Another review! The Story of With, by Allen Arnold.

“You are not alone. Whether you’re a free spirit, an office exec, a writer, musician, college student, or tired parent—your soul, like mine, knows life is meant to go beyond rat races and rare applause. This book speaks to that belief. And if you’re not careful, you may find tears warming your eyes as you read because finally someone is naming your weariness, your striving, your questions of why you just can’t quite make it, or the emptiness that hit because maybe you did. It is into those places The Story of With reaches—fusing allegory with application—to offer fresh perspective, restored hope, and a rebirth of creativity.”

—From the Foreword by Mary Weber, Christy & Carol Award-Winning, Scholastic Pick Author of the Storm Siren Trilogy.

My review…

This book changed my life.

And I’m not just saying that. It truly did. It changed my life as a creative being and child of God.

Stay expectant

Awaken your heart

Know your identity

Do it together

This whole book focuses on these four elements. It uses an allegory to better give its message, and it was so. effective. The story follows the journey of a girl, Mia, and Arnold stops after each chapter to kind of explain what’s going on and to reflect. The way he handled the non-fiction and fiction elements of this book is extraordinary. It’s so powerful.

This book shows in such an effective way how we need to stop trying to live life alone, and do things with God. Even, and especially, creating.

So, this book changed me in two ways, like I said above. As a creative person, it showed me just how much I was doing alone, without God. Sure, I might have prayed about my writing sometimes, but I wasn’t partnering with Him on this writing journey like I so needed.

As Arnold says in the book, expectation and expectancy are two totally different things. I was hit hard by this. It’s so simple and so true. My problem was, I was writing with expectations. Expectations that this book would be published, that it would turn out great, that I would finish the first draft and then go to editing, or hand it over to beta-readers. Always about my plans. My expectations.

But with expectancy, you’re waiting on God. Looking to see what He’ll bring across your path or show you about life or storytelling. Keeping your eyes on Him. If we do this, He’ll take us places beyond our imagination. You’re listening for His guiding voice. What if He tells you that that book you just finished, that was just for His and your eyes alone. No one else will see it, and He doesn’t want you to share it. Just between you and Him.

That would certainly be unexpected. Because we have plans for each book before we even get writing. We always have expectations.

And in the other way, how this book changed me as a child of God…I don’t know quite how to explain into words. At the end of the book, Arnold invites the readers to start an adventure journal. And adventure journal with God, where you’ll write anything you feel the Lord putting on your heart, or your thoughts to Him. Looking back, you’ll be able to see Him guiding and shaping your life. It’s a pursuit of more intimacy and togetherness with our Creator.

And I started this adventure journal. And it has changed my spiritual life. Writing a bit in it every day, I can see and feel God changing my life for the better, because I’m pursuing a deeper relationship with Him. It’s amazing and freeing.

So, if you call yourself a creative being, read this book. I can promise you that you won’t regret it.

My rating: FIVE STARS!

Write on,

Have you read this book? If so, what did you think? What good book have you read recently?