A book a day for November 6
Another NaBloPoMo post
I may get around to telling you about my life, but first a book I am currently reading, and getting a lot from
I don't know how he does it, but Ortberg seems to hit the mark again and again, his book The Life You've Always Wanted: Spiritual Disciplines for Ordinary People
(terrible title, sounds like self-help rubbish, better understood by its subtitle 'Spiritual Disciplines for ordinary people') is one of the best 'everyday Christian' books which I've read - by which I mean he takes some quite difficult ideas, and ancient spiritual practises, and makes them accessible and usable in our everyday walk of faith.
God Is Closer Than You Think
is nothing short of excellent, at least what I have read so far is. As always, it is written in an engaging and accessible style, which is entertaining and amusing enough to make me laugh out loud in the coffee shop this morning (I do get some down time!) and yet at the same time doesn't shy from asking difficult questions and addressing tricky issues, and doesn't try to give easy, pat or trivial answers to some of the tough questions. Nor does he give the impression that he has the answers to everything, or that he has things sewn up nicely, on the contrary you get the impression that he is fully tied up in the messy and often complicated business of just trying to get on with life whilst staying faithful to Jesus.
In this book, again explained well by its subtitle 'If God is always with us why is he so hard to find', Ortberg tries to give us something of a handle on the idea of God's presence being everywhere, whilst sometimes feeling like he's nowhere. He offers ways of reflecting on life which can help us see more of the depth and resonance of the reality of God being a part of the ordinary as well as the special. As in so many of his books he takes practices which have been a part of the life of Christians through the ages and translates them into today-speak, offering pointers as to how we can integrate these ideas into our daily life of faith.
A good companion to have on the journey.
I may get around to telling you about my life, but first a book I am currently reading, and getting a lot from
I don't know how he does it, but Ortberg seems to hit the mark again and again, his book The Life You've Always Wanted: Spiritual Disciplines for Ordinary People
(terrible title, sounds like self-help rubbish, better understood by its subtitle 'Spiritual Disciplines for ordinary people') is one of the best 'everyday Christian' books which I've read - by which I mean he takes some quite difficult ideas, and ancient spiritual practises, and makes them accessible and usable in our everyday walk of faith.God Is Closer Than You Think
is nothing short of excellent, at least what I have read so far is. As always, it is written in an engaging and accessible style, which is entertaining and amusing enough to make me laugh out loud in the coffee shop this morning (I do get some down time!) and yet at the same time doesn't shy from asking difficult questions and addressing tricky issues, and doesn't try to give easy, pat or trivial answers to some of the tough questions. Nor does he give the impression that he has the answers to everything, or that he has things sewn up nicely, on the contrary you get the impression that he is fully tied up in the messy and often complicated business of just trying to get on with life whilst staying faithful to Jesus.In this book, again explained well by its subtitle 'If God is always with us why is he so hard to find', Ortberg tries to give us something of a handle on the idea of God's presence being everywhere, whilst sometimes feeling like he's nowhere. He offers ways of reflecting on life which can help us see more of the depth and resonance of the reality of God being a part of the ordinary as well as the special. As in so many of his books he takes practices which have been a part of the life of Christians through the ages and translates them into today-speak, offering pointers as to how we can integrate these ideas into our daily life of faith.
A good companion to have on the journey.
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