The Trouble with Jesus

by Constance Hastings

Kingdom Book Award Finalist
July 11, 2026

“I do not cease to give thanks for you as I remember you in my prayers.” Ephesians 1:16

With a grateful heart, I want to express my deepest appreciation for your faithful support and continued reading of The Trouble with Jesus blog. Each Monday as I send out a new message, I pray that you find in it a word, sometimes gentle, sometimes edgy, that affirms your faith and strengthens your soul. I believe God entrusted me with this purpose: to offer a measure of blessing as you walk with Christ Jesus, our Savior and Lord.


Recently, The Trouble with Jesus: Considerations Before You Walk Away was honored as a Finalist in the Kingdom Book Awards. While my name appears in bold print, I wish the book title stood there instead because I truly believe this work is from God and not of my own making. May He receive all glory, and may my efforts be seen only as a humble extension of His message.


Now, there is an opportunity for you to help further that message.


The top winner of the Kingdom Book Awards will be announced in November. Between now and then, a public voting session is open, followed by judging based on Kingdom impact. While “winning” is not my ultimate goal, participating in the voting process helps promote the book to readers who may never encounter it otherwise.


The Kingdom Book Awards notes: “Public voting is only one component of the overall awards process. Every submission is also carefully evaluated by our panel of judges using established judging criteria that includes message, impact, excellence, originality, Kingdom influence, and overall quality.”


If you feel led, please support the message of The Trouble with Jesus: Considerations Before You Walk Away by casting your vote and offering a brief supportive reply to the question:


Why did you vote for this person/book? What about them and their work has impacted you?


Click Here for the Voting Link


Your encouragement, prayers, and partnership in this work mean more than I can express. Thank you for helping share a message that points hearts back to Jesus.


In Christ’s service, Constance


The Trouble with Jesus: Considerations Before You Walk Away by Constance Hastings

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The Trouble with Jesus: All-loving God and Dangerous Radical. Can you have both?

God's Kind of Party

By Constance Hastings • October 3, 2026
But tread carefully. Jesus’ stories hit you with stuff you want to hear and stuff you’d rather skip. It’s the difference between reading to feel good and reading for that which challenges perceptions about God and our relations with others. It’s Jesus the all-loving God, and Jesus the dangerous radical.
The Trouble with Jesus: He means his message even harder now than he meant it then.

A Kingdom Coup

By Constance Hastings • September 28, 2026
The world seems to never change, stays on repeat. Jesus saw it then; God watches it now. When Jesus got cornered, he didn’t sugarcoat...But when he made it into a parable? Sit up straight. He meant it then, and he means it even harder now.
The Trouble with Jesus: He won’t concede not having an answer.

On Whose Say So?

By Constance Hastings • September 21, 2026
You can understand what their problem was. And in the end, everybody has to answer the question of where Jesus got his authority. A choice as to who Jesus was then and now still stands. Who do you say he is? “I don’t know” doesn’t cut it. Jesus won’t concede that.
The Trouble with Jesus: Heaven doesn’t play by our rules, what we call fair.

Is God an L?

By Constance Hastings • September 14, 2026
Admit it. This Jesus-story messes with your head. But this vineyard story? It looks like God favors socialist philosophy, regardless if someone put in the work or not...Is God an L?
The Trouble with Jesus: If you want big‑time forgiveness, you have to dish it out just as heavy.

Ludicrous Love

By Constance Hastings • September 7, 2026
Within humankind is a weird kind of desire to make our choice and avoid the consequence. Remorse, regret, sorrow, or repentance for how the choice has impacted others isn’t a factor. Instead, people fear the negative consequence over admitting that harm has been done. Such was the man who begged for mercy...
The Trouble with Jesus: To reconcile our conflicts, he wants us to do the hard work.

PPP

By Constance Hastings • August 31, 2026
Conflict is not a stranger to our world. When it erupts again and again, attention must be paid... Lord, seriously, what are we supposed to do? Who are we supposed to be in all this chaos? Above all, where are you to be found?
The Trouble with Jesus: His cross flips the game into winning by taking the loss...

Lost in a Cross

By Constance Hastings • August 24, 2026
Don’t you dare criticize him for what he said. Honestly, you’re no different than he when it comes down to it. You claim you believe in God, but when push comes to shove, rubber meets the road, and truth be known, you’re as big a wuss, a real live phony, as Peter.
The Trouble with Jesus: He’s not known by what people call him, but how the people he calls live...

Name It

By Constance Hastings • August 17, 2026
Names matter. Names aren’t just labels. They’re status badges. What people call you shows where you stand, who you roll with, how much respect you get. Jesus knew this game. By asking his disciples the question, it was more than checking his street reputation. Public response was consequential to power and impact.
The Trouble with Jesus : He refuses to meet our expectations, not the other way around.

