David Stiebel's "Things G-d Can't Do" Featured on JM in the AM

J&M, good morning. This is actually a um you know, we talk about our our contribution to how the world works and our responsibilities when it comes to our very own future. Uh and obviously we take that seriously when it comes to voting, right? We have a role in determining who's going to be our leaders, etc., etc., and we think we know what's best for us, etc., etc. And then David Steel comes along and he uh publishes a book entitled things God can't do and reminds us of God's role on a day like today and every day. David Steel, a pleasure to welcome you to JM in the AM. >> Thank you. Good morning. Happy to be here. >> Appreciate that. Um I'll tell you there's a few reasons why this is so intriguing. First of all, um things God can't do. You could have published a postcard. You could have published a uh a little booklet that people carry around with them or show off to friends and family because of this unique concept that you have in fact published a complete guide of things God can't do. But you went ahead and you published an actual book of 180 excuse me over 190 pages over 190 pages entitled Things God Can't Do. Why did you feel that this was the best format for this message? Yeah. So I for years already I I love teaching people about God just in getting new ideas across and um like last year I was actually playing around with a website builder and just the funny idea of making a blank website popped up called thingsgodcanddo.com and I was like I want and I just had such fun I just put it out there and it was like the funniest thing and I got a kick out of sending it to people and then about a month or two later I had heard about this book uh that was published. I think it was like some Republican published a book, Reasons to Vote Democrat, and it was a totally blank book. And then other people told me there's other blank books and I was like, "Wait a minute, that's a that's great." So, I stole that idea and I published a blank book. And and sure enough, it's it's 190 pages. It's totally blank, but the title is Things God Can't Do. And uh and I printed one off on this self-publishing platform just for fun. And it got such a riot out of people that I decided to publish it for real. And uh yeah, it's it's funny because it exactly like you you look at it and you see the title and you're like, "Wait, what? What?" And then you open it up and there's this like moment of like, "Oh my god, I can't believe this is a blank." And >> by the way, it's on Amazon. I mean, is there movement at all? Like is there is there you know, is there some uh some wind behind the sales of things God can't do. >> There there is I mean I to be honest, I don't have a big uh audience, but the one the people who do find out about it tend to really enjoy it. I've sold a couple hundred on Amazon. Um I've I have a scumas from big rebam about it. There's a few there's even like a big there was a big share that visited Detroit and I gave one to him and he literally just started like just chuckling loud like out loud and then >> and he took it back with him to Israel. And so uh yeah I am having a ton of fun with it. Um and it's for sale on Amazon. The website is thingsg godcantdo.com and uh and I'm yeah it's great. And people are asking me when the second volume's going to come out, you know. Um, and uh, and my favorite side my favorite followup is I want to publish an audio book. >> And uh, that so that's that's having a lot of fun with it. I'm having a lot of fun. >> I volunteer to be the voice for your audio book if you want. That's fantastic. >> Let's do it. Let's do it. >> Things things godcant.com. I fell for it, by the way, folks. I did go to the website. There's nothing there outside of the ability to actually get to Amazon through the website and and buy the book things.com. And David Stable decided to actually publish this complete guide and um I I'll tell you what what really got me on this because it's not really a completely blank book. You've gone ahead and you've included I don't know 15 chapter headings. things like problems God can't solve, people God can't help, times God can't intervene, etc., etc. And I think those chapter titles are real key why people are enjoying this. >> Yeah. Yeah. I think so. It's like it's sort of like it really is a real book, but then each chapter is uh is blank. And and it's interesting the it actually published originally a little before Pesak last year and I had a bunch of people buy a copy specifically for their Passover seder because Passover sader is all about talking about the miracles that that God can do and everything and this was like this was they brought it to the table to add to the discussion. I thought that was great. >> I'll Yeah. Go ahead. >> No, I had one one friend here uh he had a he had a grandchild who was sick. He actually got the book as like a and and a and a and a and a message for the parents that were going through this hard time because it's uh it's a very strengthening message. It's fun, but it's also a very very nice powerful message to remember. No, there's really nothing God can't do. >> By the way, you have no idea how important a point you just made. Although maybe you do know because you had that personal experience. You have a chapter entitled Illnesses God Can't Heal. And everybody has somebody