Die Young Challenges Readers to Abandon the Pursuit of Happiness

Bestselling Authors Urge Readers to ‘Bury Your Self in Christ’

By Dan Wooding
Founder of ASSIST Ministries

WHEATON, IL (ANS) -- Award-winning and bestselling authors Hayley and Michael DiMarco live in the real world. They understand that self-fulfillment is part of the American Dream. They also understand that the only way to a truly rich and fulfilled life is death: death to self.

Book cover

Their counter-cultural message is spelled out clearly in the pages of Die Young: Burying Your Self in Christ (Crossway, January 31, 2012). The DiMarcos guide readers into a practical understanding of what it means to become “living sacrifices” for Jesus Christ.

According to a news release from Jana Muntsinger of McClure Muntsinger Public Relations, Die Young is a manifesto written by a transparent husband/wife duo who are committed to living intentionally and helping others do the same. Today’s culture drives people towards selfishness and ego, but Die Young flips that notion on its head and offers a better way—a way that leads to life as God intends. As Paul calls to readers in Romans 12, so the DiMarcos call their readers to become “living sacrifices.”

The DiMarcos weave Biblical teaching with “first person” confessionals from each of the authors, so Die Young is both theologically rich and completely relatable. Hayley confesses how her obsession with perfection permeates led to her first engagement being called off. Michael describes how doing time in jail was exactly what he needed to wake up to whole concept of dying young. Michael explains, “For me, to die young was to remove me as the center of my world, and put God and others in my place, loving and serving them as much, if not more, than I do myself.” Hayley adds, “It’s about an ability to deny yourself so you don’t serve your desires over God’s.”

Michael DiMarco

Based on the premise that the gospel turns life upside down, the DiMarcos explain the paradoxes that result: death is the new life; less is the new more; weak is the new strong; slavery is the new freedom. Throughout Die Young they examine what the life and death of Christ means for themselves, as well as those who have given their lives to Jesus.

The release went on to say that the DiMarcos hope Die Young will turn the reader and his or her priorities upside down. The authors believe “dying young” will show readers:

* How in today’s society people bury themselves in things they hope will save them, or bring them comfort. But it never works.

* The deception of freedom—demanding to make one’s own choices, wanting to be subject to no one. True freedom is only found by surrendering.

* The only path to real life is through death— dying to the obsessive need to please yourself, to comfort yourself, and to enjoy yourself, so that you can live only to please God.

* By dying young, you give all of your needs, fears, worries, wants, hopes, dreams, and failures over to God, who can handle them.

While many of the titles published by this popular husband/wife duo have been geared toward youth, Die Young expands their target audience to all age groups. The DiMarco’s are convinced that no one is too old to die young. Michael explains, “It is never too late. Too much of your life has not passed. You have not made too many mistakes for God to forgive. But when you are determined to completely bury yourself in Christ so deep that nothing can ever really harm you again, that’s when his love is all that surrounds you and all that contains you and all that you contain. Then life is a whole new ball game.”

Hayley DiMarco

Hayley and Michael DiMarco form Hungry Planet books. Since their first book hit the shelves in Fall 2003, Hungry Planet has published more than three dozen titles and, as of 2011, sold over 1,000,000 books. Their newest title, Die Young: Burying Your Self In Christ, is a challenge to readers to die to self and live for Christ, in ways that are completely counter-cultural. Hayley has written numerous best-selling books, including God Girl, Mean Girls, Idol Girls, Dateable, and the 2007 and 2010 ECPA Christian Book Award winners, Sexy Girls and B4UD8. Michael’s best-selling books include; God Guy, Cupidity, Unstuff, All In, Almost Sex, and the 2010 ECPA Christian Book Award winner, B4UD8. Michael and Hayley live with their daughter on the shores of Old Hickory Lake just outside of Nashville, Tennessee. More information can be found at hungryplanet.net.

Crossway is a not-for-profit Christian ministry that exists to proclaim the gospel through publishing in order, by God's grace: To assist individual Christians and the church in growing in knowledge and understanding of the Christian life; To bear witness to God's truth, beauty and holiness, and to the Lordship of Christ in every area of life; To help bring men, women, and children to Christ as their Lord and Savior; To glorify our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ in every way. Any surplus that may arise is used solely to further the publishing ministry of Crossway.

Review copies, reprint permission and interviews are available.

Contact Jana Muntsinger, McClure Muntsinger Public Relations, 281-251-0480 orjana@mmpublicrelations.com

Note: Some years back, Crossway published my autobiography, Twenty-Six Lead Soldiers (now updated as From Tabloid to Truth), and also a book by my son, Andrew Wooding, with the intriguing title of I Wonder If Chocolate Kills Brain Cells. Both are still available via www.amazon.com 

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Dan Wooding, 71, is an award winning British journalist now living in Southern California with his wife Norma, to whom he has been married for 48 years. They have two sons, Andrew and Peter, and six grandchildren who all live in the UK. He is the founder and international director of ASSIST (Aid to Special Saints in Strategic Times) and the ASSIST News Service (ANS) and was, for ten years, a commentator, on the UPI Radio Network in Washington, DC. He now hosts the weekly “Front Page Radio” show on KWVE in Southern California which is also carried throughout the United States. The program is also aired in Great Britain on Calvary Chapel Radio UK and also in Belize and South Africa. Besides this, Wooding is a host for His Channel Live, which is carried via the Internet to some 192 countries and also provides a regular commentary for Worship Life Radio on KWVE. You can follow Dan Wooding on Facebook under his name there or at ASSIST News Service. He is the author of some 44 books, one of which is his autobiography, “From Tabloid to Truth”, which is published by Theatron Books. To order a copy, press this link. Wooding, who was born in Nigeria of British missionary parents, has also recently released his first novel “Red Dagger” which is available this link.

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