The Sky Beneath My Feet

by Lisa Samson

Being married to a saint isn't what it's cracked up to be.

Beth's husband won't be joining the family on vacation at the beach this year. He's not even joining them in the house. Instead, Rick has holed up alone in the backyard shed. Nobody knows exactly what he's up to. Maybe he's immersing himself in prayer. Maybe he's lost his mind. Maybe he's even the modern-day prophet or the saint the neighborhood artist imagines him to be. But while "St. Rick" waits for an epiphany, Beth will have to figure out what to do with herself and their teenage sons, possibly for the rest of her life.

What happens next is both uproarious and bittersweet: a peace march turns violent, her son is caught with drugs, and she embarks on an ambitious road trip that turns into something nearly surreal. Will Beth rediscover the idealistic woman she used to be, once upon a time? Can her marriage survive Rick's backyard vigil? Will anything ever be the same? And should it be?

Truthful, comic, heartbreaking, and magical in the very best sense of the word, The Sky Beneath My Feet gently tears the veil off our egos and expectations to reveal the throbbing, redemptive, and achingly beautiful life beyond and within us.

"The Sky Beneath My Feet is bright but unassuming. The protagonist totally enchants both one's spirit and one's mind with her shrewd insights and gentle humility. This is Samson at her best!" —Phyllis Tickle, author of Emergence Christianity

Genres: Fiction, Christian Fiction, Christian, Inspirational, Contemporary, Audiobook, Humor

310 pages, Paperback

First published March 5, 2013

About the author

The Christy-award winning author of nineteen books including the Women of Faith Novel of the Year Quaker Summer, Lisa Samson has been hailed by Publishers Weekly as "a talented novelist who isn't afraid to take risks." She lives in Kentucky with her husband and three kids.

Also, published under the name L.L. Samson

Reviews

[Shirley Sillars · Rating 3 out of 5]

Full disclosure: I was in a hurry when I grabbed this book from the new fiction shelf at the library. I saw the title, read the book jacket blurb, liked the cover picture, and decided this was just what my overstressed mind needed: a beach read.
It wasn’t until I got home and settled in with the book that I noticed the Jesus Fish (as Lisa Samson calls it) on the book cover. Then I scanned the reviews, mostly from the Christian publishing community. Holy hell, I’d borrowed a piece of Christian lit.
OK. As a self-proclaimed heathen, I had to make a decision here. I took a deep breath and decided to set aside my prejudice (not against Christians, but of such niche writing; I’m no more a fan of whatever “Buddhist literature” might be out there.) and see if I could just enjoy the story. Guess what? I did. It lived up to most of what it promised: a nice beach read, fast-paced, great character development, and it all wrapped up tidily in the end. It would make a nice Lifetime or Hallmark movie.
This story centers on a middle-aged, married woman of two teenaged sons whose world turns upside down when her MegaChurch minister husband goes on a vision quest, which when you take the spiritual aspect of it out of it, means he checks out. Everything in her organized life begins to unravel, and while the bubbling anger at her spouse builds to a rolling boil, the pot overflows when those around her, particularly the people who aren’t part of her daily life, begin to regard her husband as almost saintlike. By doing nothing more than sit in a small shack, her husband has gained superpowers that turn around several lives in their small community. Meanwhile, she feels as if every good work she tries to do ends in embarrassment and failure.
These attempted good works are part of how she copes with her new aloneness. With time on her hands, she sets out on a quest, too, to find her old self and the roots of her faith and character. Along the way she meets a number of characters far outside her comfort zone. In the end, all these divergent paths meet and make for a tidy ending.
Now, my gripes. The book teases of a “surreal experience on a road trip” and without spoiling anything, let me say that I was fairly disappointed with the so-called road trip and the developments of the last few chapters. There’s nothing offensive in this novel but the author’s agenda is clear. Given my tastes, this was a bit too squeaky clean for me. I think Samson crafts a good story that examines modern organized religion, compassion, tolerance and the evolution of personal faith. These are issues that cross belief systems.

I’m glad I took myself out of my comfort zone to read this book. It allowed me a peek inside the Christian circle.

[John March · Rating 2 out of 5]

I read this book because it won a Christianity Today book award in 2013 in the fiction category. I enjoyed reading this book for a few reasons. First, I enjoyed reading a story written from the perspective of a woman married to the "men's pastor" at a trendy mega church. Her commentary on their church was funny, even if it was a little expected. I also enjoyed one of the themes of the book, which is recognizing God in ordinary things and ordinary people. My frustration with the book came primarily from two places. I disliked the clichéd way the story ended and I thought there was a lack of depth to the marriage relationship between the "men's pastor" and his wife. After the "men's pastor" takes a prayer retreat, which drives his wife crazy, the resolution is utterly unsatisfying in its shallowness. They just make-up and she forgives him, but there isn't a lot of insight into the reconciliation between husband and wife. Then, the resolution of the book comes when the two of them go into a poor area of the city and "save" a group of predominantly black, poor, and recovering drug addicts who live in a shared house. Sigh...it was a bit too heavy on the white-messianic narrative. The author tried to provide nuance and complexity to the cross-cultural encounter, but it was still hard to swallow as plausible or compelling. There were parts of the book that were very well written, and other parts that felt lacking. I found myself really liking some of the character development and the insights into the protagonist's life, but because of the above mentioned frustrations I ended up not loving it. In a phrase, it was just too clichéd.

[Melissa (Semi Hiatus Until After the Holidays) · Rating 5 out of 5]

At the same time funny and meaningful, this is a beautiful gem. It will cause readers to think about expectations and what it means to truly fulfill the call God has placed in their lives. The characters shine from the page with amazing insight and reminders about what’s important.

Beth has learned how to balance her role as a pastor’s wife in a large church with her family obligations. When her husband Rick decides to take a month-long vacation, Beth sees this as the ideal time for them to reconnect as a couple and as a family. Yet Rick (and God) seem to have other plans. Rick holes up in the backyard shed waiting to hear from God — what is Beth to do? When she feels tugged to be involved in more outreach, will she respond?

[Linda Hutchinson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I would like to share a personal story. I have been suffering from a crisis of faith for some time since my much-loved pastor, in a low moment, decided to end his life. He was vibrant, funny, gifted, and yet he lost his way. The effects of this loss were like waves in an ocean with a ripple effect and far-reaching outcomes. I’ve been searching for a purpose ever since to set my world to rights. It’s not a loss of faith; it’s a loss of meaning. But I forgot that I couldn’t do it on my own. I belong to a wonderful Postal Book Club, where each year we each select one book to share with the others. At the end of the year, I have read five new books. The choices have been exciting, and we have been surprised at the different novels shared. This is one such book. In The Sky Beneath My Feet by Lisa Samson, we meet a pastor‘s wife and family at one of life’s crossroads. Through the lead protagonist also the pastor’s wife, Beth, we find people searching for meaning in their lives. The church has become a way to entertain believers instead of serving souls. Maybe that’s what Is missing; we aren’t here to soak it all up; we are here to help. No one is perfect, we just need to shine a light on need, and maybe if we did so, we would find the life of fulfillment we so desire. Lisa Samson wrote this story in 2013, but it’s more relevant today than ever. God blesses our broken roads. We just need to keep walking. #fiction #faith #God #purpose #theskybeneathourfeet #pubdate2013 #lisasamson
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[Amanda · Rating 1 out of 5]

While I have loved almost all of the author's books, I did not like this one. It seemed like a poorly done repackaging of her book Quaker Summer. So much of the book seemed to say that Christians should be content with helping in a purely physical way and not sharing their faith at all (the disdain for the Jesus fish and lady who was upset over various culture problems; the elevation of Miss Hannah, who was described as not interested in telling people how to be saved but just wanting to patch wounds, etc). Lots of "here's the problem with the whole church" and not much humility in her main character. I highly recommend reading some of her other books (Quaker Summer, Embrace Me, Church Ladies) instead.

[Valerie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not my favourite Lisa Samson book. I didn't particularly like any of the characters however I did like the growth of each of them throughout the story. I was a bit miffed at the attitude toward the Jesus fish on the bumper, if you are a Christian, then be a committed one!

[Emma Jarvis · Rating 3 out of 5]

Summer reading is officially moving forward, and the first book of the summer for me was Lisa Samson's The Sky Beneath My Feet. I had no idea what I was getting into when I began the book- normally, I'm not one for Christian fiction, but I found myself rather intrigued by this novel. The narrator was fun, down-to-earth, relatable, and struggling through life like the rest of us; a relatable narrator alway gets me and drags me in, and Beth was no exception.

Beth's struggles include a preacher husband who's apparently going crazy (or so we all think), children she just doesn't seem to relate to, and beliefs she's trying to remember why she believes. I felt that her story was believable on every level- emotional, physical, and spiritual. We've all had days that seem like nothing more could go wrong, and that seems to be almost everyday for Beth. However, as the novel winds up, Beth, her husband, and children find peace and happiness in remembering the basics of christianity that their artist-neighbor Deedee teaches them- we are all souls and children of God who are struggling but working to be a little bit better.

Lisa Samson crafts a beautiful narrative that is a quick, enjoyable read. I felt that her characters were well rounded (Beth's husband is even so obnoxious at the beginning that I was sure I would never like him, but it turns out I liked him towards the end). Samson points to the simple story of life that everyone can relate to and illuminates the ways in which we can all come closer to our families, our society, and our God.

If you're interested at all, I would definitely give this book a quick read.

[Sheri Freeland · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely love reading Lisa Samson's books, this one was not a disappointment. I could so identify with this mid-life crisis mother and her teen-age sons. She nailed teen-age boys characteristics to a tee (she must have one), especially trying to connect with her youngest son with his birthday. I also identified with Beth's discontentment with her church, despite her husband being one of the pastors. My spirituality gets lost in the loud music, the seeker-friendly environment and the idea of a "holy huddle" of believers in a building that her church represented (the contemporary church of today). Lisa Samson's message of the "church" being outside the walls of a building and in the hearts and actions of people (the saints) came across loud and clear in this book. Yes, it all came together in the end which isn't always realistic but one of the reasons I like to escape into fiction. This book not only touched me because I could identify with Beth the wife, mom, friend and church member but because of the diverse and sometimes quirky characters in this book that had the distinctive Lisa Samson stamp on them. I have read every book she's written and will continue to do so as I think her writing in the genre of Christian Fiction is one of the best out there. She dares to write about authentic Christian people not the ones that the secular media writes about.

[Ashley Bedford · Rating 2 out of 5]

It didn't have a lot of content. Easy read, finished in an afternoon. Characters were not particularly relateable or interesting to me, and they could have been more developed. I did like the ending that showed the people instead of being worried about how they looked to everyone else, they changed their focus to what they can do for the people they had been looking down upon before. Faith without works is dead. Being in a garage doesn't make you a car, being in a church doesn't make you a Christian, or a good person even. Don't bother reading this book, but go find something to do for someone who needs it.

[Joan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a very interesting novel. The first half was a bit slow and tedious for me but then it took off. This would make a good book for a reading group as there is much to discuss - everything from expectations placed on wives to kids taking drugs to being part of a political demonstration. This is like a coming of age story although the character is middle age. She does discover herself and what God has for her. See my full review at http://bit.ly/17yA9m4.

[Roseanna White · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book wasn't what I was expecting, given the cover. I thought it was going to be a road-trip book. Instead, it was a journey book. As I can say of every Lisa Samson book I've read, she led me placed I wasn't expecting, in ways I wasn't expecting, and helped me see things in new ways. Beautifully written and engaging!

[Anita Campbell · Rating 5 out of 5]

I strongly recommend this book for a book club or individual reading. It's really a great book.
Samson provides a reading group guide in the back, full of challenging questions for your book club gathering. I strongly recommend this book for a book club or individual reading. It's really a great book.

[Angelia · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the story of Beth mother of two boys and wife to pastor rick, after a job opportunity her husband rick locks himself away in the back yard shed basically cutting himself off from his family, This was a slow read read for me, and never really seemed to reach a climax

[Monica · Rating 3 out of 5]

I didn't realize this was "Christian" fiction when I picked it up (which is totally not my thing), but it was okay. Well actually, the first half was okay, but the ending was way too cheesy for my liking.

