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You're Only Human: How Your Limits Reflect God's Design and Why That's Good News
Work. Family. Church. Exercise. Sleep.
The list of demands on our time seems to be never ending. It can leave you feeling a little guilty - like you should always be doing one more thing.
Rather than sharing better time-management tips to squeeze more hours out of the day, Kelly Kapic takes a different approach in You're Only Human. He offers a better way to make peace with the fact that God didn't create us to do it all.
Kapic explores the theology behind seeing our human limitations as a gift rather than a deficiency. He lays out a path to holistic living with healthy self-understanding, life-giving relationships, and meaningful contributions to the world. He frees us from confusing our limitations with sin and instead invites us to rest in the joy and relief of knowing that God can use our limitations to foster freedom, joy, growth, and community.
Listeners will emerge better equipped to cultivate a life that fosters gratitude, rest, and faithful service to God.
The list of demands on our time seems to be never ending. It can leave you feeling a little guilty - like you should always be doing one more thing.
Rather than sharing better time-management tips to squeeze more hours out of the day, Kelly Kapic takes a different approach in You're Only Human. He offers a better way to make peace with the fact that God didn't create us to do it all.
Kapic explores the theology behind seeing our human limitations as a gift rather than a deficiency. He lays out a path to holistic living with healthy self-understanding, life-giving relationships, and meaningful contributions to the world. He frees us from confusing our limitations with sin and instead invites us to rest in the joy and relief of knowing that God can use our limitations to foster freedom, joy, growth, and community.
Listeners will emerge better equipped to cultivate a life that fosters gratitude, rest, and faithful service to God.
272 pages, Paperback
First published January 18, 2022
494 people are currently reading
5336 people want to read
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December 30, 2022
4.5
One of the most pleasant lectures of the year. Easy to read, but still filled with sincere and profound thoughts and with fresh ways of doing theology. It’s one of these books that doesn’t talk about something you don’t know existed, but normalises something we are all aware of, but sometimes ashamed of (without noticing): our creatureliness and finitude. I remember a conversation I had with my cousin a long time ago while travelling. We listened on the radio to the notorious chorus “I’m only human after all, don’t put the blame on me” to which my cousin was very sympathetic. I didn’t agree with him at that time. However, as time passed I’m inclined more and more to accept his conclusion, while at the same time keep saying as in the Dorz verse: “Oh Man, what great responsibilities you have”. The main theme of the book (You’re only human) is compatible with a lot of theological preferences. However, (what I didn’t like about the book) the author is treating the subject as if one theological preference is more helpful than the other in accepting our limits. For example, Kapic has a more immanent view of the body considering it part of our identity while other theologians consider the body the instrument of the soul/mental. Even if that’s the case, it doesn’t mean that the human ‘soul’ is infinite. So, I don’t understand what will be the reason for a whole chapter advocating for a particular view of the body if that’s not relevant for the purpose of the book. What I’m trying to say is even if you don’t accept half of the book, the other half is still 100% valid. In spite of these little digressions, the book remains well written and the central idea is explained in illuminating ways. The main point is the idea that limitations and dependency are part of the good creation of God (which I agree with). But I wonder, where is the limit of the human being? What is the level of autonomy that humans can achieve? These are questions that the book leaves unanswered. And maybe that’s appropriate, especially for a Christian.
The main idea of the book is that we need to understand our creaturely limitation as a gift from God, not a deficiency. We most value our finitude and praise God for our limits. Infinity is reserved to God alone. Finitude is part of being a created being, thus not a sin. There are two moments that support this attitude: creation and reconciliation.
When it comes to creation, “Between the being of God and that of man remains the gulf of creaturehood, and creaturehood means precisely this: the being of each human person is given to him” (John Zizioulas) Logos’ Incarnation reassures us that God approves the Creation is good, with the limitations of our bodies and of the material world. So, human limits should not be confused with sin but, rather, seen as a positive aspect of our humanity. For the holy Son of God, “becoming” finite is not sinful but an appropriate aspect of creaturely existence. God did not come to destroy creation, but to enter it, to love and heal it.
