Q&A With Beth Guckenberger

This post was written by guest blogger Beth Guckenberger, a friend of INCM.

I am so grateful to be on this journey with you all! I want this to feel like a conversation, so thank you for the questions you have been asking me! Below are some questions from readers and some from bloggers. (Keep them coming! I want to hear from you!)

Your book was incredibly raw and honest. Were you nervous about being so vulnerable with your readers?

Yes, but it didn’t seem worth the effort of writing without being real. So much pretend is in the world, and I grow most when I honestly exchange with someone. This was my best attempt at starting the exchange. My hope is readers have conversations of substance with people in their life as they process their own insights with each other.

For readers who may have not read Start With Amen, can you share Why Start With Amen?

Starting with “amen” (which means ‘so be it‘) is more a posture than a prescription. It means beginning with the realization he is sovereign and worthy to be surrendered to. Letting go of my agenda right from the start breeds freedom. Then I ask or confess as I would in any normal prayer, concluding by acknowledging who I am addressing, “dear Jesus…”

Inverting my prayer life has allowed me to release control, worry, and fear and embrace peace, spiritual confidence, and freedom.

How has the Lord used your book, Start With Amen in your own life?

The idea of starting with amen has been a tremendous part of my spiritual maturation. The actual book was an act of obedience and any time we say yes to Jesus and then grow through the discipline of following through with that ‘yes’, we are changed.

Can you share your favorite book as a child?

I loved novels, and probably Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing by Judy Blume was one of my favorite stories. As I grew, I appreciated true stories and today read more of those than any other kind.

What’s a book you are reading now?

My friend, Lauren Casper, just wrote a book, It’s Okay About It, about her autistic son. I am in the middle of it and appreciate her warm, conversational tone and spiritual insights.

When you are writing, do you have a daily ritual you follow?

I have no ritual! I do lots of travel, so I wrote a bunch of Start With Amen on a plane, or in a hotel room. Once I am under a deadline, I write whenever I can (I have a houseful of kids!) usually in my room (where I can shut the door!) and with a Diet Coke in hand.

Who do you consider to be a “hero in the faith”?

Oh, no doubt, my mom. She reads her Bible so much and has an enthusiasm for its fresh insights, despite the fact she’s been studying it for 50 years! I appreciate how she gains strength from it for her life, relationships, and calling.

Are you working on another book?

Always! I always have an idea or two floating around my head and my hard drive. I am working on three proposals right now, we’ll see which ones stick around. Thanks for asking!

Check out other books by Beth Guckenberger and updates in her ministry on her website.