Waking Up - How I Found My Faith By Losing It by Ted Dekker - REVIEWED

About the Book:
Waking up is a vulnerable 38-page expose of the personal journey the author and most who call themselves Christian find themselves on in this life. A journey full of inconsistencies that are unsustainable and eventually lead to a fractured worldview. And yet that same journey can lead to a radical rediscovery of love, peace and identity in a world blurred by confusion, unworthiness and anxiety. 

"If there is one elephant in the room among most of us who call ourselves Christian, it is that what we think and say we believe and what we actually experience are all too often two, radically different realities," the author writes. "Ironically, we ourselves are often the last to see this disparity." 

We claim to be saved in the next life, but can we find peace in the storms that rise up against us in this life? The answer is an unequivocal yes. But that yes means looking at ourselves and the world around us differently which leads to a new way of being in the world. So take a look. See what millions of Christians are now seeing. 

My Thoughts:

“What matters isn’t our stated belief and doctrine by how we live and what we experience in the story of our lives, as Jesus, John, James and Paul all make so abundantly clear.  It’s our actual experience and expression of life that shows us and the world what we truly believe and to what extend we truly love, not what we say we believe or who we say we love.  If we say we have faith, but the workings of our life don’t reflect that faith, that faith is either asleep or dead.” 

I have read Ted Dekker for many years.  I’ve met him and interviewed him and have traveled to distant book stores to hear him speak and garner and autograph.  When I read Waking Up my heart rejoiced, because I am one who has been awakened in the way Ted describes in this brief expose of faith.  I just want to shout and rejoice to know that this man and his brilliant talent are couched in the truth of God’s great love, and that he is sharing that love with the world through novels like A.D 30 and A.D. 33! 

I challenge you to read Ted’s declaration of faith within the story of his own life experiences.  Your heart will be challenged – and changed!  I have much respect for Ted and his work, and I praise GOD that he has shared his heart with all of us!  This has made my own heart rejoice!

About the Author:

TED DEKKER is a New York Times bestselling thriller author. Heralded as a "master of suspense" by Library Journal, Dekker has sold millions worldwide, establishing himself as one of the most widely recognized author brands.

He began his career writing fantasy novels that explored spirituality (Black, Red and White) and has since become a major force in the mainstream fiction arena with his recent thrillers, "Adam," "Thr3e," "Skin," "Obsessed," "BoneMan's Daughters," which landed in the #10 on the New York Times hardcover bestseller list in 2009, and "The Bride Collector". Dekker has been honored with a Christy Award as well as a Gold Medallion Award for Best Fiction. "Thr3e" and his novel "House" became feature films. 

Dekker was born to missionaries and grew up among cannibals of Indonesia, and his peculiar upbringing gives him a unique perspective outside the cultural bubble, allowing him the freedom to share provocative insights in his fiction. After leaving Indonesia, Dekker graduated from a multi-cultural high school and took up permanent residence in the United States, earning his B.A. in philosophy and religion, and then went into business. 

In the early nineties, Dekker decided to pursue his desire to write fiction, selling his company, moving his family to the mountains of western Colorado, and writing full-time. Two years and three books later his first novel, a supernatural thriller called Heaven's Wager, was published. Dekker proceeded to write 6 more supernatural thrillers, rising to the top of many bestsellers lists and earning himself critical acclaim and legions of fans. "Thr3e" heralded his launch into mainstream fiction and was followed by "Obsessed," "Skin," "Adam," and "BoneMan's Daughters," all of which hit the New York Times bestseller list. 

Ted Dekker's fans are comprised of readers of all ages, backgrounds, and belief systems who love his compulsively readable stories, authentic characters, and universal and relatable themes that he explores from a unique point of view. 

He resides in Austin, Texas with his wife and children. You can find him at Teddekker.com and Facebook.com/teddekker.