In all my basking in sickness, once my head was not so fuzzy, I was able to actually sit (--or lay, #dontjudge!) and read all the books! Well, at least a few of them!
One of those books was one I told myself I was going to savor and read slowly... but reading Shannan is like eating chips and salsa (#yourewelcome!) and you can't just eat a few at a time! Before you know it, you have devoured it and are ready for a second plate --or, read through, whatever! You see what I'm trying to do with the metaphor.
When I found out
that Shannan Martin
was writing
a book called
Falling Free,
I was all,
because
of course!
Falling Free: Rescued From the Life I Always Wanted by Shannan Martin is exactly what you hope it would be!
It is both inspiring and convicting.
It is both hopeful and heartbreaking.
It is real... honest... raw...
It is exactly what we have come to love about Shannan and how she just can't help herself but to not hide... to not mask or pretend.
With Shannan, what you get is what you see and that is exactly what God was banking on!
Her story goes from living the American Dream... big city success, careers, goals and plans... to following the pull to leave it all behind and lean in to country living. To create a life in trendy, simplistic terms out on a farm. (Thus, her blog formerly known as Flowerpatch Farm Girl.)
But we know how God never leaves us short of where He wants us --even when we are not fully on board yet.
Yeah... He's bossy in all the best ways and He called the Martins to lay down the life they thought they wanted in order to build His Kingdom in places they never dreamed of putting down roots.
But put down roots, they did... and keep doing... because God just keeps stretching and pulling and pushing us all around. He's busy molding us into His image and it makes little difference to Him if we are comfortable or scared or not!
Below are just a few of my favorite quotes but seriously, the majority of this book is underlined!
"God met my family in our unassuming life and, with all the love he's made of, showed us that the keys to his kingdom are only ours when we surrender the flimsy, stage-set kingdoms built with our own savvy and style." ~Shannan Martin, Falling Free
"Family is rooted in forever, hardwired with the sort of love that won't ever give up and views the past as just a step along the road to what's permanent. Its shape isn't static. It bends and blurs and keeps time with the rhythm of an open door. You are welcome here. One person leads to another, and then to the next... There's no easy way to say anymore who belongs to me and who doesn't. It's not up to me. It never was." ~Shannan Martin, Falling Free
"What I'm beginning to see, though, is that God doesn't fix my weakness by making me strong. He becomes my strength in my perpetual weakness. He takes over. Constantly. He swoops in, ruffles my hair, and says not to worry, then charges to the top of the mountain I'm facing --the king of every hill I've ever stood upon with shaking knees. I am weak, and he is strong. He's all the strength I need, and my weakness doesn't have to flee in order for His presence to reign. God is enchanted by my frailty. It's why I need him. It's why he showed up and never stops." ~Shannan Martin, Falling Free
"Our path toward Jesus' heart was the length of a dinner table. It was there that we began to come face-to-face with a rescuer we had never known, one who hunts his kids down in the dead of night, ready to stop the world and street-fight for them. This Jesus adored the ones we despised. When he said, 'The last shall be first,' he was not being cute. He'd take us split and bleeding, reeking and raw. He preferred it that way." ~Shannan Martin, Falling Free
So, um... Yeah...
She's gonna jack you up, but like she said:
So get your hands and heart around this message that will break you only to remake you and that will stir you up only to bend you low.
Read Shannan's story... and let her message --which sounds so much like His message-- urge you on to dive off the edge... to lean in and let go and embrace a bit of Falling Free in your own neighborhood and wherever He leads you!
No Affiliate links were used.
And this book review makes me want to read the book - exactly the "job" of a launch team. Hear Hear!
ReplyDeleteIt's such a great read... and one of those that will stay with you long after you finish the last page and put it down!
DeleteI loved reading your take on Falling Free! This line stood out to me, too:
ReplyDeleteGod doesn't fix my weakness by making me strong. He becomes my strength in my perpetual weakness.
Preach, Shannan.
Right? I mean if she didn't make you love her so much, you might really hate her for how she opens the door wide for the Holy Spirit to clear the way and call you out past the edges of your comfort zones! Love you, friend!
DeleteLove, love, love! I underlined so much too. THIS: ""Our path toward Jesus' heart was the length of a dinner table. It was there that we began to come face-to-face with a rescuer we had never known, one who hunts his kids down in the dead of night, ready to stop the world and street-fight for them. This Jesus adored the ones we despised. When he said, 'The last shall be first,' he was not being cute. He'd take us split and bleeding, reeking and raw. He preferred it that way." ~Shannan Martin, Falling Free
ReplyDeleteRight? I had highlighted so much of this book, it was nearly impossible (as you can see!) to pull out only a few quotes! So good!
DeleteAh, my friend! Thank you so much for reading and shouting about it. Mostly, thank you for the salsa analogies. They're not always easy but they're always worth it! 😉😂
ReplyDeleteLOL - of course! So excited for all God has planned with this life you laid down and the Kingdom ways your family are laying down still... beleiving He is using this book... this story... this life to increase the Kingdom and wake us up to a new way to live our normal everyday lives!
Delete