Always a Raggamuffin

Friday, April 12th, Brennan Manning went home to his Abba. Why is this significant to me? Because this man taught me to use the name "Abba" for the Creator that knows me best and loves me most.

Brennan (as everyone called him) has been one of the most influential people in my life. I know his Abba has told him that now...so I'm telling you. It's taken me almost a week and a half to write this post, because I don't think there are enough words to convey how blessed I have been by his life, his honesty, his writing and his humility.

My beloved former pastor, Brian Delbridge, first shared with me that I should read The Raggamuffin Gospel, probably eight or more years ago. I think I've read it at least five or six times since then. The Holy Spirit has led me back to this celebration of God's Love time and time again...just when I needed it.

Brennan's message that your Abba loves you, no matter what you've done and no matter how far you've wandered, changed my life forever. Brennan didn't just preach this...he lived it.

The Holy Spirit brought this message of God's boundless love for me into my life at a time when I needed to KNOW that you can never stray too far from the arms of the Abba that longs to hold you near. I am forever blessed by the words God gave Brennan to share.

I've also read The Signature of Jesus several times and after the first reading was ready to sell everything and follow God wherever He would lead. Funny how this many years later, I'm still trying to live this out.

I have since read Abba's Child, The Rabbi's Heartbeat, The Importance of Being Foolish and Above All and each and everyone carries the same theme: You are loved!

One day, I'll meet Brennan Manning and I'll tell him just how much his life's work touched my life. I have this sneaky suspicion I'm going to have to get in the back of a long queue to do so.

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Other posts in which I have mentioned Manning's works include Thankful and Tithing, Part 2

*If you'd like to know more about Brennan's life and story, read his books. If you'd like the short version, his obituary can be found on his official website http://brennanmanning.com/*