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Călătorind de la răsărit la apus. Dumnezeul din umbră
Renumitul gânditor creștin Ravi Zacharias ne împărtășește firul narativ al călătoriei sale printr-o copilărie agitată în cultura orientală a țării sale obișnuite...și al căutării adevărului care i-a hrănit viața. Călătoria lui Ravi se face pe jos - este o plimbare presărată cu popasuri în care ne putem minuna, putem sta de vorbă, putem zăbovi și reflecta.
"Unele carti sunt greu de scris; altele, aproape imposibil. Cea pe care o tii in mana face parte din ultima categorie. Multi prieteni, chiar si necunoscuti m-au intrebat de-a lungul vremii daca n-as putea sa pun pe hartie o astfel de povestire, iar cand editura Zondervan m-a rugat sa scriu o carte de memorii, m-am gandit ca a venit vremea sa o fac si pe aceasta. Am intampinat insa dificultati pe multe fronturi. Prima problema era aceea a acuratetii amintirilor. Cum poti sa-ti aduni laolalta tot trecutul? Cum poti fi obiectiv intru totul, cand de fiecare situatie te leaga sentimente personale? Si apoi, mai este o chestiune, si mai personala: cum ai putea povesti lucruri atat de intime, fara sa faci pe cineva sa para necuvenit de rau sau bun? Aceasta a fost cea mai mare incercare. Una este sa-ti deschizi inima, dar exista un risc enorm sa incerci acelasi demers in privinta altora. Daca am gresit in aceasta privinta, nadajduiesc din suflet sa nu fi fost din rea-vointa, ci numai pentru ca stiu ca povestirea nu s-a sfarstit asa cum a inceput.
… odata cu trecerea vietii, iti doresti sa-ti fi luat anumite masuri de siguranta, ba chiar sa fi luat alte decizii cateodata. Eu unul mi-as fi dorit sa fi vorbit mai mult cu parintii mei despre trecutul lor si despre stramosii mei. Oare, ce stiau ei? Care era povestea vietii lor? Ce l-a facut pe fiecare sa devina ceea ce a ajuns, in timp? Acum e prea tarziu pentru aceasta, pentru ca niciunul dintre parintii mei nu mai e in viata. Si totusi, am deplina convingere ca Dumnezeu este Cel care mi-a randuit pasii si ca El mi-a fost alaturi chiar si in cele mai negre perioade din viata. Sunt la fel de sigur de acest lucru ca de faptul ca exist. El niciodata nu m-a parasit, iar harul si indurarea Lui m-au adus pana aici. Acesta este cel mai sigur adevar pe care il detin si care ma face cu adevarat liber! …….
…Fara El, povestea mea n-ar merita sa fie nici spusa, nici citita."
Ravi Zacharias
prefata
"Unele carti sunt greu de scris; altele, aproape imposibil. Cea pe care o tii in mana face parte din ultima categorie. Multi prieteni, chiar si necunoscuti m-au intrebat de-a lungul vremii daca n-as putea sa pun pe hartie o astfel de povestire, iar cand editura Zondervan m-a rugat sa scriu o carte de memorii, m-am gandit ca a venit vremea sa o fac si pe aceasta. Am intampinat insa dificultati pe multe fronturi. Prima problema era aceea a acuratetii amintirilor. Cum poti sa-ti aduni laolalta tot trecutul? Cum poti fi obiectiv intru totul, cand de fiecare situatie te leaga sentimente personale? Si apoi, mai este o chestiune, si mai personala: cum ai putea povesti lucruri atat de intime, fara sa faci pe cineva sa para necuvenit de rau sau bun? Aceasta a fost cea mai mare incercare. Una este sa-ti deschizi inima, dar exista un risc enorm sa incerci acelasi demers in privinta altora. Daca am gresit in aceasta privinta, nadajduiesc din suflet sa nu fi fost din rea-vointa, ci numai pentru ca stiu ca povestirea nu s-a sfarstit asa cum a inceput.
… odata cu trecerea vietii, iti doresti sa-ti fi luat anumite masuri de siguranta, ba chiar sa fi luat alte decizii cateodata. Eu unul mi-as fi dorit sa fi vorbit mai mult cu parintii mei despre trecutul lor si despre stramosii mei. Oare, ce stiau ei? Care era povestea vietii lor? Ce l-a facut pe fiecare sa devina ceea ce a ajuns, in timp? Acum e prea tarziu pentru aceasta, pentru ca niciunul dintre parintii mei nu mai e in viata. Si totusi, am deplina convingere ca Dumnezeu este Cel care mi-a randuit pasii si ca El mi-a fost alaturi chiar si in cele mai negre perioade din viata. Sunt la fel de sigur de acest lucru ca de faptul ca exist. El niciodata nu m-a parasit, iar harul si indurarea Lui m-au adus pana aici. Acesta este cel mai sigur adevar pe care il detin si care ma face cu adevarat liber! …….
…Fara El, povestea mea n-ar merita sa fie nici spusa, nici citita."
Ravi Zacharias
prefata
248 pages, Hardcover
First published February 3, 2006
331 people are currently reading
2951 people want to read
About the author
Ravi Zacharias
253 books1,662 followersFrederick Antony Ravi Kumar Zacharias was an Indian-born Canadian-American Christian evangelical minister and Christian apologist who founded Ravi Zacharias International Ministries (RZIM). He was involved in Christian apologetics for a period spanning more than forty years, authoring more than thirty books. He also hosted the radio programs Let My People Think and Just Thinking. Zacharias belonged to the Christian and Missionary Alliance (C&MA), the Keswickian Christian denomination in which he was ordained as a minister. After his death, allegations of sexual harassment against him emerged, were investigated, and found to be true.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 244 reviews
January 27, 2014
The 40's and 50's gave us C.S. Lewis, the 70's gave us Francis Schaeffer, and the 90's to present day has given us Ravi Zacharias. Ravi Zacharias is this marvelous collision of a truly brilliant mind, but a genuinely humble spirit; someone who loves God with abandon and loves man out of that abundance. When I found the opportunity to hear his story in his own words, I jumped at the opportunity.
