Beloved Dust

Book excerpt: Pastor Jamin Goggin and theology professor Kyle Strobel provide a path to abiding with God. We were formed from the dust, but we were made for life with God. We often accept less. We make promises and set goals to try and grow, but holiness seems impossible. But the Christian life is not about looking or feeling like a Christian. It’s about abiding in God. If communion with God is your goal, self-help strategies and personal resolutions will fail you. But Jesus Christ will not. Drawing deeply from Scripture and narrating their own experiences, Pastor Jamin Goggin and theology professor Kyle Strobel wrote this book to be a companion for your journey with Jesus in the truth of yourself – as his beloved dust. This is not weighing tasks and rewards, but is a process of patience, prayer, and openheartedness. Prayerfully read this book. Prepare your heart for the gifts God has for you. Beloved Dust invites readers to discover the fundamental simplicity and radical transformation of being with God. "Beloved Dust is an intelligent vision for life with God through prayer, and many of its rich images have stayed with me long after I put down the pages." - Shauna Niequist, author of Bread & Wine “In BELOVED DUST, Kyle and Jamin tell us the truth about who we are and why we're here in a way that will draw you closer to God. Here is great wisdom on spiritual growth and friendship with God; written by two people whose friendship for each is evident—and who will become your friends before the end of the book.” - John Ortberg, author of Soul Keeping "This is a important look at the most important aspect of life—what a genuine relationship with God really looks like. Jamin Goggin and Kyle Strobel address our expectations and frustrations about spiritual growth in a hopeful, empowering way. Beloved Dust strikes the rare balance of being rich and deep while remaining practical and engaging. This book delivers on what it means, and doesn’t mean, to grow in a relationship with God.” - Jud Wilhite, author of Pursued, sr. pastor of Central Christian Church In a culture of pop Christianity that serves a fast food gospel for consumers wanting drive-by spirituality, Goggin and Strobel defy expectations. Their book leads the reader on a slow, inward journey to discover the deeper hunger in their souls--a hunger for God himself. It is a beautiful and gracious exploration of prayer that everyone seeking a truer, deeper, and more authentic life with Christ should read. This book will draw you into a richer communion with God as it did for me, and that is the highest compliment I can possibly offer. -Skye Jethani, author of WITH and FUTUREVILLE. "This book in your hands will remind you to stop, to revel in God’s fatherly presence, and to just be. That God is God and you are you, and that you are his, and that our dustiness is a beautiful thing. I am thankful for Jamin and Kyle’s gift to us within these pages." -Tsh Oxenreider, author of Notes From a Blue Bike: The Art of Living Intentionally in a Chaotic World