Something You Once Knew: Waking up to the extraordinary in your ordinary life

by Joshua Luke Smith

‘Joshua’s tone and message communicates a wisdom that can only come from first-hand experience. The grace and poetic writing within this book will stay with you for ever’ - Propaganda, Author, Poet, Political Activist

‘Joshua Luke Smith has given us a beautiful book. With the skill of an artist, the heart of a disciple, and the vision of prophet, he invites us to encounter the grace of God in a way that stokes the deeper fire our hearts are aching for in these broken time. What a gift.’ - Jon Tyson. Author and Pastor

The culture today tells us we can be whoever we want to be.

So, why do so many of us feel stuck?

Throughout this book, pastor and poet Joshua Luke Smith invites you into a ‘selah’ moment – an opportunity to quieten the noise – and to see that the clarity you are longing for may be closer than you think.

Something You Once Knew will remind you of what you always hoped to be true and rekindle the wonder you lost along the way.

With thoughtful reflections on following curiosity, building true community and reclaiming your creativity, this book will help you to rediscover the vision and vibrancy installed in you from the very beginning.'

‘Joshua Luke Smith writes with an electric heart-on-sleeve honesty that makes me feel like I’m reconnecting with a long-lost friend. Page after page I feel the stirring of a mysterious wonder that I’m afraid I’d long forgotten.’ - John Mark Mcmillan


‘Every human should read this masterpiece (and I don't call it that lightly) as I honestly think it has the ability to make us all better people.’ - Zoe Clark-Coates MBE

160 pages, Paperback

Published June 16, 2022

Reviews

[Genevieve · Rating 3 out of 5]

An insightful book drawing out the beauty of the parables in scriptures and honoring the progress and the grief of the death of dreams and learning to dream again with a sober joy.

[Trevor Westad · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful, inspiring, creative, awesome.

[Ruth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Over the past few years, God has been reframing my perspective on creating. His pursuing love has reminded me of how He’s creatively wired me and He’s given gracious, truth-filled voices to accompany me on this restorative journey.

One of those gracious, truth-filled voices has been Joshua Luke Smith.

I first stumbled upon Joshua’s work through an Instagram reel. His spoken poetry grabbed my attention, stirred my soul, and brought tears to my eyes.

Joshua’s words in “Something You Once Knew” pack a powerful, poetic punch regarding the importance of creating, remaining present to the life we have been given, and not letting distractions numb us from the things we were created for. I found myself underlining much of this smaller (130 pages), yet mighty book.

I am forever grateful Joshua’s words found me at just the right time on my own redemptive journey connected to creating. This book is a treasure; I highly recommend it!

[Jonathan Hart · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a great book, which does exactly what it says in the title. It has reminded me of all the things I know but yet often forget when I am in the midst of the business of life. It is a reminder of the deeper and more simple truth of the universe, which has helped me to reconsider the roses and live in observation of God's creation. I would recommend this book to anyone, it is a super easy read, and also a beautiful book full of deep yet simple insight.

[Josh Crichton · Rating 4 out of 5]

Joshua Luke Smith writes as he speaks - with his heart

Something Ypu Once Knew offers a compelling vision of what it looks like to live a life of abiding, with practical advice to help live you live it out and encouraging stories of the fruit that can be born by those who commmit to living a life where Jesus is LORD

[Miss Meliss · Rating 5 out of 5]

To read this book is to evoke the words of C.S. Lewis: "You have never talked to a mere mortal. Nations, cultures, arts, civilizations - these are mortal, and their life is to ours as the life of a gnat. But it is immortals whom we joke with, work with, marry, snub, and exploit - immortal horrors or everlasting splendors."

