Searching for Sunday by Rachel Held Evans

"...Sunday morning sneaks up on us---like dawn, like resurrection, like the sun that rises a ribbon at a time. We expect triumphant entry, but as always, God surprises us by showing up in ordinary things: in bread, in wine, in water, in words, in sickness, in healing, in death, in a manger of hay, in a mother's womb, in an empty tomb. Church isn't some community you join or some place you arrive. Church is what happens when someone taps you on the shoulder and whispers in your ear, Pay attention, this is holy ground; God is here."
                    -from Searching for Sunday, the Epilogue

What a delightful and inspiring book! A 5, for sure! I read another by Rachel Held Evans a few years ago, A Year of Biblical Womanhood which was humorous and thought-provoking and very entertaining. I was reminded of her when she was mentioned in our Sunday school text along with the title of this book. It said Evans has been called a "prophet, a saint and a holy troublemaker" because of her daring to exhibit her doubts and questioning throughout her Christian faith journey. Some have compared her to Woman Wisdom in the book of Proverbs.

Evans shared so many profound ideas and striking thoughts, I had a difficult time deciding on a quote to feature. Although she eventually found herself in the Episcopal Church and I am Presbyterian, I often agreed with her liberal thoughts. I could NOT agree with her enthusiasm for University of Alabama football, however! 😃 (I am an Auburn fan!)

Sadly, Rachel Held Evans died when she was only 37. I can only imagine how much more beautiful writing she could have done and how many more lives she could have affected had she lived to an old age!  She was a blogger and public speaker as well as an author. I will be searching for any of her work for future reading and maybe I can even find YouTube talks, if I am lucky.