Religion Books

These CDs have enhanced my life. I listen to them each day to allow me to be mindful of calmness.MBW

I am trying to place a reorder to be shipped to my son as I feel that he would like/benefit from it and I cannot find it again on Amazon. HELP!

The CD set exceeded my expectations for ease of use. They are much easier to follow than I anticipated. The mediations are simple and completely agnostic, and therefore should be non-offensive to any religious orientation. I recommend this product to anyone looking for a way to improve their mental and physical health in an extremely enjoyable and accessible manner!

In his CD meditations, Kabat-Zinn offers a graet introduction to mindfulness meditation that is non-religious and that acknowledges the challenges beginning meditators have in developing the skill of mindfulness... The CDs are best when accompanied by the Kabat-Zinn's books to give them context. I have used them, have noticed great changes in my daily life (less stress, more enjoyment of everyday activities) and fully recommend them.

If you read "Full Catastrophe Living" as I did, and found it difficult to put into practice the mindfulness meditations described, these CD's will be a great help. They have been for me, especially with the body scan.
I actually found it easier to follow without a musical background, as I find myself extremely distracted and annoyed when in an environment where I do not really like the background music. On the other hand, Kabat-Zinn's voice was actually soothing and relaxing to me.
As for the 'buddhist' comments: I'm sure the Buddha would not have a problem with this book or the related CD's. I'll bet he would welcome anything that helps one to increased mindfullness. I also believe the teachings of Jesus admonish us to be and act mindfully, and this book and CD set have turned out to be a great help in my own personal spiritual growth.

Let me state upfront that I am a huge music fan, but not a Korn fan. Yes of course I know of them and have heard some of their songs, but it's not really my musical style. But I heard about Brian Welsh's sudden departure from the band, and when I saw this book, I couldn't resist picking it up.

"Save Me From Myself: How I Found God, Quit Korn, Kicked Drugs and Lived to Tell My Story" (240 pages) brings Brian's life story, from his humble beginnings in Bakersfield, CA to his eventual major rock star success as a member of the multi-platinum selling Korn. Brian Welsh describes his rock star days excesses (primarily drugs and a failed marriage) in detail, but more intriguingly for me as a music fan, how Korn came about and wrote the sings they became famous for. Yet his transformation into finding religion is of course even more fascinating, in the way that Welsh renounces the "rock star" life and evolves his life to being a good dad and his devotion to being a Christian.

In all, this is a great read. There is a companion book of sorts to this from Welsh (released the same day as this book), called "Washed By Blood" which is pretty much the same book as this, except that it provides "Discussion Questions" after each chapter, intended to stimulate further discussion among the readers.

This is a very powerful read and Totally recommendation to any Korn fans or any readers in general I'm probably not the 1st one to say this but when I 1st heard about this book and read the 1st few pages on here I didn't feel good about it but after I read it all the way thought I finally realized how much the man really went through the isolation and everything else that went on thought his life give the man credit he put his life together and his book shows what the power of Jesus Christ really has I'M not just saying that a christian but as a man. PS anyone who trashes this book really didn't understand what he truly went through as a youth Give the man respect this book is totally worth reading.

One of my senior high youth group girls just got done reading this and loved it! She said it really inspired her to be a Christian. I am going to suggest more of my senior high youth kids to read this book.

I was pleasantly surprised with the honesty that Brian "Head" Welch provided in his book. With three-quarters of the book dedicated to his descending into a drug induced madness and the rest on his recovery and rebirth, it was a good balance as the reader did not want to get bombarded with any bible bashing. At times though, one does get a little bored with the references to Jesus, God and our Father. However, this book is a celebration of a human being who saved his life from a certain miserable ending and turned it into a search for total self satisfaction without the use of drugs.

Being a fan of Korn, I was shocked when Head left the band. I read through this book which is filled with the usual rock star excesses. Of course, instead of gaining wisdom and reclaiming his life--he became another weak minded slave to the great lie. It amazes me how many weak minded souls cling to vestigial superstitions and fears. Lots of drug addicts give up one drug for another, this being Christianity. Another flavour of the weak.

Aslan's book provides a wonderful historical narrative of the origins of Islam and how history has shaped it into the religion it is today. His insight into major events over the centuries and how they relate to our current climate is quite elegant. He moves from past to present quite fluently. I recommend this book to anyone with a love of history who seeks a greater understanding of Islam than is provide in the evening news.

This book was never delivered and e-mails to the seller elicited no response. DO NOT do business with this seller.

A must read by everyone, especially policy makers,it provides a clear, genuine,and wise explanation of Islam, the peaceful religion, which has been hijacked by terror, fear and hate. I highly recommend the book for every person interested in learning about the true Islam.

A scholarly book - but far from the dry prose of acadamia. I felt it read like a historical novel, however, it is an expertly researched lesson in understanding the most misunderstood world religion.

While I am familiar with the basic outlines of the history of Islam my knowledge is really confined to the effect of its expansions its impact on non Islamic countries. What I was looking for was one which focused on Islam itself, and the reviews of "No god but God" were positive enough for me to select that book as a starting point.

In the preface to this book, Reza Aslan discusses recent events perpetrated by Islamic terrorists, and argues that rather than there being a "Clash of Civilizations", what we are now experiencing is an Islamic reformation similar to that which occurred in the Christian world 500 years ago. In the prologue, he states that "Religion, it must be understood, is not faith. Religion is the story of faith. It is an institutionalized system of symbols and metaphors (read rituals and myths) that provides a common language with which a community of faith can share with each other their numinous encounter with the Divine Presence. Religion is concerned not with genuine history, but with sacred history, which does not course through time like a river .....". The purpose of his book, he states, is to recount "the story of Islam" which will support his thesis that we are indeed experiencing an Islamic Reformation, which will be every bit as terrifying as that experienced in the Christian world.

Chapter 1 "The Sanctuary in the Desert" is an informative review of religious practices in pre-Islamic Arabia which is referred to as the Jahiliyyah, "the Time of Ignorance". This chapter discusses the major elements of the main competing religions of that era - various versions of Christianity, Judaism, Zoroastrianism, which intermingled in a region dominated by a firmly henotheistic paganism. Out of this pluralistic environment there emerged an Arabic monotheistic movement called Hanifism, which clearly had an influence on the Prophet Muhammed in his youth.

Chapter 2 "Keeper of the Keys" recounts the story of the Prophet's life in Mecca, before and after he started to receive the divine revelations in year 610 CE, and up to the point where he is forced in 622 CE to flee Mecca for Yathrib. This chapter describes how the Quryash clan came to dominate the city of Mecca through their control of the Ka'ba, and why the Prophet was such a threat to their rule.