I don't want to include any spoilers, but this book tells of a time when this man who is known for his clarity of thought was unfocused and floundering. It tells of this confident and gifted evangelist/apologist had no confidence but his confidence in God. It tells of some of the truly dangerous places in this world where he has been called to share the Gospel. Through it all, God's grace and God's favor shines through. I enjoyed getting to see mischievious side of this serious man and I shed tears for some of the more difficult times in his life.
For anyone who has been touched by his ministry or his writing, I hightly recommend this book
I don't want to include any spoilers, but this book tells of a time when this man who is known for his clarity of thought was unfocused and floundering. It tells of this confident and gifted evangelist/apologist had no confidence but his confidence in God. It tells of some of the truly dangerous places in this world where he has been called to share the Gospel. Through it all, God's grace and God's favor shines through. I enjoyed getting to see mischievious side of this serious man and I shed tears for some of the more difficult times in his life.
For anyone who has been touched by his ministry or his writing, I hightly recommend this book
May 15, 2012
I wish there were more than 5 stars available because this book rates far beyond pretty much any book I have read in recent years. Ravi Zacharias' story touched my heart and my intellect equally. I found myself each morning looking forward to reading a little bit more yet only allowing myself a chapter or two. I did not want it to end! Throughout the book, God and His purpose in Ravi Zacharias' life were always in focus. I found myself fighting with tears at each reading as Ravi describes how God used so many events, including a suicide attempt, directly and completely to both bring Ravi to Him and then to direct him in God's purpose for his life. What a powerful example of God choosing to work through a man to share His gospel message and of a man laying aside his life to allow God to work through him. What an amazing God we serve!
April 3, 2016
Starts off a lil slow, but as you begin to see its trajectory the story begins to unfold in a marvelous way that is sure to reinforce your faith.
February 3, 2016
There is no greater discovery than seeing God as author of your destiny. -RZ
A memoir of one of our times greatest thinkers and defenders of the Christian faith, 'God in the Shadows' gives readers a glimpse of the making of this man that provides hope to any who may believe they are beyond being used by God. Ravi's story is a powerful example of God's grace, providence and pursuit of his children - a great encouragement to all.
A memoir of one of our times greatest thinkers and defenders of the Christian faith, 'God in the Shadows' gives readers a glimpse of the making of this man that provides hope to any who may believe they are beyond being used by God. Ravi's story is a powerful example of God's grace, providence and pursuit of his children - a great encouragement to all.
June 15, 2011
"You see, of all five siblings in my family, I had the unhappiest childhood."
Born in India in 1946, Ravi's life was filled with uncertainty and lack of purpose. Today he travels around the world speaking to governments, Ivy League universities, and on the radio. His message is that of certainty and hope in Christ. Firmly believing that the Christian faith is grounded in absolute truth, he has written/co-written over twenty books as he shares through philosophy, apologetics, and theology. How did he make this transformation? Walking from East to West; God in the Shadows is his story. He writes of his family background, what it meant to be Indian, how he ended up in Canada, met the woman who became his wife and mother of their three children, and how God brought him into ministry.
If you've never read anything by Ravi, I strongly encourage you to do so. I believe he is the forefront philosophical and moralistic apologist of our day. Do not be intimidated by such words; he defends the Christian faith on levels that few people dare to acknowledge, but are underlying issues for many. His personal story is amazing and gives a new insight into his work. I understand the passion that comes through in his words and voice (he has many audio lectures available in addition to his radio broadcasts). If you are family with his work, but not the man, this book will enlighten you of some of the stories he shares in his other works. You will understand why he thinks and works as he does. Apart from his other works, this book is an amazing testimony to the work of God; perfect for biography lovers.
Walking from East to West by Ravi Zacharias with R.S.B. Sawyer, published by Zondervan
April 24, 2018
I am a shameless fan of testimonies. How precious and creative is the work of God in a yielded human! I can never tire of it. Ravi's story was well told, making me nostalgic for India, the land of my childhood. I too walked with him from East to West and enjoyed every minute of it. What a wonderful Savior Jesus is!
July 7, 2016
Compelling Story
This autobiography of Ravi Zacharias is a very compelling story from start to finish. My opinion of him has always been that he is a super intellect. I have always been in awe of his mind. He is an author who I had to really think hard and concentrate to understand. And yet I find in this book that as a young student, he was a failure. He was repeatedly told by his father that he wasa failure an would never amount to anything. As a teenager he tried to commit suicide. The result was indeed his death, but it was a spiritual death to self as the Lord used this experience to give him a new life in Christ.
From his first moment of conversion, he was totally committed. He was even able to find Christian churches in India. He also went to Campus Crusade for Christ meetings. They were alive and active in India!
As Ravi unfolds his story, he is careful to reveal how God is always with him in the shadows directing his path.
This autobiography of Ravi Zacharias is a very compelling story from start to finish. My opinion of him has always been that he is a super intellect. I have always been in awe of his mind. He is an author who I had to really think hard and concentrate to understand. And yet I find in this book that as a young student, he was a failure. He was repeatedly told by his father that he wasa failure an would never amount to anything. As a teenager he tried to commit suicide. The result was indeed his death, but it was a spiritual death to self as the Lord used this experience to give him a new life in Christ.
From his first moment of conversion, he was totally committed. He was even able to find Christian churches in India. He also went to Campus Crusade for Christ meetings. They were alive and active in India!
