Ben Stroup's Book "Unconditional Love" Focuses on Importance of Love in Times of Polarizing Trayvon Martin Case
Nashville, TN (PRWEB) July 29, 2013 -- The case of Trayvon Martin captivated and polarized the country, and also revealed how shockingly divided and sometimes hate-filled our society can be. With the news and reaction of the verdict filling up the headlines and Twitter and Facebook feeds of most Americans, Ben Stroup’s (http://www.benstroup.com) new film-inspired book titled Unconditional Love focuses on the stories of radical love and the real lives of some everyday people who have found unique ways to act as the hands and feet of Jesus. Inspired by the film Unconditional (http://unconditionalthemovie.com/) and Papa Joe Bradford’s outreach to at-risk children, Stroup unpacks the often complicated stories of individuals who chose to act out of love. From twin sisters born into poverty in depression-era South Carolina who overcome adversity and staggering odds to open a soup kitchen that feeds thousands every week, to a 14 year old girl with a debilitating disease who starts a non-profit to provide books to disadvantaged children from her hospital bed, the stories have one thing in common: They didn’t allow their imperfect circumstances to affect their God-made desire to serve and help others.
“In our society, It's nearly impossible for people to act without thinking about how it might benefit them. Because we’ve all be burned, most people live with a bit of skepticism about people and their intentions,” said Stroup. “That's why we are so surprised when we discover—or receive—kindness that has no strings attached. It's so rare, in fact, that we never forget the experience or the person. And that is what makes these ordinary instances so inspiring,” he added.
The book is full of inspiring stories and causes of love from all ages, circumstance, and walks of life, and Stroup hopes the diversity will leave readers with a sense that they can do great things from wherever they sit, no matter their time or place.
“I hope the book will inspire others to do something, just like the movie and hearing Papa Joe’s story inspired this book,” Stroup explained. “I believe with the overwhelming headlines like the Trayvon Martin case filling our news and social media feeds, the time for stories about unconditional love and acts of undeserving kindness is now, more than it has ever been in our country’s history.”
Each chapter outlines the sometimes complicated or tumultuous origin of some special causes, including Big Oak Ranch, Kids Off The Block, Blood:Water Mission, and Front Porch Ministry. The book also inspired a documentary film of the same name (http://vimeo.com/63363503) with interviews and a more in-depth journey into each of the stories from Stroup’s book.
“Because human nature is flawed. To do something without condition requires a great deal of soul-searching, risk, and willingness to fail. You are reckless when you give something like love away without any thought or guarantee it will be returned—especially to someone who hasn't "earned" it. But reckless love is what it takes to establish a genuine connection with someone else and bring out personal transformation. I hope this book captures that,” Stroup said.
For more information on the book visit http://www.benstroup.com or to request an interview with Ben email Elizabeth Kirk.
About Ben Stroup
Ben Stroup is an author, blogger, and strategic consultant who helps individuals and organizations navigate the content matrix to achieve maximum impact through content strategy and marketing. He is an advocate for creating compelling content in a post-paragraph world and believes meaningful conversations are the most prized and coveted assets of one-person consulting firms, international charitable organizations, and multi-billion dollar enterprises. Ben was named Top !5 Christian Entrepreneurs on Twitter by Faith Driven Business (dot) org. Ben, his wife, Brooke, and their two sons, Carter and Caden, live in the Nashville, Tennessee area.
Ben Stroup, Ben Stroup Enterprises, +1 615-354-3451, [email protected]
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