Every hero’s journey employs archetypes. You can set your watch to the entrance of the sidekick, the trickster, the villain. My favorite characters are the herald and mentor. At the beginning of the journey, the herald declares, “Change cometh! Make way for change!” As the catalyst, the herald voluntolds the hero to action. Not to just do more or be more, but to wrestle with whatever crisis of belief must be dealt with. When the hero refuses this call to action, as they always do, the mentor emerges, ready to guide and maintain the journey’s momentum.
You, reader, are the hero.
This book is your herald.
Jen Hatmaker is your mentor.
Your journey awaits.
How then shall I detail this manner of heralding and mentoring in my reading of Fierce, Free, and Full of Fire? With an organized and alliterative list, but of course!
Section 1 Who I Am: This section is my Armor. It requires real identity work. Hands dirty, head spinning, doubt fleeing identity work. Here I was just living my life, and then someone called BS. But she didn’t leave me hanging. These chapters, wrought with highlighter, brought me protection and permission to uncover what’s always been there. I’m enough, I’m in my lane, I’m powerful, I’m still figuring myself out. That’s the armor I needed to fight another day.
Section 2 What I Need: This section is my Advil. Recognizing my own needs isn’t something I can do while the dull persistent ache of obligation, duty, routine, and denial pulses in my head. This section relieves that pain. It puts words to what I’ve know about deserving goodness. My veins course with Enneagram 3 blood. I need no help, just fine here, thank you very much, I’ll let you know. This chapter stripped me of that lie, completely shattered my self-made woman myth. It was replaced with practical help on asking for help and seeking connectedness.
Section 3 What I Want: This section is my Accelerator. In chemistry the accelerator is the substance that increases the rate of a chemical change. Not sure what you want? You will by the end of this section. Yes and amen to the dream and all that comes with it. If you leave these chapters with anything other than a fire under you hiney, you read it wrong.
Section 4 What I Believe: This section is my Anchor. But I already knew what I believed. I didn’t need to go to camp and rededicate my life to Jesus...again. I just needed to see a nearby boat send up the smoke signals, “You can move around in the water. Your anchor is exactly where it should be!” Message received. Now I have some questions I’d like to ask.
Section 5 How I Connect: This section is my Airstrip. I’ve been flying around enjoying the view, kind of, but never knowing where to land. Here it is. This is where I want to be: connected. Jen waved me on it. I’m here for the tough talks that start with “To be honest...” I’m here for the pruning of branches that are toxic to the tree. I’m here for the belonging and love of my people. I’m here for dishing it out until I die. And these chapters give me the legs to do it.
Introduction and Final Thoughts: These chapters are my Anthem. They truly sing. When Jen’s life is made into a musical, these are the chapters whose words and melodies will get stuck in our heads. We’ll mouth their truths without realizing it. Lyrics including but not limited to the following: not a beggar at his door, polished me died, unweave the beautiful threads, isn’t it always the women, we need you, too liberating to go back, true version of you, bring it forth.
Ya know what else, your bookshelf can have Beth Moore and Jen Hatmaker on it. You can love God and love people. You can be the one who takes attendance every week in your Southern Baptist Sunday School class and the one who marches in a Pride parade. Does your Amazon book order history represent a lot of voices? Or just the ones who will tell you what you want to hear? I’m challenged here, so I challenge you here. Pick up this book. But don’t let it be your last in doing the work. My only promise to you, hero, is that your journey will be closer to the rich adventure it was intended to be if you allow, just for a season, this book to be your herald and Jen to be your mentor.
Fierce, Free, and Full of Fire: The Guide to Being Glorious You
4.7 | 3,281 ratings
Price: 20.5
Last update: 06-11-2024
Top reviews from the United States
Charles McMath
The Herald and Mentor
Reviewed in the United States on July 11, 2020JNorton571
Best of timing to release a book? YES!!!!! When it is written by Jen!!
Reviewed in the United States on May 21, 2020