How to Be Here: A Guide to Creating a Life Worth Living

by Rob Bell, Rob Bell (Read by)

Overview

The popular pastor and New York Times bestselling author of Love Wins and What We Talk About When We Talk About God shows us how to pursue and realize our dreams, live in the moment, and joyfully do the things that make us come alive.

Each of us was created for something great—we just need to figure out what it is and find the courage to do it. Whether it’s writing the next great American novel, starting a business, or joining a band, Rob Bell wants to help us make those dreams become reality. Our path is ours and ours alone to pursue, he reminds us, and in doing so, we derive great joy because we are living our passions.

How to Be Here lays out concrete steps we can use to define and follow our dreams, interweaving engaging stories, lessons from biblical figures, insights gleaned from Rob’s personal experience, and practical advice. Rob gives you the support and insight you need to silence your critics, move from idea to action, take the first step, find joy in the work, persevere through hard times, and surrender to the outcome.

Like Stephen Pressfield’s classic The War of Art, How to Be Here will inspire readers to seek the lives they were created to lead.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780062659378
Publisher:	HarperCollins
Publication date:	02/28/2017
Edition description:	Unabridged, Low Price CD
Product dimensions:	0.00(w) x 0.00(h) x (d)

About the Author

Rob Bell is a New York Times bestselling author, speaker, and spiritual teacher. His books include Love Wins, How to Be Here, What We Talk About When We Talk About God, Velvet Elvis, The Zimzum of Love, Sex God, Jesus Wants to Save Christians, and Drops Like Stars. He hosts the weekly podcast The Robcast, which was named by iTunes as one of the best of 2015. He was profiled in The New Yorker and in TIME Magazine as one of 2011’s hundred most influential people. He and his wife, Kristen, have three children and live in Los Angeles.

Rob Bell is a New York Times bestselling author, speaker, and spiritual teacher. His books include Love Wins, How to Be Here, What We Talk About When We Talk About God, Velvet Elvis, The Zimzum of Love, Sex God, Jesus Wants to Save Christians, and Drops Like Stars. He hosts the weekly podcast The Robcast, which was named by iTunes as one of the best of 2015. He was profiled in The New Yorker and in TIME Magazine as one of 2011’s hundred most influential people. He and his wife, Kristen, have three children and live in Los Angeles.

Hometown:

Grand Rapids, Michigan

Date of Birth:

August 23, 1970

Place of Birth:

Lansing, Michigan

Education:

B.S., Wheaton College, 1992; M. Div., Fuller Seminary, 1995

Table of Contents

Part 1 The Blinking Line 1

Part 2 The Blank Page 35

Part 3 The Japanese Have a Word for It 53

Part 4 The Thing About Craft 75

Part 5 The First Number 89

Part 6 The Dickie Factor 113

Part 7 The Two Things You Always Do 131

Part 8 The Power of the Plates 155

Part 9 The Exploding Burrito 183

Endnotes, Riffs, References, and Further Reading 203

Acknowledgments 211

Editorial Reviews

02/15/2016
In this penetrating book, Bell (Love Wins) explores the importance of focusing on the moment in order to create a fulfilled spiritual life. A 2000 boating accident left Bell with a concussion and memory loss, and during his week of recovery he had an epiphany: the present moment is where the joy and depth of life resides. Creativity, he says, is much more than artistic expression. It gets right at the heart of why people exist: every action taken is a way of "participating in the ongoing creation of the world." Bell urges readers to acknowledge that life is a gift, and that resentments or regrets signal a failure to acknowledge in each moment that they have received such a treasure. In a departure from his other books, this is as much a self-help message as a lesson on spirituality. Bell uses the Japanese concept of ikigai—finding one's reason for being—to describe how being present can lead to meaningful and rewarding work, leisure, and family life. Downplaying fears of failure, Bell tells readers that stumbling toward the ultimate goal of happiness in the present is simply an opportunity to learn . Bell's book generously provides effective, down-to-earth advice about living with awareness and clarity. (Mar.)

Publishers Weekly

Bell has an uncanny ability to sneak beautiful truths past the bodyguards of our hearts and wake us up to more inspired, vibrant and complete lives. Every single part of How to Be Here is profound and inspiring (except for the blank pages; those did very little for me).” — Pete Holmes, star of the HBO comedy Crashing

“While reading this book, you get this crazy feeling that the matrix is being revealed, as infinite possibilities for your life start unfolding before your eyes. And all this miraculousness and excitement happens without a trace of darkness or danger; here is a wild journey that you can actually trust.” — Elizabeth Gilbert, author of Big Magic

“Listing all the ways in which Rob has positively impacted my life would take up too much space; so I’ll simply say that he has inspired me to live life with a deeper level of appreciation and to love people with a greater awareness of our connectivity.” — Aaron Rogers, quarterback for the Green Bay Packers

“Bell will be joined by the likes of Brian McLaren, James Martin, Diana Butler Bass and Carol Howard Merritt.” — Christianity Today

“Forever grateful for the brilliant mind, boundless heart and fierce faith of Rob Bell. His work convinced me that it was possible—maybe necessary and thrilling—to be a person of both faith and intellect. . . . Please read everything Rob’s ever written and then go see him live.” — Glennon Doyle Melton, author of Carry On, Warrior

“This book lays out concrete steps we can use to define and follow our dreams. Bell interweaves engaging stories, lessons and biblical figures, insights gleaned from his personal experience, and practical advice.” — Publishers Weekly

“Bell continues to share pastoral wisdom . . . incorporating personal stories of struggle as well as those of key figures in the Bible, Bell also addresses how to identify and pursue your passions. The book encourages people to take the initial step towards joy and empowerment.” — Publishers Weekly

“Because he’s Rob Bell, he packed How to Be Here with plenty of inspiration and provocation for his readers to follow suit.” — Relevant Magazine

“If you want to start living a life that you create with intention, instead of falling out of bed only to fall back into it, this book is for you. I can’t offer a higher recommendation. This work changed my life, and I believe it can change yours too.” — Mike McHargue (aka Science Mike)

“Engaging, accessible, and engrossing.” — Englewood Review of Books

From the Publisher

Forever grateful for the brilliant mind, boundless heart and fierce faith of Rob Bell. His work convinced me that it was possible—maybe necessary and thrilling—to be a person of both faith and intellect. . . . Please read everything Rob’s ever written and then go see him live.

Glennon Doyle Melton

Bell will be joined by the likes of Brian McLaren, James Martin, Diana Butler Bass and Carol Howard Merritt.

Christianity Today

While reading this book, you get this crazy feeling that the matrix is being revealed, as infinite possibilities for your life start unfolding before your eyes. And all this miraculousness and excitement happens without a trace of darkness or danger; here is a wild journey that you can actually trust.

Elizabeth Gilbert

Listing all the ways in which Rob has positively impacted my life would take up too much space; so I’ll simply say that he has inspired me to live life with a deeper level of appreciation and to love people with a greater awareness of our connectivity.

Aaron Rogers

Bell has an uncanny ability to sneak beautiful truths past the bodyguards of our hearts and wake us up to more inspired, vibrant and complete lives. Every single part of How to Be Here is profound and inspiring (except for the blank pages; those did very little for me).

Pete Holmes

If you want to start living a life that you create with intention, instead of falling out of bed only to fall back into it, this book is for you. I can’t offer a higher recommendation. This work changed my life, and I believe it can change yours too.

Mike McHargue (aka Science Mike)

Engaging, accessible, and engrossing.

Englewood Review of Books

Because he’s Rob Bell, he packed How to Be Here with plenty of inspiration and provocation for his readers to follow suit.

Relevant Magazine