"...I went on a thirteen-day solo hike through the Wind River Range, an isolated wilderness in Wyoming. On day seven I rested by a glacial lake 10,421 feet above sea level. I spent my day of rest soaking my feet and reading poetry and then, at twilight, watching fish jump out of the clear water and rise, if only for a moment 10,422 feet above the level of the sea.
I started wondering what it would be like to be one of those fish, swimming through this mountain lake minding my own business and then one day rising to the ceiling of all that there is and finding that I could poke my nose through the surface of the sky. And not only my nose but to learn, in a moment of glorious discovery, that with the right flip of my tail I could break through the rippling curtain of my world and take flight, experiencing the strange and wonderful and dangerous freedom of the air.
I imagined I might swim back to the others and tell them about the new world I'd discovered - a place too magnificent for the language of fish to describe. I wondered if they would believe me. After all, sometimes news is too terrible to believe. But sometimes we don't believe because the news is just too incredible.
At first I thought it was somehow unnatural for fish to jump like that: They're fish, right? They're just supposed to swim in the water. After all, that's what they're made for. But as night fell and the stars began to bespeckle the sky, I realized that for a fish to leave the water isn't breaking the rules at all - it's just exploring the true extent of what it really means to be a fish.
Of course fish are made for the water. Of course they're made to swim.
But they're also made to jump." - Steven James "Sailing Between the Stars"
I started wondering what it would be like to be one of those fish, swimming through this mountain lake minding my own business and then one day rising to the ceiling of all that there is and finding that I could poke my nose through the surface of the sky. And not only my nose but to learn, in a moment of glorious discovery, that with the right flip of my tail I could break through the rippling curtain of my world and take flight, experiencing the strange and wonderful and dangerous freedom of the air.
I imagined I might swim back to the others and tell them about the new world I'd discovered - a place too magnificent for the language of fish to describe. I wondered if they would believe me. After all, sometimes news is too terrible to believe. But sometimes we don't believe because the news is just too incredible.
At first I thought it was somehow unnatural for fish to jump like that: They're fish, right? They're just supposed to swim in the water. After all, that's what they're made for. But as night fell and the stars began to bespeckle the sky, I realized that for a fish to leave the water isn't breaking the rules at all - it's just exploring the true extent of what it really means to be a fish.
Of course fish are made for the water. Of course they're made to swim.
But they're also made to jump." - Steven James "Sailing Between the Stars"
If you haven't picked up your copy of Steven James' Sailing Between the Stars, stop reading. Go here and place your order. I'll wait for you.
Steven's writing often brings me to tears, not because it is sappy or sentimental (That rarely makes me cry.), but because it is pure and real and clear. I read passages like the one excerpted above and I feel the rush of excitement at the thought of breaking through the ceiling of my existence and flying!
Steven encourages the reader to believe the unbelievable. And because he sees it in everyday life all around him and conveys that magic in his storytelling, you are drawn in. I have begun to look for the mysteries of God in nature and everything around me. I seek out opportunities to embrace the illogical, radical, paradoxically absurd Jesus.
(A proud SRC participant)
Steven's writing often brings me to tears, not because it is sappy or sentimental (That rarely makes me cry.), but because it is pure and real and clear. I read passages like the one excerpted above and I feel the rush of excitement at the thought of breaking through the ceiling of my existence and flying!
Steven encourages the reader to believe the unbelievable. And because he sees it in everyday life all around him and conveys that magic in his storytelling, you are drawn in. I have begun to look for the mysteries of God in nature and everything around me. I seek out opportunities to embrace the illogical, radical, paradoxically absurd Jesus.
(A proud SRC participant)
I took your advice once about Steven James and now I'm hooked. I even read his blog. I was waiting to see what you had to say about the book...gotta go get it now.
Posted by: Wendy | June 02, 2008 at 06:45 PM
I have so much more to say, but I am hesitant to write about the work of one of my favorite writers. What can I say besides READ IT?;)
Steven also has a fiction book out, THE PAWN. It is on my must have list.
Let's talk about it at legnth in NC.
Posted by: Traci | June 02, 2008 at 08:24 PM
What a cool excerpt! I'm going to pick this up today hopefully and get going on my #71 of 101.
Thank you for the cool tip!!
Hettie @CelticMommy
Posted by: CelticMommy | June 04, 2008 at 11:25 AM
Hey I just bought 3 of his books (Sailing between the stars, Becoming Real, and The Pawn) for $16.27. I can give you The Pawn when I'm done if you want it.
Posted by: Wendyq | June 04, 2008 at 04:37 PM
I already have one of his books, Story: Recapture the Mystery. Which I must admit got buried in my book shelf. Your commits made me dig it out then go on and order two more of his other books. This is a great way to find out about books that I might not otherwise of noticed. It is also part of the reason I have so many books in my house. Did break down this year and donate some to the library book sale. I've had some of them for a long time but I needed to make more space....for more books!
Posted by: Jean DeChant | June 16, 2008 at 08:38 PM