Surprised by Joy

Faith Friday is where I post my thoughts, opinions, frustrations, and fears regarding Christianity, God, and everything in between. 

I recently purchased C.S. Lewis' The Screwtape Letters (along with Mere Christianity and Surprised by Joy) at a local $5 book store near my mom's place. I had heard from previous roommates how much they enjoyed reading his work and figured I would check it out. I found this book (with all three texts!) for $3. WIN. 

I began reading The Screwtape Letters first but found it helpful not to "binge" read those so that I can have more time to fully understand what he's saying in each letter. I love how Screwtape's words mean one thing for him and something completely different for me. His enemy is my God. His sadness is my prayer. I sometimes have to re-read parts of each letter to know what is being communicated. I do enjoy seeing humor in these letters as well as sorrow and temptations that our Enemy places in our lives to throw us off course. 

I have actually been enjoying Surprised by Joy the most because it's his own conversion story told by him! I am a slow reader so I haven't gotten very far into his story but his writing feels very familiar and comfortable to me. I feel as though I'm reading a letter he wrote to me about his childhood and what memories he has of his brother, his family, and what his background was before becoming a christian. I appreciate hearing about this part of his life because it adds so much rich texture to him as a person and allows me to know him as a person. It's so interesting to see how someone who had no real religious background become such a strong voice in Christianity and hear how he converts from atheism to the faith. 

As someone who feels very between the lines of Christianity and non-believers, I am looking forward to continuing this journey with Mr. Lewis and hearing what brought him to be the man he became. 

I'm going to save Mere Christianity for a later time when I can really be present to the text. I'm not sure my current mindset is really going to absorb all that Lewis has to offer from that one. So that'll be for future posts :) 

Excited to post my thoughts on here when I'm finished! Check back later for more updates with the label: Surprised by Joy.