Fighting for Family: The Relentless Pursuit of Building Belonging
About this ebook
In a time when so many suffer from isolation and it feels like developing authentic relationships and true belonging is harder than ever, Chris and Julie Bennett invite you into their story to discover why we were meant for togetherness and why it's worth facing any amount of hardship to keep our faith, families, and communities at the center of who we are.
When Chris and Julie and their four kids moved from Norman, Oklahoma, to Los Angeles (which just happened to be one of the most disconnected cities in the United States), they knew they were setting out on a great adventure. They’d be leaving behind the church they had pastored, the comfort of their established community, and the familiarity of their daily routines, but the new city promised to bring some much-needed change.
What they didn't expect was how this adventure—complicated by a cancer diagnosis, a relapse, and a pandemic—would challenge their notions of what it means to care for each other well, both as a biological family and as part of a broader community.
Rebelliously hopeful, the couple will take you on their harrowing journey as they show how family—whether biological, adopted, or chosen—is the greatest risk you'll ever take, the best reward you'll ever gain, and an essential part of what makes us human.
About the author
Chris Bennett is a pastor, storyteller, writer, and producer originally from Dallas, Texas. He is a graduate of Baylor University, which he attended with the love of his life, his wife, Julie. He and his family made the bold decision to uproot their lives from Oklahoma and moved to Los Angeles, California, where together they run their own production company, Welcome Home Entertainment. He is passionate about being a father to his four kids, Beau, Nate, Brooks, and Joy. Chris and Julie host a weekly podcast called Becoming Family and are in the process of developing a docs-series where they explore the power and diversity of family through the stories of those who have experienced it. Currently, Chris serves as the lead Pastor of Vintage Church in Malibu, California.
Julie Bennett is a writer, producer, speaker, and two-time cancer survivor from Edmond, Oklahoma. She is a graduate of Baylor University and the wife of her husband of 23 years, Chris. Shortly after moving to Los Angeles, she was diagnosed with breast cancer, which she bravely battled over the next three years. She is the proud mama to her four wonders, Beau, Nate, Brooks, and Joy. Along with her husband she hosts a weekly podcast, Becoming Family, and is in the process of developing their docs-series about the power and diversity of family through the stories of those who have experienced it. Julie currently resides in Malibu, California.