As Ravi unfolds his story, he is careful to reveal how God is always with him in the shadows directing his path.
November 26, 2020
Amazing! I had little knowledge of his life and even legacy, so listened to this to learn more since so many friends had been influenced by his teaching. Written with much humility and transparency. Reminds us of how God can use those who are fully committed to Him and walk by faith.
October 2, 2017
I struggled with what to write about this book because it's not just the story of Ravi's life. Ravi chronicles his life and the inner struggles in such a way that it makes you look at your own life and think about the assumptions you live by and where you're going. I found this book to be not only interesting but also thought provoking. No matter where you are in your life and faith journey I think this book is an interesting read. It will shape you in the same way that spending time with a dear grandfather shapes you, gently and slowly, something you come back to and meditate on in the future.
November 25, 2016
Incredible story!
October 30, 2019
Different from any of Zacharias' other books. An intriguing read that helps me respect the man even more. Beautiful story of how God takes our brokenness and transforms it into incredible ministries.
March 3, 2018
Loved this memoir of a man I’ve listened to for so long! His life is so inspiring to me and he gives such encouragement to everyone. I listened to the audio book and the narrator was very good!
June 23, 2017
This was a great book! I've always really enjoyed Ravi's approach and his love to go anywhere to speak. It was really awesome to finally hear his story from boyhood adolescence in India to his time now as the co-founder of RZIM Ministries headquarted in Atlanta, Georgia. I never knew of his troubled childhood with his father and how painful that time was for him, and the total transformation of his father when much later in life in a moment of conviction dedicated his own life to Christ. This was my favorite of all of Ravi's books that I've delved into so far, and I believe it was because this one felt so personal and such a good story.
April 28, 2016
From the first time I heard Ravi Zacharias speak in our Saskatoon church (sometime in the late 1970s or early '80s) I have been fascinated by his message and manner. His memoir, Walking from East to West: God in the Shadows, shines a light on where he came from and how he became the popular evangelist, Christian apologist and humanitarian that he is today.
In chronological order he tells the story of his unhappy childhood in India, his conversion, his move (with his family) to Canada, and his blossoming into family life and ministry.
The God in the Shadows angle is Zacharias recognizing and pointing out how God has been present in his life (though often unseen and unrecognized till much later). In fact he sees evidences of this being the case even before his existence in his great-great-grandmother's conversion to Christianity. This is powerfully brought home to him when he finds her grave site and sees that the verse on her marker is the very one that God used to call him back to life after his suicide attempt. Throughout the book he points out many other marvelous "coincidences" that bring him to the conclusion that God has been interested in and involved in his life all along the way.
He comes across as a humble, grateful man who is still amazed at what God has done in and through him—a Chennai Indian lad who, until his conversion, was a sports-loving, directionless school goof-off.
The writing style is not as intellectually taxing as some of his more philosophical books and though the odd time a professorial word or two slips in, mostly Walking... is an easy-to-read story.
As I usually do when I read inspiring biographies and memoirs, I marked passages for future retrieval. Here are some bits I highlighted from Walking From East to West:
I would recommend this book to all who have been impacted by and continue to enjoy and be challenged by the speaking and writing of Ravi Zacharias.
Walking from East to West is part of my own Kindle collection.
In chronological order he tells the story of his unhappy childhood in India, his conversion, his move (with his family) to Canada, and his blossoming into family life and ministry.
The God in the Shadows angle is Zacharias recognizing and pointing out how God has been present in his life (though often unseen and unrecognized till much later). In fact he sees evidences of this being the case even before his existence in his great-great-grandmother's conversion to Christianity. This is powerfully brought home to him when he finds her grave site and sees that the verse on her marker is the very one that God used to call him back to life after his suicide attempt. Throughout the book he points out many other marvelous "coincidences" that bring him to the conclusion that God has been interested in and involved in his life all along the way.
He comes across as a humble, grateful man who is still amazed at what God has done in and through him—a Chennai Indian lad who, until his conversion, was a sports-loving, directionless school goof-off.
The writing style is not as intellectually taxing as some of his more philosophical books and though the odd time a professorial word or two slips in, mostly Walking... is an easy-to-read story.
As I usually do when I read inspiring biographies and memoirs, I marked passages for future retrieval. Here are some bits I highlighted from Walking From East to West:
"God has an appointment with each of us, and it is critical that every man and woman know this. He will stop our steps when it is not our time, and He will lead us when it is" - p. 168 (Kindle Edition).
"… if you have not learned to pay the smaller prices of following Christ in your daily life, you will not be prepared to pay the ultimate price in God's calling" - p. 199.
"Yes, logic is linear, but its implications are radial" - p. 205.
"Through all of the visitations of life—successes or failures—it is not how well you are known or not known. It is not how big your organization is or isn't. It is not even how many sermons one has preached or books one has written or millions of dollars one has accumulated. It is how well do you know Jesus?" - p. 224.
I would recommend this book to all who have been impacted by and continue to enjoy and be challenged by the speaking and writing of Ravi Zacharias.
Walking from East to West is part of my own Kindle collection.
March 13, 2017
“And they have conquered him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, for they loved not their lives even unto death.” Revelation 12:11
Pretty much sums it up. I found myself crying at multiple points of this gospel saturated life and story. Friends that were martyred, families redeemed, I kept asking "how far would I got for Jesus' sake?"
Thank you, Ravi for writing this down. Just as you carried so many godly men's stories before you, I will certainly be carrying your's.
Pretty much sums it up. I found myself crying at multiple points of this gospel saturated life and story. Friends that were martyred, families redeemed, I kept asking "how far would I got for Jesus' sake?"
