The Beautiful Fight: Surrendering to the Transforming Presence of God Every Day of Your Life

I really enjoyed this book. The book started off a little slow for me, but after two chapters I found it very engaging. The second section was particularly practical. It helped me to reconsider how I look at spiritual growth. To often my Christian life has been more talk than walk. This book encouraged me to live a more compelling life.

This newest book from one of Evangelicalism's finest authors on spiritual formation, Gary Thomas, is excellent - one of the best books I've read this year. Thomas takes a fresh look at living a God-empowered life that is grounded in the doctrine of Christ's bodily ascension. Drawing on insights from Evangelical, Reformed, Orthodox, and Catholic traditions, Thomas shows how God's presence can change the way we use our eyes and ears, hands and feet, minds and hearts. The Beautiful Fight is a beautiful book about a beautiful spirituality of "full-bodied faith." I could barely put this book down and walked away freshly convicted, challenged, and encouraged. Having now read several of Thomas's books, I think this is my favorite to date. Treat yourself to a banquet of spiritual delights and get this book!

My heart beat with passion as I associated so clearly with Thomas' teaching in "The Beautiful Fight!" This is how Christians--new and seasoned--including me, need to see our life. With vulnerable examples from his own experiences to hit me between the eyes, I was reminded as I absorbed the teachings he illustrated, that it is a fight. We're in a battle to let go of "self" and allow the Spirit to work through us. Yet this battle, as he so compellingly teaches, is one entirely and wholeheartedly worthwhile, because it gives us "heavenly splashes of glory." Though there are many books to choose from about spiritual growth, I wholeheartedly recommend this fresh new approach that will not leave you, the reader, feeling guilty--though convicted--but desirous of growing. The refreshing emphasis to "experience God" and listen to Him speak to our hearts is one the Church needs to hear. I wanted to skim and put up a hasty review but found my yellow marker was definitely needed for the new takes on scriptural truths. I agree with Gary Thomas, "What a joy to work with God instead of just for God, to see him operate in spite of us instead of because of us. Have you ever realized that God purposely sets up our lives to reveal his glory?" I'm thrilled to say, "Amen," to Thomas' explanation of "how exciting and fulfilling a life this is"! I will be quoting from and recommending this book when I, myself, speak to audiences!

I've been reading The Beautiful Fight in pieces every night. It is too good to read quickly. The book is packed with wisdom from numerous spiritual leaders of old, as well as the author's own compelling insights from his life and passion for running "the only race worth running" or in this case, fighting "the beautiful fight". The author is well-studied, real and vulnerable. Everything in this book rings true and yet there are wonderful interpretations of scripture I've never come across before--even in my many years of practicing my faith. I suspect The Beautiful Fight will become a classic. It is deep but it also contains practical details that have already helped me make a few decisions and be more compassionate to a neighbor. When I finish reading it, I plan on rereading it!

Although this book has a common theme (our constant struggle for personal holiness), every page contains book-dropping principles that I wanted to stop and ponder at the implications for my life. Unlike so many popular Christian books that have only one or two great precepts surounded by a tremendous amount of page-filling fluff, "The Beautiful Fight" is substantive to the end. It will challenge new Christians in their faith and also awaken those believers who consider their faith to be strong, to shake off any further sluggishness. I am no "Oprah", but as a pastor, I am looking for ways that I can get our congregation to read it. Next month, I plan to lead our elders through a study of it together, using the questions for discussion and reflection that are found in the appendix at the end of the book.