The first time you do anything, there’s always a bit of fear. Fear of failing, fear of doing something you’ve never done, fear of stepping into the unknown. All those fears make that first step difficult. Some people never take that first step, and many fail after years of trying. It’s easy to live that way, never trying, never stepping out. Writing this book and self-publishing it, is me stepping out and doing what I’ve never done before.
The Beginning
My wife and I were on vacation in San Francisco in June of this past year. I had just stepped into a new role as youth pastor at my church. My wife was pregnant, we were expecting an addition to our family and preparing for our lives to change. It was a brand new season, and with that came many questions. There was much I didn’t have figured out, and a lot on my mind.
We were walking along The Great Highway near the west coastline of San Francisco, and decided to walk towards beach. As we walked towards the beach, I turned around and saw a sign that stopped me dead in my tracks. It read…
People swimming and wading have drowned here.
I found myself staring at those words for a while. Then it dawned on me. I could spend the whole time looking at that sign, and forget the ocean that was right behind me.
We can live bottled up by fear or apprehension, or we can take steps and move towards what just might be the greatest adventure of our lives. That’s where this book began…
The Book
The Adventure is for those who are weary of empty religion and shallow faith. It is for those who wonder where Jesus is, what he’s up to in their life, and how he can work through them. The pages are filled with stories, devotional thoughts, self-criticism, and reflection. The book wrestles with how Jesus can be more than just an idea or a belief, but become alive and on display in the life of the Jesus-follower. Life can get complicated and sometimes we complicate Jesus and religion in the process. This book tries to untangle the questions we ask, with answers rooted in deep, Jesus-centered relationship. I don’t profess to have all the answers (if you’re looking for a book like that, this isn’t it), but I hope that the same Jesus I encountered in my adventure, will encounter you in yours.
This book is a collection of essays taken from specific moments in this last season. My writing comes out of messages I’ve preached as a youth pastor and what I’ve learned as a young husband and father. It’s filled with moments that were life-changing and God-focused.
Read It Today!!
- Available on Amazon (Kindle and printed version)
- Available on DRM-free on Gumroad (iBooks, Kindle, Nook, PDF)
Read A Sample Chapter
The Way We Think
When I was younger, I used to think Santa Claus was real. There was one Christmas, where I was so nervous that Santa would see me through the window on Christmas Eve. I found myself tucked into bed, and my mom made up a story that she could hear Santa coming down the chimney.
She said, “Ashish, get to bed as fast as you can! You don’t want to be awake when Santa shows up!” I ran as fast as I could, dove under the covers, and went to bed as fast as I possibly could. Santa was on his way, and I had to be asleep.
Fast forward a couple years later. By this time, I had learned Santa was a fictional character, and he couldn’t actually fit through chimneys. I remember thinking to myself, how could my parents, my friends, and my teachers… all been in on the conspiracy to deceive and manipulate me and all the other children in the world? Didn’t they realize what they were doing? I don’t know if I ever resolved that moral dilemma. I moved on to other things I guess.
Read the rest of this chapter
Click the link to download the sample chapter The Way We Think
What People Are Saying
“If you’re reading this book, it says that you value character and longevity over a quick pick-me-up. Don’t read this book because you want five steps to growing your youth ministry, or secrets to being awesome. Read this book because you want to receive an impartation on what it means to genuinely follow Jesus and love people. I’m confident you will.”
Taylor Murray — Youth Pastor | Real Life Church, Covington, WA
“I’ve been friends with Ashish for many years now. His thoughts and writing have impacted, informed and shaped me in many ways over that time. More than that I’ve been changed by his pastor’s heart to connect people with Jesus, which I’ve seen Ashish model for his friends and those he pastors. His book is a collection of stories and lessons meant to draw the reader closer to the person of Jesus; and getting to know Jesus more is the greatest adventure and journey we will ever embark upon. Whether you’re in junior high, high school, or a youth leader The Adventure will help you to recognize Jesus in every moment of your own journey.”
Ian Bailey — Teaching Pastor | Church At The Well, Burlington, VT
About The Author
Ashish Joy is a part of Generation Unleashed Youth Ministries at City Bible Church, serving as a youth pastor at the 217 campus in Tigard, OR. He is addicted to seeing people’s lives changed by Jesus. He has a heart to disciple and train up young leaders. Ashish is married to the love of his life Kaeli and together they have a son named Brennan.
You can read more of his writing on his blog. If you want updates on his current book, find out about his future books, book him for a speaking engagement, or get in touch with him, send him an email. You can also connect with him on social media: Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram.
Email me when Taking A Leap publishes stories