Thank you, Ravi for writing this down. Just as you carried so many godly men's stories before you, I will certainly be carrying your's.
September 5, 2013
The book was a good read, not too long, with chapters was spread out well and it was an engaging read.
It first talks about the author's childhood and living standards in India. Also, how he grew up in a nominal Christian family, faithfully attending services but not pious.
It further explores his relationship with his dad (who he is quick not to blame), his mum and his grandmother, his education while he was young, his own struggle with his own loneliness which culminated in a suicide attempt. One surprising fact was that Ravi Zacharias was a rather good cricket player and still is excited about this sport.
One verse that was stuck with him whist on bed recovering from his suicide attempt was John 14:19b "Because I live, you also will live". Which nearing the end of the book gives a surprise about the significance of this verse in his own (family) life.
After conversion, Ravi was deeply influenced by YFC and also was exposed to preaching, which in the future would be his full-time vocation: A itinerant preacher and apologist.
Hereafter Ravi talks about his life as one training to be a hotel manager, and the family's transit to Canada and how he met Margie (his future wife) and also how he was slowly used by God in his preaching, within Canada and in other parts of the world.
What I personally felt the book was highlighting was how God was working behind the scenes in his life, God has indeed plan all things in his life to make him who he is today.
Second, I've seen how passionate Ravi is for the Indians, how he longs for all to come to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. Many times he shares about how he longs to be able to go back to India frequently and see more of them come to know and believe in Jesus Christ.
Rating: 4.5/5
It first talks about the author's childhood and living standards in India. Also, how he grew up in a nominal Christian family, faithfully attending services but not pious.
It further explores his relationship with his dad (who he is quick not to blame), his mum and his grandmother, his education while he was young, his own struggle with his own loneliness which culminated in a suicide attempt. One surprising fact was that Ravi Zacharias was a rather good cricket player and still is excited about this sport.
One verse that was stuck with him whist on bed recovering from his suicide attempt was John 14:19b "Because I live, you also will live". Which nearing the end of the book gives a surprise about the significance of this verse in his own (family) life.
After conversion, Ravi was deeply influenced by YFC and also was exposed to preaching, which in the future would be his full-time vocation: A itinerant preacher and apologist.
Hereafter Ravi talks about his life as one training to be a hotel manager, and the family's transit to Canada and how he met Margie (his future wife) and also how he was slowly used by God in his preaching, within Canada and in other parts of the world.
What I personally felt the book was highlighting was how God was working behind the scenes in his life, God has indeed plan all things in his life to make him who he is today.
Second, I've seen how passionate Ravi is for the Indians, how he longs for all to come to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. Many times he shares about how he longs to be able to go back to India frequently and see more of them come to know and believe in Jesus Christ.
Rating: 4.5/5
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 12, 2017
This is a reread for me—and I could begin again immediately. What an amazing story of God’s transforming power!
Ravi Zacharias entered my life about 25 years ago after hearing him speak on the radio and then friends shared audio tape series with me. When I hear Zacharias speak with his melodic Indian voice and hear him declare truth, my heart and my mind give a resounding YES!
What an incredible life he has had—he's addressed the United Nations; he’s met with international leaders, slept in homes of the poor, crisscrossed the world after establishing RZIM, an apologetics ministry that has grown beyond anything he would have imagined as a young man. With a brilliant, quick mind, he declares the Gospel with grace, responding to questions of atheists and skeptics alike with dignity and humility—before audiences of thousands at the most prestigious university and governmental arenas in the world.
As a child and a youth, with a very difficult relationship with his father, he felt he would never amount to anything, and feeling hopeless and filled with despair, at 16 he attempted suicide—but God rescued him. And Ravi accepted Christ as his eternal hope. His life was transformed completely—from being a poor, uninterested reader to a voracious, avid connoisseur of books; from longing to be a cricket player to pursuing graduate and seminary education in order to respond to God’s call on his life to preach the gospel.
He uses the motif of “God in the shadows” always at work behind the scenes to bring about His purposes and plans, along with the metaphor of God as the Master Weaver of the threads of our lives. This memoir is a story of hope and triumph, of God’sovereignty and glory. I highly recommend it!
Ravi Zacharias entered my life about 25 years ago after hearing him speak on the radio and then friends shared audio tape series with me. When I hear Zacharias speak with his melodic Indian voice and hear him declare truth, my heart and my mind give a resounding YES!
What an incredible life he has had—he's addressed the United Nations; he’s met with international leaders, slept in homes of the poor, crisscrossed the world after establishing RZIM, an apologetics ministry that has grown beyond anything he would have imagined as a young man. With a brilliant, quick mind, he declares the Gospel with grace, responding to questions of atheists and skeptics alike with dignity and humility—before audiences of thousands at the most prestigious university and governmental arenas in the world.
As a child and a youth, with a very difficult relationship with his father, he felt he would never amount to anything, and feeling hopeless and filled with despair, at 16 he attempted suicide—but God rescued him. And Ravi accepted Christ as his eternal hope. His life was transformed completely—from being a poor, uninterested reader to a voracious, avid connoisseur of books; from longing to be a cricket player to pursuing graduate and seminary education in order to respond to God’s call on his life to preach the gospel.
He uses the motif of “God in the shadows” always at work behind the scenes to bring about His purposes and plans, along with the metaphor of God as the Master Weaver of the threads of our lives. This memoir is a story of hope and triumph, of God’sovereignty and glory. I highly recommend it!
December 9, 2020
This is Zacharias' biography, and it focuses on his early years in India, and most specifically in some ways on his relationship with his father, his conversion to an evangelical faith, and his attempted suicide. It is not the apologetic argument that I thought it might be, although he does reflect briefly on his career as an apologist near the end.
