Dropping the fig leaves

By Brian Hommel

Brian Hommel lives in Gilbert, Arizona with his wife,Kim and three daughters, Abbey, Ellie Grace and Selah Faith. He works for Unlimited Potential Inc. and is currently the chaplain for the Arizona Diamondbacks. As a former professional baseball player Brian now ministers to that unique community.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Green e-books
• Release date: Aug 17, 2010
• ISBN: 9781452425993

Book preview

Dropping the Fig Leaves

A Search for Authenticity

by

Brian S. Hommel

Smashwords Edition Copyright © 2010 by Brian S. Hommel

All rights reserved. Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright 1996, 2004. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. All rights reserved.

No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means—electronic, photocopy, or any other, without the express written consent of the author.

1814 E. San Carlos Place, Chandler, AZ 85249 [e-mail]

www.MovementPublishing.net

LIBRARY OF CONGRESS CATALOGING-INPUBLICATION DATA: Hommel, Brian. Dropping The Fig Leaves: A Search for Authenticity / Brian S. Hommel

ISBN 978-0-9800517-1-1

Library of Congress Control Number: 2008921800

1. Christian Living. 2. Accountability. I. Title.

Acknowledgments

I would like to thank my lovely wife, Kim, who has shown me the face of Christ through her love for me and her pursuit of Him! To my beautiful little girls, Abigail Annsley, Ellie Grace, and Selah Faith, may I reflect to you the very things I have written in this book to your lives daily. To the guys I work with at Unlimited Potential Inc. you have each impacted my life in so many glorious ways, thanks.

I would like to thank Tiernan McKay who helped me so much on this project! Your editing skills blessed me big time. Thanks for giving your time and knowledge to this little book.

Finally, I would like to offer this up to my King who I proudly serve without regret or remorse. Thank you Jesus for giving me life and freeing me from the fig leaves that I have hidden behind for way too long!

Normal

by Tim Cash

Once upon a time, or when the story really begins…for us: Unity and Harmony and Intimacy lived without interruption. Beauty, Extravagance, Freshness…Life was beyond good. The Giver of Life breathed one day and the Normals were. Unity, Harmony and Intimacy continued without interruption.

The Normals thought that they were missing something. Being Normal wasn’t good enough…or so they reasoned. They had heard that super normal was possible.

So they reached for who they weren’t and lost who they were. The Normals became the Ab-normals from that day on. Unity gave way to chaos,

Harmony was lost for shame,

Intimacy or being known was stolen and covered by stuff.

The Ab-normals dreamed and longed of being Normal again. They tried and tried (even to this day try) to get their name back, But it didn’t—and seemed that it wouldn’t ever happen. The Giver of Life had a plan…no—He had THE Plan. I will become, he said…I will offer my uniqueness.

The Ab-normals are disconnected and without ME providing, They will keep doing and will remain distant, dark and disturbed. The Giver of Life became—He Made a way—

He became the Way.

He made a possible connection for abnormal to become normal. He sent SPECIAL to do the work. SPECIAL was the Givers heart. Special is Life! Special Gives Life! Special is really Special. When I realize Who Special is and what Special offers, I refuse to stay AB-normal any longer…

Special offers reconnection in Him.

Unity and Harmony and Intimacy... Beauty, Extravagance, Freshness…

So they reached for who they weren’t and lost who they were.

Unlimited Potential Inc.

To learn more about UPI or to order additional copies of

Dropping The Fig Leaves

Contact:

UPI

P.O. Box 1355, Warsaw, IN 46581

Email: [e-mail]

Web: http://www.UPI.org

Table of Contents

1. The Journey Begins

2. Defining our Struggle

3. Whose Kingdom Is It?

4. Why Fig Leaves?

5. The Fear of Exposure

6. Defining Authenticity

7. Living an Authentic Life

8. Jesus Withers the Fig Tree

Study Guide

The Journey Begins…

"God hath given you one face, and you make yourselves another."

—William Shakespeare

The fact that I’ve written a book is evidence of the Lord’s hand in my life. I never considered myself an author, but I truly have a desire to share with you the pertinent thoughts and lessons the Lord has revealed to me. Although Jesus saved my soul a long time ago, my journey to authenticity has been a struggle. One of the unequivocal facts I’ve learned along the way is that the primary characteristic of an authentic life is the ability to live free in Christ.

When I take time to reflect on my life, a few truths are revealed. The first is that I am in a good place with the Lord…and it has taken me a long time to get here. The second is that I am still a work far from completion, but praise Jesus for not giving up on me. And finally, the King is constantly revealing to me my desperate need for Him every moment of every day! May this book encourage your soul to live free of the fig leaves behind which you may be hiding.

I realize that when it comes to reading a letter, email or book, the interpretation is left to the mind of the reader. So, how can the intended message