God has huge dreams for you! How can you gain insight into his character and understand the unique fire he’s placed inside you to fulfill your calling and kingdom purpose?

The Bible says that God isn’t waiting until you have more resources or a spouse or a job so he can use you. He’s ready to use you now. The mythical creature, the Phoenix, was referenced by early church leaders highlighting the beauty of reinvention with fire as both the impetus and the method for change. We serve a God who is redemptive, and can take the worst situations and use them for his glory.

Bible Gateway interviewed Bianca Juarez Olthoff (@biancaolthoff) about her book, Play with Fire: Discovering Fierce Faith, Unquenchable Passion, and a Life-Giving God (Zondervan, 2016).

Why is your book titled Play with Fire?

Bianca Juarez Olthoff: My whole life I wanted to be safe. I didn’t do things that pushed me out of my boundaries or made me uncomfortable. What I didn’t realize was that my desire for safe had crept into my theology. Safety precluded me from living a bold and daring life of following fiercely after Jesus.

I started reading Scripture and discovered every time fire is mentioned, God’s presence is revealed and people’s lives are transformed. In the season I was in, I was in desperate need of change and transformation. So I went on a journey to discover God in great ways and explore what it meant to enter in the fire of transformation.

What’s the “fierce faith” you want readers to discover?

Bianca Juarez Olthoff: Our faith is tried and tested through trials and tribulation. Plain and simple: what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger. My fav passage that demonstrates this is out of Daniel 3 when my Hebrew homies are thrown into a furnace because they refuse to compromise and bow down to any other god.

What they thought was going to kill them actually caused them to experience the presence of God in the fire with them. Not only did they live (Hello?!), but they were a testament to others of the saving power of God (Daniel 3:25).

When we survive the “refiner’s fire” we experience the transformation and saving nature of a God who is able to use all trials for his glory.

You refer to certain Bible passages in your book and you say, “Scripture gives us an open invitation to shout aloud, to ask God to respond.” For the verses listed here, explain your feelings toward them and how you want readers of your book to apply them into their lives:

Bianca Juarez Olthoff: John 15:16—Ugh. I just LOVE this verse. And most people just focus on the latter part (“…so that whatever you ask in my name the father will give you”). But I don’t even care about that! I’m wildly obsessed with the idea that God CHOSE me and CHOSE you as his children. Can you believe that?

Growing up an obese minority living in the ‘hood, I never felt chosen. Not chosen in kickball, not chosen in the spelling bee, not chosen to sit with. The idea of God Almighty choosing me to be his favorite just blows my mind! (And yes, I feel like I’m his favorite.)

Exodus 2:23; 3:7—These verses (and many others) are PROOF that our God sees us, hears our prayers, and is concerned for us. I don’t know about you, but I’ve had moments when I feel alone, forgotten, and unheard by God. Even worse, I’ve questioned if God even cared about me.

But his Word is PROOF that he hears our pain, knows our trauma, and is concerned for us. Not only that, other Scripture will back up that our God is ABLE to save, ABLE to heal, and ABLE to repair even the deepest of wounds.

If God did it for the Israelites, he’ll do the same for us!

Haggai 2:5—Ok, come on! This is GOLD. As God promised the Israelites on their exodus out of Egypt, he still makes promises today. And what did God promise them? HIS SPIRIT.

Friends, what did Jesus promise us before his crucifixion? He promised us an advocate! He said he wouldn’t leave us as orphans. Nope. No way, Jose! Our God made a promise to the Israelites, just like Jesus made us a promise before he ascended to heaven. And what was the promise? The Holy Spirit.

For the love, friends?! Do you see it? As Paul states, the power that raised Christ from the dead is alive in you. GAHHHH! I could drool. This is bananas!

Who is your book written for and how do you want it to change them?

Bianca Juarez Olthoff: This book is for the person who wants God to awaken and transform them. Perhaps they’re in a season of loss, confusion, pain, or simply surviving the doldrums of life with safety as their first priority. I want to provide language and simple theological handles for people to see how God works.

This book is also for people who’d like to support the FEED THE OLTHOFF CHILDREN FUND. I’m joking! (Well, I’m half joking. Don’t judge.)

What are your thoughts about Bible Gateway and the Bible Gateway App?

Bianca Juarez Olthoff: This is going to sound SO cheesy, but I just love Bible Gateway. Hand to heaven, I use it daily just to Google Scriptures. The WordNerd in me geeks out over how quick it is to find a verse to check out a commentary. Yup, I [heart] you guys!

Is there anything else you’d like to say?

Bianca Juarez Olthoff: Yes, and I’ll make it brief. I grew up afraid of theological arguments and questioning things like sovereignty and gifts of the Spirit, and why the fruits of the Spirit weren’t actually fruits. As I step into adulthood and discover greater depths of faith, I no longer fear getting to know God more. One of the greatest adventures I’ve been on is discovering the limitless, all-powerful, all-consuming fire God claims to be.

God loves us so much he gave us the presence of his Spirit to do greater things than Jesus Christ did on earth. Does that blow your mind? It shouldn’t. We should simply take God at his word and start doing what he said we can do.

It’s time to live en fuego. It’s time to Play with Fire.

Bio: Bianca Juarez Olthoff is the Chief Storyteller for The A-21 Campaign and the Creative Director for Propel Women. Bianca is a step-mom to Parker and Ryen and has spent the last ten years mobilizing God’s people to action alongside her husband Matt, the Executive Director and Pastor for Project Europe.

Bianca has been in church ministry for 15 years inspiring women to live with unquenchable passion. With Bianca’s trademark humor and honesty, Play with Fire reminds women that God has huge dreams for each of his children. “He’s whispering in the wind and speaking through the fire and shouting in silence the extraordinary dream.”