In a deeply personal follow-up to his #1 bestseller This is the Fire: What I Say to My Friends about Racism, a modern media iconoclast faces a test of his own faith and examines the rise and fall of Evangelicals in America.

Fifty years ago, 90% of Americans believed in God and were optimistic about the future. Today, religious convictions are in freefall, and hopelessness is on the rise. We’re losing faith in a higher power, our institutions, and each other. Are these trends connected? Are we still capable of believing in something bigger than ourselves? How do we reconcile evolving social values with traditions we hold sacred?

Don Lemon sought answers in the context of his own faith. He cherished the Southern Black church he was raised in but struggled with the fundamentalist rejection of his right to exist as a gay man who wanted to marry his longtime love in a church wedding with all the traditional trimmings. Seeing parallels between his complicated relationship with God and the blurred line between church and state, he turned a journalistic eye on ancient stories and found connections that sparked memories, conversations, and chance encounters.

Suddenly, his world unraveled. In a blaze of inglorious headlines, Don was ousted from his high-profile network news job and tasked with redefining his role in the shifting media landscape. Through a year of personal changes and professional whiplash, he kept his “eyes on the prize” and found grace, within himself and in this nation we call home.

Rich with humor and Louisiana realness, I Once Was Lost is a prayer for a country that reflects the multifaceted image of God and a clarion call to those who believe in democracy enough to fight for it.