It reads as a genuine soul-searching reflection on one's own life, and I really sensed a deep respect and love for his home country of India. Its hard to believe that his first choice of vocation was in hotel management, but it certainly prepared him for a hospitable career in ministry.
What is delightful about this book for Canadians is that he is a sort-of Canadian evangelical hero. Many of his formative years were spent in Toronto and his love for Tyndale is quite evident. Its too bad he moved to Atlanta to locate his ministry, but he went from there to offices around the world, in what is now a truly multi-national organization.
What I appreciate about Zacharias is that he does contain within him a blend of east and west. He was trained in Western theological categories, but his approach is not confrontational like many evangelicals, nor even propositional in style. It is first of all narrative, and thus he is always "telling it slant" which I think is more invitational and compelling in the long run. And this book again, is a narrative, a story of how God took someone on the edge of the abyss of despair and turned his life into a blessing for many, not least of all for his own father.
It reads as a genuine soul-searching reflection on one's own life, and I really sensed a deep respect and love for his home country of India. Its hard to believe that his first choice of vocation was in hotel management, but it certainly prepared him for a hospitable career in ministry.
What is delightful about this book for Canadians is that he is a sort-of Canadian evangelical hero. Many of his formative years were spent in Toronto and his love for Tyndale is quite evident. Its too bad he moved to Atlanta to locate his ministry, but he went from there to offices around the world, in what is now a truly multi-national organization.
What I appreciate about Zacharias is that he does contain within him a blend of east and west. He was trained in Western theological categories, but his approach is not confrontational like many evangelicals, nor even propositional in style. It is first of all narrative, and thus he is always "telling it slant" which I think is more invitational and compelling in the long run. And this book again, is a narrative, a story of how God took someone on the edge of the abyss of despair and turned his life into a blessing for many, not least of all for his own father.
September 5, 2016
Christian evangelist and apologist Ravi Zacharias shares the story of his life up until publication of this book (2006). He relates his childhood in India, his feelings of inadequacy in every area of his life except for sports, and eventual suicide attempt which failed and resulted in an encounter with God instead. From there, Ravi found new purpose in life and went on to start succeeding in those areas in which he previously failed. During his college years his family immigrated to Canada, and there Ravi's direction toward hotel management gradually was redirected to full time evangelism.
This was a moving and powerful read about how God has worked in one man's life. Ravi's had some amazing experiences and been used in incredible ways. But he writes with humility and care to make sure that all the glory goes to God and not himself. It's a well-written and inspirational look at how God can radically change a life, how there can be ups and downs of Christian ministry, and how Eastern culture and Western culture have similarities and differences.
Notes on content: No language issues. No sexual content. Ravi's suicide attempt was with poison, so it was not grotesque. He travels to Vietnam and Cambodia during turbulent years, and many deaths are mentioned, but none described in any gory detail.
This was a moving and powerful read about how God has worked in one man's life. Ravi's had some amazing experiences and been used in incredible ways. But he writes with humility and care to make sure that all the glory goes to God and not himself. It's a well-written and inspirational look at how God can radically change a life, how there can be ups and downs of Christian ministry, and how Eastern culture and Western culture have similarities and differences.
Notes on content: No language issues. No sexual content. Ravi's suicide attempt was with poison, so it was not grotesque. He travels to Vietnam and Cambodia during turbulent years, and many deaths are mentioned, but none described in any gory detail.
July 2, 2016
"Because I live, ye shall live also." -- John 14:19
When God puts a broken life back together, He removes the scars because He builds from the inside out. And when God steadies a faltering life, He puts you on His footing.
God is in the shadows in many ways, but He is also in the bright light of what His servants do every day.
T.S. Eliot once wrote:
We shall not cease from exploration,
And the end of all our exploring
Will be to arrive where we started
And know the place for the first time.
Life is not merely a geographical journey--not just east to west, or north to south. There is also an up and down--God's way, or our way... There is no greater discovery than seeing God as the author of your destiny. - Ravi Zacharias
----
This is the first autobiography I've ever set my heart on reading, and it surprised me in many ways. Ravi is one of my favorite authors, and knowing how God has woven his story together has made me appreciate the work that God has done and is still doing in my life as well.
If you're feeling like you're in the shadows where the darkness seems unbearable, God is there with you. And when you're in the light, when there's joy and peace in your heart, God is also there, rejoicing with you. In every circumstance, trust in Him.
When God puts a broken life back together, He removes the scars because He builds from the inside out. And when God steadies a faltering life, He puts you on His footing.
God is in the shadows in many ways, but He is also in the bright light of what His servants do every day.
T.S. Eliot once wrote:
We shall not cease from exploration,
And the end of all our exploring
Will be to arrive where we started
And know the place for the first time.
Life is not merely a geographical journey--not just east to west, or north to south. There is also an up and down--God's way, or our way... There is no greater discovery than seeing God as the author of your destiny. - Ravi Zacharias
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This is the first autobiography I've ever set my heart on reading, and it surprised me in many ways. Ravi is one of my favorite authors, and knowing how God has woven his story together has made me appreciate the work that God has done and is still doing in my life as well.
If you're feeling like you're in the shadows where the darkness seems unbearable, God is there with you. And when you're in the light, when there's joy and peace in your heart, God is also there, rejoicing with you. In every circumstance, trust in Him.
September 27, 2016
A wonderful little book that chronicles the life and ministry of Ravi Zacharias, from his humble beginnings in India to speaking all over the world and heading up his RZIM. His story isn't laced with the sort of miracles and events that are typical in Missionary biographies, although there are a few. Yet the supernatural is clearly evident in all of his speaking engagements. God clearly works through this man, and it's abundantly visible in the transformed hearts that walk from his talks and sermons.