Chapter 3 "The City of the Prophet" describes the dominant clans of the oasis of Yathrib (not yet known as Medina), and the growth after his arrival there of his small community of followers to whom he was the Prophet/Lawgiver who spoke with the authority of the one God. It was in this capacity that he developed his Law of Retribution, and furthered his egalitarian ideals.

Chapter 4 "Fight in the Way of God" describes the various attacks of the Quryash to suppress his movement, and their eventual surrender and conversion to Islam in 630 CE. This is an important chapter because it describes in some detail his relationship with the Jewish clans, and the execution of the Banu Qurayza after the Battle of the Trench in 627 CE.

Chapter 5 "The Rightly Guided Ones" describes the events of the four Caliphate successors to Muhammad, the last three of whom were all assassinated. It was under the 2nd Caliph Umar, that Islam expanded so rapidly, with the defeat of the Byzantine army in southern Syria, the capture of the Damascus, the defeat of the Iranian forces at Qadsiyyah, and the conquest of Egypt, Libya, and Jerusalem. With the election of the Uthman as the third Caliph, the Quryash are established as the rulers of Islam which triggers his own assassination, and sows the seed for the civil war that occurs after the assassination of the 4th Caliph Ali ibn Abi Talib.

Chapter 6 "This Religion in a Science" is a step forward in time of about 150 years which describes the final struggle between the Caliphate and the Ulama over who has the control over the development of Islamic Theology and Law. This includes a discussion of the Five Pillars of Islam which constitute the principal ritual activities of Muslim faith, as well as the major Islamic schools of theology.

Chapter 7 "In the Footsteps of Martyrs" steps back in time and describes the suppression of the Banu Hashim, the family of Muhammad and Caliph Ali, and the execution of the prophet's grandson at Karbala in 680 CE. The rest of the chapter describes the development of Shi'ism, - from the Penitents of Karbala to the advent of Ayatollah Khomeini.

Chapter 8 "Stain your Prayer Rug with Wine" - The Sufi Way - describes the development of Sufism, the term given to Islam's complex and diverse mystical tradition.

Chapter 9 "An Awakening in the East" - discusses the development of the Islamic response to Colonialism during the 19th and 20th centuries in India, Egypt, and Saudi Arabia

Chapter 10 "Slouching Toward Medina" - discusses the events of past 30 years in Iran, Pakistan, and Afghanistan, and the author's contention that with the events of Sept 11/2001 and its aftermath, we are already experiencing the early stages of the Islamic Reformation.

The book includes a useful 6 page glossary of important words, extensive notes with many references to important works on Islam, a 6 page bibliography of works consulted, and a detailed index of places and people.

As can be seen from this overview, this not the complete history of the Islamic world. Chapters 1 - 5 are informative in explaining the establishment of Islamic faith and theology in the first 50 years of its existence. Chapters 6- 8 are helpful in describing the elements of the three major streams of Islamic thought - Sunni, Shi'ite, and Sufi, while Chapters 9 and 10 provide a useful overview of the Islamic response to European colonialism and the re-establishment of its place in the modern world. However, the details of the expansion of Islam during the Ummayad and Abbasid Dynasties from 660 to 850 CE are only briefly referred to, and there is no discussion whatsoever on any later event in the Islamic world until about 1800 CE.

The author states in the prologue that "This book is not just a critical reexamination of the origins and evolution of Islam .... it is above all else an argument for reform", and it is important to bear this in mind as one follows the events described in the book. While it only partially met my expectations, it was valuable in instructing me on how the struggles of today relate to the first 50 years of Islam, and I have a better understanding of the lives of the Prophet and his immediate successors, the establishment of Islamic law, and the basic differences between the three streams of Islamic thought. The book is well written and easy to read, and I believe it to be a balanced introduction to Islam. Because it was not quite what I was looking for, I only give it four stars, but I do recommend it as a starting point for readers who are not of the Islamic faith and who wish to obtain a general understanding of the origins and evolution of that faith.

This is a great read for anyone who is interested in the field of Psychology or Philosophy or anyone that is interested in Freud, whether an avid reader or new to his works. This book takes an amazing look and analysis of the world of religion and its effects on civilization and the individual, which can still be applied to our present civilization. Anyone who can appreciate the work of great thinkers will definitely enjoy this work. My only complaint is that it is so short.

I decided to buy this book after having seen it referenced by many contemporary thinkers (e.g. Daniel Dennett) in their books. Sigmund Freud, the famous Austrian psychiatrist, writes about mankind's struggle with religion and considers what civilization or society would be like if weaned of it. His arguments - bear in mind this book was first published in 1927 - are of the kind a modern-day informed atheist might secretly wonder. I found myself nodding in agreement with a number of Freud's matter-of-fact observations about religion.

For example, he says that mankind will likely focus their energies and learn to adapt to the (harsh) realities of this life if they withdrew their expectations from the vacuous promises of the hereafter. The style of writing is clear but a little weird at times, especially when he pretends to be another party and questions himself on the ideas being argued. In summary, Freud appears to have believed that mankind, in the not-too-distant future will have found a way to go about his daily life without believing in gods or the supernatural and that science will have a significant role in it. I particularly like the last paragraph of the book which states: "No, our science is no illusion. But an illusion it would be to suppose that what science cannot give us we can get elsewhere."

At 67 pages the size of Reader's Digest magazine (not including the biographical introduction), this little blue book is moderate-level reading for anyone interested in the psychology of religious beliefs. It is also a nice addition to any library. I personally, bought this edition because it is rather difficult to find where I live.

This is a very slim text that addresses some very big issues. I would recommend it as part of any Freud collection and also for any collection on religion. Certainly a requirement that one have at least a primer on Freudian concepts so the nature of Illusion can be placed into some kind of meaningful context.

This book describes religion as a universal mental illness, which says it all. As such, Freud predicts a time when we can rise above it.

"Religion would thus be the universal obsessional neurosis of humanity; like the obsessional neurosis of children, it arose out of the Oedipus complex, out of the relation to the father." If this is true, then Freud supposes that "a turning away from religion is bound to occur with the fatal inevitability of a process of growth, and ...we find ourselves at this very juncture in the middle of that phase of developement."

It is worth reading quickly, as it makes the same few points over and over.

In his 27 Feb 2006 review of Freud's The Future of an Illusion, Roger Schmeeckle misrepresents Freud's explanation (on pages 38-42 of this Norton publication) between Illusion and Delusion.