If this perspective matches your philosophy -- or your curiosity -- this book will speak to you. It did to me. For some reason, I approached the book with a bit of caution, feeling as though it might fall into the element of self-help (not that there's anything wrong with that, but it's not my particular genre of interest). And in some very specific ways, perhaps its encouragement to understand what it is to create and to contribute to the world does lean that direction in moments. But the rest does not, and to even call that portion a form of "self-help" is inaccurate. In parts an introspective essay, a spiritual guidebook, a simple and beautiful wondering aloud at the world and history and spirituality that surrounds us all -- as though you and the author are lying in a field staring in fascination at the movement of the clouds -- this book moves you. Any form of essay writing reveals something about the author in a way that nothing else will, and often reflects their mindset and heartset in a particularly unique way. That is also true of this book, and in this case it leaves me hoping for more works from this author in the future.

And what is the "something you once knew"? This quote from the book touches on it: "We are here to remind one another of something we once knew: a joy before it was stolen by cynicism and disappointment, a hope before we ever felt it deferred, love without fear or reservation."

[Heather · Rating 5 out of 5]

“When you embrace the form that beckons you, from book writing to ballet dancing, from baking to building houses, in the wake of disappointment, though anticipating the potential of pain and risking being hurt again, you are protecting your heart from a much more severe and fatal sickness - the loss of hope. When we create despite our past experiences, we give the gift not only of that specific form but also of our truest and purest self.”

Joshua has certainly given us a gift with this book. The stories and exhortations in these pages call out from the other side of the river as evidence that though we may not stay dry - there is certainly a way across. He talks only of what he knows and has lived.

Well written, beautifully edited and carefully curated, this book does not claim to teach you any new tricks or give you the definitive keys to success but rather to awaken the knowledge that is already in you.

‘Something You Once Knew’ is the type of book you can read in one sitting while at the same time holding enough wisdom in each page to warrant a deeper study and exploration. Engaging and edifying, this book feels like catching up with an old friend over coffee. A truly impressive debut.

[SuZanne · Rating 5 out of 5]

A thoughtful little book that helps the reader focus on being fully in the present moment.

Here is a brief list of the most striking passages:

*All we need to do is stay curious.
*Interesting people are interested people.
*Moving from stagnation to liberation is about finding spaces for expression.
*Flow is simply finding form for the story you are living, the perspective you see through and the unique temperament you've been given
**We're good at missing the moments we're living, in anticipation of what might be coming. In our infatuation with the spectacular, we're distracted from the significant.
*Distraction breeds stagnation.
*The place I wanted to escape to live out my dreams was the very environment I needed to realize them.
*Community in this broken, beaten-up breathtakingly beautiful world, is the art of seeing one another awake. The process of reminding one another that there is a bigger and better story at work, a redemptive and hopeful narrative, whose author isn't fear.
And my very favorite quote of this book: "You cannot change a problem with the same consciousness that caused it."
A worthy read.

[Thomas Creedy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a stunning bit of writing with a lot of goodness and hope and honesty in it. There’s also some slightly random/odd quotes from other people that I think disrupted the flow. That aside, I loved reading this book and hope to read more from the author. A human, calm and exciting book that I’ve already recommended to my wife and will likely do to others. Thank you, Joshua.

[Michael Kennedy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reeeeeeally enjoyed this book! I connected with JLS a lot on similar life situations and feelings, and loved his reflective outlook. I feel like anything JLS says, writes, sings conveys an authentic openness, resilience, and understanding that is hard to convey normally, but he does it so flawlessly. I’ll be reading his next for sure

[Sarah Anderson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Joshua Luke Smith is a wordsmith. I will buy anything this man writes. He is wise & filled with grace. Fantastic book. And I loved the acknowledgement section. The way he speaks so beautifully about his wife was lovely to read.

[Emily Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brilliant book. So beautifully written and without any waffle, I'll be pondering this for a while.

[Poppy White · Rating 5 out of 5]

soooooo good

[Audrey Elledge · Rating 5 out of 5]

A lovely book—part spiritual memoir and part roadmap to rekindling wonder and creativity—written by a vibrant poet-soul and new friend.

[Francine Simmons · Rating 5 out of 5]

Literally such an encouragement of a real person with real life facing challenges in faith with reality.

[Nicole · Rating 5 out of 5]

You won’t regret the purchase. It’s a definite annual re-read. The book dives into really finding your amazing life just where you are.