I first heard of Tim Keller when I read The Reason for God in the summer of 2010. I was in grad school to become a physical therapist at the time. I remember two things after reading that book.

1. I was more sure than ever before that God existed and that I needed Him.
2. I was a big fan of Tim Keller’s writing and teaching style.

Reading The Reason for God was the first of 12 books by Tim that I would go on to read. It seemed I was always working my way through one of them each year, so in a way, Tim’s writings were always in the background of my life speaking God’s truth to me. I will miss the excitement of a new book coming out.

King’s Cross was the book that God has used most in my life. I had been struggling through my first several years being a physical therapist in a rehabilitation hospital. I had worked with so many patients going through horrible life altering diseases and medical events. The pressure of helping them learn to walk again left me anxious and sleep deprived. When Tim explained the importance of the order of events in Mark 2 when Jesus forgives the paralyzed man’s sins first and then heals his paralysis, I felt the weight of all that I was carrying lift off of me. I can still remember the moment 10 years later. Tim made me realize that I was trying to be my patients’ savior, but my patients all had a bigger problem just like the paralyzed man. Putting all mine and their hope in being able to walk again was temporal and misplaced. They needed a Savior who could one day make them whole again and wipe away the tears from their eyes.

I’ve never forgotten that and have come back to it many times. I feel like it made me a better therapist. I started trusting in God’s eternal plan for my life and my patients lives and stopped worrying so much about my inability to solve everyone’s problems. I’ll be forever grateful. I’m praying for the Keller family and Redeemer.

Matt Annessi
Chattanooga, TN