Dave Larsen’s new page-turning historical novel is as gripping as today’s headlines

‘Green Street in Black and White’ asks the question:

What are our kids learning from us, right now, about the kinds of communities we want to build?

By DAVID CRUMM
Editor of ReadTheSpirit magazine

Click on the cover to visit the book’s Amazon page, where Green Street in Black and White is available in hardcover, paperback and Kindle versions. The novel also is available from Barnes & Noble, Powell’s Books, Bookshop.org, Walmart—and wherever quality books are sold.

Early readers are telling Dave Larsen that they are recognizing themselves and their families in this compelling new novel that asks the question: What are we teaching our kids right now by the decisions we are making in our communities?

Like a lot of great American literature—from Mark Twain to Harper Lee to Carson McCullers to Stephen King—Larsen immerses us in a gripping story in which adults respond to crises—but the whole drama is observed through the eyes of the kids whose lives are forever shaped by the outcome.

That’s why so many readers recognize themselves in this new book.

“First, this novel is my story—and many of the characters and scenes are based on real events from my childhood in the neighborhood where I grew up,” Larsen said in an interview this week.

“Yes, this is Dave’s story—but it’s my story, too, and it’s really the story of millions of Americans who been confronted with changes in our neighborhoods throughout our lives,” said Susan Stitt, the Marketing Director of Front Edge Publishing who was an early advocate of Dave’s manuscript. “I know lots of friends who will find themselves in this book, now that the book is launching.” And, what’s remarkable about Susan’s response is this: Unlike Dave—who grew up as a Protestant boy in a Chicago-area neighborhood—Susan grew up as a Catholic girl in a Detroit-area neighborhood. Susan said, “At first glance, it seems like we’re from different worlds, but I can tell you: I saw myself and my family and my neighborhood all the way through this novel.”

Green Street has that ring of truth, which makes it a great novel,” said Reformed Journal Books Publisher Jeffrey Munroe—the longtime Holland, Michigan, journalist who worked with Larsen as an editor on his manuscript. Then, Munroe selected Green Street as the first work of fiction among his inaugural wave of Reformed Journal Books. “I could see that lots of readers will see themselves in this novel—and it has the potential to spark nationwide conversations and lots of small-group discussions.”

Munroe is widely respected by his peers in media because he first demonstrated how to launch a best-selling book himself with his 2024 best-seller Telling Stories in the Dark, the first title from Reformed Journal Books.

So, who are these families we’ll meet in Green Street?

This week, we asked Dave Larsen to talk with our readers—via a Zoom interview—about his hopes for Green Street in Black and White as the novel launches nationally on April 29, 2025. Here is some of what Larsen said:

“The first thing I want people to know about Green Street is that I tried to give readers a good story—the kind of story they will want to keep reading. That’s why I’m pleased to hear early readers tell me they’re enjoying it. One reader told me that each chapter almost feels like it could stand on its own as a short story—but they just had to keep reading to learn what happens next to the characters. At the core of this, that’s what I hoped would happen: People will enjoy the ‘read.’

“The story is seen from the point of view of 12-year-old Erik Pedersen and his friends—the Green Street Boys—who are trying to make sense of the confusing adult world around them. The big change in their neighborhood is that the white parents decide to move away—in what readers will recognize as ‘white flight’ in that era. So, yes, it’s a timely book. We’re still wrestling with these issues right now.

“As it says on an opening page in the book: This is ‘based on a true story.’ It’s my story. These kinds of things happened to me and my friends and our family. And yet, over the years since then, I never did sit down with my parents and have a real conversation about their decision-making as they decided to move away. I regret that. When I became a parent myself, I naturally thought back on my parents’ decisions—and I wished that I had asked them more about why they did what they did.

“So, I am going back in Green Street and looking at what happened through the eyes of this boy who is a curious kid with lots of questions. Erik likes to read, loves Sherlock Holmes, and he’s an observer—including from the perch of his treehouse. He and his young friends are closely watching what happens among the adults around them. The choices those adults are making will forever shape their lives.

“One of the things I hope this book may provoke is a discussion with questions like: What are we showing our children today? Are there any signs of hope?

