Moving Forward: A Chat with Kirk Franklin![]() By Jenny Bennett, contributing writer, gmclife.com You might also like: For the Love of Books: Artists Reveal Their Favorite Summer Reads Seven-time GRAMMY Award-winner Kirk Franklin, devoted husband and father of four, has experienced his fair share of heartache. His father left him when he was just a child. His teenage mother admitted that she wished he'd never been born. In Franklin's new book, The Blueprint: A Plan for Living Above Life's Storms (Gotham), one of the all-time most successful gospel stars describes how he allowed those events to shape his life and faith, and offers principles for success – everything from love and parenthood to finances and career – that can help readers achieve their dreams no matter their situation. On the day of the book's official release, May 18, gmclife.com sat down with Franklin for a brief chat about how the book came to be and where its message may be headed. What gave you the idea for the 'blueprint' theme of your book? Truth be told, many believe in Christ, but a lot don't see Christianity working. They want to believe, but they're not seeing it work in their lives. If God's plan is for marriage, why isn't it working? So I wanted the book to take a hard look at those topics and start working towards solutions. The book talks about the role church plays in giving people a blueprint for their lives. How do you see that working or not working? You use some great analogies in your book. What's an analogy that works for you in your life that might not be found in the book? We were created to enjoy life. God's word is how to live life. People are walking around so frustrated because they can't see clearly. We're all walking around without our glasses on, so we can't see all the things that are working together for good. God wants us to see things through a different lens. I noticed one age group you didn't address in the book was teenagers. Is it even possible to create a blueprint for teens? My teen years were flat out horrible. I wasn't popular, I didn't excel in athletics. Being a church boy in the '80s wasn't sexy, and with my small stature, I didn't get a lot of attention. How did you overcome all of that and get to the point of becoming a gospel artist? Do you think your book could be the precursor to your next album? While your book is written from a Christian perspective, it also does a great job of relating to people on a human level. Do you think it has the potential to reach a broader audience? With Father's Day coming up, what is your blueprint, in a nutshell, for fathers? What do you hope to receive for Father's Day? I will pray that's what you'll receive. News You May Also LikeComments |
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