I can’t remember who first introduced me to Anne Lamott’s “Travelling Mercies”, but it was one of those recommendations I took seriously (unlike so many that I really do plan to follow, but never do); I bought it, read it, then purchased “Plan B” and “Grace”. That was years and years ago and I can’t tell you the specific bits of wisdom from any of them, but her voice has been a wise guide all along my spiritual journey.
Growing up in a conservative Baptist church, my faith was pretty prescribed and narrow. Our pastor was “God’s direct mouthpiece”, so whatever he said (even if based on cherry-picked scripture) was accepted as the gospel truth. In my church and family, there was a long list of “thou shalt nots”: dance, drink, play cards, go to movies. Unfortunately, I don’t remember my parents ever talking to us about why these things were forbidden (how can a chaperoned junior high dance be sinful? why are Rook cards OK, but not “real” playing cards? are all movies going to lead me down a path of sin?). Sunday morning worship, Sunday School, Sunday evening service (was I the only kid who never got to watch “Walt Disney’s Wonderful World of Color”?), Wednesday prayer meeting, and weekly youth group- I was doing and thinking all the right things in my narrow corner of the religious world. Fortunately, as I went to college, then moved away from home, my interactions with other Christians and faith traditions helped to broaden my faith and enabled me to begin to live into the freedom that Jesus desires for His followers.
And then Anne Lamott entered my life, new wine for wineskins that were old and worn, new patches for cloth that needed them. Anne brings new insights on grace, freedom, and the amazing unconditional love of God, the permission to acknowledge that life isn’t always perfect. Her witty, thoughtful, and provocative writing style draws me into her world…and God’s. I love her transparency, vulnerability, genuineness, her slightly irreverent way of stating spiritual reality. With a background so different from mine, she has provided me with a refreshing perspective on God and His work, a new appreciation for Someone it’s often rather easy to take for granted. She feels like an old friend I want to meet for coffee at Starbucks; I want to attend her small Sunday School class in her small church and soak up her great dependence on God.
A number of years ago, Anne gave a lecture (well, not really a lecture if you know Anne, more like she had a conversation with the audience) at a local university. She didn’t look like a “professional” Christian speaker with her dreds and casual attire, she didn’t preach from scripture or act all holier-than-thou, but God seemed to emanate from her core. Anne was Anne and didn’t pretend or need to be anyone else, a valuable lesson for most of us.
In the years since I first read “Travelling Mercies” (which, by the way, I’ve only read once), I’ve purchased most of Anne’s other books, all of which survived the great book purge of winter 2022 and are organized together on my shelf; maybe this will be the year that I finally get to the ones still unread? However, now she speaks to me more often through FaceBook postings and Twitter- same old Anne, same wisdom and insight. And, bonus, just now Google revealed to me that the internet is full of priceless Anne Lamott quotes, conveniently arranged and easily accessible- tiny sound bites of truth and spiritual depth.
— cmshingle
Growing up in a conservative Baptist church, my faith was pretty prescribed and narrow. Our pastor was “God’s direct mouthpiece”, so whatever he said (even if based on cherry-picked scripture) was accepted as the gospel truth. In my church and family, there was a long list of “thou shalt nots”: dance, drink, play cards, go to movies. Unfortunately, I don’t remember my parents ever talking to us about why these things were forbidden (how can a chaperoned junior high dance be sinful? why are Rook cards OK, but not “real” playing cards? are all movies going to lead me down a path of sin?). Sunday morning worship, Sunday School, Sunday evening service (was I the only kid who never got to watch “Walt Disney’s Wonderful World of Color”?), Wednesday prayer meeting, and weekly youth group- I was doing and thinking all the right things in my narrow corner of the religious world. Fortunately, as I went to college, then moved away from home, my interactions with other Christians and faith traditions helped to broaden my faith and enabled me to begin to live into the freedom that Jesus desires for His followers.
And then Anne Lamott entered my life, new wine for wineskins that were old and worn, new patches for cloth that needed them. Anne brings new insights on grace, freedom, and the amazing unconditional love of God, the permission to acknowledge that life isn’t always perfect. Her witty, thoughtful, and provocative writing style draws me into her world…and God’s. I love her transparency, vulnerability, genuineness, her slightly irreverent way of stating spiritual reality. With a background so different from mine, she has provided me with a refreshing perspective on God and His work, a new appreciation for Someone it’s often rather easy to take for granted. She feels like an old friend I want to meet for coffee at Starbucks; I want to attend her small Sunday School class in her small church and soak up her great dependence on God.
A number of years ago, Anne gave a lecture (well, not really a lecture if you know Anne, more like she had a conversation with the audience) at a local university. She didn’t look like a “professional” Christian speaker with her dreds and casual attire, she didn’t preach from scripture or act all holier-than-thou, but God seemed to emanate from her core. Anne was Anne and didn’t pretend or need to be anyone else, a valuable lesson for most of us.
In the years since I first read “Travelling Mercies” (which, by the way, I’ve only read once), I’ve purchased most of Anne’s other books, all of which survived the great book purge of winter 2022 and are organized together on my shelf; maybe this will be the year that I finally get to the ones still unread? However, now she speaks to me more often through FaceBook postings and Twitter- same old Anne, same wisdom and insight. And, bonus, just now Google revealed to me that the internet is full of priceless Anne Lamott quotes, conveniently arranged and easily accessible- tiny sound bites of truth and spiritual depth.
— cmshingle
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