Our identity is not only coming from the first man (Adam), but from the last man (Christ). So, set the fact that God in Christ loved you and gave Himself for you (you!) as the cornerstone of your identity. We are constantly struggling, given our sin and inadequacies, to believe God likes us. That’s why sometimes we are pressed to do a lot of activism - to prove us worthy. However, this holy God genuinely loves us and does what is necessary to reconcile us to himself. The way to reconciliation and restoration is through union with Christ, finding rest in His perfect work. This union is not the loss of personality or particularity. On the contrary, “the indwelling Christ enables each person to be more himself than he was ever able to be before.”
As created beings, we need to acknowledge that the connections we have with God and other people are indispensable for our identity. We are not self-sufficient in this regard. We owe our very existence to others. We are shaped by the culture we live in. Even the reality of love is relational. We are participating in the flow of God’s love by which He created the world and saved us. Given these relations, we have no reason to be arrogant. The weight of the world is not on our shoulders. We can sleep in peace. Humility is not necessarily related to sin, as some people believe. Humility is about recognizing our limitations and not being grieved by them. It’s about recognizing everything is a gift from God. Humility not only bows down to God, it also gives us an appropriate assessment of ourselves and elevates others (with their own particular God given gifts). Humility recognizes all our talents are free gifts from God. They are meant to be used and enjoyed. Humility responds positively to the gifts of others. It even honours them. Humility gratefully uses his gifts for the benefit of all.
The main factor of stress and anxiety is time. We consider productivity or efficiency to be the appropriate barometer for everything. However, there are things considered more important: Life. Beauty. Imagination. The loving process. Take for example the sanctification process. God doesn’t expect us to be instantly flawless, to never make a mistake, to never fall back or hit the ground. As creatures we will never reach the level of our Creator. That’s why eternal life is equivalent with the knowledge of God, being in community with Him. “We know ourselves as we transcend ourselves and we find fellowship with God”. Regarding the extreme charismatic experiences the author asks: “Were they seeking a Spirit that undermined our humanity, or one that reaffirmed and strengthened it? Since the Spirit of creation is the same as the spirit of re-creation, the work of sanctification and transformation should make us more, not less, human.”
There are some other ideas in relation to creatureliness and finitude, like seeing ourselves not as singular Christians, but as part of the body of Christ. Even if one organ is not able to sustain all the functions, the whole organism is able to do it. Expressing gratitude, sleeping as a spiritual exercise, Shabbat, etc.
One of the most pleasant lectures of the year. Easy to read, but still filled with sincere and profound thoughts and with fresh ways of doing theology. It’s one of these books that doesn’t talk about something you don’t know existed, but normalises something we are all aware of, but sometimes ashamed of (without noticing): our creatureliness and finitude. I remember a conversation I had with my cousin a long time ago while travelling. We listened on the radio to the notorious chorus “I’m only human after all, don’t put the blame on me” to which my cousin was very sympathetic. I didn’t agree with him at that time. However, as time passed I’m inclined more and more to accept his conclusion, while at the same time keep saying as in the Dorz verse: “Oh Man, what great responsibilities you have”. The main theme of the book (You’re only human) is compatible with a lot of theological preferences. However, (what I didn’t like about the book) the author is treating the subject as if one theological preference is more helpful than the other in accepting our limits. For example, Kapic has a more immanent view of the body considering it part of our identity while other theologians consider the body the instrument of the soul/mental. Even if that’s the case, it doesn’t mean that the human ‘soul’ is infinite. So, I don’t understand what will be the reason for a whole chapter advocating for a particular view of the body if that’s not relevant for the purpose of the book. What I’m trying to say is even if you don’t accept half of the book, the other half is still 100% valid. In spite of these little digressions, the book remains well written and the central idea is explained in illuminating ways. The main point is the idea that limitations and dependency are part of the good creation of God (which I agree with). But I wonder, where is the limit of the human being? What is the level of autonomy that humans can achieve? These are questions that the book leaves unanswered. And maybe that’s appropriate, especially for a Christian.
The main idea of the book is that we need to understand our creaturely limitation as a gift from God, not a deficiency. We most value our finitude and praise God for our limits. Infinity is reserved to God alone. Finitude is part of being a created being, thus not a sin. There are two moments that support this attitude: creation and reconciliation.
When it comes to creation, “Between the being of God and that of man remains the gulf of creaturehood, and creaturehood means precisely this: the being of each human person is given to him” (John Zizioulas) Logos’ Incarnation reassures us that God approves the Creation is good, with the limitations of our bodies and of the material world. So, human limits should not be confused with sin but, rather, seen as a positive aspect of our humanity. For the holy Son of God, “becoming” finite is not sinful but an appropriate aspect of creaturely existence. God did not come to destroy creation, but to enter it, to love and heal it.
