1433 My Strength Is My Story with Shawn Smucker, Once We Were Strangers

Have you ever thought what friendship really means and how you are to love your neighbor? Shawn Smucker shares the story of another man's journey, but what he discovered along the way will surprise you.

Shawn Smucker is a husband of 19 years to Maile and father to their six children. He is the author of Christianity Today's 2018 Fiction Book of the Year, The Day the Angers Fell, and the book, The Edge of Over There which is the sequel that just released July of 2018.

However, his latest book might be his most compelling book of two fathers on opposite ends of a cultural divide; Once We Were Strangers.

Enjoy the multitude of topics discussed including communication, community and coffee.

• Thanksgiving
• Nights together
• Reading
• Daily journal practice
• Prayer
• The Longview
• Starting Over
• Ghost writing
• Internal struggles
• Selfishness
• True friendship
• Communication
• Evolution of friendship
• Church World Services
• The Basics
• Community
• The Introduction
• "Because we're friends now."
• Repayment
• The Move
• Stereotypes
• Racism
• New neighbors
• Security
• The Good Samaritan
• Who is my neighbor?
• The Bigger story
• The difference
• The importance of people
• Coffee
• Make time
• New friendships
• "Be"
• Am I willing?

Quotes and statements within the interview:

"I love nights when we're all just home together."

"I always wanted to write a novel, that was kind of my long dream after a Sunday School teacher read The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe to us when I was a kid."

"It was probably the hardest time of our life as far as the circumstances go, but it's pretty cool to see how that led into a really cool thing."

"So I really expected Once We Were Strangers to basically be Mohammed's story."

"I learned so much about myself through this journey with Mohammed."

"As I became friends with Mohammed, I started to realize what a true friendship looks like and what a true friendship requires of us."

"When they arrive here, they want to work; they want to get jobs."

"Just the past Spring, he and his family moved to Michigan."

"We're called to make these difficult decisions and move into places we're afraid of."

"I think so often, we place ourselves in the positions of certain characters."

"This just can't be a project for me. Mohammed deserves more than that."

"There's something about our friendship that is different than any other friendship that I have."

"When you show up at someone's house, you don't just show up and leave."

"We have more time than we think we do."

What would you tell the person who is struggling with refugees?

• Pray for opportunities to cross paths.

"God I can't see my weaknesses, a lot of the time, but help me to meet people who will help me work through these things."

What has your story gifted you?

• With new questions
• With new fields of myself to explore

"Through this whole thing, I became very much a champion of refugees."

"I need to remain open to listening, even and especially to people I disagree with."

Resources mentioned in the episode:

• Connect with Shawn Smucker
• BOOK: Once We Were Strangers
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shawnsmucker/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/shawnsmucker
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Shawn-Smucker-Writer-248786208498879/

"One step at a time leads to miles of greatness!"

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Cover Art by Jenny Hamson

Music by Mandisa - Overcomer

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Song ID: 68209 Song Title: Overcomer Writer(s): Ben Glover, Chris Stevens, David Garcia Copyright © 2013 Meaux Mercy (BMI) Moody Producer Music (BMI) 9t One Songs (ASCAP) Ariose Music (ASCAP) Universal Music -  Brentwood Benson Publ. (ASCAP) D Soul Music (ASCAP) (adm. at CapitolCMGPublishing.com) All rights reserved. Used by permission.