Michelle DeRusha

Every Day Faith. Faith Every Day.

By 38 Comments

When You Write the Book You Need to Read

My dad is reading Spiritual Misfit. He called me yesterday to tell me he’s on chapter seven, and that he’s only reading one chapter a day in order to savor it. Isn’t that sweet? He said he loves it. Of course, he has to say that, right, because he’s my dad?

But my dad also told me that this is the book he needed to read several years ago, when he was lost and floundering and struggling to make sense out of the mystery of faith. Those words? They took my breath away, because I know exactly what my dad means. Spiritual Misfit is the book I needed to read seven or eight years ago, too.

When I first began the slow turn back to faith I looked long and hard for a book that would speak to my particular version of lost. I was so lost, I didn’t even know where or how to begin. I didn’t know how to know God, and I didn’t know for sure if he even existed. I didn’t know how to pray. I didn’t know how to do church. I didn’t know how to read the Bible. I didn’t even know how to purchase a Bible.

I needed a how-to book — a how-in-the-world-do-you-find-faith book — and I spent a lot of time in the Christian Inspiration section in Barnes and Noble looking for that book.

But such a book didn’t exist — or if it did, I couldn’t find it. So I wrote my own.

My husband made this birds-on-a-wire plate for me in his pottery class. #bestgiftever

It took me a while to realize that’s what I was doing. As I navigated each step of my spiritual journey, I wrote about it, and soon, I had 50 pages, and then 100 and then 200. When I finally finished the first draft after more than two years, I had written 104,594 words – 299 pages (just to give you an idea of how much that is, the final version of the book is about 67,000 words – feel free to send my editor a thank you note for that.). I titled it Graceful: A Quest for Faith, because that’s what the book was for me: a quest to know God, to believe in him, and to know I was loved by him and full of his grace. Grace-full. 

A lot of the first draft material didn’t make it into the final version, but that was okay – I needed to write every word of that original manuscript. God needed me to write every word of that original manuscript.

I found God and faith in part through writing this book; God brought me back to him through writing this book. And, as it turned out, I also wrote the book I needed to read but couldn’t find at the time.

Spiritual Misfit isn’t a how-to book. I can’t tell someone how to find faith, which is probably why I couldn’t find such a book on the shelves of Barnes and Noble eight years ago. What I can do, though, is explain how I found faith, and hope that a piece of my story sparks another person’s turn toward God.

Spiritual Misfit releases in two weeks – April 15, 2014. You can pre-order your copy at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, ChristianBook.com and Books-A-Million. Thank you, thank you, thank you! 

 Linking up with Jennifer Dukes Lee’s #TellHisStory.

Working For It, A Story From A Recovering Spiritual Misfit
For When You Splinter into Two Different Versions of Yourself {I am a Spiritual Misfit series}

Reader Interactions

Comments

  3. It’s been a long journey in so many ways Michelle. I’m so happy for you. I am absolutely confident the Lord is going to use your story to touch so many hearts. I think about those who are struggling but aren’t brave enough to even ask for help. What a treasure this will be for them.
    I can’t wait to read it. I have prayed and waited – and am so encouraged to see what God has done. You are using the gift well my friend. xoxo

    Reply

    • Linda, you are lovely and such an incredible encourager. Thank you for being you – for cheering, for praying, for lifting me up so many times when I needed it. I am so very grateful for you.

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  4. Can’t wait for my copy to arrive. I’m quite sure that “Spiritual Misfit” is a book many people need to read.

    Interesting sidenote: Our book – which finally releases next month – is also a result of not being able to find one like it when it was needed. xox

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  5. Michelle, this is so exciting! I eagerly await ordering your book on Amazon. Your blog posts always speak to me, because your faith sounds like mine. Sometimes soaring, sometimes struggling – but you’re always honest about the journey. I appreciate that.

    And yes, that plate is the best gift ever!!

    GOD BLESS!

    Reply

    • “Sometimes soaring, sometimes struggling” — yup, that about sums it up, Sharon! I’m glad to have a fellow “misfit” along on the journey – thank you for your encouragement!

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  8. Congratulations, Michelle! I’m looking forward to reading your book as I’ve felt like a spiritual misfit for various reasons for lots of years! Isn’t it amazing how much work God does in us when we attune to Him enough to write the message He has given us? Great post!

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    • Thanks, Holly – and thank you, too, for all your support and encouragement along the way – and for being such a faithful #HearItUseIt contributor. God is using you in lovely ways!

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  9. I love seeing all these beautiful images of your beautiful book! I’m glad you wrote the book you needed–because I think we all need it too. Cheering you on from here, Michelle.

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  10. Michelle – I am so glad you were faithful to write it. My own faith journey resonated with yours, albeit, yours is colored with way more humor than mine. I haven’t laughed so hard by myself in years. I want to say thank you for writing a book that speaks to the real fears and questions that we face as we look for God and accept his invitation to live a “grace-full” life. I am sure many who read it will be glad you did as I know they will come to understand that they were not so “different” after all. They “fit” into God’s family all long. Way to go!

    Reply

    • I love the way you put that, Kelly – that we’ve “fit into God’s family all along.” That is beautiful, my friend. And thank you for being such a gracious encourager and for helping to promote the book – I am so grateful for you.

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  12. I’m a little late here with my comment, Michelle, but I just wanted to add my Congratulations once again for your book release!!! I can’t even imagine how wonderful it must feel for you to finally have your finished work in your hands! I am praising and thanking God right along with you. As a fellow Spiritual Misfit, I am so excited to read your words of your personal journey to faith. I have already recommended your book to a dear friend of mine, and I haven’t even read it yet. I just know what an amazingly honest blogger you are, along with your wonderful sense of humour. All the very best to you, Michelle! May God use your words mightily in reaching out to those who don’t yet know Him.

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    • I am super excited to see you here, Jillie. Thank you for cheering, for your loyal readership and most of all for your honesty and your friendship. You are the real deal, and I love that about you.

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  15. So happy for you, Michelle. I’m anxious to get a copy and begin reading. I do believe the content will resonate with my own journey of faith… and doubt. Hugs, Alison

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  18. I am SO grateful to have found you! Michelle, I can’t wait to read your book…and maybe pick your brain sometime♡ I think the best way to find our faith is the long-way-’round

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  19. Michelle, I’m so happy for your journey as you wrote this and I can’t wait to read it. I’ve never told you but your “one-inch frame” workshop at Jumping Tandem made such a huge impact on me. Not just in the way I write–I still really have to work on thinking with the “one inch” mindset when I write. And I’ve had so little time to write in the past few months. But it has been so much more effective in the way I share when I speak. It helps me focus on making the main thing the main thing! There were so many things that meant so much that weekend–words can’t even express. But your workshop has had the greatest affect on me and I am so grateful that you shared that with us.

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  20. Yes, so much more than a “how-to.” And now you’ve given me a good question to ponder – maybe the book I need to write is the one I need to read, i.e. what book do I need? What a good and spacious place to start.

    Reply

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