"God calls us to a risky and sacrificial faith. And yet even Christians give into fear-mongering and the pitfall of ‘playing it safe.’ Where in the Bible does it say, ‘Don’t take risks for your faith'? Which of Jesus’ disciples avoided danger in witnessing to the risen Christ? Spiritual Grit is an excellent exploration of the mettle necessary for following Jesus, who literally loved us to death and who invites us on an often-reckless adventure to change the world for him."

Richard Stearns

President of World Vision U.S.

"In their 2010 remake of the 1969 John Wayne classic True Grit, the Coen brothers chose as the movie’s theme song the camp-meeting hymn ‘Leaning on the Everlasting Arms.’ Rick Lawrence’s scintillating study of what it means to live in the grip of ‘spiritual grit’ is a handbook in ‘learning to lean’ on those ‘everlasting arms.’ Spiritual Grit is a theological counterpoint to Nassim Nicholas Taleb’s excellent Antifragile (2014), but is more fun and illuminating to read."

Leonard Sweet

best-selling author

"We’ve seen an explosion of literature on the importance of character traits like resilience, endurance, and grit. Yet as I’ve read the books on the topic, something was missing. Actually, someone. How does grit relate to God? In Spiritual Grit, Rick Lawrence makes this vital connection, demonstrating how a ‘desperate dependence on Jesus’ helps build this cardinal virtue in our lives. Lawrence is a master storyteller. His powerful anecdotes and insights will equip and inspire you to take the hard, uphill path that ultimately leads to life."

Drew Dyck

Senior editor at Christianity Today’s online magazine CTPastors.com

"Like never before, our culture is in desperate need of Christ-followers who will do things that others won’t do, love in a way that doesn’t seem possible, and live with a courage that is divinely inspired. Our world hungers for people with spiritual grit. Rick has written a book that both encourages and challenges us to become the sort of Christ-followers that we know we’re called to be, the sort of Christ-followers that embody true grit. I can promise you that this book will fuel your passion for Jesus as it has mine."

Dr. Lina Abujamra

Host of the Living With Power Podcast

"When it comes to growing into the mature men and women God is calling us to be, we too often look for the easiest path. We want quick results. We look for low-cost solutions. We look for ease. But what we really need is spiritual grit. That’s a core message of Lawrence’s book, and he drives it right to the heart with a beautiful combination of grace and honesty. All true growth is by nature uncomfortable, and Lawrence not only does a great job demonstrating how developing spiritual grit is essential to following the real Jesus, but also shows us how to do it, starting today."

Michael D. Warden

Author of The Transformed Heart

"Our culture sets twin idols on pedestals in our hearts: the gods of Comfort and Convenience. Sometimes it seems we would follow them anywhere: eating things that are no good for us and shortchanging those we love by shirking opportunities to serve. Through deep study of Jesus in the Gospels and lots of examples from his own life and the lives of others, Rick Lawrence shows us how and why it’s better to stick with Jesus our shepherd, following him through the valley of the shadow of death, rather than to hang with the god of this age on the shortcut, business-class, direct flight to Easy Street."

Conrad Gempf

Lecturer in New Testament at the London School of Theology