Roger correctly identified Freud's concept of Delusion as "something that is believed that is not true" -- but then oversimplifies by stating that Freud said an Illusion is "something that may be true or false, but is believed because we want to believe it."

This oversimplification ignores what Freud goes on to say, "Illusions need not be necessarily false - that is to say unrealizable or in contradiction to reality. For instance, a middle-class girl may have the illusion that a prince will come and marry her. This is possible; and a few such cases have occurred. That the Messiah will come is much less likely. Whether one classifies this belief as illusion or something analogous to delusion will depend on one's personal attitude."

The point being, that while the "absolute" truth or falsity of an illusion is debatable - common sense and reason enable us to infer or deduce where the truth actually lies. For instance, it IS possible that the Sun will rise in the west tomorrow (as I am unable to prove something false which has yet to occur), but I would be a fool and utterly devoid of reason and intellect to presume that it will occur.

Roger then asserts that Freud was "not so much atheistic as irreligious." That Freud was irreligious is certain (what atheist wouldn't be) -- but I do not understand how anyone can read The Future of an Illusion and not easily conclude that the author was a confirmed atheist. The entire work is a testament to atheism. Accordingly, it is absurd to suggest that because Freud does not simply state "I do not believe in God" there is reason to infer that he may have believed in one.

Roger continues by arguing that Freud had a "bias" or "prejudice" against religion, whereby Freud's "wish" for there to be no God led him into his own Illusions of atheism. This is quite a stretch and a distortion of Freud's dissertation -- which has at its core the fundamental assertion of reason and the power of the intellect to overcome humankind's infantile and primitive need for "wish fulfillment" in the form of a protective and benevolent God.

And in a final shot, Roger accusing Freud of being a prisoner of his times -- a subject of "materialistic determinism" -- and for not having investigated or being familiar with "the evidence and reasoning of those who defend their own religious belief."

Yet, that Freud was all too familiar with and understanding of the nature and roots of religious beliefs is the hallmark of The Future of an Illusion. That he might have been a "materialistic determinist" is unknown to me -- but that he was a genius as well as great "Humanist" with a profound regard for and understanding of the Human Race seems clear.

This is one of the best, most intelligent and broad introductions to buddhism and buddhist philosophy available. An important addition to your library.

This book did a great job to introduce Buddhism ideas in a clear and plain way, which makes Buddhism easy to be understood and easy to be accepted. Moreover, I'm also glad that he wouldn't simply follow whatever in the Buddhism texture without reflection, like most Buddhist scholars did. He reflected the ideas, explaining them reasonably and even asked readers to think, reflect and then see if they could accept or not...The author himself is a peaceful and great figure in modern Buddhism society. The experience of reading his book always brings me a peaceful mind. If you're interested in Buddhism but hesitate for its complicated terminology, this book is highly recommended.

This is a very well written introduction to Buddhism and Buddhism's primary concepts and teachings. As always, Thich Nhat Hanh is very easy and enjoyable to read.

I enjoyed this book, I found it to be very informative, and I liked the writing style of the author.
I just started delving into the realms of Buddhism. Any input from anyone who is an actual Buddhist and not a Professor or Doctor who only studied Buddhism and claims to be an expert is appreciated.

"The Heart of Buddha's Teaching" is one of the best books I've read. It's a great introduction to the basic principals and ideas of Buddhism. Thich Nhat Hanh really explained things in such a way that I feel I'm walking away with ideas and resources to help deal with everyday problems.

I'm tempted to call this a self-help book with how every chapter seemed to address things that I as a person am confronted with and am trying to understand. How Hanh applies Buddha's teaching to suffering, anger and how to achieve peace and zen is something I believe everyone needs and will benefit from reading. I've read other books that felt as if they were speaking of things beyond my grasp and ability to make sense of; this was not that book. Everything flowed nicely, the concepts were presented in terms that weren't too complicated, the examples given were ones that did not distract from the ideas and points.

Definitely a must read and worth your time and attention.

Remember, Be Here Now is a wonderful book, still current today--to be read slowly. We used it in a study group as well.

Back in 2005, I came across this book via a friend who had recently and unexpectedly passed away. Her own family wasn't very close with her and gave us, her group of spiritual friends, the reigns in commemorating her life. One of the things we did was hold a memorial service and give away all her books to anyone who wanted them. Out of the hundreds that were on the tables, this book -without reading any excerpts from it- caught my attention, and I took it home with me. Little did I know how truly life-altering all these events were at the time.

When I read this book, it started out like any other... a story of the relevant parts of Richard's life preceeding his trip to Inida. That itself was fascinating to me, as I enjoyed reading about his LSD trips and spiritual meanderings. But nothing had prepared me for the experience of reading the comic book like center pages of this book. I found my sense of reality cracked and shattered by what I read there. For weeks, I could not feel connected to the illusions I'd never even questioned previously. Everything changed; I saw what lies beneath and the stupidity of this life I was living. Nothing made sense anymore; except what I'd been exposed to by this cracking up of my existence.

This book forever changed the direction of my life. I was what I termed "spiritual but not religous" before that, but even that illusion was shown to be superficial. It was not long, a year or so more, before I came across a mystic of our own times. And I didn't even have to travel to India to find him. When the student is ready, the teach always comes.

I was so happy to find this book online as it is very difficult to find in a bookstore. Re-reading it, I found Be Here Now just as inspiring as the first time I came across this piece of spiritual literature. A life-changing read!

In the 70s I remember sitting on my living room floor sharing with my roommates the very colorful Remember, Be Here Now. We were all reading it together. I was puzzled and so were they. We had no context to understand the simplicity of the spirit of the book. It was only as I experienced life and got older that I understood the joy of being in the moment -- of being conscious of real communication and compassion. I would like to think that that was the beginning of my personal path toward becoming a more aware human being and a family therapist. Although the book is from a very different era the messages and philosophies that Ram Dass brought to western society - after his long studies in India - are now so widely accepted and prevalent that they are now even quoted on Oprah!

Recently I had the privilege and pleasure to travel to Haiwaii and meet Ram Dass in person and it made me realize that this book is perhaps more relevant today than it when it was written (or maybe that's just wisdom through age!).

Ram Dass (Richard Alpert) did this book right. In a time of soul searching he was an LSD using engineer turned hippie who went to India in search of a Guru. He found a really good one. The book is in 3 parts. The first is Ram Dass's egocentric story of his prespirit life. You can tell the the middle part, the path, was not his by the contrast. The Path is a great explaination of the Hindu world. The third part is a how to and where to go section. I loved this book and gave several as gifts. His future books are not as good and to me even go down from one to the next. He definately shanneled inspiration and tried to reproduce it.

