Confessions of an Amateur Believer

By Patty Kirk and Dashka Slater

An entertaining collection of inspirational, gritty, challenging writing that follows an unwilling atheist's first encounters with God, her ensuing struggles and progress as a reluctant believer, and her ultimate discovery of contentment and rest in faith.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0785220410
• ISBN13: 9780785220411
• Release Date: April 2012
• Publisher: Thomas Nelson Publishing
• Length: 288 Pages
• Weight: 0.72 lbs.
• Dimensions: 8.4" x 0.7" x 5.4"

Customer Reviews

Review: Confessions of an Amateur Believer

I found this book refereshing. While she makes a few brief comments in the book that are a bit unexpected, I believe they were to cause the reader to think. I liked Kirk's honest evaluation of what caused her to 'lose' her faith and how she then came to a personal relationship with Christ. This book made me think abot my own faith and how we, as sinners, are all alike - save by God's grace.

IF ONLY MORE CHRISTIANS WERE SO HONEST...

The title is what caught my eye, and I must say the cover was catchy as well, but what's inside is worth every piece of paper on which Mrs. Kirk's faith journey is printed. Although I'm usually only a page-turner with very good fiction, I had a hard time putting down this honest and very real account of seeking and finding God.

A WOMAN'S FAITH: LOST AND FOUND

This book is a spiritual memoir of someone brave enough to admit she doesn't have all the answers and never will. Although Patty Kirk grew up going to Catholic church, she fell away from her early faith and became an atheist for over a decade. Two tragic events occurred in her personal life that cut to the very core of her being, and she didn't see how God could let these things happen. She became a drifter, wandering from country to country overseas, longing for what she lost, yet not knowing how to get back home. She rediscovered her faith in her 30s through the witness of her husband, who prays daily in his walk-in closet. Now a professor at a Christian college, Kirk's lyrical essays are fresh and edgy, offering a peek into her current role as mother, wife, and amateur believer. Fans of C.S. Lewis' nonfiction will find delight in Kirk's writing. --Christian Women Online Book Buzz

Made me cry, made me laugh, made me mad - - just like real life!

I loved Patty Kirk's Confessions! I started with the idea that one chapter at a time would make a nice bedtime reading before falling asleep. Instead I found myself drawn to the next chapter, and the next... and the next... The use of everyday life and everyday events of a daughter, sister, wife, and mother made the book seem very personal. Other accounts of places and experiences I've never dreamed of made the reading intriguing. The questions and doubts the author admitted to were often those I have secretly harbored though often kept to myself. The 'theology' reflects that of a genuine new believer (passionate, questioning, searching, sometimes immature), but with frequent insight and inspiration that would be expected of a much deeper understanding of God and Truth. I loved the frankness, openness, and startling honesty she shows as she tells her story. I eagerly look forward to more Patty Kirk books!

Great writing, great insights

I loved this book. It doesn't hurt that Kirk is an outstanding writer; reading her is effortless and I found it tough to put her book down. But more important, I heard the "click" of recognition and truth frequently as I galloped through it. For instance, she talks about the kinds of longings expressed in contemporary Christian songs these days, longings that evoke "cozy firesides, gazing at each other, asking no questions" ... and contrasts these warm-and-fuzzy emotions with the "love wrestling ... hard questions and paradoxical answers" she finds in the Bible and in older hymns. (Her example: "prone to wander," presumably from "Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing.") In just a few paragraphs, she explained why I find myself reaching for hymn collections these days while my CCM CDs gather dust. Another thing I really liked about this book is that Kirk is so refreshingly honest about herself. One example: "This time, though, after smugly reflecting that I don't really think that much about money..." Another: "I am ashamed that I always believe I'm right and everyone else is wrong." And then there's what she says about her prayer life and about ruing vs. repenting. These are some of the same things I struggle with, and it is a relief to read about another Christian's experiences. Another thing: She writes about everyday events and issues, some of which she loses sleep over. It was with a smile of recognition that I read her description of her middle-of-the-night fretting over the need to back up her computer ("I made a few rules about cut off dates. Nothing older than a year, unless it's my own writing. Or unless it's really important and I just know I'll forget it. Or unless ... It was no use. The more I thought of it, the more tangled my mind got, and the less likely I was to fall back asleep.") How nice to know I'm not the only one who engages in this sort of 3 a.m. mental wheel-spinning. Kirk also does a lovely job of analyzing various Bible passages, from Ruth and Amos to Matthew and the epistles of John, and applying the lessons therein to her life - to our lives, really. These examples may seem trivial -- but the cumulative effect is, in my opinion, like spending an afternoon or two or three with your best friend after a separation of 20 days or 20 years. I've never met Patty Kirk, but I already feel like I've known her forever. Which is why I'm so looking forward to her next book.