An Interview w/Amy Hammond Hagberg, Part 1
August 20, 2008 | books, interviews, stories, writing
Amy is an author and host of a radio talk show called God Unplugged. I recently read her new book with the same title in a series titled,“How Do You Know He’s Real?. Amy interviewed musical artists, Olympic athletes, and others who say that knowing Jesus transformed their lives. Thanks for joining me and Amy as we talk about her new book, writing, and living faith in a real world.
Suzie: Hi Amy, thanks for joining me today. Your radio show and your book is called “God Unplugged”. What does that mean to you?
Amy: You know, Suzie, as Christians we too often put God in a box. We have a tendency to keep Him at arms length and only focus on that relationship at church on Sunday mornings. The idea behind “God Unplugged” is to take Christ out from behind the pulpit and to allow Him to be an integral part of every aspect of our lives… because Jesus is not just for Sundays!
That means bringing God to work with us, into the classroom, and into our homes on a full-time basis. If you are having trouble with your family, God wants to be part of that. If you are struggling in school, God wants to walk right beside you there as well. God wants to be there for you in the big things and the small… he’ll help you manage a crisis or addiction, but He’ll also help you find your car keys!
Suzie: Many people have an image of Christianity–whether negative or positive. How does your book change this view?
Amy: Honestly, many people think Christianity is irrelevant in today’s culture and that Christians don’t have any fun. Well, I can tell you that being a Christian is VERY cool…and the celebrities I have interviewed over the years are proof positive.
For example, pro skateboarder Tim Byrne told me about how he used to persecute a Christian kid named Eddie when he was in high school. Tim and his friends totally picked on him. But it was Eddie who stood beside Tim when he accepted Christ years later. Now Tim travels around the world doing skate demos and sharing Christ with teenager…and he is about as cool as they come! You see, you can do your sport and play your music and still glorify God – after all, it was God who gave you those gifts in the first place!
Suzie: That’s what made this book interesting. You interviewed musical artists, skateboard champions, Olympists, and more. Was there a common theme?
Amy: The full title of my book is How Do You Know He’s Real: God Unplugged. The project is the result of a conversation my teenaged daughter had with a friend when she invited him to youth group. He looked at her square in the face and said, “But how do you know He’s real?”
Well, I can tell you without a doubt, that Christ is real and is not just a fairy tale character. When I first started the interviewing process, I expected to hear the same story over and over again, something like, “I achieved fame and fortune, but when I reached the pinnacle of success I realized how empty I was inside.” Well, I did hear that. But I have interviewed more than 120 professional and Olympic athletes, recording artists and movie stars about how they know God is real and they shared some experiences that blew me away.
We talked about overcoming addictions to alcohol, drugs, and pornography. They shared very personal stories about self-abuse, broken hearts, promiscuity, depression, and disappointment, and how God helped them see the light at the end of the tunnel. I’m still amazed at how candid they were with me about the mistakes they’ve made and how God healed them and gave them the strength to face each new day and discover the power of having a personal relationship with the Creator of the universe.
TUNE in tomorrow for Part 2 of Suzie’s interview with Amy, where she talks about her marriage to a man she loved, but who struggled with depression, about a miracle, and about how she finds time to write, host a radio show, ghostwrite, and more!
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