We are all improvisers! The principle of "yes, and . . ." in improvisational theater has produced a lot of great comedy. But it also offers an invigorating approach to life in general, and the spiritual life in particular. From Moses to Ruth to Jesus, scripture is full of people boldly saying "yes, and . . ." as they accept what life throws their way and build upon it. Pastor, speaker, and improv aficionada MaryAnn McKibben Dana here blends Scripture, psychology, theology, and pop culture in a wise, funny, down-to-earth guide to improv as a practice for life . Offering concrete spiritual wisdom in the form of seven improvisational principles, this book will help readers become more awake, creative, resilient, and ready to play --even (and perhaps especially) when life doesn't go according to plan. "We are all improvisers," says McKibben Dana, "whether we realize it or not. We improvise in order to get through the day. We improvise when life surprises us. We do it without even thinking about it. This book will help you do it better." Insightful and truthful. . . . Offers a fresh perspective on the profound freedom and gift of saying YES to life and God.-- Jessica Tate, director of NEXT Church This spiritual guide explores a world of universe-expanding possibility through the simple act of uttering the word yes.-- Sarah Little, filmmaker, comedian with The Second City Are you in a place of life where you feel stuck? If so, this wise and humorous book is exactly what you've been searching for!-- Elizabeth Hagan, author of Birthed: Finding Grace through Infertility Life happens. Living well means improvising, which is a craft that can be practiced and honed. In MaryAnn McKibben Dana we have the gift of an honest, playful, and deeply wise guide. In this book you will find practical insight drawn from the world of improv, tested in the crucible of pastoral ministry, and engagingly told in story after story.-- Ken Evers-Hood, author of The Irrational Jesus: Leading the Fully Human Church I have always been one who has shied away from improv because, quite honestly, the vulnerability and lack of control scares the bejesus out of me. McKibben Dana artfully, tenderly, and prophetically challenges us all to embrace the idea that it is precisely by experiencing and sharing vulnerability and a lack of control with others that we meet God. God, Improv, and the Art of Living is a gift for those who dare to step into this holy improv space and risk the possibilities.-- Bruce Reyes-Chow, Former Moderator of the Presbyterian Church (USA) and co-author of Rule #2: Don't Be an Asshat: An Official Handbook for Raising Parents and Children This book is the result of many years of incubation, mulling, exploratory blog posts, group work, and personal exploration....And improv class.... And play. Writing this book been such an intense and wonderful journey, and a long one, that it almost doesn't seem real that there's a physical product at the end. I mprov is so much about the experience rather than a destination. Life is like that too, no? And yet... here it is, for the world to read and experience. The book's foreword is written by actor, author ( Angry Conversations with God ), and former Groundlings member Susan E. Isaacs. It was a true delight to see how deeply she got it: McKibben Dana invites us to approach life as a chance to discover with God, with all the mess and surprise that comes along with it. What if God isn't an immutable taskmaster but a creative collaborator? What if God's answer is "Yes And"? What if God is asking us the question: "What do you want?" It's a terrifying and freeing invitation. It's also a step toward maturity. Onward. In this exploratory and practical book, exercises are included for each chapter, some for individuals and some for communities. You are invited to dive in and experience the principles in this book. Don't be like the people in the old New Yorker cartoon that encounter two heavenly staircases, ascending to the clouds. One staircase is marked 'Heaven,' while the other, much more popular staircase is 'Discussion about Heaven.' Do the work. And in many cases, the work is to play. MaryAnn McKibben Dana is a writer, speaker, free-range pastor, and coach. She is the author of 2012's Sabbath in the Suburbs: A Family's Experiment with Holy Time . An avid student and champion of improvisational theater, she prides herself on her ability to get even stodgy groups playing together and reflecting on life as improv. Her writing has appeared in TIME.com, The Washington Post, Huffington Post, Religion Dispatches, and the Christian Century. She was featured on PBS's Religion and Ethics Newsweekly for her work on Sabbath, and was recognized by the Presbyterian Writers Guild with the 2015-2016 David Steele Distinguished Writer Award. She is a mother of three, a connoisseur of muffins, and an occasional marathoner.