"Sad, honest, hopeful, funny, instructive. . . . the very best of a memoir" (Mike Cope, author of Megan's Secrets)

When we grow up Christian, it is always in a small place. At first, we don't even know it is a small place. It's just our place, and it feels like home. We launch out from this small place, and we discover that the Christian way is longer and richer than we ever knew.

Noted theologian Leonard Allen's story begins at age eight in his father's bookroom—and with an emerging cluster of questions about the faith he inherited. The search for answers led him on a long journey, including a harrowing desert season, then a season of newness he had not imagined.

You will recognize the characters in this story. You will smile, laugh, and feel some of the grief along the way. You'll get glimpses into the rich texture of our lives—the power of memory, the struggles with selfhood, the need for forgiveness, the surprises of grace.