I am a Sanskritist and Vedic scholar. I have seen a number of translations of this classic but this is BY FAR my favorite. This book serves as a stand-alone guide for meditation and yoga.

This book is a wonderful introduction to the yoga sutras. Other interpretations on the sutras should be compared to this in my opinion.

The collection of concise yoga sutras, put together by Patanjali are an important read for any yoga practitioner--teacher or enthusiast. Swami Satchidananda has translated the ancient text into meaningful and practical explanations which really apply to modern living. This is not just a one time read, but rather a wonderful guide to reflect upon often. The text is organized into four books geared to inspire and teach a yogic way of life. Yoga is not a religion of any sorts but rather an eight limbed path leading us from suffering to freedom. The details of how we develop this peace are all included in the book. I highly recommend this book in particular because of its clear and thoughtful translations.

I enjoy reading this book! The author quite obviously knows what he is talking about. He gives wonderful explanations and provides insights to the Yoga Sutras. I am learning a great deal from his commentaries on Pantanjali's humanity-benefiting work.
Thank you, Swami Satchinananda!

I love this book! Easy to read, simple explanations from Sri Swami Satchidananda, allows you to dive deeply on the true meaning of each Sutra. Truly a book commented by an enlightened soul.

I am not sure how to write a review for a book that I will reference for the rest of my life. I had great expectations for this book before beginning it and they were all met. This book is about the Sermon on the Mount and so much more - discipleship to Christ.

Willard opens with the idea that Jesus (and therefore God) was/is brilliant. Not in the abstract "of course he is, duh, he's God" but in a wow, Jesus really knows humanity, the world, good and evil, etc. He speaks of the kingdom of God as central to Christ's life and message and says it's sorely absent today, which has changed in the 10 years since the book was written as I hear about the kingdom with great frequency. Nevertheless, his exposition of what it and ruling means is terrific.

There is an overemphasis on atonement in current Christian thought, at the popular level. It has become a "gospel of sin management" and Jesus is the ticket to heaven. Challenging both this conservative view and the liberal social gospel view, Willard explains what the good news is all about.

He then launches into the topics of us having spirits and God being everywhere in the world. The heavens (plural) are closer to us than we think as we walk about in them (like the air we breath) so we literally live and move and have our being in God. Willard coins his own version of the kingdom of God as the Kingdom Among Us.

Then begins the examination of the Discourse on the Hill (Sermon on the Mount) by looking at the Beatitudes - not as prescriptive but as descriptive of reality in God's kingdom. They are the way things are, not necessarily the way we should try to live. They really are good news for those in such conditions.

Jesus has respect for the Mosaic law and sees it as good. With the kingdom of the heavens breaking into time and space, disciples are called to live beyond the mere behavioral stipulations of the Old Testament. Yes, actions are important. Having a heart conformed to God's is even more important and Jesus' aim in the speech. The primacy of anger and contempt is identified as stemming from a wounded ego and central to all human conflict.

Reputation and wealth are strong temptations for almost all of us. However, they are deceptions that are not fulfilling in the end. Only God will satisfy the heart.

He does say that prayer is primarily about the request - something I wonder about as I have been thinking lately of prayer as less requesting and more receiving. Willard walks through the "Our Father" or "Lord's Prayer" a phrase at a time, examining what Jesus was getting at anew. His own translations and wordings really rejuvenate the scriptures.

The notion of Jesus as teacher has slipped away from us. His goal, in being his disciples, is for us to become and to be like him. It's about our identity and the living of our lives. How would Jesus live the life we have? rather than How do we live like Jesus?

In the eighth and ninth chapters, the book slows a bit, returning to the rather uninspiring "read your Bible, pray, meditate on God." Believing is about being in touch with reality - a perspective that makes disbelief sound abnormal and belief normal or expected, contrary to many people's thinking. He challenges our thinking about change in that change on demand is not necessarily the change God is wanting to make in our lives and very may not know about the change until a far later time. I liked the idea of needing to be content to be alone and doing nothing. This is a strong challenge to my day to day living.

Willard closes the book with "the restoration of all things" and our existence in heaven, co-ruling with Christ. To try to bring heaven to earth of our own will is foolishness. Think about what you would put yourself in charge of - a city, two cities, ten cities? - and start thinking about how you live in light of this. Our unending life is primarily for God's pleasure as it is the only way we can know him more fully, beyond the limitations of our present state of being. There will be bodies for all, though not necessarily physical, and there will be social relationships - strongest of all with God.

I will have to read this again, no doubt.

I bought this book to read and review with a group of Christians. It was a little difficult for me to get through the first couple of chapters, but the effort was well worth it. This is one of the best books on Christianity I have read.

Wonderful! Incredible look at our part in the process in spiritual formation. Helpful and faithful look at not only the scriptures but our part in them.

Great content. You can read the begging and the end and skip the middle and still get his main points. It is very, very, very wordy.

Introduction

The following is not a complete synopsis of the book, The Divine Conspiracy, by Dallas Willard. To summarize the entire text a much longer document would be necessary, and would merely exist as an abridged version of the work. Instead, the following pages address several compelling points--and general topics--from each of the ten chapters, and serve to connect issues in The Divine Conspiracy to both spiritual development and Christian identity.

Chapter One

The Divine Conspiracy begins by stating that America is in a current state of moral calamity. Top quality American institutions of education, which were once founded to promote Christian morality, have regressed to the extreme of moral relativism where a philosophy major can--and often will--succeed in his or her education without the slightest amount of moral application. An example is given of two Harvard University students, one female and one male. The female in the vignette was of high moral character. She was enrolled as a philosophy major and from what she learned was able to integrate righteous principles into her everyday life. A "C" marked student she was also of lower economic status and would subsidize her tuition by cleaning the living spaces of other students. Character two in the vignette, the man, was a classmate of the first who earned strait "A" marks. This person was of extreme moral depravity and would often proposition the female for sex when she would come to clean his apartment. The woman was distraught with the idea of this man earning straight "A" marks in courses of philosophy while obviously not integrating any of the ideals into his personal life.

This story is not the exception of occurrences but of the standard in modern education. While spirituality and moral identity are absolutely irrelevant for one's academic success--even in disciplines such as philosophy and theology--genius is defined as "the ability to scrutinize the obvious." The ability to critique and question, not the ability to apply, is the necessity for success.