A couple of surprises struck me as I read this book. First, I was unaware that Ravi had volunteered to go into Vietnam at the height of the war in order to preach. A great testimony of his dedication, and the dedication of those that served over there much longer - some of whom gave their lives for the Lord. I was also unaware that Ravi had attempted to commit suicide as a teenager during a time when he was in the depths of despair and confusion. He thought he had nothing to offer the world or his family, and yet God had other plans. Thank you Lord for using this man to further your Kingdom.
A couple of surprises struck me as I read this book. First, I was unaware that Ravi had volunteered to go into Vietnam at the height of the war in order to preach. A great testimony of his dedication, and the dedication of those that served over there much longer - some of whom gave their lives for the Lord. I was also unaware that Ravi had attempted to commit suicide as a teenager during a time when he was in the depths of despair and confusion. He thought he had nothing to offer the world or his family, and yet God had other plans. Thank you Lord for using this man to further your Kingdom.
December 22, 2013
This book is really excellent. Well written, with great pace. You often wonder just what is going to happen next...what was God going to do in the life of this truly great man? Zacharias' recollections of life in India resonated with me, as my father is from India, and I am very familiar with the Indian culture. He does a fantastic job of maintaining respect for the culture while quietly pointing out some of the real problems that lurk within it. It is truly inspiring to see the changes that occurred in his life, especially to the men in Zacharias' family...evidence that God can work in even the most hardened hearts. If there was any shortcoming with the book, it is that it was too short. I would have loved to have learned more about Ravi's family, his wife and daughters, and read more anecdotes about his family life, but that is just me...I'm sure that he wanted to maintain some level of privacy for his wife and children, which I completely respect. I highly recommend this book.
July 28, 2011
This book sat on my shelf about 4 years before I finally got around to picking it up. I thought it was going to be similar to previous books written by the author which I have enjoyed. So I was pleasantly surprised to learn I was reading an autobiography (although I don't know what this book would have been like otherwise, having R.S.B. Sawyer involved probably helped improve the storyline and readability).
Even though I've read a number of Ravi's books (and listened to more than a few messages) I knew relatively little of his personal life. So to read here about his attempted suicide, the strained relationship with his father, how God used him to help bring about revival in Vietnam (which I had heard about but not linked with him), and other aspects of his early life were quite a revelation. Other parts of the book seemed to have not been written quite as well. But I'd heartily recommend this to anyone desiring to be reminded how "God works in the shadows."
Even though I've read a number of Ravi's books (and listened to more than a few messages) I knew relatively little of his personal life. So to read here about his attempted suicide, the strained relationship with his father, how God used him to help bring about revival in Vietnam (which I had heard about but not linked with him), and other aspects of his early life were quite a revelation. Other parts of the book seemed to have not been written quite as well. But I'd heartily recommend this to anyone desiring to be reminded how "God works in the shadows."
July 13, 2008
Ravi Zacharias discusses his life story through childhood in India, the events that led him to faith in Christ, his move and establishment in Canada, and how his ministry began. The book was very encouraging in showing how God worked in Ravi's life in entirely unexpected ways. Ravi's salvation was not a one-time experience, it was a process in which he came to recognize Jesus as superior to all the other religious choices available to him.
Interesting for me personally were Ravi's insights into the nature of cross-cultural evangelism and of the practical side of life in the ministry. He discusses many miraculous events in his own life and in others'. I gave the book 3 stars because I found the style not terribly engaging... but this is typical of many biographies in my opinion. Overall Ravi's story is inspiring and another great example of God's personal care of his children.
Interesting for me personally were Ravi's insights into the nature of cross-cultural evangelism and of the practical side of life in the ministry. He discusses many miraculous events in his own life and in others'. I gave the book 3 stars because I found the style not terribly engaging... but this is typical of many biographies in my opinion. Overall Ravi's story is inspiring and another great example of God's personal care of his children.
December 13, 2011
Listening to the audio version so no pages - Status Updates:
2011 12 07 Chapter 1-4: what's sticking with me the most at the moment is Ravi talking about his own faith journey and the pretty well confirmed evidence that the once Doubting and then the Convinced Thomas (loved that transition - how often do we remember that he didn't remain doubting?!) was the apostle who went to India. Ravi calls him the questioning apostle and this seemed to turn on a lightbulb in my head/heart/spirit :)
Ravi went everywhere. His stories of Vietnam during the American conflict there, and later of seeing his one-time translator again against all odds. Of going to the Soviet Union near its end - the reaction of the military academy officers reminds me of China too - derisive without understanding, because of the habits of a regime.
2011 12 07 Chapter 1-4: what's sticking with me the most at the moment is Ravi talking about his own faith journey and the pretty well confirmed evidence that the once Doubting and then the Convinced Thomas (loved that transition - how often do we remember that he didn't remain doubting?!) was the apostle who went to India. Ravi calls him the questioning apostle and this seemed to turn on a lightbulb in my head/heart/spirit :)
Ravi went everywhere. His stories of Vietnam during the American conflict there, and later of seeing his one-time translator again against all odds. Of going to the Soviet Union near its end - the reaction of the military academy officers reminds me of China too - derisive without understanding, because of the habits of a regime.
October 14, 2015
I thoroughly enjoyed this autobiography of Ravi Zacharias. I felt it was well written and like his talks and sermons, it had a way of drawing me into the story. Never once did I feel bored nor did I feel like like I was trudging through some "dry spots." Sprinkled throughout his story, Ravi shared insights and lessons learned that I found helpful.
But again what grabbed me the most was his interesting life story. It testifies to the fact that God can reach anyone in any crisis and bring even the most unlikely person into a relationship with Christ. It also testifies to the reality that He can raise up the most unlikely of people into positions of great influence.