“And, as I talk to groups, I am letting them know that I am hopeful. I see signs particularly of Christian communities—including some Christian schools—that are purposefully trying to bring disparate communities together so that the things that unfold in this novel won’t keep happening today.

“It’s true that some things aren’t different today—but a lot of hearts have been changed since that time I’m writing about. I do feel optimism that more and more people are reflecting on what the kingdom of God really ought to look like. I hope that this new novel may be a part of that journey for readers—and that it’s a good opportunity for people to talk about what kinds of communities we’re building.”

Just how timely is Green Street in Black and White?

The phrase “white flight” typically refers to the major population shifts post World War II through the 1960s as freeways expanded, suburbs exploded and communities migrated—often driven by racism, fears of declining property values, changes in public schooling and other related social tensions.

But the fact is: Americans continue to segregate along racial and ethnic dividing lines.

If you are buying a copy of Larsen’s book—and especially if you are considering this book for group discussions, here are some resources to help shape the conversation today:

Two of the best sets of publicly available data for general readers come from Stanford and UCLA.

First, here’s “70 years after Brown v. Board of Education, new research shows rise in school segregation” from the Stanford Graduate School of Education.

Second, from UCLA, here’s “New report details extensive segregation in suburban schools of largest U.S. metros amid policy vacuum

Finally, from 2022 via the U.S. Census, here’s “Metropolitan Segregation: No Breakthrough in Sight

Then, here are two powerful interactive resources to let readers zero in on their own communities nationwide.

Stanford provides The Segregation Explorer—an “interactive map to view school and neighborhood segregation between racial/ethnic and economic groups in states, counties, metropolitan areas, and school districts over the past several decades.”

Then, from the Brown University American Communities Project, here’s the Diversity & Disparities database—”information on specific metropolitan areas and their respective city and suburban portions.”

Care to Read More?

You can learn more about the current—and upcoming—Reformed Journal Books—and you can sign up for free emailed columns from the Reformed Journal online magazine by visiting the RJ website.

For immediate reading from Reformed Journal Books, we recommend:

Click these covers to visit the Amazon pages.

In the darkest corners of our lives, where sorrow, trauma, grief and pain reside, there exists a profound capacity for resilience and hope. Telling Stories in the Dark by Jeffrey Munroe is a uniquely inspiring non-fiction book that illuminates the transformative power of sharing our most profound experiences of suffering.

Travel shapes our identity, from ancient spiritual journeys to the modern movement of people across the globe. In his latest book, Douglas J. Brouwer, a pastor, scholar and lifelong traveler, invites readers to reflect on the profound, transformative power of travel in all its forms. With over 40 years of pastoral ministry in the U.S. and Europe, Doug shares personal stories from his own life, from childhood road trips to leading mission teams, study tours, and pilgrimages.

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Love to travel? Share inspiring stories with Douglas J. Brouwer along ‘The Traveler’s Path’

Hit the road with Doug this week
in the national release of
‘The Traveler’s Path’

(Still undecided? We’ve got a link below to read a sample chapter.)

Click on the book’s cover to order your copy from Amazon. This book soon is available online wherever good books are sold, including Barnes & Noble.

By DAVID CRUMM
Editor of ReadTheSpirit magazine

Even before this week’s national release of The Traveler’s Path—Finding Spiritual Growth and Inspiration through Travel—Douglas J. Brower has been hearing loud and clear from readers who are eager to get a copy of his book.

“And I’m learning something important: The main reason people want to read this book is because they already enjoy travel and they want to see how the stories in this book connect with their own stories,” Doug said in an interview this week. “When I go to events to talk about the book—people are eager to tell me about their own travel experiences. There’s a real interactive connection in this book—no question. I’m learning that part of the value of this book is the way it connects people with each other.”

And new this week: To spark interest in the book (which is published by Reformed Journal Books), Doug and Reformed Journal Editor Jeffrey Munroe decided to publish this online excerpt from a chapter about the wonders that travelers can discover in exploring different languages around the world.

“The book includes lots of ideas about deepening our experiences with travel—from how we look at art to how we look at the stones in the street in front of us,” Doug said. “And one way to  believe that one way to make travel more enriching is to seriously consider language training. So, the chapter we’re sharing this week through The Reformed Journal is about what happens when we try to speak to people in their own language.”