Another example is given in the text about a pilot in flight who decides to make a severe accent into the sky, but instead plummets his plane into the ground. While thinking that he was ascending he was really descending and knew not of his disorientation until it was too late. The current state of morality is in many ways analogous; i.e. what is trivial is perceived to be profound, while what is profound is perceived to be stupid, trivial, or boring. The text lists several instances. The first reads, "All I ever needed to know I leaned in kindergarten." This slogan, while unhelpful to the human condition and useless in the development of identity or spiritual growth is perceived by the morally dead to be of profundity. Its antithesis--actually of worth--is stated in text, "I don't know what I need to know and must now devote my full attention and strength to finding out." This second slogan is of extreme profundity. So much so that it could be used as a person's statement of purpose for spiritual growth and personal improvement. However, it is this second phrase, not the first, which is subjected to diatribes of ridicule.

Chapter Two

The second chapter is titled, Gospels of Sin Management, and begins with the idea that the main point of the Gospel, which deals with our personal discipleship to Christ Jesus, is often replaced by two benevolent but erroneous purposes. They are one, the assurance of an eternal life in heaven, and two, the humanitarian cause of making the world a better place.

In of themselves neither of these statement are unrighteous, for both of these false tenets should be incorporated into a Christ centered life. Yes, God does assure an eternal life with Him, and the world is improved a posteriori when people come to know Christ, but these causes are not a proper center of purpose.

Willard claims the first reason for this mistake of purpose is the method in which the gospel is being taught within the church. He states that poor behavior among the saved is not in spite of what is being taught, but is a direct consequence of what is being taught! He then describes the ideals of an extreme theological right and left. The theological right has--much like the Pharisees--transformed faith into an intellectual system of beliefs comparable to a barcode. The theological left is of the humanitarian paradigm and transforms faith into a mission of fighting oppression, reforming social structures, and promoting human equality. While mislead in cause, neither makes any strictly false claims. The problem exists in that both miss the true purpose of discipleship, the transformation of the human heart, the development of Christian identity, and the facilitation of spiritual growth. When Christian spiritual growth and obedience to Jesus is the center, both the right and left ideals are fulfilled for one becomes a firm observer of the rules/sin management, and one will follow Christ's guidance that promotes humanitarian works.


Chapters Three and Four

The third chapter explains in depth the truth of God's present kingdom. During the Sermon on the Mount Christ speaks about who is blessed and who will receive the kingdom of God. First, it is to be understood that with the beatitudes Christ was referring to the spiritually weak (and those suffering for their belief in Jesus), the poor, the outcast, those living in sin, those grief stricken, those not from a lineage of godliness, the deformed, etc. He was referring to "second-class citizens" who thought they were "too far gone" to be saved (nearly everyone but the spiritually apathetic). Second, Christ was saying such people will have healing, be comforted, will inherit the Kingdom of God. Christ could see that it was the spiritually turmoiled prostitute, not the hardened heart Pharisee, who had a better chance for a Christian identity and spiritual growth. When Christ said, "Blessed are the poor in spirit," he was not saying that they occupied blessing because of their condition but regardless of their condition they are invited into the kingdom of God, to be blessed.

Regarding the inheritance of the Kingdom of God. Christ understood and proclaimed that the kingdom was at hand. He realized that God exists and acts in the very space around us and that we are capable of intimate interactions with Him. Christ was proclaiming the reality of the spiritual world and its never faltering ability to nourish the human spirit. Being that the spirit is superior to the flesh, Christ was also saying the wisest thing we can do is become his disciple. Being a disciple to Christ means a lifelong process of spiritual reform. It is a change of identity in mind, spirit, and body.

One way of perceiving if one truly believes in God's kingdom is his or her attitude toward death. Through Christ we are promised an eternal life. The text reads, "we are never-ceasing spiritual beings with an eternal destiny in the full world of God." The text then documents a statement by Mickey Mantle--who after a lifetime of alcohol abuse was experiencing several chronic illnesses--where he said that he would have taken care of himself if he knew he was going to live as long as he had. If Mr. Mantle's sentiment of taking care of himself physically is wisdom, then how much more wise is to take care of ourselves spiritually by being an obedient follower of Christ, who promises us not a long, but and eternal life with him?

Chapter four, in part, concerns Jesus' teachings and how they were revolutionary--even contradictory--for the times. Amazingly, despite their intrinsic benefit to mankind, most of his teachings are still revolutionary in modern years. For example, when a rich man approaches Jesus, who is an observer of God's law and wishes to acquire a blessing from Christ, Christ instead challenges the man to Give all he has to the poor, and follow Him. That would be his blessing. This was both incredibly radical two centuries ago and today for being wealthy is perceived as a blessing. Nevertheless, Christ teaches that it is easier for a camel to walk through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter heaven. Christ warns that wealth is a stumbling block in the spiritual development of many (Mark 10:17-31).

Another example of Christ's radical teaching is when Christ's own mother and brothers (possibly brothers and sisters) came to see him. Christ was within a house and his relatives were unable to reach him but asked a person attending to tell Jesus of their presence. From the world's perspective (2000 years ago and now) Christ's immediate family should have precedence over those not of blood relation, but Christ speaks differently and teaches that through the eyes of God everyone residing with Him is his mother and brothers (Matt 12:46-50).

It was radical for Christ to teach these things. It was radical for Jesus to bless the beatitudes, as it was radical for Christ to keep company with tax collectors, the demon possessed, prostitutes, and the diseased. Christ was concerned with the identity and spiritual development of these people. He provided healings and earthly blessings, but did so not as an ends but a means to show the kingdom was at hand to provide Good things if people were to turn to God.

Chapter Five

Subtitled, The Righteousness of the Kingdom Heart: Beyond the Goodness of the Scribes and Pharisees, this chapter discusses what is necessary, according to Christ, to enter the kingdom of God. Willard states the instructions Jesus gave for entering the kingdom are often ignored, and describes their importance is as necessary as instruction for how to enter a house, or a car, or an office. Christ's instructions are not suggestions such as you can enter the kingdom by doing this (with the logical possibility that Christ's instruction is that of sufficiency but not one of necessity). Instead, Christ is very clear about the necessity of his instructions and phrases his terms as, "You will not enter the kingdom of heaven unless..." these unless terms include being born from above (becoming a new creation of God), becoming like children (becoming dependant on God), and have righteousness that exceeds that of the Pharisees (realizing that holiness is a being, not an action). Willard describes these necessary criteria to be all inward--as opposed to outward--transformations. However, due to this inner reformation--the text points out--a five-step evolution of outward holiness will occur, each step preparing the individual to take the next.
Step one--(completely inward) deals with a state of well-being and blessedness from God.
Step two--a relinquishing of ones anger--or worse--contempt, and a genuine valuing of one's common man
Step three--is when we begin to love and help those who hurt us, as Christ commands.
Step four--We operate with a sincere heart and no longer attempt to control, manipulate, or judge others
Step five--We obtain the ability to rely on others and ask others to fill our needs.

