Launch News
Several years ago, when my two sons launched into adulthood, I desperately needed guidance in how I could parent them well, especially given the unprecedented times in which we were all living. The summer they graduated high school, a pandemic raged on, forest fires colored the Oregon sky an eerie gray, and political unrest made their transition to adults more fraught.
And this all happened before my son, the child of Mennonite and Quaker pacifists, decided to join the Navy, compelling me to reevaluate my own assumptions and expectations about--well, about everything--as well as my understanding of what it means to follow God’s call in our lives.
In my new book, launching next month from Herald Press, I explore the challenges facing young adults now, using as expert guides the two young men I raised, as well as the students I’ve taught in two decades as an English professor.
Finding Our Way Forward: When the Children We Love Become Adults reflects on the work to which we are called as parents and mentors to young people, recognizing that this current generation has so much to teach us about empathy, humility, kindness, and justice. My book relies on the prescription found in Micah 6:8 and in the Gospels, arguing that what God requires from us is not expertise or piety or self-assurance; instead, in our lives with young people, we are called to do justice, extend mercy, walk with humility, love God, and love others.
There are several ways you can help me get the word out about this book and its message:
In an era of algorithms, pre-orders matter! Preordering the book from your local bookstore, Amazon, Barnes and Noble, or Herald Press will provide more visibility for my book. Those who preorder will get a Micah 6:8 sticker designed by one of my students, and will be entered into a drawing for one of four Kind cotton shirts. (I love the message of empathy and kindness on these shirts, and the company donates an inclusive book to a library for every shirt ordered!)
Join my launch team. Those who join my launch team commit to pre-ordering the book, sharing insights on your social media platforms, and writing an honest review on Amazon or Goodreads. I will also be hosting a launch team community to discuss the book and the challenges of parenting and mentoring young adults. If you would like to be considered for my launch team, please fill out this form (it will only take a few seconds).
Attend my book launch party on March 3 at the Chehalem Cultural Center in Newberg, Ore. The festivities start at 7 p.m.
Thank you all for your continued love and support. I appreciate the role each of you has played in my life—and so, by extension, in the lives of the young people I love. Hoping we can all find our way forward together.