Reflections on Anne Jackson’s, Permission to Speak Freely

I read a lot. I have loved books for as long as I can remember. When I was growing up, I was one of those kids who perennially won the reading contests at the public library. I love bookstores and libraries, and can spend hours shopping for books online. There is nothing quite like the scent of a new book, or the feel of the weight of a book in your hand.

I believe that nearly any new thing which is truly worth attempting requires the reading of at least one book to “get started.”

Most of what I read nowadays is about either Benedictine spirituality or nonprofit management, with some mysteries mixed in for fun. One book I read recently, though, transcends those categories and reminded me both how powerful a book can be and what an overwhelming place God desires the world to become.

I have never met Anne Jackson in person, but she is one of my heroes. She is honest, open, and insightful in courageous ways; it must be both fascinatingly delightful and extremely challenging to be her.

Her book, Permission to Speak Freely, is amazingly good. It is full of stories, art, and poetry. It is based in both her own story and the stories of many people who responded to a question she posted to her blog, “What is the one thing you feel you can’t say in the church?” Her book gives us the marvelous gift of taking the first step, of opening the door for the rest of us to go second. Read it, and find out what happens.

One of the book’s greatest strengths is that it does not tell us exactly what to do next; there is no simple, easily-achieved resolution. The end of Permission to Speak Freely depends on how we put the gift Anne Jackson has given us into practice. Don’t let fear stop you.