Shelene Bryan - Ridiculous Faith: Experience the Power of an Absurdly, Unbelievably Good God

PRAISE FOR RIDICULOUS FAITH

Francis and I have personally witnessed the radical (Ridiculous) change in Shelene as she has stepped out in faith time and time again. We believe you should err on the side of action; and Shelene will encourage you to do just that.

Lisa Chan, bestselling coauthor with husband Francis Chan of You and Me Forever

Need encouragement? Read Ridiculous Faith. Itll help you remember all things are possible with God!

Karen Kingsbury, #1 New York Times bestselling novelist

Want to infuse your faith with supernatural inspiration? Youve found a book for doing just thatand it will change your life!

Drs. Les and Leslie Parrott, authors of Saving Your Marriage Before It Starts

Im not sure Ive met a leader in the past few years who embodies faith in action like Shelene Bryan. Her fire for doing something for God is contagious and I believe she is one of the best voices to write about faith. I cant wait for people to read this inspiring work from an inspiring friend!

Tyler Reagin, executive director of Catalyst

If you are in a season of needing a miracle, you will find strength and hope from the beautiful promises and miracles revealed in Shelenes book.

Cindy Monroe, founder, president, and CEO of Thirty-One Gifts

Shelene Bryan is one of my favorite people on the planet. Her ability to both challenge and encourage, while making you LOL right after bawling your eyes out, is a true gift. Cant wait for you to experience her take on our ridiculously good God!! Read this book!

Brad Lomenick, former president of Catalyst; author of H3 Leadership and The Catalyst Leader

In a time when our fears threaten to eclipse our faith, my friend Shelene Bryan takes us on a faith-building journey that leaves us confident in an unbelievably good God.

Lani Netter, producer of The Shack

Shelenes sheer energy and joy for life is ridiculously captivating in every good sense of the word! I find it fascinating as a cognitive neuroscientist and Christian to see how Shelene uses her mind to believe Gods Word and to change her life and the lives of all she can touch!

Dr. Caroline Leaf, cognitive neuroscientist and communication pathologist, author, and TV show host of Switch on Your Brain

Ridiculous Faith will challenge you to stop treating God as a means to an end but to discover who he really is as the end were each longing for.

Joshua Straub, Ph.D., author of Safe House: How Emotional Safety Is the Key to Raising Kids Who Live, Love, and Lead Well

This book will rock your world! Shelene is the real deal and this book will change your life and strengthen your faith and your relationship with Christ.

Laura Pettitte, wife of New York Yankees retired pitcher Andy Pettitte

2016 by Shelene Bryan

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Published in Nashville, Tennessee, by Nelson Books, an imprint of Thomas Nelson. Nelson Books and Thomas Nelson are registered trademarks of HarperCollins Christian Publishing, Inc.

The author is represented by the literary agency of Alive Communications, Inc., 7680 Goddard Street, Suite 200, Colorado Springs, Colorado 80920, www.alivecommunications.com.

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In some instances, names, dates, locations, and other identifying details have been changed to protect the identities and privacy of those mentioned in this book. Stories are based on true events with the exception of chapter 8 in which the characters are fictionalized.

Unless otherwise noted, Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version, NIV. Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.com. The NIV and New International Version are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc.

Scripture quotations marked NKJV are taken from the New King James Version. 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked ESV are taken from the ESV Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version), copyright 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

ISBN 978-0-7180-2129-0 (eBook)

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Names: Bryan, Shelene, 1968

Title: Ridiculous faith: experience the power of an absurdly, unbelievably good God / Shelene Bryan.

Description: Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 2016. | Includes bibliographical references.

Identifiers: LCCN 2015036334 | ISBN 9780718021276

Subjects: LCSH: Faith.

Classification: LCC BV4637 .B827 2016 | DDC 234/.23dc23

LC record available at http://lccn.loc.gov/2015036334

16 17 18 19 20 RRD 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

In loving memory of Katherine Anne Dickens, my hero. Thank you for showing me what living a life for Jesus looks like amid difficult circumstances. I cant wait to see you again in heaven... forever.
July 19, 1943December 31, 2013

CONTENTS

By Candace Cameron Bure

If you are holding this book, let me tell you, you are in for the ride of your life! Shelene Bryan has not only been a close friend for the last twenty-four years but has been an inspiration to me as someone Ive witnessed push the boundaries of a safe faith. Since I was fifteen years old, I watched her go from a young driven career woman to a driving force after Gods own heart. She has prayed me through years of my own ridiculous faith, whether in my marriage and family life, on Dancing with the Stars, Fuller House, or as cohost of The View. Shes been such a bright light in my life and Im proud I get to share her with you!

Shelenes personality is larger than life, commanding every room she walks into, yet she is one of the most grounded and humble women I have ever known. Her words are full of wisdom and passion because of her deeply rooted love for God and the Bible.

And her life backs it up.

As long as Ive known Shelene, there has been nothing more important to her than her husband and two children. Shes always lived out her family first, yet she has been passionately driven to excel in business. After finally reaching the status of successful Hollywood producer, a lightbulb went off in her faith. During a get-together with some girlfriends at her house, one woman saw the pictures of her two sponsored children through an organization called African Renewal Ministries. This woman asked Shelene how she knew if those kids were real or just a front for some guys new Porsche. Shelene took it as a challenge and flew to Africa to find out. What she encountered there sent her on a wild, faith-filled adventure to ultimately ditch climbing the corporate Hollywood ladder and give everything she had back to the Lord. One of charities Im most passionate about, Skip1.org, which Shelene founded, came out of that trip.

Ever since that trip, I have watched Shelene live a ridiculous faith. When Im around her, one of the things I always hear her say is that our life is a vapor; that we are all just exiting here and God can call us home whenever He wants. She wakes up every day feeling the urgency of obeying God, serving Him to her fullest, and sharing His goodness with others.

The book youre holding right now contains the adventures God invited Shelene to take and the lessons Hes shown her along the way. And let me be the first to say, there are some crazy adventures!