A different way

I finished reading Christopher Hall's latest book 'A Different Way: Recentering the Christian Life Around Following Jesus' this morning. It was actually about 3am, and I was hoping it would help me go back to sleep. Not so much. So that says something...

I'm not sure if it's a book your casual "church person" would like. It's fairly slow-moving and there are no "easy steps to a better life" list or anything like that. But I thought it was fantastic! If you've ever heard or seen Chris speak it helps give it that quiet sort of grandfatherly feel. It's like meeting with a spiritual director, or maybe even a desert father. Which I appreciate.

This was included in Renovare's 2023-24 book club - which I've never actually joined, but I always try to read several/most of the books they include and have yet to be disappointed.

I will likely post a few tidbits here and there, but for now, here's the snippet from the inside cover:

"Change" is at the heart of Christian life. As Christians, we are called to be disciples of Jesus, to actively follow his teachings and become more like him. But the church has lost sight of what has always been its center, Hall argues. In A Different Way, he reminds us that faith is not meant to be rigid and static, and guides us back to Christianity's spiritual foundation, helping us reconnect with Jesus and lead the life he calls us to live.

Filled with personal stories that encourage introspection, thoughtful meditations on spiritual formation, and profound wisdom, A Different Way is an interactive book that encourages reflection through daily journaling prompts, powerful exercises to help you develop a deeper relationship with Jesus, and prayers and Bible passages to read and consider. Through thoughtful introspection and Bible study, we can begin our spiritual journey of actively following the way Jesus teaches us to live.

As for what's next... I can't decide if I should start another book heading into the Christmas busy-ness, or I was thinking of maybe taking the next few weeks to either 1) read the Christmas Story (Luke 2) from the First Nations Version (like, read it every day, over and over), or 2) read the Gospels from the FNV over and over. I think either would be a good end-of-year exercise.