Our identity is not only coming from the first man (Adam), but from the last man (Christ). So, set the fact that God in Christ loved you and gave Himself for you (you!) as the cornerstone of your identity. We are constantly struggling, given our sin and inadequacies, to believe God likes us. That’s why sometimes we are pressed to do a lot of activism - to prove us worthy. However, this holy God genuinely loves us and does what is necessary to reconcile us to himself. The way to reconciliation and restoration is through union with Christ, finding rest in His perfect work. This union is not the loss of personality or particularity. On the contrary, “the indwelling Christ enables each person to be more himself than he was ever able to be before.”
As created beings, we need to acknowledge that the connections we have with God and other people are indispensable for our identity. We are not self-sufficient in this regard. We owe our very existence to others. We are shaped by the culture we live in. Even the reality of love is relational. We are participating in the flow of God’s love by which He created the world and saved us. Given these relations, we have no reason to be arrogant. The weight of the world is not on our shoulders. We can sleep in peace. Humility is not necessarily related to sin, as some people believe. Humility is about recognizing our limitations and not being grieved by them. It’s about recognizing everything is a gift from God. Humility not only bows down to God, it also gives us an appropriate assessment of ourselves and elevates others (with their own particular God given gifts). Humility recognizes all our talents are free gifts from God. They are meant to be used and enjoyed. Humility responds positively to the gifts of others. It even honours them. Humility gratefully uses his gifts for the benefit of all.
The main factor of stress and anxiety is time. We consider productivity or efficiency to be the appropriate barometer for everything. However, there are things considered more important: Life. Beauty. Imagination. The loving process. Take for example the sanctification process. God doesn’t expect us to be instantly flawless, to never make a mistake, to never fall back or hit the ground. As creatures we will never reach the level of our Creator. That’s why eternal life is equivalent with the knowledge of God, being in community with Him. “We know ourselves as we transcend ourselves and we find fellowship with God”. Regarding the extreme charismatic experiences the author asks: “Were they seeking a Spirit that undermined our humanity, or one that reaffirmed and strengthened it? Since the Spirit of creation is the same as the spirit of re-creation, the work of sanctification and transformation should make us more, not less, human.”
There are some other ideas in relation to creatureliness and finitude, like seeing ourselves not as singular Christians, but as part of the body of Christ. Even if one organ is not able to sustain all the functions, the whole organism is able to do it. Expressing gratitude, sleeping as a spiritual exercise, Shabbat, etc.
March 19, 2022
This is a lovely book. Kapic invites us to consider our human limitations not as liabilities, but as something to embrace because they help us to depend upon God. It's the type of book that works to read bit by bit over a long period of time so that you can savor his insights.
April 4, 2022
One of the top 5 books I’ve ever read. It explains so well exactly the questions college students are asking.
Read
March 8, 2025This book is phenomenal. This book has given me so much to ponder. Mainly, I never thought about how human finitude was a pre-fall condition, and therefore it is good. Highly recommend!
January 23, 2023
4.4 This topic must be discussed more in the church today. How often do we sign up for more than we can do, sleep less than we need, compare our gifts to others only to wear ourselves out and be become discouraged and feel as if we are in some sort of sin now. We must see our finite bodies as good and God ordained. I see more clearly Gods grace and have given myself more grace after reading this book.
November 16, 2023
Such a liberating read and probably one of my favourite Christian books I’ve read this year.
This book helped me to see my finiteness as a gift from God, and one of the ways to keep remembering that our human limitations is a gift from God is to keep embracing faithful interdependence. And of course, remembering that God is everlasting and eternal. He never has to sleep!
This book helped me to see my finiteness as a gift from God, and one of the ways to keep remembering that our human limitations is a gift from God is to keep embracing faithful interdependence. And of course, remembering that God is everlasting and eternal. He never has to sleep!
November 12, 2021
We are, by God's good design, finite...limited by space, time and power, and our knowledge, energy and perspective also have always been limited."
~Kelly Kapic
I wear a few hats.
