What do you think?
I Can Appreciate That
Why couldn’t I be born normal, like everyone else?
Is the person I love really going to die?
This is not the job I signed up for. What now?
This is important; am I really the best person to lead it?
Why can’t I get just ONE win here?
Why is God denying or ignoring my prayers?
No one ever said life would be easy. We’ve all been in places like this before. Maybe you’ve wondered some of these things yourself. A self-professed cynic, Steven Crane spent much of his life asking questions like these. Until one day, someone else - a child no less - asked a question of his own that changed the author’s entire perspective.
What followed was a year-long journey of exploration that led to more than a few answers, and some new questions.
What am I missing here? Instead of focusing on the negative aspects of life’s inevitable challenges, how can I flip the script? Or better yet, what if God’s great plan for us actually includes storms we are equipped to weather and obstacles we’re meant to overcome?
What if, when we look back at some of our hardest and most trying times, we see the bounty of lessons and blessings waiting to be uncovered? We’re likely to have a revelation: I bet I can learn from that. I’m sure I could grow from that. I think I can appreciate that.
Is the person I love really going to die?
This is not the job I signed up for. What now?
This is important; am I really the best person to lead it?
Why can’t I get just ONE win here?
Why is God denying or ignoring my prayers?
No one ever said life would be easy. We’ve all been in places like this before. Maybe you’ve wondered some of these things yourself. A self-professed cynic, Steven Crane spent much of his life asking questions like these. Until one day, someone else - a child no less - asked a question of his own that changed the author’s entire perspective.
What followed was a year-long journey of exploration that led to more than a few answers, and some new questions.
What am I missing here? Instead of focusing on the negative aspects of life’s inevitable challenges, how can I flip the script? Or better yet, what if God’s great plan for us actually includes storms we are equipped to weather and obstacles we’re meant to overcome?
What if, when we look back at some of our hardest and most trying times, we see the bounty of lessons and blessings waiting to be uncovered? We’re likely to have a revelation: I bet I can learn from that. I’m sure I could grow from that. I think I can appreciate that.
251 pages, Paperback
Published April 14, 2021
About the author
Steven Crane
11 books5 followersSteven Crane is the author of the novel "Staring at the Ceiling", the memoir "I Can Appreciate That", and more than a million words of advertising copy over the course of his professional writing career.
His other full-time jobs are husband and father, with additional titles situationally including coach, volunteer, foster parent, mentor, and amateur pancake chef.
A graduate of the University of South Carolina, Steven lives in Marietta, GA with his wife Carie and their two sons.
His other full-time jobs are husband and father, with additional titles situationally including coach, volunteer, foster parent, mentor, and amateur pancake chef.
A graduate of the University of South Carolina, Steven lives in Marietta, GA with his wife Carie and their two sons.
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
April 24, 2021
Everyone needs this book!
The author draws a distinction between lower case “appreciation” and upper case “Appreciation,” outlining a four step process for developing Appreciation in any situation.
Then, the author writes about a wide variety of life situations ... physical disabilities, job changes, cancer, death, foster parenting, just to name a few. In each situation, the author teaches how he grew to Appreciate these situations, despite the sometimes tragic situations.
I have a medically complex/fragile child, who thankfully is fairly stable now. I wish I had had this book when she was in the womb and we were told she would not live and then as we handed her off to surgeons fifty (yes, 50) times. The lessons in this book can cause a paradigm shift for anyone going through difficult situations.
This would be a great book for any person going through any type of situation. The author does approach life from a Christian perspective and sprinkles his message with Scripture.
This book would make an excellent gift for anyone struggling in any area, which, let’s face it, is everyone!
The author draws a distinction between lower case “appreciation” and upper case “Appreciation,” outlining a four step process for developing Appreciation in any situation.
Then, the author writes about a wide variety of life situations ... physical disabilities, job changes, cancer, death, foster parenting, just to name a few. In each situation, the author teaches how he grew to Appreciate these situations, despite the sometimes tragic situations.
I have a medically complex/fragile child, who thankfully is fairly stable now. I wish I had had this book when she was in the womb and we were told she would not live and then as we handed her off to surgeons fifty (yes, 50) times. The lessons in this book can cause a paradigm shift for anyone going through difficult situations.
This would be a great book for any person going through any type of situation. The author does approach life from a Christian perspective and sprinkles his message with Scripture.
This book would make an excellent gift for anyone struggling in any area, which, let’s face it, is everyone!
June 25, 2021
I had the privilege and honor to read 'I can APPRECIATE that' written by my friend and fellow author, Steven Crane.
This book is a wonderful dive into antidotes and autobiographical accounts of his uniquely beautiful life and journey into "appreciation"... an intriguing word he plays with and explores as a poet, philosopher, and prophet.
I cried. I laughed. I related. I appreciated his tone and approach to seeking new perspectives and understanding gratitude in this chaotic blessing we call, living.
From cancer, to church, to Cooperstown, Steven takes his reader on a walkabout of emotion, repentant contemplation, and intentionality of measuring the total sum of life's improbability, and putting it all in a mindset focused on positivity and its potential for immeasurable growth.
If you're looking for a book that gives hope in the seemingly hopeless... that is practical, but also inspiring... and also invites you into the author's deepest personal stories, then this is a book you should read.
It was a true honor to be given a copy, to review, enjoy, and completely recommend.
#icanappriciatethat
This book is a wonderful dive into antidotes and autobiographical accounts of his uniquely beautiful life and journey into "appreciation"... an intriguing word he plays with and explores as a poet, philosopher, and prophet.
I cried. I laughed. I related. I appreciated his tone and approach to seeking new perspectives and understanding gratitude in this chaotic blessing we call, living.
From cancer, to church, to Cooperstown, Steven takes his reader on a walkabout of emotion, repentant contemplation, and intentionality of measuring the total sum of life's improbability, and putting it all in a mindset focused on positivity and its potential for immeasurable growth.
If you're looking for a book that gives hope in the seemingly hopeless... that is practical, but also inspiring... and also invites you into the author's deepest personal stories, then this is a book you should read.
It was a true honor to be given a copy, to review, enjoy, and completely recommend.
#icanappriciatethat
May 22, 2022
With brutal honesty and vulnerability, Steve Crane takes the reader on a journey of self-reflection. It’s a memoir, a love letter, a story of faith. Steve invites the reader into his darkest and brightest moments. He admits his shortcomings, his faults, his joys, friendships, and triumphs. He points out all of the things that have hurt him, but always ends with an appreciation for what he has learned. I’m humbled by his ability to share his life. I’m inspired by his love for family and friends.
If you are in need of a new perspective or a reminder of what is real, you need to read this book. I finished and was able to see moments in my own life through a different lens. I can appreciate that.
If you are in need of a new perspective or a reminder of what is real, you need to read this book. I finished and was able to see moments in my own life through a different lens. I can appreciate that.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews