Reviewed by Mike Rimmer

Kirk Franklin's rise to the higher echelons of gospel music is more surprising when you read this autobiography. Raised by a maiden aunt, rebellious as a teenager, struggling with his carnal nature even after he was ministering in gospel music, this honest account of a life slowly turned around by the grace of God is both inspiring and challenging. Beginning with an incident in 1996 when he fell off a stage in Memphis and nearly died, Kirk describes his life and the lessons he has learnt. You get an insight into the development of his music though the book does concentrate mostly on his childhood and teen years rather than on recent recordings. Not the greatest writer, Kirk is occasionally prone to ramble but there is no doubt that this gives a candid view into the heart, mind and life of one of contemporary gospel music's greatest talents. Reading about some of his struggles, mistakes and sins, I was left feeling that if God could use a loser like Franklin then there was hope for the rest of us! All in all, an intriguing read.

The opinions expressed in this article are not necessarily those held by Cross Rhythms. Any expressed views were accurate at the time of publishing but may or may not reflect the views of the individuals concerned at a later date.

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