I'm a wife, a mom, a sister, daughter and friend. I'm a nurse, a student and wife of a pastor. The place I've found myself in often is the tension between seeking to live a faithful life with the gifts the Lord has given me, within the limits He has also defined. Though we have many choices, gifts and abilities, there's a cultural pressure (sometimes subtle, other times not) to succeed or surpass the boundaries of time and the reality of our physical bodies.
In our efforts to live out our calling, we (eventually) come to realize that we cannot "do" everything.
In Kelly Kapic's upcoming book, You're Only Human: How Your Limits Reflect God's Design and Why That's Good News, he reminds us we ought to seek forgiveness for ever imagining we could!!
Our human limits may seem like a restraint (preventing us from becoming superheroes) but what they do is remind us:
1) We are not God.
2) We depend on others.
He spends the first part of the book helping us understand our human selves, and the second part on what our dependence looks like - challenging our trust and humility. The last chapter brings it all together, guiding us into faithful living for today.
Reading this book, I spent time considering the fact that God knows our limits. It's not exactly a novel idea, yet the pressure we may feel to exceed what we're actually able to do (as if it's God's will to "do" everything), really doesn't come from Him because He already knows we can't. It's not an excuse for walking in disobedience or from serving the Lord and others with our whole hearts, it's really an opportunity to experience grace within our life, choices and "doings."
Another important idea, is "God created us for mutual dependence and light within a life-giving community: that isn't merely a goal; it's how we are built." While our perspective about church may be that it's a choice - we certainly choose where we worship and how we serve - but it's so much more than arriving on a Sunday morning for an hour and leaving. If we're designed for community, and Scripture teaches this to be true, we need each other for more than just a "hey how are you?" once a week, because our human limits don't allow us to go it alone.
If understanding our human limits and learning how to grow in humility and dependence are topics of interest to you, I'd recommend this one!
Quick Stats
# of Pages: 272
Level of Difficulty: Moderate
My Rating: 4 stars
~Kelly Kapic
I wear a few hats.
I'm a wife, a mom, a sister, daughter and friend. I'm a nurse, a student and wife of a pastor. The place I've found myself in often is the tension between seeking to live a faithful life with the gifts the Lord has given me, within the limits He has also defined. Though we have many choices, gifts and abilities, there's a cultural pressure (sometimes subtle, other times not) to succeed or surpass the boundaries of time and the reality of our physical bodies.
In our efforts to live out our calling, we (eventually) come to realize that we cannot "do" everything.
In Kelly Kapic's upcoming book, You're Only Human: How Your Limits Reflect God's Design and Why That's Good News, he reminds us we ought to seek forgiveness for ever imagining we could!!
Our human limits may seem like a restraint (preventing us from becoming superheroes) but what they do is remind us:
1) We are not God.
2) We depend on others.
He spends the first part of the book helping us understand our human selves, and the second part on what our dependence looks like - challenging our trust and humility. The last chapter brings it all together, guiding us into faithful living for today.
Reading this book, I spent time considering the fact that God knows our limits. It's not exactly a novel idea, yet the pressure we may feel to exceed what we're actually able to do (as if it's God's will to "do" everything), really doesn't come from Him because He already knows we can't. It's not an excuse for walking in disobedience or from serving the Lord and others with our whole hearts, it's really an opportunity to experience grace within our life, choices and "doings."
Another important idea, is "God created us for mutual dependence and light within a life-giving community: that isn't merely a goal; it's how we are built." While our perspective about church may be that it's a choice - we certainly choose where we worship and how we serve - but it's so much more than arriving on a Sunday morning for an hour and leaving. If we're designed for community, and Scripture teaches this to be true, we need each other for more than just a "hey how are you?" once a week, because our human limits don't allow us to go it alone.
If understanding our human limits and learning how to grow in humility and dependence are topics of interest to you, I'd recommend this one!
Quick Stats
# of Pages: 272
Level of Difficulty: Moderate
My Rating: 4 stars
January 17, 2022
As someone who is still recovering from physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual burnout, this book was a like a balm to my aching heart and a spring of refreshing water in my weariness. I’m still learning to rest in the love of God without the pressure to strive and produce. If you too constantly feel the pressure to do more and be more, then I encourage you to read this book. I believe the Lord can use it to change your life.