that they know who's either recently been diagnosed or has gone through a really difficult battle. And the reality is that it's important to keep in mind that God can in fact heal if he wants to and if he feels that's what's best. And um that's the chapter on page 119. And again, illnesses God can't heal is completely blank. Pretty cool. >> Thank you. Um, by the way, one of the aside from the chapter titles, and I think it's one of the big differences between publishing a card or a, you know, some type of uh, you know, small piece of memorabilia with this on it, I think the chapter titles with all the blank chapters has a tremendous impact. But your FAQ, you have three FAQ pages, frequently asked questions, and I think those also are major discussion points and also a dose of reality for a lot of people. I mean, it it may not seem like much. It's only three pages, but I would imagine you put a lot of work into those. >> Yeah. So, when the when I the first time I I published it, I got so many, you know, in addition to like the the the fun reactions, I got a lot of great questions people came up with. The most famous one was, "Well, can God make a rock so heavy he can't even lift it?" Because that's a famous paradoxical question. And I got a bunch of questions. So, I said, "You know what? you know, if people are already seeing this book and they're and it's getting their their thought juices going, let me put an FAQ in there just to keep the, you know, get them a little bit uh a little bit more. Now, I mean, you could write 1,800 books about really, you know, what how to answer these questions and and and more thoughts. And obviously, there's lots of books already written about God and thinking about God, but I thought, you know, let me put a few small questions and a taste of questions in the back there. Um, and yeah, and I and I did work on those ones. Those ones are actually written by me. Uh, and uh, I probably put more work into the FAQ than I did the 190 blank pages. >> Yeah. Okay. Correct. That's obvious. David David Steel's with us. Are you a theologian? Are you a uh, a rabbi? Are you somebody who generally hangs out in the faith-based leadership area? >> Um, so I'm not not a rabbi, but I do I do teach uh I do teach sometimes, and one of my favorite topics is teaching about about God and about Hashem. And really I feel like I've over the years found different little snippets or ideas or analogies or frameworks that kind of make you think a little differently. I what I find is that everyone's conception of God is not actually correct. That whatever God you believe in, he's actually way more amazing than that. >> Right. >> Right. Even you no matter how and then and then tomorrow when you realize he's more amazing than what you thought yesterday, he's actually more amazing than that, too. >> Yeah. Maybe that's maybe that's the sequel. Maybe that's the sequel. >> Right. He's even more amazing than you originally thought. Uh, by the way, I purchased the book for a non-Jewish friend of mine who is a man of faith because I knew he'd appreciate it. And I, you know, I'm not I I I know that soon we're getting into the national and international giftgiving season. So, I'm not I'm not really making the recommendation, but I am telling people if you have people in your life, Jewish or non-Jewish, who are people of faith, this is something they'll find fun, serious, and that they'll appreciate. And I don't know if you thought of any of this when it came to the marketing, but the reality is this is for everybody in the entire world. >> Yeah. I mean, I did think of that. That's why you know that the name doesn't say it doesn't say Hashem, it says God. Um, and I also put the dash in the between the G and the D there, which actually there's an FAQ question about that. And >> talking point, good talking point. >> Yeah. Yeah. It's so that's that was a fun one. And yeah, and I have so I've been trying to keep it sort of, you know, religion neutral, right? Um to try to reach as as large an audience as I can because it really is it really is true. It's it's replicable to everybody. >> Well, I just wanted you to know that I actually purchased it and and gave it as a gift to somebody who's not Jewish and they they absolutely loved it. They they they >> Oh, that's awesome. >> They didn't know they didn't know how they were able to exist without it being in their home beforehand. So, that's pretty cool, though. >> Right. >> David Stable uh is the author. I have to be careful. I mean, you are the author. You did the FAQs and the chapter headings. He is the author of the book Things God Can't Do, a complete guide. You can go to things God can't do.com. You can also go to Amazon and just search for it. And I'm telling you folks, as as empty as the book is, it's worth having. I'm telling you, it has my app probation. It is worth having. David, congratulations. I think it's a great I think I told you this from the beginning. I love the idea. I love the concept. And I think it came out great. Congratulations on this and I hope a lot of people pay careful attention to this and make it part of their library soon enough. >> Thank you. Thank you so much. Really appreciate the the praise and the love. Thank you. >> A pleasure. Great speaking with you, David Steel. It's a Tuesday morning broadcast and you're listening to JM in the A.M.