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We Will Be Landing Shortly


I'm reminded of the Depeche Mode lyrics...

Try walking in my shoes. You'd stumble in my footsteps.

I had my rant ready. The scathing wheels in my mind were turning almost from page 1. Actually, it was page 3. Let me explain.

I received a book titled We Will Be Landing Shortly, Now What? by Mike Hamel. After a brief introduction, he begins his memoirs of sorts. Here's what he wrote:

I am starting this journal to find out about myself and through myself to find God.

There it is. What my apologetics-tuned mind only saw as a bad premise. See, he stated his goal as finding himself first and finding God second. And I instantly thought that was a bad way to go about life. Foundations are key to building a house. I believe that it is only when we find an accurate picture of God that we will truly discover an accurate picture of ourselves.

I still believe that....but....

To be fair, I'm only halfway through the spiritual musings of Mike Hamel. So I really don't know how I'll feel half a book later. But my rant-writing muscles have been subdued as I read his story. A cancer survivor, he was surprised by life's twists when his wife passed away suddenly of heart disease. And even as I type that sentence, I fully acknowledge how much more difficult it was for him to live it, and write about it, than it was for me to report about it.

And I think that's my point today. I have a healthy and happy family. God has blessed me with a good job and a warm home and a nice community. Though I have seen my share of down days, I have not had to travel dark days like Mr. Hamel. Certainly nothing close to the ordeals of Job that we read about in the Bible.

So while it would be very easy for me to stand up and talk about premises and truth, I have to wonder. If my life became just a little bit harder, what would change about me? We have to understand that all circumstances change us. Otherwise, what bubble are we living in?

Please understand that this is not an argument for multiple truths. It is quite possible that I will disagree with many things Mike Hamel writes about God and life and himself. He said he will be landing shortly, but I haven't figured out just where he is landing yet.

I suppose what I am saying right now is that my current, self-assured and know-it-all self is a little less self-assured and admittedly less knowledgeable than younger versions of myself. I'm willing to hold out grace and withhold judgment as I try to walk in Mike's shoes. I think it might be worth the time.

I received this book for free from my good friends over at SpeakEasy. They send me books and simply ask that I say something about them.

Mike Hamel - Blog 
Mike Hamel - Facebook
Mike Hamel - Twitter 
We Will Be Landing Shortly - Amazon
We Will Be Landing Shortly - Goodreads

#SpeakeasyLandingShortly 
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Comments

Mike Hamel said…
Thanks for taking time to read and write about my book, Rick. We all will be landing shortly, a metaphor for death. I believe I will see God then; I just wish he were more visible now. I've wished that long before my cancer. But he's God and I'm not, so I keep stumbling forward in hope, a day at a time. Blessings on your own journey.
January 16, 2015 at 6:14 PM
Rick Nier said…
Mike, the more I read, the more I enjoy your book. As for wishing God were more visible now, I agree. I've prayed much just asking for His voice to be clear. Thanks for commenting.
January 16, 2015 at 8:28 PM
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