Six String Rocketeer. Holding Life Together When Your Parents Split Apart

115 Pages·2010·0.74 MB·English

by  Jesse Butterworth

Praise for
Six String Rocketeer
“Heartbreaking one moment, laugh-out-loud funny the next, Six String
Rocketeer is a valuable book for anyone whose parents are going through
a divorce. Without preaching, Jesse Butterworth invites readers into his
own story of how he coped with his parents’ breakup—and brings much-
needed encouragement along the way.”
—L S , author of The Case for Christ
EE TROBEL
and The Case for Faith
“Jesse’s transparency in communicating his story is refreshing, authentic,
and powerful. Such bold honesty is missing from many of today’s
publications on the subject but was very present in the ministry of our
Lord Jesus.”
—G G , president/CEO, Global Outreach
REGG ARNER
Developments International
“Anguish and pain and hope are all here. Jesse gives voice to the all-too-
often silent children of divorce with biting wit and balanced wisdom.”
—J O , teaching pastor, Menlo Park
OHN RTBERG
Presbyterian Church
“There is no easy way to weave a story of survival during the two most
devastating things that can happen to a person—your parents’ divorce
and junior high. Butterworth pulls it off beautifully. The hope found
here is tangible: hope for healing family relationships; hope for love that
springs up through the cracks of the blacktop of pain; and hope for a
song of victory that will finally be sung, rising higher than the voices of
an eighth-grade choir, louder than the deafening silence of separation,
and more glorious than a Six String Rocketeer.”
—M H , author of Miles to Cross, coauthor
IKE OWERTON
of The Relevant Church, Illuminate pastor
“As a child of divorce, I have Jesse’s song ‘Six String Rocketeer’ on the
soundtrack of my life. Now with his book, Jesse has crafted a poignant
memoir, introducing readers to the important first step of acknowledging
that parental divorce has lasting effects. His gracious approach and
discerning insights invite readers to visit his past and, in the process,
better understand their own.”
—J A , author of Generation Ex: Adult Children
EN BBAS
of Divorce and the Healing of Our Pain
“Jesse Butterworth is a passionate, real, and genuinely kind person. I’ve
toured with him in the USA and in Europe and have seen him connect
with people. He’s interested in their stories and uses his own to bring
understanding and healing. I’ve always loved the song ‘Six String
Rocketeer,’ and after reading the book, I feel that I better understand his
world and the world of those who have traveled a similar journey.
Success for Jesse is using his life to touch others. I pray it touches
millions.”
—P C , singer and songwriter
AUL OLMAN

SIX STRING ROCKETEER
PUBLISHED BY WATERBROOK PRESS
12265 Oracle Blvd., Suite 200
Colorado Springs, Colorado 80921
A division of Random House, Inc.
Details in some anecdotes and stories have been changed to protect the identities of the persons
involved.
Copyright © 2005 by Jesse Butterworth Published in association with the literary agency of Alive
Communications, Inc., 7680 Goddard Street, Suite 200, Colorado Springs, CO 80920.
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any
means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying and recording, or by any information
storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher.
WATERBROOK and its deer design logo are registered trademarks of WaterBrook Press, a division
of Random House, Inc.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Butterworth, Jesse.
Six string rocketeer : holding life together when your parents split apart / Jesse Butterworth.
— 1st ed.
p. cm.
Includes bibliographical references.
eISBN: 978-0-30755112-2
1. Christian youth—Religious life. 2. Children of divorced parents—Religious life. 3.
Butterworth, Jesse. I. Title.
BV4531.3.B89 2005
248.8′3—dc22
2005007775
v3.1_r1
To WaterBrook:
Thanks for taking a chance on this book.
To my family,
the most beautiful ball of dysfunction I’ve ever laid eyes on.
I love our times together. Thanks for letting me tell this story.
I couldn’t have done it without you.
I love you all more today than I ever have.
To my wife,
the most beautiful creature I’ve ever laid eyes on.
You are my heart and soul. Thanks for your patience, your trust, your
support, and for saying “I do.” I love you.
You and I
Brick and vine
Our spirits mesh
And intertwine.
To my God,
the most beautiful source of life one could ever experience.
Thanks for the Beatles, Elton John, Paul Simon, James Taylor, Billy Joel,
and the countless other musicians who have touched my life so deeply.
Thanks for music. Thanks for family. And thanks for Jesus.
I love You with everything I’ve got, and I hope I’ve made You proud.
Contents
Cover
Title Page
Copyright
Dedication
Foreword
Prologue
1 The Wounds That Hurt You
2 Roll with the Punches
3 Caught in the Crossfire
4 Blasting Off
5 Sgt. Pepper in Military Motif
6 A Couple Consenting Adults
7 I Just Had to Get Away
8 A Mad Little Man
9 My Getaway Car
10 Not the Place They Intended This to End
11 Life as It Happens
12 The Wounds That Would Heal You
Epilogue
Notes
About the Author