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The Deeper Life: Satisfying the 8 Vital Longings of Your Soul
Be known as a person of relevant faith . . .
escape the fog of daily distractions . . .
live a more intentional, integrated life
Plenty of books talk about living a deeper life. This one shows you how--how to truly discover the answers to life's core questions and live them out in your thoughts, words, and actions.
An acclaimed teacher on spiritual renewal, Daniel Henderson shares the principles and practices that are vital to a transformed life. He explains the longings that resonate in our souls--longings such as wanting to know God more fully, to know ourselves better, to spend our time on things that matter--and shows how to systematically apply them to daily decisions and even long-term goals. As countless believers have already discovered, this gospel-oriented, Spirit-empowered approach will touch every part of your life and change the trajectory of your journey.
escape the fog of daily distractions . . .
live a more intentional, integrated life
Plenty of books talk about living a deeper life. This one shows you how--how to truly discover the answers to life's core questions and live them out in your thoughts, words, and actions.
An acclaimed teacher on spiritual renewal, Daniel Henderson shares the principles and practices that are vital to a transformed life. He explains the longings that resonate in our souls--longings such as wanting to know God more fully, to know ourselves better, to spend our time on things that matter--and shows how to systematically apply them to daily decisions and even long-term goals. As countless believers have already discovered, this gospel-oriented, Spirit-empowered approach will touch every part of your life and change the trajectory of your journey.
274 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 11, 2014
16 people are currently reading
303 people want to read
About the author
Daniel Henderson
37 books26 followersPastor, Preacher, Renewal Catalyst, Leadership Coach & Author who is passionate about personal renewal, congregational revival & leadership restoration.
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
February 10, 2019
From this book, I learned how to live a life with higher quality through my eternal identity in Him. Seizing the small moments to praise God and recognizing Him as the highest priority in my life. One thing that I felt like this book didn’t address is how to balance the parts of our lives we want to live meaningfully while taking care of the necessary part of life (I.e. work and finances). Maybe it’s possible for the two to overlap but it’s something I’m struggling to see.
March 4, 2014
I long for a deeper spiritual life. Perhaps you do to. It can be so easy to just go through the motions and take things as the come without delving below the surface, but when we are able to tap into something deeper–to connect with God at our core and live out of that center–we sense we were created for more. A new resource for Bethany House Publishers and author Daniel Henderson, helps us dig a little deeper and become who were were meant to be in Christ. The Deeper Life is designed to lead people into self reflection and renewal.
Henderson Identifies ‘eight vital longings’ in each of us and helps us press into each for spiritual renewal. These longings are: (1) to know God, (2) to know yourself, (3) to know your purpose, (4) to clarify your values, (5) to set priorities, (6) to have goals, (7) to manage time, (8) to manage time. Admittedly I have difficulty in seeing some of these as ‘deep longings.’ I remember Larry Crabb saying in Inside Out that we have to two deep longings: to be loved and accepted, and we long for significance. Henderson’s longings are really just an explication of that. What he says about God and self discovery (longing one and two) lead us to reflect on our identity and acceptance in Christ. The rest of the book (longings three to eight) helps us press into producing something of significance.
I appreciate many of the things Henderson says here, but the value of this book is the ‘part two’ of the book. Henderson has a section titled ‘Discovery exercises’ which reflect on each of these deep longings. Walking through these exercises are valuable and helpful for clarifying direction and discovering what really matters for your life. There are also thirteen appendixes which reflect on deep longings. At the end of the book is a ‘Deep Life Summary’ which is a worksheet for the reader to fill out after completing the exercises.
These exercises and reflections are valuable. New Christians and college students will find this helpful. But this is also a self-help type book which would be helpful for those in a vocational crisis. I took the time to reflect on each section and it led to a deeper understanding of myself and my life as well as provided some strategies for living. I give this book four stars: ★★★★.
Thank you to Bethany House for providing me a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
Henderson Identifies ‘eight vital longings’ in each of us and helps us press into each for spiritual renewal. These longings are: (1) to know God, (2) to know yourself, (3) to know your purpose, (4) to clarify your values, (5) to set priorities, (6) to have goals, (7) to manage time, (8) to manage time. Admittedly I have difficulty in seeing some of these as ‘deep longings.’ I remember Larry Crabb saying in Inside Out that we have to two deep longings: to be loved and accepted, and we long for significance. Henderson’s longings are really just an explication of that. What he says about God and self discovery (longing one and two) lead us to reflect on our identity and acceptance in Christ. The rest of the book (longings three to eight) helps us press into producing something of significance.
I appreciate many of the things Henderson says here, but the value of this book is the ‘part two’ of the book. Henderson has a section titled ‘Discovery exercises’ which reflect on each of these deep longings. Walking through these exercises are valuable and helpful for clarifying direction and discovering what really matters for your life. There are also thirteen appendixes which reflect on deep longings. At the end of the book is a ‘Deep Life Summary’ which is a worksheet for the reader to fill out after completing the exercises.