The only thing that kept me from giving it a 5 star rating was he seemed to have a high respect for Gandhi which really surprised me. Nevertheless, this book encouraged my faith and moved my soul.
But again what grabbed me the most was his interesting life story. It testifies to the fact that God can reach anyone in any crisis and bring even the most unlikely person into a relationship with Christ. It also testifies to the reality that He can raise up the most unlikely of people into positions of great influence.
The only thing that kept me from giving it a 5 star rating was he seemed to have a high respect for Gandhi which really surprised me. Nevertheless, this book encouraged my faith and moved my soul.
June 28, 2020
Ravi Zacharias went to be with the Lord on May 19 after a short illness. I was blessed to have seen this brilliant man speak a few times at conferences and enjoyed listening to his podcasts. I had read his 2009 autobiography when it was first published and decided to go back and read it again. The book begins and closes with the author returning to Chennai and Delhi, where he grew up in India. The theme of God always being in the shadows throughout his life is a theme throughout the book, as is his relationship with his father, and how God worked in both of their lives.
Ravi writes that being born in the South and raised in the North presented unique challenges. His name and coloring were southern, but his language and accent were northern, and his philosophical bent was southern.
His father rose to the position of deputy secretary in the State Department of India. As a result, he and his siblings shook hands with prime ministers and presidents.
Ravi writes of having an unhappy childhood. He was consistently on the receiving end of his father’s rather violent temper. His life seemed purposeless, without direction, and he could never live up to his father’s expectations. He writes that it was his mother’s heart that shaped his soul.
It was when his father moved the family from Chennai to Delhi that everything began to change for Ravi. He lacked the disciplines of study, and was irresponsible. Over time, he began to suffer from a sense of purposelessness and inferiority. Sports, tennis and particularly cricket, became his escape from the loneliness he otherwise faced, and became his primary motivation. Yet his father never once came to a game he played. His father told him that he was a complete failure, an embarrassment to the family, and that he would never make anything of his life. Ravi felt that his life was without any purpose and going nowhere.
He writes of attending a Youth for Christ rally in which he expressed his intention to follow Jesus. But his pattern of not studying continued at Delhi University and eventually something had reached finality in him. Nothing seemed to have come from the prayer he had prayed after the youth rally. This led him to attempt suicide. He saw this as a quiet exit that would save his family any further shame and spare him any further failure. He would survive the suicide attempt, spending five days recovering in the hospital. He writes that nobody in his family ever talked about the incident.
Ravi’s life was changed during his hospital stay when one of the directors of Youth for Christ, whose rally he had attended, visited and handed his mother a Bible. He wanted her to read John 14 to Ravi. Jesus’ words “Because I live, you also will live”, hit him like a ton of bricks, and he made a commitment to Christ.
In the months that followed, he became a voracious reader, gobbling up every morsel of learning he could. He entered a learning path that he hoped would lead to a master’s degree in hotel and catering, followed by a three-year internship at a top-tier hotel. Everything in his life was now packed with meaning, church, his studies, family, friendships and sports. He was also getting an opportunity to do a lot of preaching.
The family would move from India to Canada, where Ravi was headed to a partnership in a business with one of the nation’s top chefs. After he preached one time, he met Margie Reynolds, who he would later marry. While in Canada, Ravi’s father was saved. He would tell Ravi how sorry he was for the hurt he had brought into his son’s life.
Ravi would attend Toronto Baptist Seminary, Ontario Bible College and Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, preach in Viet Nam, Cambodia and around the world, as well as teach in a seminary. He writes of an opportunity Billy Graham gave him to preach had provided a platform that couldn’t have come any other way.
His heartfelt desire became to preach to the skeptic. Ravi Zacharias International Ministries (RZIM) was formed in 1984. He would go on to speak on almost every major campus. He writes about some of his books, his first The Real Face of Atheism and Can Man Live Without God, which is based on lectures he delivered at Harvard.
Below are some of my favorite quotes from the book:
• God can shape us in any way he pleases. He raised Moses in a palace in order to use him in a desert; he raised Joseph in a desert in order to use him in a palace.
• Someone has said that our sin scorches us most after we have received forgiveness, and not before. Once you realize how much you’ve been forgiven, you see how great that forgiveness really is.
• You must keep in mind that God does have an appointment with you, that there is a cost to serving him.
• If you have not learned to pay the smaller prices of following Christ in your daily life, you will not be prepared to pay the ultimate price in God’s calling.
• Apologetics is not just giving answers to questions — it is questioning people’s answers, and even questioning their questions. When you question someone’s question, you compel him or her to open up about his or her own assumptions. Our assumptions must be examined.
• I have always underestimated what God was trying to do in my calling. And when you underestimate that, you are at fault, because you do not prepare adequately.
• Through all of the visitations of life — successes or failures — it is not how well you are known or not known. It is not how big your organization is or isn’t. It is not even how many sermons one has preached or books one has written or millions of dollars one has accumulated. It is how well do you know Jesus? That’s it. That is what shapes how you view everything else. Successes are hollow if you do not know the author of life and His purpose.
Ravi writes that being born in the South and raised in the North presented unique challenges. His name and coloring were southern, but his language and accent were northern, and his philosophical bent was southern.
His father rose to the position of deputy secretary in the State Department of India. As a result, he and his siblings shook hands with prime ministers and presidents.
Ravi writes of having an unhappy childhood. He was consistently on the receiving end of his father’s rather violent temper. His life seemed purposeless, without direction, and he could never live up to his father’s expectations. He writes that it was his mother’s heart that shaped his soul.
