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Careless and Loving It (Hit-and-Run Discipleship)

by Rodney A. Kvamme

165 pages; quality trade paperback (softcover); catalogue #02-0392; ISBN 1-55369-579-8; US$20.00, C$22.50, EUR16.50, £11.50

This book encourages people to lighten up and be available to blessings to others in unplanned situations and spontaneous moments. Using everyday examples, it exposes the many ways that "carefulness" can be a disguise used to dismiss or delay what could result in real service and blessing to others.

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About the Book      About the Author      Reviews      Sample Excerpts      Catalogue Info

About the Book "Wait for the ideal" is the hiss of the serpent, not the voice of God. Many a clear and present chance to bring love and joy to others has been missed by waiting for a more ideal opportunity. The author maintains that what is needed is more carelessness. The Table of Contents displays many "playing fields" where "hit-and-run discipleship" is an admirable option. A baseball player will not be an effective member of the team without leaving the security of the plate. There are similar risks for a disciple of Jesus. The author uses lessons from his own life, and asks readers to translate them into their own experience. Hopefully they too will be encouraged to become more careless - and love it.

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About the Author Rod Kvamme writes from his experience as an Air Force Chaplain and Lutheran parish pastor. He and his wife, Pauline, live in the Rocky Mountains of western Montana. At the request of the Montana State Library, the author has recorded his other books. These recordings are available at no charge to the visually or physically impaired.

Reviews "The best word to describe Rodney's book is 'delightful.' After reading CARELESS AND LOVING IT!, I felt like I had been on an emotional vacation. I enthusiastically recommend that you carelessly read it." Walt Kallestad, Senior Pastor, Community Church of Joy, Glendale, AZ "I did not put this book down until I was finished. It caused me to review my relationships with my wife and sons, my friends and family. When God gave me opportunities to help or encourage, did I do it or wait for the perfect moment? Kvamme shares his experiences in such an honest and open manner that I was provoked to carry out 'hit-and-run discipleship' in my own life." Frederick Maliszewski, Lockport, NY "At First Lutheran in Plains, we used CARELESS AND LOVING IT! as a Bible/book study and thoroughly enjoyed it. Rod Kvamme's stories and anecdotes were enjoyable and challenging for our group. Each week we looked forward to sharing our favorite story and how we could take advantage of being 'careless' disciples and love it. It was very helpful for lay people and myself." Bob Nagy, Pastor, First Lutheran Church, Plains, Montana "Kvamme uncovers, through humor and insight, our reticence to be "care-less" about our apprenticeship to Jesus. Detecting hidden evasions and slick excuses, he opens our eyes to the real nature of daring faith. It is a good, as well as challenging, read." Bill Vaswig, President, Preaching & Prayer Ministries, Issaquah, Washington "CARELESS AND LOVING IT! is a wonderful read! Pastor Kvamme offers a light-hearted and practical guide to abundant Christian living by trading our uptight, careful walks for joy-filled careless ones." Stan and Lynda Lynde, Cottonwood Publishing, Inc., Helena, Montana Sample Excerpts

from page 119

Many of the cautions we grow up with relate to being careful. "All right, you may go, but be careful." "Now look what you've done! You must learn to be more careful!" "We can't be too careful about some things!"

Oh, but we can. We can be such careful Christians that our lives slip by without taking spontaneous opportunities to be a blessing. We pass up such opportunities with the best of intentions, for we have learned well to be careful. So we circumvent chances to witness, to care, to help, to listen, because we desire more opportune moments, better settings, more preparation on our part. How presumptuous we become in our carefulness! "Lord, re-create this moment some time in my future, and I shall give it further consideration."

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from page 130-131

Perfect times for discipleship and perfect opportunities to serve God are fantasies that the devil uses to make us put off commitment. When Noah built the ark, it was not a perfect time for boat-building. When Abraham left his country, it was not a perfect time for going. When Gideon led his little army, it was not a perfect setting for battle. Every one of these men could have made a long list of reasons to wait for a better time to respond. The only thing that overcame all the careful reasons for hesitancy was careless trust. There is nothing that can make you feel less comfortable and more wonderful at the same time than offering your life to spontaneously serve the Lord and love others around you. This is answering the call to careless discipleship.

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from page 137

I've found that biblical examples motivate me toward more careless, spontaneous responses that please the Lord. Numerous careless women in the Bible portray what I've been talking about. Ruth is such a one. She was a young widow without children. It would have been more important for her future to find another husband and begin a family, but she opted to stay with and serve her bereaved mother-in-law. It meant a careless facing of many unknowns involving a strange land, different people, and a God unfamiliar to Ruth. The other daughter-in-law of Naomi was the careful one; she went back to her own people to re-establish her life. Few remember her name (Orpah). It is careless Ruth who is best remembered and who became part of the genealogy of Jesus, being the mother of Obed, who was the father of Jesse, who was the father of King David.

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from page 161

A careless Christ? Yes, it seems so. Otherwise, He still would be grasping His equality with God and carefully considering His Father's invitation to go on an incarnate and redemptive mission into the world--and we would be the losers. Instead, He was careless; but I love Him for it, don't you? I want my life to exhibit that same kind of loving carelessness that His did, don't you? Examine your life for areas and instances where you have been too careful and where this carefulness has made you less of a servant to others. Practice a kind of carelessness that will make you less constrained by caution, more open to the adventure of being used by God in your own unique way, and more spontaneous in your response to God. Such carelessness may not be in line with your present character, but it is in line with the character of Jesus. And with that, I rest my case.

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Catalogue Information

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