hope through Jesus, and reminds you of the amazing love of Jesus.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Tyndale House Publishers in exchange for my honest review.
Honestly: Getting Real About Jesus and Our Messy Lives is an incredibly honest read. I was unfamiliar with the author, Daniel Fusco, before I started reading the book, but I love his writing style! It's like we're having a conversation with one another, and his sense of humor is spread throughout every page while still acknowledging the hard and messy moments in life and the truth we need from God in order to navigate those messy times.
There's no sugar coating things or using fancy words that no one understands. Fusco takes you on a 'melodious' journey through Ephesians to look at how Jesus moves in and through our messy lives. I've never ready anything quite like it. Fusco breaks up the book into the four movements - Acknowledgement, Resolution, Pursuance and Psalm. Each movement contains several sections that take you on a journey through Ephesians, building your understanding of how Jesus moves in your life.
We all need the gospel all the time. It needs to be a living, breathing, every moment kind of thing for us. Fusco reminds his readers gently that we need to be allowing the gospel to permeate every action, thought and moment of our day. He acknowledges the hard without being condescending, and for the first time ever, I felt like there was a book, and an author, who knew how I felt about life after cancer and the messiness that occurs because of it.
This book is for anyone, non-believer, new believer, lifelong believer. At times I would just sit and nod my head in agreement, thankful for the reminder and new perspective on the gospel. I finished the book, grateful for the truths, the acknowledgement that life is messy and it never really can get unmessy - just less messy with Jesus .
Honestly acknowledges that life can be tough and doesn't give you a fake formula to try and fix it, it acknowledges the tough, gives you hope through Jesus, and reminds you of the amazing love of Jesus.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Tyndale House Publishers in exchange for my honest review.
April 30, 2016
Pastor, jazz musician and author, Daniel Fusco, shares in this book the brutal truth that life after coming to know Christ does not mean that everything will be peachy keen or perfect. In fact, he writes that life is messy, hard and even uncertain - and if it isn't messy right now, it probably has been or will be. Because Jesus experienced humanity with all its emotions and trauma, we can expect Him to meet us and help us through our hardships and mess.
I have some mixed feelings about this book because it was a love/hate experience for me. It's a very practical, down to earth common sense book with advise as well as encouragement for our every day lives.
It took me three weeks to work through or experience this message because it was more like a devotional than a quick read. I agreed and enjoyed Daniel's way of seeing and writing things so straight-forward and simply, even to restate the obvious in such a new way. God loves us, just not everything we do! I enjoyed how the author compared his "spiritual" lessons to a jam session as well as his story about his grandmother's cooking!
What did I hate? His questions! Not all of them, but some of them frustrated me. How would I know how God would want to reveal Himself to me, much less in me! How can I be more aware of Jesus walking with me through our mess? I still have no idea how to better pray from my bowels (in accordance with what God wants) or what my life flourishing might look like.
I received healing while experiencing this book. Because of the miracles we've seen come out of a huge mess in my son's life, we now have hope for the rest of our mess! I wrote about it: http://profitableprose.blogspot.com/2...
For more previous posts related to Honestly, scroll back through this month's posts or select any of the following links:
http://profitableprose.blogspot.com/2...
http://profitableprose.blogspot.com/2...
http://profitableprose.blogspot.com/2...
http://profitableprose.blogspot.com/2...
http://profitableprose.blogspot.com/2...
Thank you Tyndale House Publishers for the complimentary copy of this book in exchange for my review. I was not required to good a positive review. The views expressed are my own.
I gave this 4 1/2 stars because it's a very helpful and valuable read!
I have some mixed feelings about this book because it was a love/hate experience for me. It's a very practical, down to earth common sense book with advise as well as encouragement for our every day lives.
It took me three weeks to work through or experience this message because it was more like a devotional than a quick read. I agreed and enjoyed Daniel's way of seeing and writing things so straight-forward and simply, even to restate the obvious in such a new way. God loves us, just not everything we do! I enjoyed how the author compared his "spiritual" lessons to a jam session as well as his story about his grandmother's cooking!
What did I hate? His questions! Not all of them, but some of them frustrated me. How would I know how God would want to reveal Himself to me, much less in me! How can I be more aware of Jesus walking with me through our mess? I still have no idea how to better pray from my bowels (in accordance with what God wants) or what my life flourishing might look like.
I received healing while experiencing this book. Because of the miracles we've seen come out of a huge mess in my son's life, we now have hope for the rest of our mess! I wrote about it: http://profitableprose.blogspot.com/2...
For more previous posts related to Honestly, scroll back through this month's posts or select any of the following links:
http://profitableprose.blogspot.com/2...
http://profitableprose.blogspot.com/2...
http://profitableprose.blogspot.com/2...
http://profitableprose.blogspot.com/2...
http://profitableprose.blogspot.com/2...
Thank you Tyndale House Publishers for the complimentary copy of this book in exchange for my review. I was not required to good a positive review. The views expressed are my own.
