Mike Paschall spent three years transferring the revelation from his heart and mind to paper. This daily devotional, which is a year long excursion through the book of Proverbs, is the byproduct of several factors: he's been a son for over 60 years, a husband for over 40 years, a father for over 30 years, and a pastor and spiritual mentor for nearly 35 years of public ministry. His desire is that The Holy One will talk to you through these devotionals and that the "In the Pages" questions will prompt you to journal your own thoughts and prayers.
RAW TALKS WITH WISDOM - Not Your Grandma's Devo isn't normal devotional material in the traditional sense. Yes, it's packed with scripture and teaching, but it wasn't necessarily written to "church people." It's targeted to reach a broader audience.
Mike explains, "While writing these devos, I was also doing a lot of traveling and mentoring to young missionaries on the field who were asking hard questions about institutional religion. The people with which I share spiritual community don't talk or act like uptight church people. They want the truth and they want it straight--no wimps allowed. I like that." Thus, the title: RAW TALKS WITH WISDOM - Not Your Grandma's Devo.
One of the objectives of this devotional is that the Lord will speak to you through these lessons. Mike has always gained wisdom and perspective by reading scripture and devotionals, but more important has been how the Holy Spirit has tailored each lesson to fit his own personal life. And the Holy Spirit will do the same for you if you will allow Him It doesn't really mean anything unless we can practically apply truth to the joys and tears of the now.
"If all you come away with after working through these devotionals is more knowledge, then you'd have to really evaluate if it was worth the investment. Take it to another level, beyond mere theology and theory, into the realms of practical reality stuff you can wear, taste, and feel. It helps for you to know He gave you revelation," says Mike.
It dawned on Mike one day that our relationships with the Lord should always be raw. He says he was "stuck in the rut of religious activity" for far too long He's glad to report that what he has with the Lord now feels very real, relaxed, and extremely relevant.
He says, "I live and work in a culture that is filled with young and old ideas. I have definitely mellowed over the years and learned how to slow down. I think this season is teaching me to be more focused on the stuff that actually counts, and to be able to say 'it, ' whatever 'it' really is, without apology and with serious conviction."
The author admits, "I'm not a theologian, and I know that. So there is no use in my trying to be one. I'm a weird mixture of stuff with a rich experience of failure and profound grace. RAW TALKS WITH WISDOM - Not Your Grandma's Devo is a title that feels like me, and gives some sense of the non-traditional approach of the devo. It gives me permission to be myself and say things like I really do."
The angels may not sing along to every single one of these devotionals for you. But maybe, just maybe, some of it will help someone, somewhere, turn and embrace the RAW truth of God's unwavering love and tangible wisdom.