February 7, 2023
A fantastic book on the nuances of what it means to have limitations as a human, and why that’s actually part of our *good* design. The chapters cover a range of theology and its practical implications on ideas like the body, identity, humility, time, slow growth, the church, and even sleep. Reading this helped me think more on my “finitude,” which I’m growing to see is actually a part of God’s beautiful design — and there’s much peace in that!
November 9, 2022
An excellent reflection on the goodness of creatureliness and finitude.
This would be a helpful book for every undergraduate student who is in a leadership role.
This would be a helpful book for every undergraduate student who is in a leadership role.
July 19, 2024
4.8 Stars
"You're Only Human" by Kelly Kapic is a Christian living book about the goodness of our human limits. Really, this is a deeply theological book on the doctrine of humanity disguised as a Christian living book. I love this book, it was exactly what I needed to hear, and what I believe many in the West need to hear. Kapic's central argument is the as humans God created us with limits as part of His good design, but many of us are trying to live outside our limits. God has given us things like the need for sleep and rest, limited time and capabilities so we can enjoy our lives as creatures, rather than obstacles to be overcome. When we joyfully receive these limits as good news and live within those bounds, then we are able to overcome the stress and anxiety that consumes so many of us. This book has been pivotal on my journey of learning and growing more as a limited human being, made to live for God. I don't have to do everything to please God, I just have to live faithfully within the limits God has given to me and in the knowledge that He loves me in Christ. I highly recommend this book for every Christian to read!
"You're Only Human" by Kelly Kapic is a Christian living book about the goodness of our human limits. Really, this is a deeply theological book on the doctrine of humanity disguised as a Christian living book. I love this book, it was exactly what I needed to hear, and what I believe many in the West need to hear. Kapic's central argument is the as humans God created us with limits as part of His good design, but many of us are trying to live outside our limits. God has given us things like the need for sleep and rest, limited time and capabilities so we can enjoy our lives as creatures, rather than obstacles to be overcome. When we joyfully receive these limits as good news and live within those bounds, then we are able to overcome the stress and anxiety that consumes so many of us. This book has been pivotal on my journey of learning and growing more as a limited human being, made to live for God. I don't have to do everything to please God, I just have to live faithfully within the limits God has given to me and in the knowledge that He loves me in Christ. I highly recommend this book for every Christian to read!
July 29, 2025
Favorite book I’ve read so far! As someone who struggles understanding my limits, Kelly Kapic does a marvelous job at walking through the doctrine of creation and the goodness of our human finitude. He beautifully blends theology such as our union with Christ, Christ’s humanity, and our Creator - creature relationship with God to explain why we can praise God for creating us with limits! Highly recommend this book to anyone!
May 20, 2024
In a world full of books about being a perfectionist and making the most out of each day by not wasting a minute, Kapic brings a new perspective to the conversation. He ignores worldly philosophy and approaches new ground by advocating for the need we have to believe a biblical doctrine of man that emphasizes our finitude. A really insightful read that challenges and convicts as it pushes back on our Western notions of productivity.
March 23, 2025
It’s a yes for me. Recommend.
Part 2 outshined Part 1 (could also be that I listened to Part 1 while at home with a newborn and read Part 2 in community where we discussed each chapter) and the chapters are longer than I generally like but there have been a handful of lessons from this book that have stuck with me and impacted my daily life.
Part 2 outshined Part 1 (could also be that I listened to Part 1 while at home with a newborn and read Part 2 in community where we discussed each chapter) and the chapters are longer than I generally like but there have been a handful of lessons from this book that have stuck with me and impacted my daily life.
January 11, 2024
full of scripture and big brain theology that the theological (looking at myself) often miss.
December 31, 2022
Deep and rich, this book has really ministered to me with the truth that each one of us is finite and limited by God’s good design. I highly recommend to all who feel burdened by busyness and a sense of failing to get everything done.
One of my favourite reads this year.
One of my favourite reads this year.
February 27, 2024
I think I highlighted the whole book
Read
November 4, 2022This is an excellent book. It has led both to deeper self-examination and to increased awareness of the world we live in. And perhaps my initial thought for this book is that it is broadly applicable to life. It also manages to have such a broad scope without losing its central thesis, which is much appreciated. Kapic mentions at one point that this is a topic he has been thinking about for twenty years, and it shows. This book lays the good fruit of his deep study on the table to be enjoyed and appreciated by others.
