Divine Audacity: Dare to Be the Light of the World

by Linda Martella-Whitsett

This new thought manifesto challenges readers to follow Jesus' dictum that his followers should be "the light of the world." What makes Martella-Whitsett's approach so refreshing is that it offers a path for those interested in living a deep and authentic life outside of the strictures of traditional religious categories. It is, in essence, how to be spiritual without being religious.

Her starting point is that we need to jettison traditional notions of God as being out there and above us. God is not a super-human who gives and takes, punishes and rewards, and requires human suffering and repentance.

Rather, Martella-Whitsett encourages readers to embark on a journey of discovery and embrace a spiritual practice in which readers connect with their inner "light" and realize their oneness with God. The result of that journey and practice will be a life lived audaciously; a kind of mindful living in which moments of enlightenment occur frequently.

"Divine Audacity" is in three parts: Part One looks at just what "divine light" is and how it is both audacious and normal to claim it for ourselves. Part Two outlines 12 spiritual powers we all have and can develop and use on a daily basis. These are the lights of faith, understanding, will, imagination, zeal, power, love, wisdom, strength, order, release, life. Part Three, How to be the Light of the World, Moment by Moment is filled with illustrations of how common human circumstances can be enriched, transformed, and improved by consciously shining the light of our spiritual powers.

Genres: Spirituality

256 pages, Paperback

First published February 1, 2015

Reviews

[RJ Johnson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed learning more about the 12 Powers in this book.

[Ken Cosey · Rating 4 out of 5]

A relatively good dive into being audacious enough to believe that the power of life and love lies within each of us.

[Marsha Witt · Rating 5 out of 5]

The meditations alone make the book.

[Tim Larison · Rating 4 out of 5]

“We, the collective we, have perceived GOD to be an inaccessible superhuman, which locates GOD outside and beyond us,” writes Linda Martella-Whitsett in the introduction of her book Divine Audacity. “I propose there is no such God.” Rather the author emphasizes that the Spirit of God is within all of us, a Spirit we can tap into to live from our own “divine audacity.”

Martella-Whitsett’s view of God is representative of New Thought teaching – a different approach to spirituality than traditional Christian theology. I like in Divine Audacity how the author expands on her teaching presented in How To Pray Without Talking to God, one of the best books I reviewed in 2012.

In part one Divine Audacity Martella-Whitsett attempts to make the reader comfortable with the idea that he or she has the Spirit of God within. “Most people either shy away from or reject outright the audacious claim of Divine Identity,” she writes. It was a difficult transition for her. “I was nervous because the kind of inner attunement (my teacher) promoted was dramatically at odds with my childhood faith,” she says. It is at odds with my childhood faith, too. If the words “I am God” sound extreme and heretical, I suggest not letting those words lead you to reject Martella-Whitsett’s teaching. Instead read Divine Audacity for ideas about living from the potential that resides within you, without labeling that potential as “God”.

In the second part of the book, she presents her “divine audacity” ideas divided into twelve chapters:
The Light of Faith
The Light of Understanding
The Light of Will
The Light of Imagination
The Light of Zeal
The Light of Power
The Light of Love
The Light of Wisdom
The Light of Strength
The Light of Order
The Light of Release
The Light of Life

Each chapter gives tips on allowing that aspect of your divine audacity to flourish in your life. I like how Martella-Whitsett gives easy to understand examples in making her points. In The Light of Imagination chapter, for instance, she writes about dealing with difficult family issues. “We can revise history. We can tell ourselves a different story about our past, one that breaks the chains of habitual assumptions.”

Each chapter also has a concluding “Practice” section with practical exercises. In the Imagination chapter one exercise is “Rewrite a painful story from your past, reinterpreting it in a way that strengthens you and lifts you up.” I found the Practice sections especially helpful in a group discussion about the book that I participated in, as the exercises led people to deeply share from their own lives.

“Moment by moment, choice by choice, you decide whether you are only human or you are divine,” Martella-Whitsett concludes in the book’s final pages. Spiritual growth doesn’t come easy, it’s something you have to work at. That’s the main message I received from Divine Audacity, with many suggestions on how to live from Spirit every day.

[Cc April · Rating 2 out of 5]

I received this book as part of a Goodreads Firstreads promotion in exchange for my honest review. Divine Audacity: Dare to be the light of the World by Linda Martella Whiltesett is a book that will have you thinking quite differently. The book is divided into 3 parts: The first talks about divine light, the second about 12 spiritual powers that everyone can hone and uses and the third is about being the light of the world. She shows how to do all this without the religious aspects. That being said, while this might be helpful to some people who want to shine on their own, I am a religious person, I therefore cannot support this way of thinking.

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Better on second read when it wasn't cluttered with Fillmore's The Twelve Powers. 4.5