He methodically filed ideas because he wanted to write a book about God. Chris Blake wanted to explain how he had fallen in love with God.

Ten years later, his book Searching for a God to Love appeared in Seventh-day Adventist bookstores where it became a top seller. The book’s popularity has been within the Adventist community so far, but Blake did not write Searching for a God to Love with a strictly Adventist audience in mind. He wrote it for all believing unbelievers, for “thinking” people who are searching for the truth about God and not finding it.

“Searching for a God to Love is about our deepest yearning, not about how to respect or obey God, but about how to love God,” says Blake.

Word Publishing, one of the largest Christian book publishers, will publish and distribute the book in the general marketplace by October. “The open reception to many distinctive Adventist beliefs has surprised and gladdened me,” Blake says. “I’m hanging on to God for the ride.”

Blake hopes his practical and logical approach to the Bible helps people understand their own experience with God. “If it doesn’t make sense,” he tells the reader, “toss it out.” He uses analogies, down-to-earth language, and humor to make difficult spiritual concepts clear and compelling.

Blake continues to pursue writing projects. Word will publish another book by Blake next year to complement Searching For a God to Love. “Once you fall in love with God, then what? The book will be about a deeper, closer Christian walk,” Blake says.

Another book, Reinventing Sabbath School, will arrive next spring from Review and Herald Publishing. Blake co-wrote the book with his wife, Yolanda.

Blake teaches at Union College, an Adventist college, where he is an associate professor of English. He lives in Lincoln, Nebraska, with his wife, a first grade teacher, and sons Nathan and Geoffrey. Nathan is a senior international studies major at Union College and Geoffrey is a senior at College View Academy.