These exercises and reflections are valuable. New Christians and college students will find this helpful. But this is also a self-help type book which would be helpful for those in a vocational crisis. I took the time to reflect on each section and it led to a deeper understanding of myself and my life as well as provided some strategies for living. I give this book four stars: ★★★★.
Thank you to Bethany House for providing me a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
March 23, 2014
Daniel Henderson sets out to show how to implement a view of God into every aspect of your life. In the first half of the book, each chapter addresses an aspect of our longings: Who is God, who am I, why am I here, what really matters, what shall I do, how shall I do it, when shall I do it, and how will I finish. “A Deeper Life Story” at the end of each chapter is a story told by another person about how the principles (the principles of Daniel Henderson) changed their lives.
In the second half of the book, “Discovery Exercises” are designed to take the theological truth that you know and to daily experience it with God. The written exercises encourage the reader to think and practice biblical truths into each of the aspects of our longings. I think it would have been better to integrate them with the chapters. In the appendices, he includes some interesting material that I want to use in my prayer time, like lists of who Jesus is, attributes of God, Old Testament names of God, titles and names of Jesus and of the Holy Spirit, and who I am in Christ.
My favorite chapter was on biblical time management in When Shall I Do It? The author took a different direction that seemed contradictory to his previous chapters, and I was delighted. Biblical time management isn’t about squeezing as much as you can out of every minute or controlling your calendar. It is walking in the Spirit with dependence on Him, and being open to “moments”. Necessary errands can become encounters with eternity if we maximize our moments instead of trying to manage our minutes.
This wordy book would be more appropriately named The Christian Life. It’s not about living a deeper Christian life like I thought when I picked up the title. The book tends to be theoretical with an attempt to be practical, and the author seems to come across exalting himself with some name-dropping to give himself credibility. But as I overlook that, the author reminds me that it is good to live intentionally, to set goals, and to live in the moment rather than managing my minutes.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Bethany House in exchange for my honest review.
In the second half of the book, “Discovery Exercises” are designed to take the theological truth that you know and to daily experience it with God. The written exercises encourage the reader to think and practice biblical truths into each of the aspects of our longings. I think it would have been better to integrate them with the chapters. In the appendices, he includes some interesting material that I want to use in my prayer time, like lists of who Jesus is, attributes of God, Old Testament names of God, titles and names of Jesus and of the Holy Spirit, and who I am in Christ.
My favorite chapter was on biblical time management in When Shall I Do It? The author took a different direction that seemed contradictory to his previous chapters, and I was delighted. Biblical time management isn’t about squeezing as much as you can out of every minute or controlling your calendar. It is walking in the Spirit with dependence on Him, and being open to “moments”. Necessary errands can become encounters with eternity if we maximize our moments instead of trying to manage our minutes.
This wordy book would be more appropriately named The Christian Life. It’s not about living a deeper Christian life like I thought when I picked up the title. The book tends to be theoretical with an attempt to be practical, and the author seems to come across exalting himself with some name-dropping to give himself credibility. But as I overlook that, the author reminds me that it is good to live intentionally, to set goals, and to live in the moment rather than managing my minutes.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Bethany House in exchange for my honest review.
August 10, 2016
If you long for spiritual renewal then you must make an intentional decision to do so. The practices displayed in this book can direct you through a transformation of how you think about life.
We all are curious about different aspects of our lives, and this book centers around 8 spiritual questions you’ve probably asked yourself.
1. Who Is God?
2. Who am I?
3. Why Am I Here?
4. What Really Matters?
5. What Shall I Do?
6. How Shall I Do It?
7. When Shall I Do It?
8. How Will I Finish?
After the introduction and questions are addressed, the author delivers Discovery Exercises and Discussion Questions—which, in my opinion, is the meat of the book. I found myself skimming through many pages and savoring the information near the last third of the book—where the most impact is made.
As with any other affirmation books, I like the stimulating effect this gives the reader. Filled with profound questions, practical tips and inspirational messages, this book has the potential to guide you to a deeper understanding of yourself and your God, and what your true purpose is.
There is valuable information in this book and can be very helpful to those who desire a better understanding of life…but, as I stated previously, I wasn’t drawn-in until the last third of the book. The beginning failed to fully grab my attention.
Publisher: Bethany House
Pages: 274
First Lines: Tragedy has a way of testing the heart. It also has a way of revealing the truth Because it’s in the chaos of life’s tragedies and how you react to them, that you learn the truth about yourself: what you believe about God, what you believe about yourself, what really matters…life’s deepest questions.
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a review copy from Bethany House. I was not required to write a positive review. The options I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255.