Seeing how these steps must be taken in order is not difficult. One cannot lay aside ones contempt until he or she has a feeling of inner wellness. Likewise, one cannot love those who hate him or her, unless one has set aside her or his contempt for that person. One cannot refrain from manipulating a person unless that person is valued and loved by the would-be manipulator, and the steps continue.

Willard spends a great deal of time on the issue of anger and states in text that anger is now an encouraged practice! Specifically, "...influential people tell us today that we must be angry, that it is necessary to be angry to oppose social evil." On a more micro level, a Christian couple in counseling was once instructed by their counselor that they should not discipline their child while in a state of anger. The couple was taken aback by this request and stated, "You mean we should just punish him in cold blood?" Truly in modern day society righteousness becomes wrongly entwined with anger.

Beyond anger lies contempt. Contempt is what anger leads up to. It is the next stage of evil. The text explains:
In anger I want to hurt you. In contempt, I don't care whether you are hurt or not. Or at least so I say. You are not worth consideration one way or the other. We can be angry at someone without denying their worth. But contempt makes it easier for us to hurt them or see them further degraded.
Concerning the issue of Christian spirituality, it is not sin to become angry. Anger is a feeling that seizes one beyond one's control. At such a point a person occupies the choice whether to nurture the anger, or not. If nurtured anger evolves into contempt (described above), and with contempt often comes the practice of degrading another through name-calling or ridicule. Contempt is not the last step in the hierarchy of anger but a slippery slope to malice. With malice one desires to harm another, or obtain vengeance.

Chapter Six

Titled, Investing in the Heavens: Escaping the Deceptions of Reputation and Wealth, chapter six begins by describing religious respectability as a trap. Willard quotes Matthew 23:5-11, which describes Jesus' disapproval at the ways people of importance enjoy their special attention. Even concerning the religious today the passage well describes our current "self-esteem" culture. A legitimate point is brought up--in the text--that Matthew 23 says not to call one, or seek to be called, doctor, or teacher, or father, or leader, or professor. This scripture is not spoken on Sunday morning, nor is it taken seriously into our hearts or minds.
According to Jesus, our Christian identity should be one that does not desire honorable seats at tables, or honorable titles that distinguish us from common men. Christ was King of Kings, and our God and he came not to be served or honored, but to serve and die. For us then too seek honor when the only person who deserved honor did not seek it is contradictory to all which is Christ.

Who do you desire to hear when you pray, God or man? If a person wishes for man to hear him or her more than God, then that person desires an identity that is not of the Kingdom of God. He or she is concerned with an earthly reputation over a dialog with the almighty. Jesus saw this as a temptation in man's heart. It is feasible that a person could begin prayer with wishing to commune with God but then be tempted to reap a worldly benefit for the prayer, and divert motive to having people notice his/her prayerfulness. It is for this reason that Christ proclaims that when you pray, pray in secret so that man cannot hear you but only your father in heaven can hear you. Matthew 6:5 describes Christ calling the religious leaders of his time "the hypocrites" for they seem by onlookers to be devout to God while they only wish to make an impression on people. It is very possible that the ill motive of prayer was not always so, but was a regression brought upon by the temptation of pride and honor amongst one's fellow man.

Chapter seven

Called, The Community of Prayerful Love, chapter seven warns the reader not to blame, condemn, or judge. Truly at times it seems both beneficial and benevolent to blame and judge as a means of reforming our fellow man into something more Godlike. However, according to Willard, Jesus clearly states that doing so is not the way of the kingdom. Agape love, the love that God the father has for us, is given three tenets in text:
1) Not condemning or blaming those around us.
2) Not forcing "wonderful things" upon them.
3) Just asking for what we want from them--and from God.
Judging is such a normal part of human interaction, doing without the process seems almost like we would be forsaking the practice of giving fellow men and woman good guidance (states Willard). Though Willard believes when we condemn someone we are communicating that he or she is, in some irredeemable way, bad and rejected. That person is therefore sentenced to exclusion.

In respect to Christian spirituality and identity, this idea is one of the few (of Willard's) that must be rejected. The biblical instruction of judging is not, "do not judge" as Willard claims but, "Judge not les ye be judged," meaning that one may judge, but may not be hypocritical about judging. Specifically, if one is going to be in a position to judge, then that person should be also in a position to be judged. Also, Christ said to first remove the timber from your own eye (sin form you life), and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye (judge the sin in your brother's life) (Lk). This passage also deals with judging in the same way. One who is going to judge should also judge oneself and be found, for the most part, lacking sin.

Christian counselors in particular are put in a position where they must judge others. If there were sin in the life of a client that the client was not aware of (or in denial of), or if a practice was damaging a client spiritually, the counselor occupies a duty to judge and confront that aspect of the individual's life. If done appropriately under the terms of Christian love, the person will not feel that he or she is being rejected by Christ, or by Christ's body, but that only his or her sin is being rejected. To not judge would be to allow all sin in the body, and to display a lack of love.

Chapter Eight

Titled, On Being a Disciple, or Student, of Jesus, Chapter eight describes what it is to be a disciple of Jesus, and then continues to describe the duties of Christian ministers and apprentices of Jesus. Willard calls this "church work" and lists the gospel's directions to emulate what Jesus did. The first of these directions is "proclaiming."

Proclaiming is announcing God's historical truth in the sense of the coming and purpose of Jesus. It is teaching others about the Kingdom of Heaven with the emphasis that it is right here and right now. This proclaiming is also an open invitation to be adopted into the Family of God, to be a child of God, and to have close communion with God the Father. Proclaiming also includes speaking of what must be done to be saved, to be a disciple of Christ, and to receive eternal life.

The second phase of Christ's work is "manifesting." With manifesting special acts of love are done to emphasize the truth of God's presence and reign. First executed only by Christ Jesus, and later by the saints, manifestations of God's power were often seen in supernatural and miraculous ways, from raising the dead to miraculous healings.

The third direction is "teaching." Though some informing occurs in the first phase, "proclaiming," the teaching of Christ described here is more involved with Christ's parables, or when Christ was trying to discuss the nature of God. It is to be noted that teaching is not only the last but the most advanced of the three phases, so much that when the disciples were first sent forth, they were sent forth to proclaim and to show the manifestation of God, but were not yet ready to teach.

