MEET THE AUTHOR
ABOUT DAVID G KIRBY
What is most true of David is that he is a Jesus follower. What is also true of him is that he is the husband of an amazing wife, Nancy, the father of five beautiful children as well as the grandfather of their five precious little ones. He is also a doctoral level psychologist in private practice, a pastor at Vertical Church in St. Paul, MN, and an adjunct professor at the University of Northwestern-St. Paul.
Why did he decide to write books?
WHY DAVID WRITES:
I write because loved ones from several generations in my family have drifted away from God and completely deconstructed their faith. How sad and agonizing that has been to observe! Because of that, I decided to write books that will, prayerfully, help them and other potential “drifters” from faith see why Jesus is the best pursuit in the universe. Nothing else compares.
After all, Jesus is the only One who answers all the psycho-spiritual-relational questions in this world. He is the only One who offers solutions to our anxieties, hungers, nightmares, and deep longings to be seen, known, and belong. He is the only One who loves us unconditionally and has the power to fill us with joy, peace, love, and to plant within us a belief that walks by faith in a world that walks by sight.
Second, I have felt an urge for a decade to write a book series that will offer believers in Jesus a Hogwarts experience from a Christian perspective. I want to be very clear—my intent is not to criticize Harry Potter; rather, it is to write books that portray the power of a real God moving in the lives of characters in a way that brings hope to all who read them. The Jack Sutherington series has nothing to do with fictional magic but everything to do with the greatest miracle in this fallen world—hearts transformed eternally by the indwelling presence of Jesus Christ!
Thirdly, I initially intended to write a non-fiction book for young believers in the age range of 16-25 (a period I refer to as the “Love Him or Leave Him” stage) that would assist them to navigate the difficult season when many who have grown up in Christian homes encounter tempests of doubt that lead them to shipwreck their faith against the rocks of materialism, secularism, emotional pain, and the rhetoric of university professors who debunk metaphysical reality.
However, when I began preparing to write this nonfiction book, I heard a podcast about C.S. Lewis and what he referred to as the power of story. Within days, I experienced an irresistible conviction to shift from writing a non-fiction book to a fiction series. I have never looked back.
The fourth reason I wrote this book series was because of the enemy.
Over the years as I raised my own children and worked for 40 years with people struggling with mental illness—many of them in that “Love Him or Leave Him” season—I have encountered the presence of a dark personality in the universe who relentlessly opposes God’s beautiful purposes for humanity. Accordingly, one intent of The Jack Sutherington series is to raise the awareness of how the enemy subtly and not so subtly battles to undermine our intimacy with God, with other people, and even with our own hearts. The war for your soul is real. It is fierce. It will be fought to the death. You must develop awareness and skills to wage that war in your own life and in the lives of others.
The fifth reason I write is to honor the God who pursued me at age 17 just as I was entering the “Love Him or Leave Him” season—and I was strongly leaning toward leaving Him. Since that critical juncture in my life, Jesus has been my best friend, my GPS (God Positioning System) for the navigation of life, and my eternal hope.
There are other reasons I chose to write The Rumbling Beneath and the ensuing books, but the five reasons above are the primary ones.
Dear reader,
I encourage you to listen for the 'rumbling beneath' in this world you walk around in every day. If you listen closely, you might hear it. What is the rumbling? What is the rumbling thunder beneath the monotony and the mundanity of the material world?
It is the groaning of your soul (and the groaning of the universe) as you
hunger for the Creator, as you agonize to see beyond the world of sight and gaze into the eternity for which you were made. It is the deep desire of your soul to be home—finally home—where you will never have to say another farewell.