I arrived at this book, having just read Donald's excellent latest tome "A Million Miles in a Thousand Years". It set a benchmark which unfortunately I found "Blue Like Jazz" couldn't match. May I suggest anyone not having read either book, start with the first one, "Blue Like Jazz".
I really enjoy Donald's style - his self-deprecating laconic soul searching is enjoyable and easy to read. I'm able to relate to most of his essays, being someone endeavouring to find greater wisdom on the journey.
I particularly like Donald's views on defining Christianity as experiential and accordingly, can be difficult to appropriately communicate to people who don't believe. Some may view this as a cop-out but he acknowledges the importance of the process: ongoing relationship with God, which doesn't need to be prescriptive for everyone so long as prayer and Bible reading are key foundations. But at the end of the day, God pursues us and then it's up to us to respond to the pursuit in our heart - surely that can only be described as experiential.
I found there were moments of self-indulgence about insignificant things but that is a factor of everyone's life, I just don't need to read about it.
The last fifty of so pages are rippers and are very worth waiting for as he discusses love, worship and Jesus. Donald has an excellent grasp of the written word and he so effortlessly expresses the beauty of relationship with Jesus, for example, "Too much of our time is spent trying to chart God on a grid, and too little is spent allowing our hearts to feel awe."
Do read this - you'll enjoy it.Get more detail about Blue Like Jazz: Nonreligious Thoughts on Christian Spirituality.
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