Interview with Elyse Fitzpatrick, Part 2

Elyse talks about her writing in part 2 of her Purple Cellar interview. She discusses Idols of the Heart and mentions a possible drawback for those who enjoy the book. She also talks about her forthcoming book that carries the working title, Because He Loves Me: How God's Love Transforms Our Identity and Life. Elyse is as excited for this book's release as her readers are. The Purple Cellar will provide information about this new book in the months ahead. Click here to link to Elyse's website.

The Purple Cellar: You’ve written many books for women. What particular topics have you been most passionate about over the years?

Elyse Fitzpatrick: All of my books have one recurrent theme. It certainly isn’t original with me but my hope is that when women read me or hear me speak they’ll be encouraged to glorify God in all they do and they’ll see how God is relevant in every area of their life. I’ve also been powerfully influenced by John Piper, so there’s always a “happiness” component in all that I’ve written. Women can find the happiness they’re seeking only in the Lord, and he’s made himself available and cleared away all obstacles that could have stood in the way of our finding our happiness in him.

The Purple Cellar: Idols of the Heart is one of my very favorite books, and I know many other women feel the same way. Why do you think this particular work has gripped your readers so deeply?

Elyse Fitzpatrick: I think that people enjoy this book for two reasons – maybe only one of them really is beneficial. First, we want to grow in sanctification and this is a book that helps us do that. I think that it’s helpful to know why I keep snapping at my kids when every morning I pray that I won’t. Seeing those deeper motives of the heart is important for us and also gives us hope that we can change. I’m so thankful for the idolatry paradigm and for the ability to understand, on some small level perhaps, how to grow in faithful love of my Savior.

I have some concern though that it’s very easy for us to make our sanctification about us and “Idols” might play into that propensity. There’s nothing that we love more than thinking and talking about ourselves, and the search for our Idols does seem to play into that. I’m not saying that we shouldn’t be concerned about idolatry. I am saying, though, that being overly concerned with our motives may simply become another way to serve ourselves and avoid Jesus. So, I would encourage people to think deeply about their idolatry and try to understand why they sin – even when desiring a “good” – but then, not to stay there, but instead turn to their Savior.

The Purple Cellar: Your forthcoming book has the working title, Because He Loves Me: How God’s Love Transforms Our Identity and Life. You shared with me that you feel this is the most important book you’ve ever written. Why is that?

Elyse Fitzpatrick: Simply put, I think that this is the most important book I’ve written because I’m finally writing about the One who is preeminent, Jesus Christ. I feel like much of my life has been spent pursuing godliness and encouraging others to do so while leaving Jesus behind. Not that I didn’t love him, just that I didn’t see how relevant he is to everything in my daily life.

I can’t imagine ever writing on anything else again because once you’ve reached the pinnacle of God’s work in the world, what else is there to say? I’ve spent a good part of a year confining my thinking and reading (when not being silly or reading fiction!) to one topic: God’s love for us in Christ, and it’s transformed my heart. I can see how it’s been so easy for me to gloss over God’s love and move on to my responsibility, and I can see how deeply wrong that is.

It would be easy for me to write a book here…oh, wait, I already did! Let me just say that “first love” is a by-product of the consideration of God’s love for us in the gospel and if it’s missing in our lives, everything else will be out of kilter.