I gave this 4 1/2 stars because it's a very helpful and valuable read!
March 17, 2016
Just at a time when I was a little over midway through a study of Ephesians, I received the opportunity to review Honestly: Getting Real about Jesus and Our Messy Lives, a book described as “riffs on the major themes of Ephesians.” I knew that it would be great to get a new perspective on my study using this book!
In this book, author Daniel Fusco unpacks Ephesians in thematic way, instead of the traditional verse-by-verse method, creating four parts (or chapters) to this book. These are acknowledgment (of our messy lives), resolution (of our lives by Jesus), pursuance (of intimacy with God), and psalm (mostly discussing love). Although the author apologizes at the beginning of the book to those of us who prefer a more linear arrangement, this thematic arrangement is one that works well. As a linear person, however, I do have to comment that additional additions might be improved by an indexing of Ephesians passages with their chapter sections in the back of the book to make discussions of certain parts of Ephesians come to life.
The author’s life is relatable and his tone is warm and informal. The examples from his life are well done and the advice that Fusco gives is Biblically sound. There are many things in this book that I needed to hear, such as, the idea that issues precede miracles and the idea that when I pray I often want the benefits that I’m asking for without the costs associated in the asking. I’ve always in my core wanted to be a more patient person, and yet the trials that create patience are not something that I’ve wanted, and something that I’ve often declined going through. Fusco gives some stern pastoral advice.
The one thing that I truly dislike about this book is Fusco’s continual reliance on the Message paraphrase translation. I detest paraphrase translations and the current trend in Christian living books to use the Message is one that I find alarming. I have to rate this book down a little just on his choice to do that, but otherwise, I find this book to be a great message of both encouragement and Biblical advice.
Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
In this book, author Daniel Fusco unpacks Ephesians in thematic way, instead of the traditional verse-by-verse method, creating four parts (or chapters) to this book. These are acknowledgment (of our messy lives), resolution (of our lives by Jesus), pursuance (of intimacy with God), and psalm (mostly discussing love). Although the author apologizes at the beginning of the book to those of us who prefer a more linear arrangement, this thematic arrangement is one that works well. As a linear person, however, I do have to comment that additional additions might be improved by an indexing of Ephesians passages with their chapter sections in the back of the book to make discussions of certain parts of Ephesians come to life.
The author’s life is relatable and his tone is warm and informal. The examples from his life are well done and the advice that Fusco gives is Biblically sound. There are many things in this book that I needed to hear, such as, the idea that issues precede miracles and the idea that when I pray I often want the benefits that I’m asking for without the costs associated in the asking. I’ve always in my core wanted to be a more patient person, and yet the trials that create patience are not something that I’ve wanted, and something that I’ve often declined going through. Fusco gives some stern pastoral advice.
The one thing that I truly dislike about this book is Fusco’s continual reliance on the Message paraphrase translation. I detest paraphrase translations and the current trend in Christian living books to use the Message is one that I find alarming. I have to rate this book down a little just on his choice to do that, but otherwise, I find this book to be a great message of both encouragement and Biblical advice.
Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
April 11, 2016
Fusco aims to help us in our messy lives with lessons from the book of Ephesians. This is not a verse by verse commentary nor a systematic look at the epistle. Fusco takes lessons from verses here and there, jumping around from chapter to chapter.
I have mixed feelings about this book. On the positive side, I really liked how Fusco reminded us of the purpose of troubles in our lives. Jesus sees those places we think negative as opportunities for healing change. The resolution to our troubles is Jesus. His presence is a gift, not to get us out of the mess but to be with us in it. Fusco has some good thoughts on that journey, including the importance of prayer.
On the negative side, I felt the book is very basic. It may be appropriate for very new Christians or ones who are biblically illiterate. Fusco retells Bible stories, such as the raising of Lazarus, in their entirety. The book may also be good for those seeking to know about faith in Jesus as Fusco does a good job of explaining our situation and how Jesus is the answer. Seasoned Christians may not find anything new or insightful in this book.
I also felt the book is aimed at young people. The way Fusco writes made me think this book might be better appreciated by someone in their late teens. Fusco loves to play bass and there is lots about music and stories about playing in a band. In fact, the questions at the end of the chapters are called riffs, which made no sense to this non-musical person. So a young person who plays guitar in a band might be the best potential reader for this book.
I appreciated Fusco reminding us that we must trust God's character when we are struggling with the mess of our lives. I appreciated being reminded that Jesus is with us as we go through the mess. I was a little disappointed in the writing style and the concentration of stories about playing the bass guitar.
I received a complimentary egalley of this book from the publisher for the purpose of an independent and honest review.
I have mixed feelings about this book. On the positive side, I really liked how Fusco reminded us of the purpose of troubles in our lives. Jesus sees those places we think negative as opportunities for healing change. The resolution to our troubles is Jesus. His presence is a gift, not to get us out of the mess but to be with us in it. Fusco has some good thoughts on that journey, including the importance of prayer.
