How one weekend can give you everything you ever wanted

The most intriguing aspect of How One Weekend Can Give You Everything You Ever Wanted by Graham Albans (10Publishing) is its title, which instantly sparks curiosity.

This short, enjoyable book speaks directly to the questions a not-yet-Christian may have about faith. The weekend Albans references - spoiler alert - is the Easter weekend, which the book tracks from Good Friday through Easter Saturday to Easter Sunday.

Introducing himself as a Radio 2 producer who has spent time with Sir Paul McCartney and Ed Sheeran, Albans challenges the assumption that someone who mingles with celebrities can’t also be a Christian. Readers will likely relate to his early admission that, despite rubbing shoulders with stars at the BBC, he remained discontent: “Whatever level was reached, there was always another to reach for.”

The book argues that a relationship with Jesus can satisfy our deepest longings. Its strengths lie in its clarity and accessibility. Alban has a warm, relatable style and writes with charming, self-effacing humility. 

After revealing the meaning behind the title, Albans takes the reader through the Easter weekend, starting with Good Friday. At times, the shift from his lighthearted tone to hard-hitting descriptions of the cross feels abrupt. For example, he jumps from discussing home-cooked brunches to describing Jesus’ claim to be the Son of God as leading to him being: “brutally tortured, then hammered to a wooden cross like a piece of butchered meat.”

Albans’ pastor’s heart shines through, particularly in his chapter on meaning, which includes the deeply poignant account of his nephew’s funeral: “It’s the smallness of the coffin that sticks with you… Why had God let this happen? Where was God in this pain and suffering?” By sharing his personal experience, Albans credibly engages with such questions, explaining how we can put our faith in God despite not always having satisfactory answers.

Telling the story of a friend struggling with debt, he explains how we each: “need the person we’re in ‘sin-debt’ to - God himself - to pay it off for us.” This is a useful analogy, though the author focuses heavily on individual sin and salvation without engaging with the corporate nature of sin. A broader exploration of how Jesus’ sacrifice is a one-time redemption for all people across history, however, would have been valuable. While individual response to Christ is essential (a step Albans guides the reader through in a prayer at the end), the collective scope of humanity’s fallenness remains largely unexplored.

The chapter on optimism carefully explains the eternal significance of the Easter weekend, posing useful questions for faith-seekers to reflect on and framing earthly life within a bigger, eternal perspective: “If there’s no hope of heaven, then what are you ultimately optimistic about? The hope of heaven goes beyond just looking forward to the next good experience in our short few decades of life.”

Having a copy of this book on your shelf, especially in the lead-up to Easter, could be invaluable for those moments when a friend or family member asks about faith. It could also serve as a short small-group resource, perhaps during Lent, to help build confidence in sharing faith in the natural and engaging way that Albans does.

How One Weekend Can Give You Everything You Ever Wanted by Graham Albans is out now