A Dogged Faith

By Constance Hastings • August 8, 2026
Let me tell you straight: if there’s a portrayal of Jesus I hate reading, it’s this one. The one that makes you squirm, makes you hunt for excuses you know don’t exist (like who could ever excuse the Son of God?), or forces you to wrestle with the truth, swallowing stuff you never want to admit...
The Trouble with Jesus: He calls people to walk with him right into a bad storm.

Storm Walkin'

By Constance Hastings • August 3, 2026
When the road breaks open and unthinkable obstacles appear on the path, when innate ability and skill are erased and “No Way” is the biggest sign in the road, when risks feels like it’ll cost your whole soul, what then? Inevitably, storms hit, flip your whole world, and what was a smooth sail gets tossed like a toy...
The Trouble with Jesus: All-loving God and Dangerous Radical. Can you have both?

God's Kind of Party

By Constance Hastings • October 3, 2026
But tread carefully. Jesus’ stories hit you with stuff you want to hear and stuff you’d rather skip. It’s the difference between reading to feel good and reading for that which challenges perceptions about God and our relations with others. It’s Jesus the all-loving God, and Jesus the dangerous radical.
The Trouble with Jesus: He means his message even harder now than he meant it then.

A Kingdom Coup

By Constance Hastings • September 28, 2026
The world seems to never change, stays on repeat. Jesus saw it then; God watches it now. When Jesus got cornered, he didn’t sugarcoat...But when he made it into a parable? Sit up straight. He meant it then, and he means it even harder now.
The Trouble with Jesus: He won’t concede not having an answer.

On Whose Say So?

By Constance Hastings • September 21, 2026
You can understand what their problem was. And in the end, everybody has to answer the question of where Jesus got his authority. A choice as to who Jesus was then and now still stands. Who do you say he is? “I don’t know” doesn’t cut it. Jesus won’t concede that.
The Trouble with Jesus: Heaven doesn’t play by our rules, what we call fair.

Is God an L?

By Constance Hastings • September 14, 2026
Admit it. This Jesus-story messes with your head. But this vineyard story? It looks like God favors socialist philosophy, regardless if someone put in the work or not...Is God an L?
The Trouble with Jesus: If you want big‑time forgiveness, you have to dish it out just as heavy.

Ludicrous Love

By Constance Hastings • September 7, 2026
Within humankind is a weird kind of desire to make our choice and avoid the consequence. Remorse, regret, sorrow, or repentance for how the choice has impacted others isn’t a factor. Instead, people fear the negative consequence over admitting that harm has been done. Such was the man who begged for mercy...
The Trouble with Jesus: To reconcile our conflicts, he wants us to do the hard work.

PPP

By Constance Hastings • August 31, 2026
Conflict is not a stranger to our world. When it erupts again and again, attention must be paid... Lord, seriously, what are we supposed to do? Who are we supposed to be in all this chaos? Above all, where are you to be found?
The Trouble with Jesus: His cross flips the game into winning by taking the loss...

Lost in a Cross

By Constance Hastings • August 24, 2026
Don’t you dare criticize him for what he said. Honestly, you’re no different than he when it comes down to it. You claim you believe in God, but when push comes to shove, rubber meets the road, and truth be known, you’re as big a wuss, a real live phony, as Peter.
The Trouble with Jesus: He’s not known by what people call him, but how the people he calls live...

Name It

By Constance Hastings • August 17, 2026
Names matter. Names aren’t just labels. They’re status badges. What people call you shows where you stand, who you roll with, how much respect you get. Jesus knew this game. By asking his disciples the question, it was more than checking his street reputation. Public response was consequential to power and impact.
The Trouble with Jesus : He refuses to meet our expectations, not the other way around.

A Dogged Faith

By Constance Hastings • August 8, 2026
Let me tell you straight: if there’s a portrayal of Jesus I hate reading, it’s this one. The one that makes you squirm, makes you hunt for excuses you know don’t exist (like who could ever excuse the Son of God?), or forces you to wrestle with the truth, swallowing stuff you never want to admit...
The Trouble with Jesus: He calls people to walk with him right into a bad storm.

Storm Walkin'

By Constance Hastings • August 3, 2026
When the road breaks open and unthinkable obstacles appear on the path, when innate ability and skill are erased and “No Way” is the biggest sign in the road, when risks feels like it’ll cost your whole soul, what then? Inevitably, storms hit, flip your whole world, and what was a smooth sail gets tossed like a toy...