The Naked Soul: God's Amazing, Everyday Solution to Loneliness

Some people may avoid this book because they think, "Hey, I've got friends. I'm married. I'm not lonely." BIG MISTAKE! This is a GREAT book for anyone who 1) needs people in their lives and 2) wants to make a huge impact on the world for God. And, hey, as Dr. Gardner explains in the book, that's EVERYBODY. "The Naked Soul" details the who, how, what, and why of authentic relationships -- the kind all of us want to have -- and the kind God uses to change the world. The book challenges our complacent, "me first" lifestyles, and details all of the things that we let get in the way of having the true, honest relationships our hearts yearn for. Further, Gardner explains how most of us have settled for "pseudo intimacy," where we know more about the personal lives of characters on TV shows than we do about our neighbors. Ouch! But it doesn't have to be that way. "The Naked Soul" shows the way out of the forest. Trust me; everyone should read this book, because God calls us to all to "love our neighbors as ourselves." This book makes it real!

What a great book. Dr. Gardner is a Texan, and their penchant for straight talk suggests "The Bare Assed Facts" would be a great subtitle for this book; except it's probably too coarse for man of his spiritual stature. The Naked Soul is full of straight talk. There are so many times in my life I would've benefitted from having this near me. Everybody knows they're not supposed to be lonely, which only seems to make loneliness harder to bear. We know God wants us to have and enjoy fellowship, but when we're mired in the depths of loneliness, it seems like one of His promises that can't possibly be kept. Then, when we decide to do something to pull ourselves up, we do the wrong things, in the wrong places, at the wrong times, with the wrong people. Dr. Gardner identifies, instructs and encourages us to escape that horrible lonely place and develop the great blessing of authentic friendship. The areas of the book that the professional reviewer found tangential, I found enlightening and an encouragement to try different things to break the killer loop and get real. There are some things you know you know, but can't get to when stuck in the egocentric predicament of self loathing and self pity. The Naked Soul doesn't coddle; it provides the teaching and tools for changed lives built on a solid foundation of authentic friendship. This is a great book to have in your personal library, and a better one to buy for any friends struggling with loneliness. If your heart's desire is to start doing life and living it fully with the love and support of great friends, The Naked Soul is a great first step on the journey. For the price of three Grande Mocha/non-fat/easy-whips from Starbucks you can change your life. Highly recommended.