On the negative side, I felt the book is very basic. It may be appropriate for very new Christians or ones who are biblically illiterate. Fusco retells Bible stories, such as the raising of Lazarus, in their entirety. The book may also be good for those seeking to know about faith in Jesus as Fusco does a good job of explaining our situation and how Jesus is the answer. Seasoned Christians may not find anything new or insightful in this book.
I also felt the book is aimed at young people. The way Fusco writes made me think this book might be better appreciated by someone in their late teens. Fusco loves to play bass and there is lots about music and stories about playing in a band. In fact, the questions at the end of the chapters are called riffs, which made no sense to this non-musical person. So a young person who plays guitar in a band might be the best potential reader for this book.
I appreciated Fusco reminding us that we must trust God's character when we are struggling with the mess of our lives. I appreciated being reminded that Jesus is with us as we go through the mess. I was a little disappointed in the writing style and the concentration of stories about playing the bass guitar.
I received a complimentary egalley of this book from the publisher for the purpose of an independent and honest review.
April 9, 2016
About the Book:
Your life is messy, hard, and uncertain right now--and if it isn't, it has been or it will be. Messiness is the human condition. Part of the messiness is the unpredictability of life, not the unrelenting evil of life. And Jesus shows up inside all of that, because He experienced every aspect of what it's like to be human: joy, physical pain, family arguments, frustration, existential trauma, and more. If Jesus is a real person, we should expect to meet Him in all of life. And only through the Good News and love of Jesus can we learn how to thrive in the midst of our mess. Daniel Fusco, a pastor and jazz musician, riffs on the major themes of the book of Ephesians to help each of us find God in the midst of our mess.
My Review:
The author provides some very entertaining commentary on Ephesians and the letter Paul wrote to the Ephesus church. We have a lot to learn from these people because they weren't being corrected because they had done outlandish things it was simple everyday stuff or mess. The messiness of life is what this book is all about. The author uses Ephesians as a model to retrain us to think differently about our lives and Jesus' good news to all messy people. I like the message of the book and I absolutely love how the author interwove his own personal journey so that we can agree that life is messy. Great book!
**Disclosure** This book was sent to me free of charge for my honest review from the author.
Your life is messy, hard, and uncertain right now--and if it isn't, it has been or it will be. Messiness is the human condition. Part of the messiness is the unpredictability of life, not the unrelenting evil of life. And Jesus shows up inside all of that, because He experienced every aspect of what it's like to be human: joy, physical pain, family arguments, frustration, existential trauma, and more. If Jesus is a real person, we should expect to meet Him in all of life. And only through the Good News and love of Jesus can we learn how to thrive in the midst of our mess. Daniel Fusco, a pastor and jazz musician, riffs on the major themes of the book of Ephesians to help each of us find God in the midst of our mess.
My Review:
The author provides some very entertaining commentary on Ephesians and the letter Paul wrote to the Ephesus church. We have a lot to learn from these people because they weren't being corrected because they had done outlandish things it was simple everyday stuff or mess. The messiness of life is what this book is all about. The author uses Ephesians as a model to retrain us to think differently about our lives and Jesus' good news to all messy people. I like the message of the book and I absolutely love how the author interwove his own personal journey so that we can agree that life is messy. Great book!
**Disclosure** This book was sent to me free of charge for my honest review from the author.
September 20, 2016
"Honestly" is a study of Ephesians but it doesn't feel like it. Daniel Fusco writes so down to earth, it's as if he's talking to you like a friend. A friend who "gets it". A friend who has been through life with its messiness just like you have. And he's not afraid to say what you are thinging but were afraid to say. He acknowledges that in the midst of our messy lives, the truths about God are challenged or tough to believe. He says, "Messiness by itself is not good news. But messiness that Jesus can work in and through absolutely good news!"
Whether you are new to faith in Christ or you have been following Him for years, there are truths and reminders throughout this book that will inspire you to grow in your faith. Daniel writes simply but profoundly as he presents lots of good news to help you through your bad news. "God wants to do new things in us. Life is messy, but God is real. God is the God of the mess. Jesus is alive and God's spirit is loose in the world, transforming hearts and minds." Amen!
Discussion and reflection questions at the end of each part of each chapter, makes this a good book to read with a friend or small group and discuss together.
Whether you are new to faith in Christ or you have been following Him for years, there are truths and reminders throughout this book that will inspire you to grow in your faith. Daniel writes simply but profoundly as he presents lots of good news to help you through your bad news. "God wants to do new things in us. Life is messy, but God is real. God is the God of the mess. Jesus is alive and God's spirit is loose in the world, transforming hearts and minds." Amen!
Discussion and reflection questions at the end of each part of each chapter, makes this a good book to read with a friend or small group and discuss together.
August 15, 2016
I really liked this author. He has a great writing style. The author uses the book of Ephesians and his life experience to talk about how messy life actually is. Everyone has some sort of mess. In this book the author helps you get trough it and reminds you constantly that the only way to get through it is with the Gospel. There’s just no other way.
Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews