Breaking Old Rhythms: Answering the Call of a Creative God

by Amena Brown, Dan Kimball (Foreword)

"When two fighters of equal ability and speed are matched . . . there is a greater advantage to the one who knows how to break the rhythm." -Bruce Lee Rhythm is a blessing. By rhythm we dance, sing, clap, walk and breathe. Beyond the blessing is the Giver of Rhythm, who sometimes calls us past the patterns and habits we have established for ourselves into new understanding, new risk, new faith, hope and love. In those moments we have to decide where to place our trust: in God or in our precious rhythms. Spoken word poet Amena Brown has made rhythm her life's work. In Breaking Old Rhythms she explores how we discover by rhythm both our God-given limitations and potential, and the ways we limit God's work in our lives. Read this book and be reminded, and encouraged, that while God has rhythm, God is love, and God's love carries us beyond our rhythms into a fuller, more fulfilling life.

Genres: Christian, Christianity, Faith, Nonfiction

144 pages, Paperback

First published November 29, 2012

About the author

Amena Brown is a spoken word poet, performing artist, and event host whose work interweaves keep-it-real storytelling, rhyme, and humor. The author of five spoken word albums and two non-fiction books, Amena has garnered national attention in media outlets such as Ebony Magazine, Huffington Post, and Belong Magazine. Amena recently wrote and collaborated with award-winning actress, producer, and activist Tracee Ellis Ross on the Manifesta for Ross’ natural hair product line, PATTERN.

A proud graduate of Spelman College, some of Amena’s most popular spoken word videos are “Letter to My Hair,” where she writes about her natural hair journey, “Dear TV Sitcoms,” a nostalgic piece about the lessons we can learn from sitcoms, “Girlfriends Poem,” where she writes about the importance of friendship among women, and “For the Women” a poem she wrote to honor women of color for International Women’s Day. Collectively these poems have reached over 200,000 views on Facebook Video.

Reviews

[Katie Krombein · Rating 5 out of 5]

I picked up this book because the author is speaking at our Noonday conference in January and I wanted to know more about who she is. I loved her creative metaphors for describing the Christian life and moving forward in our relationship with God. It was very straightforward and easy to read.

p. 25: Whoever you are, dear reader, today--at least while you're reading this chapter--you're the princess. Your "pea"--your source of irritation--could be a job, a relationship, a success, a failure or an incessant gnawing that you want to be more, be better. Irritation is the beginning of breaking rhythm. It's that small crack in the foundation of your comfort zone. It's when you wake up with cold feet and realize you've outgrown your safety blanket. It's when you finally realize you can't stomach here anymore.

p. 26: More than irritation shows us about other people or our circumstances, it shows us a true picture of ourselves and our own motives. Our irritation is rarely about our job, our relationship or any external happening. Irritation shines a bright light on something that lives in us all along. It is the ultimate truth serum, showing us the true underlying meter of our hearts and whether our pulse is truly aligned with God's.

p. 37: But it would stand to reason that if there is a rhythm to how a fighter shuffles his feet, swings his jabs or punches his hits, then maybe there is a rhythm to how we live, believe, hope and surrender--and also a rhythm to how and when we don't. Maybe by switching up our thought patterns we can catch our inner voice off guard and gain the advantage over it. Learning from Bruce Lee hasn't given me the desire to pummel anyone. If anything, it has made me what to fight the things inside me: selfishness, pride, small thinking, my seeming inability to trust God with the things that worry me.

p. 42: The other difficult thing about the beat down is that it's lonely. No amount of rubs on the back or well-intentioned words can make you feel as if anyone really understands anything you're going through. The loss of my grandparents within months of each other; moving, unpacking and losing old friends to make new ones; a career of traveling the same planes that used to shuttle me between the houses of my two parents; falling in love only to be dealt my deepest broken heart; pursuing my dream only to fail miserably at it--I'm sure we all have stories like these. These are the places where life dealt us a swift but powerful blow to the gut, knocking the breath out of our very lungs and then focusing us to stand up, take it and continue to life. These moments are inevitable. The difficult part about when our rhythm is broken is that the breaking is out of our control. What do you do when things you can't control change around you, leaving you broken, wounded and shaken?

p. 43: The aftermath of the beat down: Typically my first question is why. Why me? And then, why, God? Why do YOU do this to me? Yes, I whine, complain and throw temper tantrums. God can seem so silent when the rhythm is breaking. He seems suddenly mute in a time when I really need to hear him speak and explain to me why all of this is happening. I want him to tell me what I'm supposed to gain from this and how I'm supposed to go on and live, to try and not give up. When the rhythm breaks you, it makes you want to quit and question everything you ever staked your life on. Anytime in life when I have experienced the beat down, my relationship with God gets very honest. When I've been hurt, disappointed, blindsided, I cut through all the formalities and falsehoods pretty quickly and get straight down to just asking God to HELP ME. And he always does And sometimes that doesn't look like immediately paying the bills or quickly sending a date or making my hips look like Beyonce's but he always helps. Whether it's helping me to remember that no matter how lonely I feel I'm not walking through anything by myself, that he's always with me; or whether it's him helping me to remember that it's ok when I'm weak because he is more than strong enough--not just strong enough for me, but strong enough to handle the weakness of the whole world.

p. 43-44: The irony and beauty of following God is that in the middle of each panic is peace. The peace comes because, though you may not know what's going to happen or how the plotline of your life will unfold or if you'll ever find love again or if you'll ever be able to pay those bills piling up on the table, you do know one thing--one that you can be sure of. God knows all and sees all, which means he knows you and sees you. Times like these force us not to focus on our circumstances but instead to look at the One who knows and has control over them. If we let it, the beat down can makes us stronger, can tell us what we really believe. Because it's easy to believe that God provides when you've got a steady paycheck, and it's easy to accept that love is patient and kind and available when you have someone else's hand to hold, when all the stoplights seem to be green, when everyday things seem to come together as planned and expected. But it's a whole lot more difficult to believe in God when things don't make sense, when loss and confusion crowd in. That's when we know if we really believe God like we say we do.

p. 50: I once heard a song by Pink called "God is a DJ." I thought the idea of God in front of two turntables, crates filled with every song ever written in all of time, spinning, mixing, scratching, was kind of cool. ...Pink's metaphor was cool until I dug into it, realizing if God is the DJ and my life is the dance floor, then he is in constant control of the songs that play. Sometimes right as I'm getting into the groove of a particular tune, Mr. DJ of All DJs switches the cut on me, forcing me to find a completely new rhythm to dance to.

p. 54: Whenever I feel far from God, it is never that he has walked away, become preoccupied or is completely disgusted with me. It is most likely that I have allowed my pride, unforgiveness, anger, lies, unbelief, or sin to plant my feet in a vicious moonwalk that slowly and seductively dances me away from him. I could only get so close to the DJ booth, but there's always something we can do to get closer to God. "Come near to God and he will come near to you" (James 4:8). Maybe it starts with being honest enough with him to admit we don't want to do what it takes to be closer to him and ask for his help. Maybe it starts with forgiving someone, letting go of a grudge. Maybe it means telling him we're hurt, angry, disappointed. He's waiting for us to dismantle our walls and let him mend us, in the same way a DJ can connect the beat and tone of two records.

p. 62: A broken heart reminds us that we're human. ...I've had moments when I met someone at a party, at a conference or through a friend of a friend. We didn't know each ohter's life story, didn't grow up together, had no history, but we found common ground in the things we had survived or were in the process of surviving. This means a broken heart is never wasted. When you've had a broken heart, you know the damage that words like "Just get over it" can do. This is a chance to be more human and less holier-than-thou. When we hurt, when we suffer, the greatest thing we can do for other people is let them know they are not alone after all. This is part of what's amazing about Jesus: part of why he put on human skin is so he could demonstrate we're not alone.

p. 78: He turned on the music, and we practiced our newly learned steps in real time. I wondered if the tension he talked about was a part of how our will and God's will work together. God gave humans free will so that how he relates to us would not be like having a relationship with a west noodle or a robot. In turn, it is difficult to follow him when we are determined to have our way despite his way being better, when we are determined that we will not be led. The dance with God works most beautifully when we bring our will to him and let him turn us and teach us new steps as he sees fit.

p. 92: The gift of loneliness: I have approached many times of loneliness in my relationship with Jesus. ...I thought he kept allowing me to feel lonely to hurt me...After throwing a few temper tantrums, I discovered that punishment was not God's intent at all. It was that in his God way he was using loneliness to show me that I was never alone, that there was this everlasting space that relationship with him was meant to fill. I could run to people, looks or my to do list all I wanted to, but no one and nothing would be as he is.

p. 93: The things it really takes to follow God don't come easy in today's culture. I've always got my phone on me, and half the time I'm carrying my computer. Social networking gives me the voyeuristic pleasure of eavesdropping on other people's lives while posting all of the ignorant, attention-getting things I can muster. Following God is an ancient practice that sometimes requires us to silence our modernity and unplug to plug in. ...in every relationship, in every ridiculous decision, in our devastation over failure and our constant drive for success, we're just looking for God.

p. 136: When I'm on stage, I have my own personal "moment before." It typically happens on the side of stage, a few minutes before I go on. In that moment, how small I am when standing next to God becomes a stark reality. I realize I don't deserve to be there. I haven't been afforded the opportunity of going on stage because I'm awesome or eloquent or grand or amazing. I've simply been afforded the opportunity because God has allowed it. I stand in his name and reputation. And that is enough. Then I think about how much God loves me. I think about how much my little brain can fathom of his love, about how much I don't deserve this either, but he lavishes, pours, gives his love anyway.

[Beckie Hinze · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great for this old gal’s soul

While Amena’s book is full of much that isn’t new it was healthy and fun for me to see the world and God from the lens of this beautiful poet.

[Hannah Appleton · Rating 5 out of 5]

I chose this book from a list of options for a Spiritual Formation class in seminary. Brown does an amazing job of using imagery to capture the creativity of God and how it relates to our lives. As someone who spent the first 18 years of my faith journey following legalism and thinking, “If I play by these rules, things will turn out this way- if they don’t, I must have failed,” I deeply appreciated Brown’s way of explaining the artistry that God puts in to each of our stories for His glory!

[MayFlour · Rating 4 out of 5]

As her first book, it was a good read. I enjoyed getting to know Amena through her stories and consider how God might not fit in the Box and Beat I have had Him in before. Her best work is her spoken poetry (check it out live if you can!!). Made me consider taking dance lessons, ha!

[Kimberly Purcell · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ms. Brown gives us yet another perspective on God. She does this with essays and questions within the musical theme. Ms. Brown's approach is personable and thought provoking.

[Kevin · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think I expected more poetry in Amena Brown's prose. She writes incredible poetry, but it felt a little flat translated to Christian living.

[Blake Atwood · Rating 4 out of 5]

Amena Brown is an absurdly talented spoken word artist, fearless of speaking the truth through arresting rhymes and wordplay. In her first book, Breaking Old Rhythms, she's written an honest, humorous, engaging work that encapsulates her passions for music, dance, her husband, and, above all, God.

As a drummer, I especially appreciated this line:

"Watching the interplay between an upright bassist, a keys player and a trumpet player—the way they listen to each other, riff off one another's notes and complement each other's solos—echoes Jesus' humility to me, the mystery and holiness of the Trinity, and the way prayer is a dialogue between the infinite and finite."

Her stories and honesty broke my rhythms in a good, lasting way. Breaking is a recommended read.

[Regine Darius · Rating 5 out of 5]

Music is an universal language and Amena Brown uses it profoundly in Breaking Old Rhythms: Answering the Call of a Creative God. Young or old, woman or man, anyone can see similarities between their own life and the story Brown has woven in this book. Brown echoes the worries and doubts that everyone has and shows them that no matter the luggage, no matter the moves, no matter the lack of rhythm, you can approach God and He will be waiting for you, eager to step in and dance with you, right where you are. And that's a message that everyone needs and wants to hear.

[Karess · Rating 4 out of 5]

Amena Brown's "Breaking Old Rhythms" is a very refreshing read. First off, I appreciate how she writes---it's like she has a rhythm as you read on, and she invites you to dance with her as she tells you her story.

I also found her stories very relatable and close to home. I appreciate her honesty, being humble enough to expose her mistakes and mess-ups.

If you would like to know more about our creative God and who He is, go get a copy of this book. You won't be disappointed!

[Joe Sewell · Rating 2 out of 5]

I'm sure if I enjoyed dancing and the styles of music Brown did, I might be able to connect better with the message of the book. I just don't connect with her era's "DJ" or their scratching what we used to rely upon for "high fidelity" music. I just do not connect with her "breaking bad" or the good in it.

Disclosure: I received a free review copy of this book.

[Rebekah · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm just so thankful I picked up this book. We often talk about how each of us are unique and have a special voice to bring to those around us; this book allows that truth to grow in my heart. I loved the story of how God used her unique interests to reveal his love and truth to her heart. I loved that she shared it with us.

[Matthew · Rating 3 out of 5]

In this book, Amena Brown encourages readers to see God's creativity in a new light. She speaks of dj's and dancing, using these metaphors and stories from her own life to remind us that God is not a rigid and distant being but rather a close and personal friend.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

The only thing I would change about this book would be to make it longer! Part memoir, part call-to-break-out-of-our-old-routines, Amena's writing style makes you feel like you're talking to her at a coffeeshop, like you really know her. I loved it.

[Amber · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is so great! The metaphors she uses are creative, varied, and relevant. The applications highly understandable, and the writing is easy to get through. This book is so deep and it will definitely challenge you, but it's still a refreshing read.

Now it's time to start it over again!

[Steve Watson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Picked this up after hearing Amena Brown's spoken word lament on the Liturgists' 2015 Christmas liturgy. The CD that comes with the book is great; I get a sense I'm not really the target audience for the book, but it was an encouraging devotional book about walking through life with faith.

[Christi watson · Rating 5 out of 5]

All artists--read!!!! This book was water to my creative soul.

[Thomas Parker · Rating 3 out of 5]

Amena makes good points, but I would have liked a little more depth and development.

[James · Rating 4 out of 5]

I like this book. Amena Brown is a Christian spoken word artist and poet and she explores what she's learned about the spiritual journey through the arts (Hip hop, Djing, dance, and Bruce Lee's Kung Fu).