Episode 03

Michelle DeRusha

Writing Your Own Story

Michelle Derusha joins me to talk about memoir and the challenge of telling your own story. Michell is the author of Spiritual Misfit: A Memoir of Uneasy Faith.
Michelle Derusha joins me to talk about memoir and the challenge of telling your own story. Michell is the author of Spiritual Misfit: A Memoir of Uneasy Faith.
00:00 45:13

Show Notes:03. Michelle DeRusha—Writing Your Own Story: Using Writing As A Tool To Find God

Michelle Derusha joins me to talk about memoir and the challenge of telling your own story. We discuss how an author decides what to include and what gets cut, we talk about writing as a form of prayer, and we discuss the challenges of focusing your attention on the discipline of writing. You’ll appreciate Michelle’s honesty and vulnerability—hallmarks of a good memoir.

“Falsehood is so easy, truth so difficult.” —George Eliot

“If we’re honest with ourselves, I suspect a lot of us are looking for the big, flashy miracle— the billboard moment when everything is crystal clear and all doubts are washed away for good, the media-worthy miracle that makes the evening news. I know that’s what I want. I find myself thinking, If only God could give me one clear sign, if only he would come down and do a miracle, then I would believe 100 percent for sure. If I got a clear sign, I wouldn’t have any more doubts. But I’m not so sure that’s the only way God operates. I’m beginning to think he gives us these ordinary miracles, these small blessings, these “Why not?” moments in the midst of the everyday instead, so we will learn to open our eyes and see him not just in the wild, over-the-top, media-worthy miracles, but in the hundreds of everyday miracles as well.”

DeRusha, Michelle. Spiritual Misfit: A Memoir of Uneasy Faith

  • Fall after school sunset cruise.
  • My cousin Ben coming through with some amazing drone shots.
  • It's been more than a year and a half since The 5 Masculine Instincts came out. I'm continually grateful for people who continue to purchase and share the book. It's still ranking in the Christian Men and Church Leadership categories. 

This fall, I'm speaking at several men's events and always walk away from them feeling encouraged and optimistic about Christian men. There are far more godly men faithfully serving than the headlines care to share. 

There is still plenty of challenges facing men today, but I'm believing that the call of Christ is becoming clearer and I want to keep playing a small humble part in it however I can.
  • Link in Bio

This week our family launched a new podcast called Let's Talk Bible. As I'm preaching through the Gospel of Luke, we're having discussions about each passage, its background, and its meaning. It's been a lot of fun. They are smart, articulate, and clever. Many of the segments were their ideas. 

We wanted to make a podcast that families could listen to together and all learn. I think we underestimate what kids are capable of, and so we've not dumbed anything down. I want to aim high when it comes to teaching my kids scripture. 

Hope your family enjoys it. Maybe share it with a family you know too.
  • For the past couple of years, I’ve been working on a book about Jesus’s words of offense. There is a famous piece of graffiti from Rome that is believed to be the oldest depiction of Jesus’s crucifixion. It was scratched into a plaster wall, and meant to mock Christians. It depicts a Christian lifting his hand to worship a man with the head of a donkey being crucified. It is Christ. It’s a strange thing to hang on your wall but it’s a reminder to me that this message of hope is still for many a message of foolishness and offense. Why if Christ’s first disciples were mocked like this do we expect cultural approval and influence. We must write and speak what is true, even when it is not received. God help us do that.
  • More Dead Sea scrolls. 1955 publication with photo prints from Hebrew University. Sukenik was the first person realize what the Dead Sea scrolls were.
  • One of the pieces of advice I give to people wanting to read more, is find something you like, and read everything about it. I love finding an author, I like and reading everything they’ve written. My current obsession is all things discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls. It is a remarkable story which I knew only a little bit about. I love tracking down used books; most of these are first hand, accounts of discovering or purchasing or translating the scrolls. I’m sure you’ll see me wring about it sometime soon.
Fall after school sunset cruise.
Fall after school sunset cruise.
Fall after school sunset cruise.
Fall after school sunset cruise.
Fall after school sunset cruise.
4 days ago
View on Instagram |
1/8
My cousin Ben coming through with some amazing drone shots.
My cousin Ben coming through with some amazing drone shots.
My cousin Ben coming through with some amazing drone shots.
My cousin Ben coming through with some amazing drone shots.
2 weeks ago
View on Instagram |
2/8
It's been more than a year and a half since The 5 Masculine Instincts came out. I'm continually grateful for people who continue to purchase and share the book. It's still ranking in the Christian Men and Church Leadership categories. 

This fall, I'm speaking at several men's events and always walk away from them feeling encouraged and optimistic about Christian men. There are far more godly men faithfully serving than the headlines care to share. 

There is still plenty of challenges facing men today, but I'm believing that the call of Christ is becoming clearer and I want to keep playing a small humble part in it however I can.
It's been more than a year and a half since The 5 Masculine Instincts came out. I'm continually grateful for people who continue to purchase and share the book. It's still ranking in the Christian Men and Church Leadership categories. 