“I like this chapter, because it’s got a wonderful final scene,” Jeffrey Munroe said. “We’re hoping lots of people will read the book—and will discuss it in their congregations—and in whatever small reading groups they’ve got. That’s why we also will be offering a free discussion guide to the book that readers can download from our website.”

Of course, there’s a whole lot of Doug’s ongoing speaking and writing that is free to anyone who wants to join this traveler’s path. For example, although he is distributing his regular columns through the Substack service, he has “set the paywall” so that anyone who signs up—even if they opt not to make a payment to Substack—will get all of the columns.

“I used to write through a WordPress website and I’ve been doing that for a long time—but two years ago I decided it was easier to move everything over to a Substack newsletter,” Doug explained. “I write about the intersection of faith and life and I’ve had more than 800 people sign up to receive these columns—so they seem to be popular.

“But I want everyone to get all the columns, whether they want to pay a Substack fee or not. So, there’s a valuable tip I can share: Save your money to buy a copy of the new book—because you don’t have to pay for my columns on Substack. Those online columns are free.”

Doug enjoys talking with people—which you’ll learn if you get to know more about him. He’s open to invitations for public appearances.

“And, right now as the book launches, I’m going to be all over the podcast universe. So far, I’ve already got 20 scheduled podcasts.”


Q: Where can I order this book?

Answer: This book is available March 25, 2025, wherever good books are sold online across North America and around the world, including:

Amazon,

Barnes & Noble,

Walmart

and Powell’s.


Q: How can I get in touch with Douglas Brouwer?

Answer: Visit him via his Substack site, where you can send him a message and consider joining his more than 800 other subscribers.

TO VISIT HIS SUBSTACK SITE, use the text link above—or click on this snapshot from his opening page. 


Q: And where is that free excerpt, again?

As we reported above—To spark interest in the book (which is published by Reformed Journal Books), Doug and Reformed Journal Editor Jeffrey Munroe decided to publish an online excerpt from a chapter about the wonders that travelers can discover in exploring different languages around the world.

Wondering how you’ll survive all the change around you? This spring, you’ve got to read ‘Green Street in Black and White’


By DAVID CRUMM
Editor of ReadTheSpirit magazine

Click on the cover to visit the book’s Amazon “pre-sale” page.  If you prefer, the book also is available in both paperback and hardcover for pre-ordering on Barnes & Noble, too.

Feeling overwhelmed by the turbulent changes swirling all around our communities right now? Then, this spring, please read Dave Larsen’s Green Street in Black and White—a new book coming soon from Reformed Journal Books. It’s a novel that explores how such upheavals in the lives of parents in a modest Chicago neighborhood will forever affect the lives of an 11-year-old boy and his friends.

The novel is both a page-turning, coming-of-age drama—and a cautionary tale for all of us about how the conflicts in our communities nationwide are likely to be viewed by the millions of children watching us.

It’s a powerful new perspective on the long-term impact of living with such culture clashes.

And, it’s not even set in 2025!

In fact, novelist Dave Larsen takes us all the way back to his own childhood in the early 1960s on Chicago’s Green Street—and a summer of social upheaval  when youthful mischief collided with the weight of adult fears. The novel is set in Englewood on Chicago’s south side, a community like countless others across America that were marked in that era by the lively interaction of families, despite ethnic divides and the realities of integration and white flight. The story follows Erik Pedersen and his friends, the Green Street Boys, as they confront prejudice, discover solidarity, and witness the cracks in their seemingly ordinary world. As families leave, neighbors and their congregations grapple with fear. As tensions rise, Erik is thrust into a moral conflict that challenges his understanding of right and wrong.

This novel also is ideal this year for group discussion and Larsen provides a free, downloadable discussion guide to help spark spirited conversation. For more information about Green Street in Black and White, see https://reformedjournal.com/all-books/.

To preorder a copy of this gripping novel, visit Amazon right now.

(Note about pre-ordering: This book’s official launch date is April 29, so Amazon’s listing of the book is just beginning to emerge on the Amazon website. Nevertheless, you already can click to pre-order a paperback—or wait to see the hardcover and Kindle versions come up for sale on Amazon later. If you prefer to shop via Barnes & Noble, Dave’s book already is listed at bn.com in both paperback and hardcover. Before its April 29 launch, the book also will be listed online by all retailers of quality books, including Walmart.com.)

