Glory Days

by Julian Hardyman

You love to paint but Christian meetings fill up all your free time. You could cut it as a professional sportsperson but think missionary work might be a better use of your life. You're interested in party politics but worry that it's not much of a spiritual pastime.
Many believers subconsciously divide their lives into Christian activities (church, prayer, Bible study and evangelism) and everything else - the glory bits and the rest. Julian Hardyman shows that God is just as interested in our work and family, our hobbies and skills, our politics and sporting prowess, as the things we think of as spiritual.

Living the whole of our lives for Jesus doesn't mean denying our God-given human interests. By rediscovering the liberating teaching of Genesis we can see how God intends every part of our personality to be lived for his glory. Glory Days will sharpen our senses, awaken our dormant creativity and help us reclaim vast areas of our life for Jesus. Ultimately it will show us that even the most ordinary days can be glory days.

Genres: Christian, Nonfiction, Christianity

160 pages, Paperback

First published September 15, 2006

About the author

Julian Hardyman is Senior Pastor of Eden Baptist Church in Cambridge. His enthusiasms include walking in the Cambridgeshire Fens, listening to opera and eating strong cheese. In his daydreams he beats his contemporaries at squash, serves as a local councillor and services his own car. But these are only dreams. He is married to Debbie and they have three children; Robin, Fiona and Kitty.

Reviews

[Eilidh · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lots of very helpful reminders of truth. I didn't find it as helpful or readable as his book on prayer. It may have been because it felt like it was written to a particular group of people, likely student age. We had some good discussions in our book group from it as a lot of topics were covered.

[Victoria · Rating 5 out of 5]

God loves the smell of roses!!

Loved how Hardyman addresses how to enjoy life and God’s good gifts, glorifying God in any job (including the arts!!) plus facing depression as a Christian, all without sounding patronising :)

[Tom Anderson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent book about living each and every aspect of one’s life for the glory of God. Though quite surface level, Julian provides many useful references, is thorough in his reasoning and is particularly clear on encouraging Christians to live a balanced life: passionate about evangelism and church but also passionate about work, family and leisure.

[Emily Crutchley · Rating 5 out of 5]

A life giving read!

[Imogen · Rating 4 out of 5]

First read this in 2011 when I was a Fresher at university, and re-read it over the last few days because our ladies' book group at church will be discussing it on Monday and I promised to lend it to a friend.

Really worth a read, especially if you're a Christian and working in a secular job.

The first time I read it, I was struck by how, as an English Literature undergraduate, Hardyman validated my ambition to study this subject rather than, say, theology (read the book for more information!).

This time round, the chapters about glorifying God at work, loving God with all your mind, enjoying God's gifts and what to do if you have depression, have challenged me (so definitely worth holding onto for years).

This book is great because the content in the chapters themselves are not too long and definitely manageable. The downside to the book is that it has a mini Bible study at the end of each chapter as well as all the footnotes of the chapter, which I think should be separated from the main body of the text and placed at the very end of the book. This would make the format look less cluttered. Otherwise, a worthwhile read.

[Ethan Coffey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read as part of other books looking at different ways of appreciating life as a christian e.g. Dan Strange Plugged In. Most interesting in talking about the great commission, and the second great commission to fill rule and conquer the earth, and to make disciples of all nations. Provides a positive and accessible coverage of these themes as part of Gods commands for how to live in the world.