I have included affiliate links below. When you purchase through these links, I may receive a small commission. Thank you for supporting this site and our sponsorship of our Compassion child, Samson!

I’ve got a lot of love for all of my lovely book-writing friends right now, but I have to admit – when one of those friends is a fellow Nebraskan and makes all sorts of references I totally get from having lived in the same town, the book is a little extra special.

Don’t worry if you’re not a cool Nebraskan like Michelle DeRusha and I, you will still love every single page of Spiritual Misfit, Michelle’s memoir of her lack of faith and the experiences that changed that around.

Words like memoir and faith make Spiritual Misfit seem like a heavy, serious book, but I assure you it is quite the opposite. Just ask The Hubby how many times I’ve laughed out loud or until I cried as I was reading this in bed each night. Michelle is hilarious and a fabulous, honest storyteller. I really didn’t want this book and her stories to end.

Even though I have believed in God my whole life, I connected with Michelle’s experiences on many different levels. First of all, we’ve both got the boy mom thing going on. The wrestling and fascination with creepy crawlies and the desire to pass on legacy of faith to my boys – Michelle portrays motherhood in such an unapologetic, refreshing way. Let’s face it. Motherhood makes us face so many of our deepest, darkest fears and shortcomings, but it also refines us. I loved reading the part motherhood played in Michelle’s walk towards faith. And the story about Cheez-Its – you just have to read it. We’ve all been there. {I heard Michelle tell this story in person at Refresh My Heart – tears of laughter streaming down my face.}

Another way I really related with Spiritual Misfit was in the missing out on relationship with Jesus until I was older. For whatever reason, I didn’t find my personal relationship with Jesus until I was 19 years old. When I finally made this faith connection, I felt a newfound openness in my prayers, but also some awkwardness. Praying out loud in groups was unfamiliar and I wanted to say the “right words.” Michelle’s honest thoughts on her experiences in bible studies and small groups were so refreshing – not knowing what to pray and how to be “real” as a new believer in a group of veterans. I often still feel this sense of discomfort when I keep my focus on what others in a group might think of my spirituality, not on what God thinks of me. Just like Michelle, just like all of us, I’m a work in progress.

Whether you’ve been a Christian all your life or you’re just starting to wonder if Jesus is for you, Spiritual Misfit is a book that will make you realize none of us “arrive” at a perfect faith – we’re all misfits on a journey. It’s all about always moving closer to Him in all things. I hope you’ll pick up Michelle’s fabulous book for a good laugh, a good cry, and a fabulous read.

I received a copy of Spiritual Misfit to review. I was not compensated in any way for this post, and all opinions are 100% my own.