Back from the Blaze: Jonathan Grimm returns to helping others navigate the storms around us all

JONATHAN GRIMM (Photos of Jonathan are by Alex Scott)

Literally rising from the ashes, Jonathan Grimm returns to his mission to help us all avoid becoming ‘The Future Poor’

By DAVID CRUMM
Editor of ReadTheSpirit magazine

For years, Jonathan Grimm has been a leading financial consultant helping clients to prepare for the future—and then, in January 2025, his family’s modest home in California—and their entire neighborhood—went up in smoke in the raging California wildfires. As he and his wife and children raced for their car in the middle of the night to escape the flames—saving only what they could carry to the car—Jonathan was on the verge of launching his inspiring call-to-action book, The Future Poor.

(If you care to know more about the specific fire that Jonathan and his family survived, The Washington Post staff just published a highly detailed report on this horrific fire that hit with little warning, summing up this “cautionary tale” this way: “In an era of climate-fueled firestorms that can overwhelm first responders, delays to evacuation alerts can prove catastrophic.”)

Like so many others—Jonathan, his wife and children had zero warning until suddenly their life went up in smoke.

We’ve delayed the release of his new book a bit—to allow Jonathan breathing room to begin rebuilding his considerable online presence. And now, as we approach spring, Jonathan tells us that he’s still traumatically unsettled, but he’s also more determined than ever to help people navigate the potential financial crises around us.

“I’m coming back! I’ve got to share with other people what I can see so clearly. And, I can tell you: I’m coming back to this work with an urgency I’ve never felt,” Jonathan said this week. “The fire has changed our lives in so many ways that we still are discovering. In my family we have begun talking about pre-fire and post-fire realities. The bulk of my new book—including all of the financial analysis about the deep cracks in our retirement planning—was written by ‘pre-fire Jonathan.’ But now there will be a new, introductory, post-fire section in the book that we just finished this week. And the real news is the post-fire urgency with which I’m going to be reporting on these issues through my ongoing speaking, teaching, columns and podcasts.

“What unites the vision of pre- and post-fire Jonathan is my life-long sense of the value of ‘community.’ Even in the coldly, carefully calculated conclusions of my pre-fire research, I kept returning to a profound sense that we must collectively realize that our financial futures are bound up in our communities. And now? Now, I’m living through what a community can do when it truly comes together in powerful new ways. I’m living through the truth of what I had been recommending to people—and discovering what works and what doesn’t work. I know, now more than ever, that we need the entire community around us to build a better future.”

Step 1 in Jonathan Grimm’s ‘Rising from the Ashes’:
Restarting ‘Grimm News’

BACK IN SEPTEMBER 2024, we published a Front Edge Publishing column headlined: Care about your financial future and that of your loved ones? Start reading The (free) Grimm News!

For several months, we occasionally repeated our recommendation to “go read what Jonathan’s writing! If you follow his Grimm News columns regularly—you’re sure to find news that’s both fascinating and helpful.”

HERE’s THE ADDRESS YOU NEED: https://www.thefuturepoor.com/ Sign up to get his free columns by email and, yes, you can cancel easily at any time. So, don’t worry.

IN MARCH 2025, the newest columns include:

Wildfire Aftermath: A short update from Jonathan about life after the devastating blaze.

The Bill Belichick Model for Retirement: Taking notes from one of my coaching heroes.

And, Full Retirement Age changing: What happens when Full Retirement Age changes?

You can expect at least a couple of new columns each week—keeping you up to date about important news you might otherwise miss in your busy life.

Step 2 (coming soon):
Restarting his ‘What’s up with money?’ podcast

In March 2025, Jonathan and his colleagues are ramping up their popular podcast about navigating the complex challenges of America’s marketplace. If you sign up for Jonathan’s Grimm News newsletter (above), you’ll learn about the podcast’s new episodes as they are launched online.

Step 3 (coming soon):
His book will appear nationally

In the Spring of 2025, you’ll see Jonathan’s new book appear for pre-sale on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Walmart websites—and all other online sellers of quality books. If you sign up for Jonathan’s Grimm News newsletter (above)—you get it, right? You’ll learn about the book’s pre-sale and launch schedules as well.