We all are curious about different aspects of our lives, and this book centers around 8 spiritual questions you’ve probably asked yourself.
1. Who Is God?
2. Who am I?
3. Why Am I Here?
4. What Really Matters?
5. What Shall I Do?
6. How Shall I Do It?
7. When Shall I Do It?
8. How Will I Finish?
After the introduction and questions are addressed, the author delivers Discovery Exercises and Discussion Questions—which, in my opinion, is the meat of the book. I found myself skimming through many pages and savoring the information near the last third of the book—where the most impact is made.
As with any other affirmation books, I like the stimulating effect this gives the reader. Filled with profound questions, practical tips and inspirational messages, this book has the potential to guide you to a deeper understanding of yourself and your God, and what your true purpose is.
There is valuable information in this book and can be very helpful to those who desire a better understanding of life…but, as I stated previously, I wasn’t drawn-in until the last third of the book. The beginning failed to fully grab my attention.
Publisher: Bethany House
Pages: 274
First Lines: Tragedy has a way of testing the heart. It also has a way of revealing the truth Because it’s in the chaos of life’s tragedies and how you react to them, that you learn the truth about yourself: what you believe about God, what you believe about yourself, what really matters…life’s deepest questions.
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a review copy from Bethany House. I was not required to write a positive review. The options I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255.
March 2, 2014
I am really impressed with this book. Henderson says we have been created to think deeply an that is what he asks us to do in this book. The first half of the book consists of teaching in what he has identified as the eight deep longings of the soul. Who is God? Who am I? Why am I here? What really Matters? What shall I do? How shall I do it? When shall I do it? What legacy shall I leave? The second half of the book contains the exercises to answer these questions and develop a personal theology, a statement of identity,, purpose, priorities, values, goals, time, and legacy.
This is not a light work. This is a book that will take time and effort to do all the exercises. Henderson says we should do this periodically. While God never changes so our personal theology will not, our life situations do change. Reviewing our life will help us shape convictions that are internalized and are available when faced with important decisions.
See my full review at http://bit.ly/NhzW1d.
This is not a light work. This is a book that will take time and effort to do all the exercises. Henderson says we should do this periodically. While God never changes so our personal theology will not, our life situations do change. Reviewing our life will help us shape convictions that are internalized and are available when faced with important decisions.
See my full review at http://bit.ly/NhzW1d.
November 8, 2016
This book helped me sort out the important things in my life and gave me a structure to keep those things in front of me. The first part of the book identifies eight longings of the soul (whether we are conscious of them or not), attaches a question to each one, and arrives at a corresponding answer. Each chapter title consists of a question: Who is God? Who am I? Why am I here? What really matters? What shall I do? How shall I do it? When shall I do it? How will I finish? The second part of the book offers discovery exercises that help the reader answer the questions in a practical and meaningful way. This book brought clarity to my life and has helped me focus on what really matters. The author has an engaging style. This is a very readable book.
May 24, 2014
I won this book as a First Reads. I would give it 2.5 stars. It starts with a good premise, but there's nothing new in the content... for someone just starting to grapple with their spiritual journey, it could be helpful. Anyone form a more theologically trained background (mainstream churches, for example) would find it wanting. I found the examples and exercises not so much as helpful to the reader but a sampling of fortunate events from the author's experience, unlikely to be repeatable by anyone else.
March 11, 2014
For anyone who has longed for something more and wants to know how to aid that journey, this is an excellent book with some great tips and inspiration.This book does not merely talk about having a deeper life,but it talks about how to best accomplish the deeper life. With lots of practical tips and real life experiences this book is highly recommended for anyone who is looking into having a more satisfying fuller life.
March 27, 2014
I won a copy via Goodreads giveaways:
Wonderful book that is very well written. I read through the book and intend on going back through it again to do the exercises in the 2nd part.
I think this is a great book for anyone that wants to get to know themselves and God in a deeper manner.
Wonderful book that is very well written. I read through the book and intend on going back through it again to do the exercises in the 2nd part.
I think this is a great book for anyone that wants to get to know themselves and God in a deeper manner.
May 12, 2014
Life changing stuff in here. I love how he takes you step by step through how to specifically work on each area. I've never sat down and worked through these areas before, partly because I just didn't know HOW to do it. He makes it so easy! Highly recommend!
April 17, 2014
Daniel Henderson has done a good job of providing a step by step guide for all of us to live by.This is a very practical book that needs to be studied and reviewed at all steps and changes in your life.
March 26, 2014
A great premise, but it's a book I feel like I have read before. Like it's been done a million different ways. Still, the author has some good key points and writes very practical.
July 23, 2017
Very excited to begin preparing for my summer teaching opportunity, using this text as the basis for our study. Time to start really digging into it myself!
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May 23, 2015Good read...
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews