Take a risk

By Thomas Guenther and ChristianWeek | June 1, 2011

In startling vernacular Tyler Blanski conveys his life as a single man; his worldview portrayed through long conversations with close friends in restaurants and coffee shops. The title, Mud & Poetry, is a good description of what lies between the covers of this book. Blanski deals with the "mud" of the human condition, with a fresh, just-out-of-the-box perspective of the soul that can only be defined as poetry.

Mud & Poetry is, at its foundation, a creed. Blanski is simply putting his worldview, and what has shaped it, on paper. He makes no attempt to sway his readers; he is just making a presentation. His explanation for how he sees life makes this book, in a way, a spiritual memoir written for no particular audience. The young will respect his honesty and perhaps admire the freedom he sees in Christianity, while the not-so-young may remember with joy a time when they were ready to change the world. Blanksi has something to offer everyone.

Most of what Blanksi says is not new, but his prose will force the reader to contemplate his or her own life. It was not a rare occasion that I had to put the book down and dig deep into my own soul: what am I doing with the life God gave me? Maybe the most prominent concept for me is the idea to be bold. Too often I am paralyzed by the fear of doing something wrong when I should be motivated by the fear of not doing something right.

I believe this book is timeless in its message but not in explanation. Not everyone will relate to Blanksi's stories, but don't use that as an excuse to let this book collect dust. It is an invitation to try something new, something you may not like. It is a door thrown open to possibilities only discernible by marching out of your comfort zone.

The Church needs more bold risk-takers, men and women so confident in their position before God's throne that can trust Him to catch them if they fall. Christ came to give us life and life to the fullest degree. That's what's offered in Christianity. That life is only found in Christ. That is the narrow way.