Dear friends,

Why has Stop & Think taken a break?

For the last month, I’ve been focusing exclusively on writing my new book Practice Flourishing: The Spirituality of Jesus. It’s almost done, and I’m so excited to share it with you straight from my heart.

I’m also overjoyed to announce that Practice Flourishing now has an exceptional publisher in Kate Schmidgall and her innovative BitterSweet Media House based in Washington, D.C. Kate combines world-class professionalism with incredible kindness and prophetic values. Paul writes from prison that God is “able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine.” I feel this intensely with Kate and BitterSweet as we prepare to publish Practice Flourishing. Look for updates in the coming months!

Kate, thank you!!! Our conversation blew me away.

This week, I’m excited to share my short article “Protest: Love’s Primal Vocation,” which was just published on Offensis, an online magazine in Germany focused on Christian faith and political praxis. I hope you enjoy thinking through this positive, creative vision of protest. Warm thanks to my friend and former student Isabell Reichert for inviting and publishing my article.

If this newsletter finds you discouraged, please don’t give up. I observe that something can burn in my heart for years and yet seem to remain impossibly stuck. And then, often when I least expect it, when uncertainty and insecurity seem to be at their fiercest, a door swings open and a new beginning commences. I’m grateful that we journey together on this long walk to freedom. May God give us fresh trust, hope, and love this week.

Yours with deep gratitude,

Andrew

PS: Happy Valentine’s Day, Lily! I love you!