And, finally we’ve got to crow about this—
What an appropriate book cover, hmmm?

Click on the cover to visit Jonathan’s website.

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‘LIVE! … from Boston!’ it’s Howard Brown still Shining Brightly despite a deadly new cancer

He’s got a message of hope and compassion for all of us!

By DAVID CRUMM
Editor of ReadTheSpirit magazine

“LIVE FROM Dana Farber Cancer Institute in Boston, Sixth Floor-C, Room 51—we’re still Shining Brightly!”

That’s what our friend—Shining Brightly author Howard Brown—said this week as his Harvard medical team are giving him a rising mountain of hope after a traumatic downturn in his chances of survival in recent weeks.

Here’s the background if you’re just meeting our friend, who has been a frequent guest in our online magazine over the years: Howard Brown was one of the Silicon Valley pioneers who helped to launch popular services ranging from streaming audio to digital video editing. Then, he began “giving back” from his own successes through major efforts in peacemaking, building interfaith relationships, advising other fledgling entrepreneurs. And—most importantly—Howard has become internationally respected for his tireless advocacy on behalf of cancer patients. Even before this new titanic battle with a very rare form of aggressive leukemia, Howard was known around the world as “The Miracle Man” for his earlier survival of two other advanced, aggressive forms of cancer.

“When I beat this third one, I don’t even know how we can express the odds I’ve overcome,” Howard told me. “People like to call me The Miracle Man because, through the decades, I’ve beaten first a very advanced form of lymphoma and then, years later, I beat a very aggressive form of colorectal cancer. The odds against achieving that twice? Astronomical. That’s why my resilience in beating those has given so many people renewed hope. And now? Now?”

Metaphors like “odds” fail at this stage in Howard’s cancer odyssey.

Click the cover to visit the book’s Amazon page.

As Howard’s friend and editor, I have seen the impact when he appears at events that draw together cancer patients, medical experts, caregivers and friends of cancer patients. At such programs, from small gatherings to giant conferences, all Howard has to do to flood his audience with renewed hope is to walk out on stage, smile and raise his arms triumphantly. He’s proof that—despite whatever odds a cancer patient is given—they, too, can hope to thrive once again.

His life story focused on those two successes against cancer—and the keys to resilience people can learn from him. He seemed to be cancer free and was traveling far and wide speaking to groups.

Then, out of the blue last fall, Howard was hit with a diagnosis of a form of leukemia that was almost certainly going to be lethal, mainly because it was such a rare variant that was attacking his body with overwhelming speed. Howard’s Michigan-based oncology team immediately helped him to engage this new foe—but their initial strategies failed. Just a month or so ago, Howard’s Michigan team concluded that, this time, this extreme form of leukemia was going to kill him. So, Howard began calling folks like me to make somber arrangements for final visits.

“I won’t lie to you, David: They’re telling me I’m facing the end. So, it will be nice to see people in whatever months I’ve got left. I hope that, even with my compromised immune system, we can get together soon,” he said to me at that time.

The future looked bleak.

Then—enter a determined medical team at Harvard willing to take a long-shot, last-ditch run at this cancer! Howard flew to Boston and will be living for the next couple of months in a cancer-isolation ward at Harvard’s Dana Farber Medical Center. And, so far, the Harvard team’s strategy is working. It’s working so well that Howard felt comfortable helping me to prepare this latest story that might bring renewed hope to readers.

“First thing to say about this move to Harvard is—it feels good to be home,” Howard said. “And you know that’s one of the first things I tell people about beating cancer—don’t try this alone. Cancer is a team sport. You need your people around you! Out here, now, I’m much closer to my parents’ home, so they can visit me much more easily than in Michigan,” Howard said. “And—what a strange and wonderful twist in my story this time—my Harvard team now is headed by the young oncologist who I first met all those years ago in my first battle with cancer—it’s in the book, of course.”

Yes, it is—that story and many other inspiring true stories from Howard’s life. In fact, if you want some truly “Good News” reading this month—a book that points all of us toward resiliency, hope and the need to build healthy communities together—then you can salute Howard’s inspirational efforts by ordering a copy of his memoir Shining Brightly from Amazon now.

So, what prompted this fresh story? Three things.