This fall, I'm speaking at several men's events and always walk away from them feeling encouraged and optimistic about Christian men. There are far more godly men faithfully serving than the headlines care to share. 

There is still plenty of challenges facing men today, but I'm believing that the call of Christ is becoming clearer and I want to keep playing a small humble part in it however I can.
It's been more than a year and a half since The 5 Masculine Instincts came out. I'm continually grateful for people who continue to purchase and share the book. It's still ranking in the Christian Men and Church Leadership categories. This fall, I'm speaking at several men's events and always walk away from them feeling encouraged and optimistic about Christian men. There are far more godly men faithfully serving than the headlines care to share. There is still plenty of challenges facing men today, but I'm believing that the call of Christ is becoming clearer and I want to keep playing a small humble part in it however I can.
3 weeks ago
View on Instagram |
4/8
Link in Bio

This week our family launched a new podcast called Let's Talk Bible. As I'm preaching through the Gospel of Luke, we're having discussions about each passage, its background, and its meaning. It's been a lot of fun. They are smart, articulate, and clever. Many of the segments were their ideas. 

We wanted to make a podcast that families could listen to together and all learn. I think we underestimate what kids are capable of, and so we've not dumbed anything down. I want to aim high when it comes to teaching my kids scripture. 

Hope your family enjoys it. Maybe share it with a family you know too.
Link in Bio This week our family launched a new podcast called Let's Talk Bible. As I'm preaching through the Gospel of Luke, we're having discussions about each passage, its background, and its meaning. It's been a lot of fun. They are smart, articulate, and clever. Many of the segments were their ideas. We wanted to make a podcast that families could listen to together and all learn. I think we underestimate what kids are capable of, and so we've not dumbed anything down. I want to aim high when it comes to teaching my kids scripture. Hope your family enjoys it. Maybe share it with a family you know too.
3 weeks ago
View on Instagram |
5/8
For the past couple of years, I’ve been working on a book about Jesus’s words of offense. There is a famous piece of graffiti from Rome that is believed to be the oldest depiction of Jesus’s crucifixion. It was scratched into a plaster wall, and meant to mock Christians. It depicts a Christian lifting his hand to worship a man with the head of a donkey being crucified. It is Christ. It’s a strange thing to hang on your wall but it’s a reminder to me that this message of hope is still for many a message of foolishness and offense. Why if Christ’s first disciples were mocked like this do we expect cultural approval and influence. We must write and speak what is true, even when it is not received. God help us do that.
For the past couple of years, I’ve been working on a book about Jesus’s words of offense. There is a famous piece of graffiti from Rome that is believed to be the oldest depiction of Jesus’s crucifixion. It was scratched into a plaster wall, and meant to mock Christians. It depicts a Christian lifting his hand to worship a man with the head of a donkey being crucified. It is Christ. It’s a strange thing to hang on your wall but it’s a reminder to me that this message of hope is still for many a message of foolishness and offense. Why if Christ’s first disciples were mocked like this do we expect cultural approval and influence. We must write and speak what is true, even when it is not received. God help us do that.
1 month ago
View on Instagram |
6/8
More Dead Sea scrolls. 1955 publication with photo prints from Hebrew University. Sukenik was the first person realize what the Dead Sea scrolls were.
More Dead Sea scrolls. 1955 publication with photo prints from Hebrew University. Sukenik was the first person realize what the Dead Sea scrolls were.
More Dead Sea scrolls. 1955 publication with photo prints from Hebrew University. Sukenik was the first person realize what the Dead Sea scrolls were.
1 month ago
View on Instagram |
7/8
One of the pieces of advice I give to people wanting to read more, is find something you like, and read everything about it. I love finding an author, I like and reading everything they’ve written. My current obsession is all things discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls. It is a remarkable story which I knew only a little bit about. I love tracking down used books; most of these are first hand, accounts of discovering or purchasing or translating the scrolls. I’m sure you’ll see me wring about it sometime soon.
One of the pieces of advice I give to people wanting to read more, is find something you like, and read everything about it. I love finding an author, I like and reading everything they’ve written. My current obsession is all things discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls. It is a remarkable story which I knew only a little bit about. I love tracking down used books; most of these are first hand, accounts of discovering or purchasing or translating the scrolls. I’m sure you’ll see me wring about it sometime soon.
One of the pieces of advice I give to people wanting to read more, is find something you like, and read everything about it. I love finding an author, I like and reading everything they’ve written. My current obsession is all things discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls. It is a remarkable story which I knew only a little bit about. I love tracking down used books; most of these are first hand, accounts of discovering or purchasing or translating the scrolls. I’m sure you’ll see me wring about it sometime soon.
One of the pieces of advice I give to people wanting to read more, is find something you like, and read everything about it. I love finding an author, I like and reading everything they’ve written. My current obsession is all things discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls. It is a remarkable story which I knew only a little bit about. I love tracking down used books; most of these are first hand, accounts of discovering or purchasing or translating the scrolls. I’m sure you’ll see me wring about it sometime soon.
2 months ago
View on Instagram |
8/8

Pin It on Pinterest