[bethany m. planton · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book drew me in and didn't let go. Read it in one day.

[Joann · Rating 2 out of 5]

SO boring!!!!!

[Pamela · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think this book is written for Christian moms.

[Mary Ann · Rating 4 out of 5]

I came across this book at the library while looking for a light read. I finished it in less than 2 days. Its highly enjoyable.

If you like the Yada Yada series, you'll like this too.

[Maryann · Rating 3 out of 5]

A light, but engaging read.

[Janice · Rating 5 out of 5]

Anyone who wants to believe that a minister's wife is perfect, as well as her husband, his job, her family and their problems, and wants to continue in this belief should not read this book. Or maybe they should, to be enlightened.
Beth's husband is in ministry, and his present job is to be the Men's Pastor. He is offered a job as pastor and does not know what to do. His solution (while he is on sabbatical with his job) is to live in the back yard shed, usually with no contact with his family or outside distractions like the phone or computer. Meanwhile, Beth is left to carry on. She does have one very supportive friend, and together they finally drive to the beach, where Beth gains insight.
I want to remember the conclusions Beth has, when her world turned upside-down (hence the title).
"They're all here, the people I love and the people I want to love. There are not robes, no halos, not that the eye can see, but there are souls, plenty of those. We are all packed in together, filling a small block in a small part of a big city in a big world, overlooked by the blue throbbing fullness of a sky that was always there." "Now I find that what life was making of me, what God was making of me, was not an arrow to trace a path through the sky, but the hub of a wheel. I am the intersection, I am the connections between them all, and the purpose I have been given isn't mine alone. It is for all of us to share. What I needed wasn't something I could take. What I needed was something I could give."

[Jaye · Rating 2 out of 5]

I don't think I've ever come away from a novel with two such contrasting impressions.

Initially, during the first half of the novel, I was all set to rate it five stars, which I so rarely do. I loved the protagonist - her authenticity and sense of humor. I really connected with her and the story.

However, once I reached the middle of the book and the MC encounters an African American community, the novel takes worrying turn. Elderly black men, sitting outside on stoops, are described as eye sores. The first obese person makes an appearance (of course we'd never see that in the lily white 'burbs, right?) Everyone is now wearing cheap, garish clothing and jewelry. The character's English is not so good. People are rude and hostile.

Like wow, Ms Samson, any other negative stereotypes you'd like to perpetrate??

It felt to me as if the author had taken all her bigotry and racism, and condensed it into a few pages of this book. And all these thoughts and impressions coming from a CHRISTIAN WOMAN, a Christian character. This did not sit well with me at all. It all felt so heartless and cruel.
(I should point out that I do have a strong intolerance for racism, as many of my family members are of Caribbean and African descent, but I think anyone with a heart would have been offended by these descriptions.)

And so that was it for me. The ebook was returned to Amazon the next day.

I sure as hell ain't gonna be supporting this racist author. (See, white people can use slang, too, Ms Samson.)

[Bonnie Friesen · Rating 3 out of 5]

The author creates like able yet somewhat unusual characters with the primary protagonist earning my loyalty early in the book. I really loved her analysis of the various church ladies that is truer to life than one may care to admit - certainly did add some color to the book. The plot had a few twists and turns and was really building to a solid crescendo until the last 2 or 3 chapters. ☹️ At this point the antagonist resurfaces and there are various explanations for his retreat to the shed but none are really plausible (and if plausible then utterly boring). Sigh...from crest of the wave to flat on your face eating sand. At this point I could have just dropped the storyline altogether as no real insight is gained from either character after this. The wife forgives and acqiesces much too readily to her Pastor- husband and he seems largely unchanged by his self imposed segregation and as "vanilla" as he was at the start of the book. And the relationship between youngest son and father is never fully addressed or resolved. A lot of untidy loose ends at the end but i was so disappointed I didn't really care.