At its core, this book is about the Christian doctrine of creation, examined through the light of human finitude. In chapter one, which serves as an introduction to the book's thesis, Kapic outlines a few of the basic theological assertions of the book, some of which include "Part of the good of being a creature is having limits", "The incarnation is God's great yes to his creation, including human limits", "We are never asked to relate to God in any way other than as human creatures." These themes continue throughout the book, and they serve to show that Kapic seems to encourage and uplift with his discussion of human finitude rather than brow-beat.
Chapters 1-5 make up the major theological foundation of the book, covering important topics such as union with Christ (ch. 2); the doctrine of the incarnation (ch. 3, excellent); physical touch, trauma, and embodied worship (ch 4); and identity in community (ch 5). Again, this is a diverse range of theological topics, but they remain cohesive because Kapic continually grounds them in creation and finitude. I have many highlighted portions from these chapters, and certain discussions from chapters 2-4 will be resources to return to as they helped my own spiritual development and thought in significant ways.
Chapters 6-10 begin to apply the theological doctrines laid out in the previous half of the book, and they too remain a broad and diverse range of topics. These include how humility is best grounded in created limits rather than sin (ch. 6), how to remain present with one's limited time in an anxiously fast world (ch. 7), the goodness of the process of sanctification (ch. 8), one's need to be connected to the church as a dependent creature of God (ch. 9), and other concluding discussions on life practices as a finite being (ch. 10).
I strongly recommend this book, though I will note that it is written at a level above the popular level book. It would be a good book for students, counselors, pastors, academics, and any person willing to read the book thoughtfully.
I am thankful to Brazos Press for providing me an advanced digital copy of this book for my honest review.
At its core, this book is about the Christian doctrine of creation, examined through the light of human finitude. In chapter one, which serves as an introduction to the book's thesis, Kapic outlines a few of the basic theological assertions of the book, some of which include "Part of the good of being a creature is having limits", "The incarnation is God's great yes to his creation, including human limits", "We are never asked to relate to God in any way other than as human creatures." These themes continue throughout the book, and they serve to show that Kapic seems to encourage and uplift with his discussion of human finitude rather than brow-beat.
Chapters 1-5 make up the major theological foundation of the book, covering important topics such as union with Christ (ch. 2); the doctrine of the incarnation (ch. 3, excellent); physical touch, trauma, and embodied worship (ch 4); and identity in community (ch 5). Again, this is a diverse range of theological topics, but they remain cohesive because Kapic continually grounds them in creation and finitude. I have many highlighted portions from these chapters, and certain discussions from chapters 2-4 will be resources to return to as they helped my own spiritual development and thought in significant ways.
Chapters 6-10 begin to apply the theological doctrines laid out in the previous half of the book, and they too remain a broad and diverse range of topics. These include how humility is best grounded in created limits rather than sin (ch. 6), how to remain present with one's limited time in an anxiously fast world (ch. 7), the goodness of the process of sanctification (ch. 8), one's need to be connected to the church as a dependent creature of God (ch. 9), and other concluding discussions on life practices as a finite being (ch. 10).
I strongly recommend this book, though I will note that it is written at a level above the popular level book. It would be a good book for students, counselors, pastors, academics, and any person willing to read the book thoughtfully.
I am thankful to Brazos Press for providing me an advanced digital copy of this book for my honest review.
September 13, 2025
second listen through this year, loved it so much.
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I really loved this book and found it to be so encouraging.
I listened to the audiobook during the my portion of our household’s daily rest time (when the girls nap/audiobook/tv). Since I listened to it while resting, I would often fall asleep during it and wake up and pause it, so who knows what all I missed 😂 but I remember thinking several times, “ oh I wish I could highlight that passage on my kindle!” This book is definitely one I will buy and re-read.
It’s such a gentle message for someone like me, who is in the middle of a season of taking care of multiple little ones. It’s ok that I can’t do it all and I was never made to do it all!
Lots of good thoughts on our human finiteness and how that’s a good thing. Really good. I will miss my daily listening sessions; they were always SO uplifting.
---
I really loved this book and found it to be so encouraging.
I listened to the audiobook during the my portion of our household’s daily rest time (when the girls nap/audiobook/tv). Since I listened to it while resting, I would often fall asleep during it and wake up and pause it, so who knows what all I missed 😂 but I remember thinking several times, “ oh I wish I could highlight that passage on my kindle!” This book is definitely one I will buy and re-read.
