“Searing, challenging, riveting, inspiring, and real.” Father James Martin, S.J., author of Learning to Pray A Complicated Grace by Dave Hillis is a profound memoir that invites readers into an intimate exploration of themes such as addiction, grief, and forgiveness. This deeply personal narrative unfolds through letters, poems, and reflections penned during various seasons of Jordan Hillis' life. As a father, Dave Hillis chronicles his son's journey through incarceration, offering an unvarnished look at their evolving relationship. The memoir delves into the complexities of familial love and the resilience required to navigate life's challenges. It is enriched by contributions from friends and family members, who provide diverse perspectives on Jordan's character and the indelible impact he made on those around him. Through their voices, the narrative offers a multifaceted view of community and the unyielding bonds that sustain it. A unique feature of the book is its inclusion of reprinted poems by celebrated poets, which weave deeper literary insights into the story. This blend of personal reflection and literary analysis provides a compelling backdrop for exploring the transformative power of grace and redemption. A Complicated Grace stands as a significant reflection on human nature and the enduring strength found in the ties that bind us. “A book whose form gently incarnates the most personal mysteries of light and shadow, A Complicated Grace comes as that rarest of friends—one willing to accompany our wrestling with God. For all those who have uttered the cry of love to a child and feared it would go unheard, this book is for you.” Anne Snyder, Editor-in-Chief of Comment magazine, author of The Fabric of Character “Dave Hillis is a leader with great depth and wisdom. His reflections are certain to bless many who encounter the 'complicated grace' of their own lives.” Curtis Chang, Executive Director of Redeeming Babel, author of The Anxiety Opportunity “If any of the 150 Psalms speak to your heart, A Complicated Grace will do so as well. Be prepared to experience a profound range of emotions as letters, poems, and reflections illuminate the life and death of Jordan Hillis. This son, father, brother, uncle, and friend lived deeply and died tragically. His struggles, failures, loves, and gifts live on in these writings, drawing us into his life, and perhaps, our own. If you are a parent, grandparent, child, or, have loved and lost, you will find grace, in all its complications, in these pages.” Daryl Grigsby, author of Catholics for the Common Good " A Complicated Grace , in addition to being a remarkable tribute to local love, to family and friends, reaches out to offer succour to anyone who trembles on the brink of tilling the unturned soil of memories not yet detoxified. To show there is a whole-making through losses yet-to-be understood. For not only is grace complicated: it is true, and it trues us." James Alison, Catholic theologian, priest, and author of Jesus the Forgiving Victim Dave Hillis is a father to three adult sons, Patrick, Ryan, and Jordan (who passed away in September, 2023). He and his wife Teresa have resided in Tacoma, Washington for over 40 years, raising their family as they worked for the spiritual and social renewal of Tacoma as well as other cities around the world.He currently serves as the Samuel Shoemaker Senior Innovation Fellow with the Leadership Foundations (LF) Colangelo Carpenter Innovation Center (CCIC), devoting himself to thinking, writing, and speaking about the idea and ramifications of seeing our cities as God's playgrounds. Dave's perspective was honed as an area and regional director of urban Young Life, president of the Northwest Leadership Foundation (NLF) and president of the global network of Leadership Foundations (LF).He received his undergraduate degree from Western Washington University, his Master of Divinity from Fuller Theological Seminary, and his Doctor of Ministry from Bakke Graduate University. Dave has served as an adjunct professor for several academic institutions and is a guest lecturer and teacher at various urban ministry and leadership conferences. He has served on the boards of numerous community organizations and is deeply committed to his catholic parish, St. Leo. Dave authored Cities: Playgrounds or Battlegrounds?: Leadership Foundations' Fifty Year Journey of Social and Spiritual Renewal, which tells the history, practices, and impact of the LF Global Network, and was a contributor and editor of the anthology, City As Playground, a collection of 19 essays and interviews from academicians and practitioners. In his spare time, he is an avid reader of poetry and is an aficionado of all things cigars and scotch. This book is dedicated to his six grandchildren.