I read this book with great interest and absolutely loved it! I didn't realize until I had finished the book that it was a novel of what could have been a true story.
Chase Fallon is the pastor of a church who is also having a crisis of his faith. His elder board have suggested rather strongly that Chase take a leave of absence to figure himself out. Chase calls his uncle Kenny who is a friar in Italy. Kenny invites Chase to come visit and go on a pilgrimage to follow in St Francis of Assissi's footsteps. As Chase embarks on this pilgrimage, he finds that his preconceived notions of faith are not all that accurate. Through the friars who are friends with Kenny and the books he reads on Francis' life, Chase begins to understand that worship is about the heart and can happen anywhere. He learns that Francis loved to worship out amidst the creation of the Creator who made it all. Chase begins to study Francis' life more and more to figure out how he wants to lead his church when he gets back to the States. He maps out a plan to take back to his church to show them where he sees the church going in the next several years. He's not quite through fleshing out his plan when Maggie, one of his parishioners, shows up. With Kenny and his friends, Chase gives her a whirlwind tour of Rome before one of Chase's elders calls and tells him that he's needed back home. With a hurried meeting before the elders, Chase and the associate pastor line out their plans for the church. The elders hold a closed session where they decide to let Chase go, a decision that comes with great difficulty but great wisdom. The elders realize that if Chase stays, he will be frustrated trying to put his plan into practice and that he will have a greater chance of following what he believes is the true path--one of following Jesus wholly.
Ian Morgan Cron has written an incredible book, integrating the history of St Francis into an engaging story that follows the struggles of a pastor who needs to find faith.
Five Stars, Two Thumbs Up, and a prayer of St Francis.
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