Arnie Cole - Unstuck: Your Life. Gods Design. Real Change.

2012 by Arnie Cole and Michael Ross

Published by Bethany House Publishers

11400 Hampshire Avenue South

Bloomington, Minnesota 55438

www.bethanyhouse.com

Bethany House Publishers is a division of

Baker Publishing Group, Grand Rapids, Michigan

www.bakerpublishinggroup.com

Ebook edition created 2012

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any meansfor example, electronic, photocopy, recordingwithout the prior written permission of the publisher. The only exception is brief quotations in printed reviews.

ISBN 978-1-4412-7112-9

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data is on file at the Library of Congress, Washington, DC.

Unless otherwise noted, Scripture quotations are 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

Scripture quotations marked NIV 1984 are taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION. Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984 Biblica. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked The Message are from The Message by Eugene H. Peterson, copyright 1993, 1994, 1995, 2000, 2001, 2002. Used by permission of NavPress Publishing Group. All rights reserved.

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

Scripture quotations marked KJV are from the King James Version of the Bible.

All events/accounts in this book are factual. Some names and small details have been changed in order to protect the privacy of those involved.

The internet addresses, email addresses, and phone numbers in this book are accurate at the time of publication. They are provided as a resource. Baker Publishing Group does not endorse them or vouch for their content or permanence.

Cover design by Lookout Design, Inc.

Authors are represented by WordServe Literary Group

As Christians, we often talk about spiritual growth, but for many its a concept that remains elusive. With Unstuck, Michael Ross and Arnie Cole offer a blueprint for genuine growth in grace, grounded in the life-changing power of Scripture.

Jim Daly, President, Focus on the Family

Arnie Cole and Michael Rosss new book Unstuck is a gem. Written in an engaging, transparent way, Unstuck offers tremendous insights on growing a close relationship with Christ and living a transformed, fruitful, and vibrant spiritual liferather than a frustrating, stuck one.

Cheri Fuller, Author of The Busy Womans Guide to Prayer; The One-Year Book of Praying Through the Bible

Disconnected, spiritually empty, stuck. Weve all been there. This book gets us moving again through the eternal, transformational Word of God. Unstuck is an important resource for churches, familieseveryone!

H. B. London, Bestselling Author and Pastor to Pastor Emeritus, Focus on the Family

Fascinatingfrom the first page to the very last word! This compelling read underscores the importance of Gods Word. Its like a cup of life-giving water for a thirsty soul. Unstuck is heartfelt, convicting, powerful, and hard to put down.

Richard P. Bott II, President, Bott Radio Network

Unstuck is that one book weve all been waiting for! My friends Arnie Cole and Michael Ross combine groundbreaking research with poignant stories and hard-hitting insights. They show us what it means to think biblically, live relationally, and follow Christ radically.

Vance Brown, Chairman and CEO, Band of Brothers ministry and author of No Matter the Cost

Unstuck is a convicting reminder that engaging Gods Word consistently makes the difference in regard to lasting spiritual growth. Youll love the variety of pastors and theologians quoted throughout the book and the compelling research that shows how important habitually reading the Bible really is.

Martha Krienke, Editor/Producer, Boundless, www.boundless.org

From Arnie

To all the special people who have traveled with me on my spiritual journey...

my mom and dad, Dr. Ken and Ruth Cole, who prayed for me more than twenty-five years while I was spiritually stuck

my brothers and sisters, Wes and Lou Ann, and Kathy and Dean, for hanging in through all the drama

my pastor, Gary Inrig, who helped me find True North

my friend and mentor Dr. Woodrow Kroll, who asked, Why do so many Christians own Bibles and never read them?

my friend Bill Bantz, who demanded we help people positively engage their spiritual life on a daily basis

my researchers Pam and LG, who made sure we got it right

my kids, Ben, Matt, Danny, and Laura, who love me despite my shortcomings

my wife and love of my life, Char, who knew all my past failures, who believed in me before I did, and who gave me a chance

my Lord Jesus Christ, who saved me from spiritual death

From Michael

To my brothers, Robert, Jerry, and Walter

Christ says, Give me All.... I want you. I have not come to torment your natural self, but to kill it. No half-measures are any good. I dont want to cut off a branch here and a branch there. I want to have the whole tree down. Hand over the whole natural self, all the desires which you think innocent as well as the ones you think wickedthe whole outfit. I will give you a new self instead. In fact, I will give you Myself: my own will shall become yours.