Living a Life on Loan: Finding Grace at the Intersections

Living a Life on Loan: Finding Grace at the Intersections
Rick Rusaw and Eric Swanson
Standard Publishing
ISBN: 0-7847-1855-5
Non-Fiction, Christian Living
Reviewed by Frederick Noronha

You're writing a story. A few pages every day. It's based on the choices you make, the characters you meet. You get only one "shot" at this thing called life. And your story is part of God's bigger story, a "never-ending" one.
That's the message of the authors of this book. In their view, LIFE consists of our Loves (passions, purpose, priorities, values), our Intersections (how we connect with others' stories), our Fortune (resources to help others write new endings to their stories), and Eternity (making a difference beyond life here on earth).
Some of the stories and quotes in this book -- peppered with quotes from the Bible -- are interesting. Others, one is not too sure about. Can one predict what impact these would have in a world, large parts of which seem to have had an overdose of religion, and where a most subtle message could make more of a dent?
Right at the start of the introduction itself comes an inspiring quote from Keith Johnstone: "There are people who prefer to say 'Yes' and there are people who prefer to say 'No.' Those who say 'Yes' are rewarded by the adventures they have, and those who say 'No' are rewarded by the safety they attain."
There’s the story of "Stacy", a 29-year-old lady in China who "has forty children living with her in a larger home. Nearly all of the children have become followers of Jesus" reflects the 'convert-the-world, religion-focused' approach of this text, which increasingly seems to be lesser appreciated in our conflict-ridden 'clash of civilizations' planet.
But some sections could appeal to just about any reader. Take Page 51, which asks 'What About You'. It raises some vital questions, including: What causes you to settle for
mediocrity in your life? What are some good things that have come out of the detours you have had to take? What are the half-truths you choose to live with? What noble plan could you implement this week at home or in your community?
Initially, this reviewer didn't realize this was a book so closely linked to a religious theme. Yet, it did have some food for thought for me too.