So Long, Normal: Living and Loving the Freefall of Life

In this encouraging guide, Story (When God Doesn’t Fix It), a Grammy Award–winning musician and worship leader at Perimeter Church in Atlanta, invites Christian women to say “goodbye to normal and hello to unshakeable faith.” She shares biblical stories, personal experiences, and anecdotes from friends that illustrate the value of letting go of safe expectations and learning to trust God’s plan. For instance, Story writes of how the birth of her daughter coincided with the popularity of her first hit song, “Blessing,” which made her “trust that God would show me how to be a good mom, even away from home.” Story acknowledges her need for routine and how the pandemic threw everything into “strain and upheaval.” To remain steadfast, she emphasizes finding one’s identity in Christ and discusses the challenge of letting go of perceived security, contrasting the responses of bitterness and faith as illustrated in the biblical story of Naomi and Ruth. Story also stresses the need for a freeing view of one’s personal mission: “The beauty of anything God calls us to is that it was never intended to be burdensome.” She draws from scriptural examples of Gideon, Isaiah, Jeremiah, and the disciples who initially expressed reluctance about God’s mission for them to illustrate that “when we step into our divine roles within the story of redemption, God will do something remarkable in and through us.” Story’s uplifting challenge will resonate with Christians who enjoy the work of Lysa TerKeurst. (July)