Click on this magazine cover to read a 2024 story in our Front Edge Publishing website about the work of Sanet van Brida.

First, we all were surprised by Howard’s friend—a media entrepreneur in South Africa, Sanet van Breda—who dedicated the entire 18th issue of her magazine Diamond Moments to Howard’s inspiring story.

“It was so wonderful to see the new cover of her magazine. It really lifted my spirits—plus it’s her 18th issue—and you know the significance of the number ’18’ in Judaism—it’s in the book, right?” Howard said.

“Of course,” I said.

And, why is Howard holding a basketball on the cover of Diamond Moments magazine?

“I love that basketball on the cover,” Howard said. “Basketball is my Happy Place—and there’s a whole chapter about that—”

“—in your book,” I said.

And, you get the idea, right? If you haven’t, already, please consider getting a copy of Shining Brightly.

Second, the global audience for Howard’s weekly podcast, Shining Brightly, continues to grow and just topped a total of 350,000 downloads! That’s even though—during his current struggle with cancer—he has not been posting new episodes.

You can find all of the 112 episodes of Howard’s podcast on his homepage. Howard apologizes in advance if there are any glitches in his website’s various navigation features, because—well—he’s been in isolation battling for his life for weeks now and not tending to web maintenance. However, all of those podcasts are free of charge and are easy to download. In a few months, Howard is fully intending to return to his public life—so more podcasts may come at that time.

Third, today (this is the March 10, 2025, issue of ReadTheSpirit magazine) is the 59th birthday of Howard and his twin sister Cheryl Brown Gingras. Want to see a super-cute photo of them together as children? Want to read about how Cheryl already has saved Howard’s life once?

Of course, you know what to do: That cute family photo and that story are in the book.

And finally (fourth), every March is Colorectal Awareness Month and Howard never misses this annual opportunity to promote awareness of this potentially life-saving effort. Every year, he actively tries to convince folks to get themselves screened.

So, this is a great opportunity to repeat Howard’s public “Call to Action” these days:

How can you help?

Howard Brown’s Public Call to Action

  • Get yourself scanned, screened or otherwise tested for cancer! That step just might save your life.
  • Consider donating blood and/or platelets where you live. Howard is alive today partly because of transfusions—and he’s just one of the approximately 5 million Americans who will need a blood transfusion this year. Please, donate.
  • Join the bone marrow registry at the National Marrow Donor Program (formerly known as Be the Match) or Gift of Life. It’s easy to get swabbed for these databases that helping to save lives every day.
  • Be kind to others. Simple? Yes. And it’s needed now more than ever.
  • Hug your family and friends for no reason.
  • Please send prayers and hugs Howard’s way.
  • And, keep Shining Brightly always!

Want to come along? Here’s a first glimpse of ‘The Traveler’s Path’ with author Doug Brouwer

Click on this image of the front cover to visit the book’s Amazon page and pre-order your copy right now. (PLEASE NOTE: Amazon is just beginning to “load up” this book page this week—so there’s more to come. For example, a Kindle version of ‘The Traveler’s Path’ is coming soon.)


This book is ‘a profound voyage of spirit’

“Travel is our origin story.
With this book, I am challenging readers to discover the connections
between our own “travel” within this larger movement of peoples—
and the timeless call of God through our religious traditions—
so we might glimpse the greater depth, breadth, and meaning of our collective movement,
our setting out and going places.”
From Douglas Brouwer’s opening chapter


FIRST, ENJOY DOUG’S 1-MINUTE INVITATION:


WHAT ARE EARLY READERS SAYING?

“This book is an adventure. Invited in by personal stories, this well-crafted book drew me to explore my own thoughts and experiences. That’s because Douglas Brouwer’s honest commentary on his growth allows others to look honestly at their process. I was very impressed by the amount of research into various views of travel, which added significantly to broadening my own understanding and provided a solid base for further discussions. There were two bits of writing that caught my attention. One was Doug’s quote of Thomas Merton’s words spoken close to the end of his life. In essence they were: We are all one but imagine that we are not. The other was a comment made about a self-discovery of his own. He came to understand that one of his gifts was being able to listen. I experienced this quality a few years ago when he listened, over long emails, to my own processing of finding the book I was wanting to write. His ability to hear my personal travel into that book allowed it to happen—a gift from a fellow traveler.”
Judith E. Bowen, author of The Mystical Symphony, A Memoir of Healing, Vision and Wonder

