IF YOU WANT TO WALK ON WATER, YOU'VE GOT TO GET OUT OF THE BOAT
By John Ortberg

There is a disadvantage in growing up regularly listening to bible stories. Often by the time you reach a stage that you should understand them more fully, you have almost become immune to them, thinking that you know each bible story intimately. In turn, they somewhere along the line lose their profoundness.

So, when I first picked up this book I had, I must admit, a similar attitude. I knew the story of Peter walking on the water! What I failed to realise was that I no longer clung to its deeper meaning. I had become immune to it! Reading this book was a challenge right from the start.

John Ortberg invites us to go on a walk with him. To understand how Peter felt, why he walked on water, why Jesus invited him and ultimately why he lost sight of his goal, Jesus, and started to sink. The aim of this book is to make you aware of the same faith and longing that bolted Peter out of his seat and on to the Sea of Galilee. We all have that longing deep down; it's just some are more willing to act upon it. Ortberg stresses that it is fear that holds us back and paralyses us into settling for less than God intends for us. He does this by personal accounts and opening up about his own struggles. Yet, he does so in a way that you can relate to, often quite funny. I particularly liked the story about how he and his wife went for a hot air balloon ride, not forgetting to mention that his wife is afraid of heights! As the story transpires we learn that the so called pilot of the balloon is an unemployed surfer who started flying hot air balloons because he got drunk, crashed a pickup truck, injured his brother, and had never been in that particular balloon and didn't know how to land it! I thought that could possibly be the one and only interesting and funny account in the whole book or it will continue to get better. Thankfully the latter was true.

What Ortberg says in his book is nothing new but he is able to bring different faith and fear issues alive. He challenges the reader to think of the consequences of staying in the boat. All too often our fear holds us back from even recognising that there is a cost of staying put. As he puts it "fear is not an adequate excuse for the tragedy of an unopened gift" (p.45). He then goes on to say that we need just enough faith to take one step and try to expand our spiritual comfort zone. We don't have to master it in a series of leaps and bounds. He lists off excuses Christians make for not stepping out in faith. Peter's was becoming frightened by the strong wind, looking away from Christ and starting to sink. We use low self-esteem, loss of joy, loss of intimacy and the list goes on. "Fear disrupts faith and becomes the biggest obstacle to trusting and obeying God" (p120).

Many Christian books today claim to transform your world. This book certainly opened my eyes again and yet it wasn't too heavy. It was honest and challenging, reading the book alone would not transform you, but there are some really useful questions at the end of each chapter that could certainly bring about change if you were honest and willing. It's an easy read but the questions were probing. I would also recommend it for a home group, as you could read a chapter each week and use the questions for discussion. I can't remember the last time I read a Christian book that both challenged me deeply and I enjoyed at the same time. This is certainly a book to keep. I am no longer immune!