Unlost: Being Found by the One We Are Looking For, By Michael Hidalgo

Unlost

Being Found by the One We Are Looking For

by Michael Hidalgo

Unlost
paperback
  • Length: 169 pages
  • Dimensions: 5.5 × 8.25 in
  • Published: February 04, 2014
  • Imprint: IVP
  • Item Code: 4415
  • ISBN: 9780830844159

*affiliate partner

  • 2014 Readers' Choice Award Winner

Michael Hidalgo writes:

"I grew up in a Christianized world. I always attended Christian schools, and after high school, I even went to a Bible school for a year before eventually going to a Christian college. All the while, I was never interested in what others thought I should do and not do. I never really saw myself as a bad kid, mind you. I was just a guy who enjoyed partying and all the things that came with that.

"However, in my Christianized world, my way of life was considered horribly sinful. Many frequently let me know their opinion of my behavior—even if I didn't ask. . . .

"So I wandered further. . . .

"The more I wandered, the more lost I became. I'm not sure where exactly I was, but I do know that I was a long way from home. Even still, as far as I wandered, something inside me could not let go of the idea that maybe if I did turn toward home God would run to me.

"Every once in a while, I would open myself to the idea of grace, and it would make sense."

This a journey of the mind as well as the heart as Michael Hidalgo uncovers the false views of God that caused him to wander. Many of us have a deep-seated belief we have to do all we can to please God, and how we live believing the spiritual journey is about us finding our way to him. But the good news is the Bible tells a different story. God is doing all he can to get to us. When we encounter him, we become Unlost and discover the joy of being found by the One we are looking for.

"Unlost is an extended meditation on the meaning of grace--a reality many of us sing about, but too few of us really enjoy. Michael Hidalgo writes as if he were your pastor and your best friend wrapped up in one."

Brian D. McLaren, author of We Make the Road by Walking

"Unlost is a treasure map leading us to a hidden gem of truth--we are God's buried treasure, and his unceasing passion is to unearth every lost, broken and irretrievable ruin of our lives. In this deftly written book, Michael Hidalgo blends dynamic storytelling with biblical scholarship and pastoral wisdom--ultimately reminding us of why we call the gospel 'good news.'"

Michael John Cusick, LPC, author of Surfing for God

"Michael has a true talent for seeing an ancient problem in a very new and redemptive light. For millennia, humanity has worked from the pretext that we are able to 'find God.' Our 'lostness' has been demonstrated by an arrogance that has compounded the pain of our separation from God. With depth and humor, Michael helps us realize that God has not lost us, and when we allow him to, he embraces us. Not only can I enthusiastically recommend this book, but I commend my friend Michael Hidalgo to you as a man who has lived this story and loves God and his neighbors intensely."

Jim Liske, president and CEO, Prison Fellowship Ministries

"Michael's book is a much-needed reexamination and rearticulation of a topic many of us assume we understand: the gospel of Jesus Christ. Filled with stories, soaked in Scripture and really quite funny, this book deftly connects the announcement of this good news (evangelism) with the process of saying yes to the good news (discipleship)."

Mike Breen, author of Building a Discipling Culture

"Unlost reminds us that when God pursues us, fear does not have the last word."

Rebekah Lyons, author of Freefall to Fly

"For those who through grace have been found by God, Unlost takes us deeper into biblical history and our own to reveal how amazing this is. Hidalgo's compassion and authenticity call to those who have yet to be found, 'Take heart, God is still looking for you.'"

Shayne Moore, author of Refuse to Do Nothing

"Unlost is the kind of book everyone should read. Literally. Everyone. It's the message of the kingdom, the gospel, the Bible, the church and every person--all wrapped up into a very readable and inspiring book."

Carl Medearis, author of Muslims, Christians and Jesus

"Michael Hidalgo puts a bright light on the pursuing heart of God. In Unlost he combines his own powerful storytelling and the biblical narrative to peel back the clichés and baggage that too often obscure the truth about our lostness and the amazing story of God's pursuit and love for every son and daughter of Adam."

Larry Osborne, author and pastor, North Coast Church, Vista, California

"Michael Hidalgo, a pastor, father and writer, has created a delightful retelling of the old, old story of Jesus and his love. Fresh stories, clever metaphors and faithful retellings of biblical narratives inspire me to come back to God over and over again, expecting the warm embrace of the father toward the prodigal son. Vulnerable and honest stories from Hidalgo's life show me how God's love can enliven and sustain the journey of a modern believer. I would like to be unlost myself, and this book shows the way."

Jenell Paris, professor of anthropology at Messiah College, author of The End of Sexual Identity

"In this wonderful book Michael Hidalgo reminds us that the gospel is good news! Through . . . winsome narrative, Unlost rehearses how our personal stories connect with God's story. Without sugarcoating our challenges, the book inspires hope and confidence in the relationship that God desires with us. This is a great book for anyone who wants to explore their connection with God or who needs to be reenergized spiritually."

Reggie McNeal, author of Get Off Your Donkey! Help Somebody and Help Yourself

"Michael Hidalgo is a gift--as a pastor, a thinker, a leader. This is a book you can't afford to miss."

Margaret Feinberg, author of Wonderstruck
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CONTENTS

Acknowledgments
Introduction: God Found Me

1 A Couple of Couples
2 Naked in Delight
3 Denials, Leaves, Bushes and Lies
4 More Than Maggots
5 It?s All Falling Apart
6 Everything Changes, and Everything Stays the Same
7 Building Mountains
8 You Are Me for Everyone Else
9 Take Me Back to the Start
10 That?s It, but Not All
11 A Theology of Graffiti
12 The New Fig Leaf
13 And It Goes Like This
14 Lay Down Your Guns and Everything Else
15 Closer Than Heaven

Further Reading

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Michael Hidalgo

Michael Hidalgo is the lead pastor of Denver Community Church, which under his leadership has grown from forty people to over 2,000. With the ONE Campaign and Malaria No More, Michael has addressed thousands nationally. He is the author of Unlost: Being Found by the One We Are Looking For and writes regularly for Relevant Magazine. Michael, his wife, and three children live in Denver, Colorado.