[Charis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sometimes you fall into a book by chance, and realized afterwards that there's a reason you chose that book. I came across this book in our church library; I grabbed it and took it home without really knowing much about it. I'm very glad I did. This was an enjoyable, and yet spiritually challenging read all at once.

I really appreciated how Lisa Sampson takes us into the real world with this book. It's easy to be comfortable and cozy in our nice Christian life, showing up to church on Sunday and seeming like we've got it all together. The author doesn't hesitate to shine a light on the areas of Beth and Rick's life that are less than perfect, and brings the characters into situations where they are challenged in their faith. I, in turn, was challenged to look at my own life and ask myself: "How am I living out my Christian faith on a daily basis?" "Am I willing to step out of my comfort zone, in order to reach out to the world around me?" I like a book that is not just a nice read, but that actually challenges me to think, and to act, differently.

[J · Rating 3 out of 5]

You know how you have a dream while you’re sleeping and when you wake up you feel you just have to share how odd it was with anyone who will listen? It’s not a bad dream, it’s just that most of the dream doesn’t make much sense. But boy howdy, it’s definitely an entertaining dream. Your listener doesn’t cut you off or ask you if you ate spicy food before your bedtime, she listens patiently to the whole thing. Finally, you wrap up retelling your strange little dream with a tidy little happy ending. Your listener sits there scratching her head in bewilderment, unable to comment.

Yeah, that’s what reading this book is like.

Story: See comment above.
Narration: Great, definitely. Otherwise, I would’ve stopped listening and wondered more about the spicy food theory. Listened through Chirp. There were a couple of spots that the narration wasn’t edited properly because the sentence was repeated. It wasn’t for effect.

[Kirsten Kroeker · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed this midlife crisis-esque book from Lisa Samson. One of those waking up from life and asking "how did we get here?" and "do we even want to be here?" stories.

I was a little disheartened at how major issues were resolved mostly by sweeping under the rug as if they were minor, which keeps it from 5 stars (SPOILER ALERT: like an apology wipes out a month of neglect and no more talk is warranted; life-altering decisions are made unilaterally without any conversation or consultation despite "we're in this together now" declarations).

But I did love the search for God, the gentle way the author deals with different faith traditions, the quirky and relatable characters, and the main character's self-reflection that lead to holy and healthy changes.

[Elizabeth · Rating 3 out of 5]

The story slow read for me and didn't pull me through but the ending was worth reading the book for. The book was about soul searching and looking back on one's life to define your purpose. Beth's husband is offered a new pastorate in another state and decides to hunker down in the glorified "shed" in the backyard leaving his wife and two sons to fend for themselves. There are a mix of characters and situations in the book and we see Beth growing in her faith, trying new things and exploring what her purpose is. She seems to find it in the end and her husband, Rick, comes out of the shed and all is well.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

A surprisingly insightful novel for the Christian fiction set. This book addresses some ruts Christians get stuck in, and nudges us out of our easy answers. The main character, a pastor's wife, doesn't fit the stereotype of a pastor's wife. She feels frustrated with her husband and discontented with the life she knows she's fortunate to have. Her kids are not perfect. And she finds God's direction for her in an unexpected way.

This kind of book isn't usually my cup of tea,but I liked it. It was refreshing. Probably best suited for a woman within 10 years of 40, on either side.

[Jeryl Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Sky Beneath my feet

What a great book, warming the heart, yet with tons of chuckles along the way! A spiritual journey into servanthood by Rick, the male lead character. Beth, his wife, seemingly along for the ride, has her own spiritual journey. Get ready for an in-depth search of true treasure.

[Lynne Ellen · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was an interesting and original story. I liked that aspect, as well as its creative writing. However, connecting with the main character (and first person pov) was a tough one for me. Was she whiny? Spoiled? Stupid? Was her relationship with her husband really that bad? I'm glad I kept going to the end, as there was some ends tied up, in pretty bows no less.

[Sandra · Rating 4 out of 5]

My first book by Lisa Samson. I can say I can't wait for the next one.The Sky Beneath My Feet was not what I expected. It started going in one direction then took a big turn. Loved the life and moral lessons that were included.