Sharon took us all on a journey with her first book, Sensible Shoes. The four characters we got to walk alongside made us look deeply at our own lives. Most of us were left hoping we would get to see these four women again. We weren’t finished growing and some of us needed Meg, Charissa, Mara, and Hannah as traveling companions still. Sharon heard us and now we have Two Steps Forward.

Sharon’s series is its own unique genre. It doesn’t exactly fit into fiction or nonfiction categories. It is an interesting mix. InterVarsity Press doesn’t usually publish fiction, but since Two Steps Forward is deeply focused on spiritual formation, it’s a fit. Certainly these are fictional characters, but we get to walk alongside their spiritual journey’s learning how to develop our own life of faith even as we watch these women stumble forward and back. One of the surprises in my conversation with Sharon was her statement, “Unless I write it, I don’t know what happens to the characters.” She went on to talk about how she might even cry when a character takes her down an unexpected road in the storyline. It’s all a bit mysterious. I, for one, am glad she listens to the mystery and writes it down.

I highly recommend listening to the podcast, but going back and reading Sensible Shoes first, then picking up a copy of Two Steps Forward. You need to know that these books aren’t for the faint of heart. What I mean is if you aren’t interested in spiritual growth, don’t read these books. You’ll be invited to face your own stuff and journey on, or walk away and wonder what might have been.

Sharon certainly hopes you’ll take Two Steps Forward.

Two Steps Forward

For more information about Sharon’s books, visit Sharon’s website, sensibleshoesclub.com.