One evening, after decades of a Christianity driven by rules and performance, I came impulsively close to ending my life. Until that moment, my relationship with God had been primarily about Bible content and the discipline to obey. But that night, everything changed. Driving along a freeway in Detroit, I came face-to-face with my deep longing for intimacy with him—an overwhelming need to live surrounded by his love. There was no going back. Either God was more than distant holiness and a list of rules and commands clamoring for discipline . . . or I was done.

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J. Kevin Butcher was a lead pastor for 35 years—the last 16 in urban Detroit. He is founder and executive director of Rooted Ministries, which comes alongside isolated, wounded, and discouraged pastors and their families to help them experience the deep love of God through abiding in Jesus. Kevin is the author of Free: Rescued from Shame-Based Religion, Released Into the Life-giving Love of Jesus and Choose and Choose Again: The Brave Act of Returning to God's Love. He is a graduate of Taylor University and Dallas Theological Seminary and has written numerous articles and shared the message of the Father's love around the world. Kevin is married to his best friend, Carla, and has three grown daughters, two sons-in-law, and four grandchildren.