It was when his father moved the family from Chennai to Delhi that everything began to change for Ravi. He lacked the disciplines of study, and was irresponsible. Over time, he began to suffer from a sense of purposelessness and inferiority. Sports, tennis and particularly cricket, became his escape from the loneliness he otherwise faced, and became his primary motivation. Yet his father never once came to a game he played. His father told him that he was a complete failure, an embarrassment to the family, and that he would never make anything of his life. Ravi felt that his life was without any purpose and going nowhere.
He writes of attending a Youth for Christ rally in which he expressed his intention to follow Jesus. But his pattern of not studying continued at Delhi University and eventually something had reached finality in him. Nothing seemed to have come from the prayer he had prayed after the youth rally. This led him to attempt suicide. He saw this as a quiet exit that would save his family any further shame and spare him any further failure. He would survive the suicide attempt, spending five days recovering in the hospital. He writes that nobody in his family ever talked about the incident.
Ravi’s life was changed during his hospital stay when one of the directors of Youth for Christ, whose rally he had attended, visited and handed his mother a Bible. He wanted her to read John 14 to Ravi. Jesus’ words “Because I live, you also will live”, hit him like a ton of bricks, and he made a commitment to Christ.
In the months that followed, he became a voracious reader, gobbling up every morsel of learning he could. He entered a learning path that he hoped would lead to a master’s degree in hotel and catering, followed by a three-year internship at a top-tier hotel. Everything in his life was now packed with meaning, church, his studies, family, friendships and sports. He was also getting an opportunity to do a lot of preaching.
The family would move from India to Canada, where Ravi was headed to a partnership in a business with one of the nation’s top chefs. After he preached one time, he met Margie Reynolds, who he would later marry. While in Canada, Ravi’s father was saved. He would tell Ravi how sorry he was for the hurt he had brought into his son’s life.
Ravi would attend Toronto Baptist Seminary, Ontario Bible College and Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, preach in Viet Nam, Cambodia and around the world, as well as teach in a seminary. He writes of an opportunity Billy Graham gave him to preach had provided a platform that couldn’t have come any other way.
His heartfelt desire became to preach to the skeptic. Ravi Zacharias International Ministries (RZIM) was formed in 1984. He would go on to speak on almost every major campus. He writes about some of his books, his first The Real Face of Atheism and Can Man Live Without God, which is based on lectures he delivered at Harvard.
Below are some of my favorite quotes from the book:
• God can shape us in any way he pleases. He raised Moses in a palace in order to use him in a desert; he raised Joseph in a desert in order to use him in a palace.
• Someone has said that our sin scorches us most after we have received forgiveness, and not before. Once you realize how much you’ve been forgiven, you see how great that forgiveness really is.
• You must keep in mind that God does have an appointment with you, that there is a cost to serving him.
• If you have not learned to pay the smaller prices of following Christ in your daily life, you will not be prepared to pay the ultimate price in God’s calling.
• Apologetics is not just giving answers to questions — it is questioning people’s answers, and even questioning their questions. When you question someone’s question, you compel him or her to open up about his or her own assumptions. Our assumptions must be examined.
• I have always underestimated what God was trying to do in my calling. And when you underestimate that, you are at fault, because you do not prepare adequately.
• Through all of the visitations of life — successes or failures — it is not how well you are known or not known. It is not how big your organization is or isn’t. It is not even how many sermons one has preached or books one has written or millions of dollars one has accumulated. It is how well do you know Jesus? That’s it. That is what shapes how you view everything else. Successes are hollow if you do not know the author of life and His purpose.
August 7, 2012
Finished this autobiography on a road trip over the weekend. Ravi Zacharias is a world renowned Christian apologist and author who grew up in India and moved to Canada in his early twenties. His religious background was nominal Christianity with a full personal relationship with Christ coming in his late teens after getting connected with Youth For Christ. His is a humble story of a young man who became sold out for Christ, left a promising pursuit of a degree in hotel management, attended seminary and became a Christian apologist and speaker who has traveled the world speaking in churches and universities and even to an assembly of the United Nations. His story is challenging, inspiring, and amazing ... well worth the read.
November 20, 2014
This is a review of the audiobook.
Ravi Zacharias has contributed much to modern Christian apologetics. This book tells his story, which begins in a nominal Christian home in India. It tells of how his hopelessness turned into hope as he became a Christian. His path eventually led him to doing the work of an evangelist and then an apologist.
This is not a hold-on-to-your-seat ride. Yet, it was not boring. It was told with the same humility that the man seems to exude.
The narrator of the audiobook did an amazing job. I have heard recordings of Dr. Zacharias many times and at first thought it was his own voice. I heard two editing errors, which surprised me. But, overall it was an enjoyable book to listen to
Ravi Zacharias has contributed much to modern Christian apologetics. This book tells his story, which begins in a nominal Christian home in India. It tells of how his hopelessness turned into hope as he became a Christian. His path eventually led him to doing the work of an evangelist and then an apologist.
This is not a hold-on-to-your-seat ride. Yet, it was not boring. It was told with the same humility that the man seems to exude.
The narrator of the audiobook did an amazing job. I have heard recordings of Dr. Zacharias many times and at first thought it was his own voice. I heard two editing errors, which surprised me. But, overall it was an enjoyable book to listen to
March 9, 2015
I picked up this book on impulse when the book I wanted to get from the library was still on hold. What a surprise! Although I had heard this man’s name before I really had no clue who he was. I would very much like to meet Ravi one day. I really enjoy his approach to faith and how he is not dismissive about science. His arguments on religion are well thought out. The fact that he approaches Christianity more from the prospective of Thomas makes me really appreciate his message. I really enjoyed hearing about his childhood in India and hearing about his rise to becoming and evangelist. He tells his story very well without being “preachy.” In the last part of the book when he does preach it’s really more of a conclusion to a fairly well thought out philosophical argument.
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