Early in my Christian journey, I was captivated by the concept of Fortitude. Throughout my life, I’ve generally found myself aware of the right course of action at almost every turn. I’m not claiming to be a genius, but I’ve always had a keen sense of distinguishing right from wrong and good from bad. I could almost always determine the correct path to achieve my goals.
The problem was that even though I knew what to do, I didn’t always do it. There were times when I knew I needed to rise early for an important task, yet I would stay up late, indulging in a movie or finishing a bag of chips. I considered myself an intelligent and reasonable person, so why did I find it so challenging to consistently do the right thing? In conversations with others, I realized I wasn’t alone in this struggle. Many know they should avoid that first drink or be kinder to their family, yet they falter. Seeing someone in need compels us to help, but often, we don’t. Is it fear? Weakness? Or is it something more?
After becoming a Christian, I began to understand this struggle better, especially upon reading C.S. Lewis’s book “Mere Christianity.” Lewis eloquently discusses humanity’s inherent flaws and the necessity of Jesus to help us strive for perfection. Of all his insights, Lewis’ description of Fortitude—essentially “guts”—was particularly powerful. He emphasized that no virtue can stand without Fortitude.
So, I realized that while I may KNOW what needs to be done, I can’t do it alone—I need God’s help. Thus, I pray for Fortitude rather than peace, love, or wisdom. I need the courage to take the hard path.
This revelation led me to jokingly call “Fortitude” my personal “Christian F-Word.” After making this joke for years, my wife humorously pointed out there are actually other “Christian F-Words.” She was right, of course. Faith, Family, Fear, Flood, and Forgiveness are just a few we discussed. This sparked the idea of writing a book that brings together these concepts under an eye-catching title. Imagine walking into a Christian bookstore and seeing a book titled “God’s F Words”—it would surely grab your attention. An F-Word doesn’t have to have a negative meaning—like Jesus in His ministry, this book would not be what the reader expected, but what the reader needs.
However, the publishers weren’t fond of the title, fearing it too closely resembled the notorious expletive. Disappointed, I faced the task of renaming the book. I toyed with many names, even settling temporarily on “Faith in Every Thread,” though I felt it was weak and didn’t truly convey the book’s essence. I would likely have gone ahead with the title “Faith in Every Thread” if it hadn’t been for a dream I had. While I don’t claim that God speaks to me in dreams, I’m aware this is a common occurrence in the Bible, so I took note. Upon waking, I took the simple idea from my dream and transformed it into a new title and cover design in just a couple of minutes.
The new title, “Letter From God,” featured a large “F” on the cover, prompting readers to question whether the book was about an actual correspondence from God or about the letter F itself, suggesting it as a message from God. This dual meaning perfectly captured the mix of humor, intrigue, faithfulness, and seriousness I had envisioned.
Thus, this book, the first of what I hope will be many spiritually inspired works, was completed and published in March 2025!