These points were selected from this chapter because of their great importance in the development of a Christian identity. In developing the identity Christ most desires us to have, it is wise to understand the plan Christ set aside for the first twelve. Also, to have an identity in Christ is to do work in Christ, and it would be incongruent to have the correct identity in Christ, but to work with inappropriate methods.

Chapter Nine

Titled, A Curriculum for Christlikeness, this chapter addresses the need for the process of "sanctification," in which we begin to become like Jesus in nature and behavior, and begins by giving a practical curriculum for this process. The text reads that there are three ways in which we constantly see God before us, these are:
1) We see Him in the magnificence of his creation
2) We see Him in his faithful interaction with human history
3) We see Him through our personal experiences with Him
Having a life based in Christ centeredness is called in text, having a life "on the rock," and is described as a life that is rich and unshakable, a life free from loneliness, fear, and anxiety; A life filled with peace and joy where one has no need for praise from men, no feelings of anger, envy, lust, or covetousness, and a life where you will naturally bless those who hate you.

This is the second time in his writing that Willard misses the point. Being of Christ like identity and spirituality is not to live in a condition where one is immune to lust, or anger, or envy. It is false to say that if one follows Christ properly he/she will not only be without sin (which one wont) but one shall become unaffected by his/her fallen sinful nature.

Growing in Christ like identity is to understand that one needs Christ's grace to fill the spaces where one falls short of His holiness, for though all should strive to be Christ like none will ever emulate his likeness and achieve salvation by their own merits. The apostle Paul knew this well and spoke of how sin in his life sin, living in him, kept him from doing what he wanted to do, but made him do what he did not want to do (Rom). He noted that when he did what he did not want to do it was not of his will, but of the will of sin living in him that controlled his actions. Hence, God's grace is still needed, and our sinful nature is still present even when we follow a curriculum of Christlikeness.

Chapter Ten

The final chapter of The Divine Conspiracy titled, The Restoration of All Things, describes the nature of our eternal life. According to Willard, knowledge of heaven is of great importance. He states:
To live strongly and creatively in the kingdom of the heavens, we need to have firmly fixed in our minds what our future is to be like...In this way our future can be incorporated into our life now and our life now incorporated into our future.

Though many hold the position that we cannot know what our eternal life is going to be like, it is described as a "limitlessly enhanced life" in which we are "more intensely alive," and where we are "in perfect fulfillment and yet [we are] also [in] endless activity and newness." Upon death we will lose nothing but our physical and spiritual limitations. We do not lose our personal sense of who we are. Our experiences in life will not be fundamentally different than they are now for, "The life we live now have as the persons we not are will continue, and continue in the universe in which we now exist (Sic)."

How can the knowledge of our eternal life be of benefit in the formation of spirituality and identity? For one, with knowledge that we are immortal should come a feeling of permanence, and a loss of any anxiety regarding death. Also, the paradigm through which the world is viewed should be more contrasting of who has eternal life, and who is headed toward eternal death--a paradigm that is congruent with that of Christ's. Also, since the next (eternal) life is one of complete spiritual significance, the knowledge may promote an individual to pay special attention to spiritual work, for it is the spirit, not the flesh (debatable perhaps), which will live eternally. If one believes moths destroy and thieves steal everything but our Christian spirit (Matt), with what would one be more concerned, items or identity?

Conclusion

Stated in the introduction, this document--in its length--is only capable of pulling selected examples and general principles from each chapter of The Divine Conspiracy. Still, this document was not designed to be an insufficient summary of the book, but a guide to begin to view The Divine Conspiracy text in relation to Christian spirituality and identity (a major objective of Dallas Willard's endeavor). Though much of this document agrees with Willard's perspectives and ideas, some does not, and the parts of this document that protest Willard's ideas also are related to the issue of Christian spirituality and identity.

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This is a must read for anyone who wishes to learn more about Kingdom Building in a Covenantal sense...

Jesus says they will know us by how we love one another.... This book tells us exactly how to do just that.

I received my books in great shape and in a very timely fashion. Would order from this place again...Thanks so much!!

Just started book ,but am truly amazed at simplicity yet depth of information to live and serve as a Christian in this life. Am anxious to finish and apply.

I was given this book by a mentor of mine and told that it would be extremely helpful. The problem is that I saw it was deemed a "counseling" book on the back, so I moved on for a while before I picked it up and read it. I continued to see the book on the "Best Seller's" list at many sites that I admire, so I finally picked the book up and started to read. I have to be honest, if I were to try and write all that I learned this review would turn into a novel itself.

Paul David Tripp really unpacks a three part effort.

One: To show me who I am
Two: Who others are
Three: How to practically minister to them, and accept their ministering to me

This book gets to the root of the issues and he even starts with the theological impact of understanding who God is and then who we are, namely: we aren't perfect, we need change, and we need help in that changing process from Christ and others.

This book not only unfolds what we are to do in daily ministering opportunities, but he unpacks the practical ways to do them. One of my favorite quotes in the book is that:

"We often say we need to preach the Word, but we also need to counsel the Word."

That is what this book is all about. It is how to counsel the Word of God to those in everyday life that need change just like you and I. What will hinder this book is that some will think it is only for the pastor or counselor, but it's intention is for all believers and it is written that way and is desperately needed for today's church.

I have already used the book and will continue to go back to it to try and unpack my shortcomings and also to help others do the same when they are in need of ministering. I know this is not the "hot topic" of discussion around the water cooler, but this book is much more needed in today's world that wants to only deal with actions instead of the root of those actions, namely, our darkened heart in need of the power of Christ. You will learn how to effectively and biblically (synonymous terms) counsel another as they ask a simple question or are having everyday life problems, instead of giving a "pat" answer or reciting Scripture and telling them to pray about it. I cannot recommend this book more highly.

I was only about ten pages into this book before I realized that it was very, very good. And it kept getting better. It is not only theologically sound in the sense of not containing noticeable errors, but also deals with its subject matter in a theologically astute way. And in addition to being theologically sound, it is pastoral and practical. I have no doubt that I will return to it again and again in pastoral ministry.