It’s such a gentle message for someone like me, who is in the middle of a season of taking care of multiple little ones. It’s ok that I can’t do it all and I was never made to do it all!
Lots of good thoughts on our human finiteness and how that’s a good thing. Really good. I will miss my daily listening sessions; they were always SO uplifting.
April 2, 2022
The shepherding, nuance, and theological integrity that Dr. Kapic writes with is such a gift. It has helped me grasp, in small part, the truth that my human limits are actually a good gift from God.
My work, passions, relationships, and body all demand more of me than I can give in any moment.
I’m so inclined to perfectionism and frustration at myself for not doing or being enough. The Gospel answers these frustrations so clearly, and this book helped me understand that in new ways.
My work, passions, relationships, and body all demand more of me than I can give in any moment.
I’m so inclined to perfectionism and frustration at myself for not doing or being enough. The Gospel answers these frustrations so clearly, and this book helped me understand that in new ways.
April 27, 2023
When I began reading this book I thought it should be required reading for Christians in the 21st century. Kelly Kapic pushes back on the seemingly modern ideal of always having to do more (never mind productivity and efficiency) and reminds us of the goodness of human limits, finitude, dependence, creatureliness, as well as adding some helpful comments on the working of the church and the importance of rest. Overall, the content was good, but I found the presentation somewhat tedious.
April 13, 2022
Magnificent. A must-read for every Christian, regardless, but especially for those who struggle with our culture's ever-growing desire to perfect themselves. This volume highlights the glory of creatureliness and how God works through those whom He has intentionally created to be finite and limited.
September 7, 2023
very excellent. would recommend to everyone!!!
March 17, 2024
This book was really freeing and encouraging. It helped me see that the particular aspects of how God made me and others are good, and made me appreciate the body of Christ all the more. The first two chapters were gold, and part 2 of the book was really good (especially chapters 6-8). Some parts of the book were over my head, but it could’ve been because I’m a sleep deprived mom of 4 children 🤣
Here is one of my favorite quotes from chapter 2:
“We are not trying to run from ourselves; rather, Christ has freed us from the entanglements of sin, which deface and deform his image in us. The Redeemer has freed us in order that we may be our true selves. Run from your sin? Yes! But don’t imagine that to be a serious Christian you need to have a different temperament or personality. God’s goal is not for all of us to end up looking, sounding, and being the same. That confuses sameness with godliness.”
Here is one of my favorite quotes from chapter 2:
“We are not trying to run from ourselves; rather, Christ has freed us from the entanglements of sin, which deface and deform his image in us. The Redeemer has freed us in order that we may be our true selves. Run from your sin? Yes! But don’t imagine that to be a serious Christian you need to have a different temperament or personality. God’s goal is not for all of us to end up looking, sounding, and being the same. That confuses sameness with godliness.”
February 4, 2025
At long last I finished this one! Took me forever to finish it but I think taking it in slowly helped me digest the message and embrace my human limits like he discusses in the book! Very applicable book in our way and age that gives helpful insight into how we approach life and think about our time and limits as humans and Christ followers!
Might come back and add some specific takeaways later!
Might come back and add some specific takeaways later!
May 9, 2025
Wow. This book was a gift to me. You’re Only Human was both challenging and healing, stretching and inviting, convicting and enticing. I found chapter 10, “Do I Need to Be Part of the Church? Loving the Whole Body” to be particularly profound.
This book is one that I will come back to again and again.
This book is one that I will come back to again and again.
May 9, 2025
This is an excellent and encouraging look at human finitude and the creator/creature distinction. His chapters on humility and our need for the Church are outstanding. Dependency is not sinful, but a reflection of our need for our Creator.
February 20, 2023
Really enjoyed this. Kapic thoughtfully examines why having limits is only human, and being human isn’t a bad thing - that’s how God made us after all! Along the way he addresses some old-timey heresies that still impact us, imparts some really good theology, and gives us some habits to help us embrace our finitude and our dependence on God and other human beings. I loved the wholistic view he took, addressing not just our minds and souls, but also our bodies. Very cool and very well-informed.
March 7, 2024
Travis and Crosby did not wrong me here
March 19, 2025
Occasionally you read a book and you realize how much your perspective on something really should change, and I am praying after reading this that I embrace my finitude, creatureliness, and limitations more and more and look to the Only Infinite One more.
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