Greetings friends,

I hope your summer is going well.

Recently I was privileged to spend time with C.S. Lewis in Further Up & Further In, onstage at the Klein Theatre in Washington, DC. Author and actor Max McLean played Lewis in a mesmerizing ninety-minute monologue. Here are a few Lewis quotes to give you a taste.

In Mere Christianity, Lewis said “If there is a design in nature, there must be a designer.” Recognizing this designer helped Lewis believe in God. The beauty and complexity of science and medicine also made it easy for me to know for sure that there has to be a God—a designer without equal. Let us praise God!

Lewis was baptized a Christian when he was thirty-two years of age. His road from being an atheist to being a Christian was strewn with obstacles, often of his own making. He described himself as “the most dejected and reluctant convert in all England.” This part of his life is portrayed in a movie called “The Most Reluctant Convert,” available on platforms like Amazon Prime and You Tube (rental $4.99 as of 8/23). I hope you watch it.

I’m drawn to the writing of C.S. Lewis because his words helped me during a difficult stretch in my life when I was trying to determine what I really believed about God. He detailed the arguments he used to come to his own belief in God and Jesus as the Son of God. He relied on logic to come to his decision to say yes to the gift of faith. He was once asked to make a “come to Jesus” appeal during a war-time Royal Air Force meeting. He said: “I wish I could make such an appeal. I can’t. I wish I could. You do the heart stuff. I’ll do the head stuff.” I laughed aloud, clearly recognizing that I was in his “head” camp, while at the same time deeply appreciating those in the “heart” camp. The latter easily know God in their heart and are spared the intellectual gyrations that some of us have to go through before accepting our faith. I think I can learn much from the heart people. And all of us can learn from a head person like C.S. Lewis who continues to influence so many.

I’ve no SUGGESTIONS for you today, other than to encourage you to read Lewis (check this list of his 14 best books) and watch “The Most Reluctant Convert,”  Enjoy your summer.

Love,

Donna

P.S.  Did you know that C.S. Lewis died the same day President John F. Kennedy was assassinated, Nov. 11, 1963?

EXTRAS:

If you never received it, you might be interested in seeing my Three Keys to a Holy, Happy, and Healthy Life. It’s short and free— and may help you know what to do so you can enjoy abundant health. I wrote it several years ago and still like it!

Dr. Donna Chacko promotes health of body, mind, and spirit through her website (serenityandhealth.com), her blog, her podcast/vlog series Pop-Up Conversations on Health of Mind, Body, and Spirit, and programs at her church. She is the author of Pilgrimage: A Doctor’s Healing Journey (Luminare Press, 2021), a recent best-seller on Amazon, 2022 Illumination Awards Gold Medal Winner, 2022 Reader Views Literary Award Gold Medal Winner, and 2022 Catholic Media Association First Place Awards.