The main idea of the book is that all believers should be doing what Tripp calls "personal ministry," helping people to see themselves and their situations in a biblical light, and work to be conformed more to the image of Christ. Most of his stories and application have to do with pastoral ministry or professional Christian counseling, but the principles could apply just as well to a small group leader, or any Christian who wishes to be used by God to minister to others. In examining our lives, we (and the people we counsel) need to understand the fundamental teachings of the Bible on God and humanity. We have to understand that we are fallen, that sin has pervaded every aspect of our lives. As a result we sin, we suffer from the effects of others' sin, and we respond sinfully to that suffering. Sin is not an occasional mix-up in an otherwise well-functioning system; it is a constant reality that is at play in every situation we deal with. We must also understand, though, that as believers we have been fundamentally changed by the gospel. We have been clothed in the righteousness of Christ, and we have been filled with the Holy Spirit, so that we really are able to fight against the power of sin ad walk in increasing obedience to God's commands. In short, all of us are "people in need of change," God gives us the means by which to change, and we are called to help each other change.

This book is a great introduction to personal ministry, especially for a pastor. The examples were a little dramatic, and it could be discouraging for someone who isn't dealing with marriages that are falling apart or people who were abused as children. But Tripp's principles are a great paradigm for any Christian who desires to minister to others and build deeper relationships within the body of Christ.

I listened to the book on CD and enjoyed it very much. Not too long and very easy to understand. Many real life examples helped with the understanding of this book. I sometimes was repetitive, but did not go overboard. The big picture of "It all goes back in the box" is plain and simple, but it is a must read/listen. It will put your life and the issues you have back in perspective. I think we all need that once in a while.

I have recommended this book to everyone I know!!! I am listening to it again! Even my 15 year old son listened to it and enjoyed it.

I am so thankful for this book. It puts in perspective what is eternal and what is temporal. I bought the audio and started last year to listen to it but because the topic was about the final goodbye, death, I freaked out and put it away. Just a few weeks ago I decided to hear the whole book. It spoke! and Spoke to me and reminded me again that people was more important than material things, jobs, ministry activities and etc. I am listening to it again to keep my focus on eternal things.

When the Game Is Over It All Goes Back in the Box is a book on life by John Ortberg, a Presbyterian pastor. His argument is thus: you will die, and when you do, you will lose all the stuff you have. Therefore, instead of focusing on things you cannot keep, focus on things you can.

Ortberg says that the object of life is, as Jesus said, to be rich toward God. Pleasing God is part of this; part of it is putting a greater priority on personal relationships. This also turns out to be the place where we find true fulfillment. Ortberg's main target is those who say they will work less and spend more time with their families "when things settle down." His message is this: things never settle down until it's too late.

The book is written with an amusing game theme. Ortberg borrows a lot of anecdotes from a lot of different authors, which is fine. He gives credit where credit is due. Ortberg has a surprisingly good sense of humor. Sometimes his jokes are pretty corny, but on the whole he seems like a funny guy. My only criticism of his writing is a small one: several chapters tend to run a little long (the reader has gotten the point and is ready to move on).

There is criticism due the publisher: on nearly every other page, there are excerpts from the text blown up in boxes on the same page. Perhaps this is done for those flipping through the book in a shop, or for those who skim, but for the actual reader, it is incredibly annoying and distracting.

On the whole, When the Game Is Over It All Goes Back in the Box is an accessible, engaging, humorous book on Christian living and eternity. This is obviously a Christian book, but the theologizing does not get heavy-handed, and Ortberg does not beat the reader over the head with the Bible. It can benefit any Christian as well as some who are feeling unfulfilled.

RECOMMENDED

John Ortberg, a well-known California pastor and bestselling author (THE LIFE YOU'VE ALWAYS WANTED), knows how to captivate a reading audience, and he does it, page after page, in WHEN THE GAME IS OVER, IT ALL GOES BACK IN THE BOX. Using playing games as a metaphor for life, Ortberg shows how the object of the game is a life "rich toward God" --- growing a healthy soul, enjoying the people around you, doing good work, becoming generous and savoring the moment.

Wise people, writes Ortberg, build their lives around what is eternal. He suggests asking yourself the question, "What in your life is going to last forever, and what is going back in the box?" Spend your time caring for the inner you as well as the outer you. Think about the changes you need to make. Let go of wrong priorities. Quit trying to control that which is out of our control, rather than letting the "Master of the Board" take the helm.

What makes this book so brilliant is not that Ortberg offers a lot of new information. It's that he has a flair for synthesizing this information and organizing his ideas in a way that makes them practical as well as soul-stirring. It's also a joy to read.

Gently, in one section, he calls readers to reassess a preoccupation with "stuff" and concentrate on what is most important. A "richness of being" is always available, Ortberg says. "I can seek at any time, with God's help, to be compassionate, generous, grateful, and joyful...usually it will not mean seeking to accumulate more stuff." As he shows through a moving story about Larry, a church member who is killed in an accident, in the end it's not about our achievements or our wealth. It's about our capacity to love. It's the people, not the stuff, that we need to focus on.

Ortberg also reminds his readers that Christians have to be consistent in acting like Christians instead of labeling themselves as such. "The world gets pretty tired of people who have Christian bumper stickers on their cars, Christian fish signs on their trunks, Christian books on their shelves, Christian stations on their radios, Christian jewelry around their necks, Christian videos for their kids, and Christian magazines on their coffee tables but don't actually have the life of Jesus in their bones or the love of Jesus in their hearts." "Be the kind of player people want to sit next to," he urges, borrowing from a Monopoly analogy.

By turns humorous, painfully vulnerable, poignant and wise, Ortberg weaves biblical, personal and fictional anecdotes together with practical points in a compelling way for the reader. He includes insights from many excellent authors throughout, including Anne Lamott, Lewis Smedes, Susan Howatch, Viktor Frankl, Marjorie Rawlings and Thomas Lynch. Rather than getting in the way, these quotes and excerpts enrich the text.

One of Ortberg's passages that haunts me is this: "We need to ask ourselves what we are doing (or not doing) with our lives now that could lead to deep regret." He urges the practice of "regret prevention" --- assessing the commitments we have made in light of what we don't want to regret. Then, he asks us to consider what we need to rearrange. Don't wait for a crisis --- a child running away, getting fired, having a spouse file for divorce --- to force your hand, he urges. More will never be enough.

Although he uses the game metaphor throughout, Ortberg doesn't force it to get his ideas across. The narrative flows seamlessly. In places, Ortberg writes about spending time with your children, but this book is suitable for readers at any stage of life. My husband and I --- almost empty nesters --- are planning to read and discuss it together. It would be an excellent resource for personal reflection or small group study as well.

This is Ortberg writing at his best. But reader, be warned --- you'll come away changed.

--- Reviewed by Cindy Crosby