THE 2×4 LIE Face to Face with Grace By Robert Alafa Sr. You can love Jesus—and still feel exhausted trying to please Him. Many believers carry a quiet pressure they can’t explain. They pray. They serve. They believe. Yet something always whispers, “You should be further along by now.” That pressure doesn’t come from just one place. It comes from the enemy. From the world. And from the voice we’ve learned to live with inside ourselves. Over time, that voice becomes a weapon— a 2×4 we keep swinging at our own soul. The 2×4 Lie reveals how performance, guilt, and self-judgment can quietly take the place of relationship—leaving believers striving for what was never meant to be earned. In this raw, story-driven book, Robert Alafa Sr. invites you into real moments of collapse, clarity, and encounter—including a life-altering moment at his kitchen table where Jesus met him through the story of Joshua the high priest and reshaped everything he believed about God. Not through effort. Not through explanation. Through grace. This is not a book about doing more. It’s about seeing God rightly—and discovering what changes when you do. Inside, you’ll uncover: Why faith can feel heavy even when God is gentle - How shame hides behind devotion and discipline - What happens when grace replaces striving at the core - Why identity—not effort—sustains transformation - How grace doesn’t weaken obedience, but finally fuels it You won’t just learn about grace. You’ll recognize the places where you’ve been carrying weight you were never meant to hold. From a childhood shaped by fear-based faith, to leading a thriving church while privately burning out, to an unexpected encounter in Las Vegas that shattered religious pride—Robert’s journey is honest, vulnerable, and deeply relatable. Whether you’re exhausted from religious performance, new to faith and hungry to understand grace, or thriving but sensing there’s more—this book will meet you exactly where you are. If you’re tired of trying harder… If your faith feels heavier than it should… Or if you’re ready to stop swinging the 2×4— It’s time to sit down, breathe again, and meet grace face-to-face.