“In a true journey of the soul, Douglas Brouwer paints an exquisite portrait that echoes my own experience of leading pilgrimages to the Holy Land—not as a mere journey across continents, but as a profound voyage of spirit. From the sacred stones of the Holy Land to the remote corners of the world, this book traces the footsteps of pilgrims past and present, each journey woven with faith, purpose, and a desire to seek both within and beyond. Through the lens of mission trips and sacred travels, Brouwer shows us that the act of pilgrimage is not only about the places we visit but the transformation that unfolds along the way. This is a book that will stir the soul, beckoning us to explore the deeper meanings of travel, to walk in the footsteps of the divine, and to serve with open hearts wherever we are called.”
Rick Ricart, Founder and President of Imagine Tours & Travel


ARE YOU IN MICHIGAN? CARE TO JOIN IN THE BOOK’S LAUNCH?

Douglas Brouwer recently issued a public invitation to friends far and wide—old and new:

As you may already be aware, my most recent book—The Traveler’s Path—is about to launch, and I’ve scheduled a book launch party for Saturday, March 29, at the First Presbyterian Church (659 State Street, Holland, Michigan), where I worship most Sundays, when I’m not doing something church-related somewhere in the world.

The event will start at 4:00 p.m. and be finished by 5:30 or so. There will be something to eat and drink—though, sadly, not dinner.

There will be a time for me to thank some people (I’ve got quite a long list!), then there will be a reading from the book (humorous and poignant), and finally there will be a book signing and time for mingling with some really interesting people

And, in Doug’s view—if you read this and care to come along, you’ll instantly become a “new” friend.


IS THERE ANYWHERE ELSE TO ORDER THIS BOOK?

Sure! This book soon will be available online wherever good books are sold, including Barnes & Noble, which has already posted its pre-sale page, and eventually the Walmart website—and other retailers around the world.


Care to Get in Touch with Douglas Brouwer?

Visit him via his Substack site, where you can send him a message and consider joining his more than 650 other subscribers.

TO VISIT HIS SUBSTACK SITE, use the text link above—or click on this snapshot from his opening page. 


Care to see more?

Signs along a hiking trail in Switzerland.

Playing outdoor chess on one of his many adventures.

Stolpersteine are interwoven with paving stones in Germany as a reminder of the many who were killed in the Holocaust. You’ll read about this unique public art project in one chapter of ‘The Traveler’s Path.’

A centuries old doorway along the Camino pilgrimage route in Europe.

What a sign! A rainbow appeared as Douglas Brouwer recently was walking a stretch of the Camino in Europe.

We are inspired by the poetic instincts of birds in ‘Murmuration,’ thanks to Jeffrey Munroe

Christian Century’s video podcast features Jeffrey Munroe’s soaring poetry

IN THIS UNIQUE CONVERSATION, Jon Mathieu—The Christian Century’s community engagement editor—was moved to learn more about a poem published in that venerable magazine, which was founded in 1884 and still serves as a flagship publication for mainline American Protestants.

In this video interview, Jon begins by praising the poem: “That is one of my favorite poems that Christian Century has ever published.”

Although it is difficult to describe a creation as multi-faceted as a poem—Jeffrey is eloquent in talking about the process behind these words.

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Care to learn more?

‘When we tell our stories, others find their own healing and hope’

Click the cover to visit the book’s Amazon page.

If you enjoyed Jeff’s video conversation about his poetry, we can guarantee you’ll enjoy his compelling storytelling in his nonfiction book about coping with trauma: Telling Stories in the Dark.

Don’t simply take our word for it: Here’s a link to veteran journalist Bill Tammeus’s review that calls this “an enormously helpful book.” Bill headlined his review: Confronting trauma not with explanations but with love

Want to read a sample? Telling Stories was the first book in our new Reformed Journal Books imprint, which will produce three more books in 2025. To help launch Jeffrey’s Telling Secrets in early 2024, the Journal editors chose to provide a brief excerpt, headlined: The Thing with Feathers, a phrase Emily Dickinson famously coined to describe “hope.”

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