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Life Without Lack: Living in the Fullness of Psalm 23
What would it be like to live without fear? Join renowned philosopher Dallas Willard as he shares the biblically-backed secret to living with true contentment, peace, and security.
In Life Without Lack, Dallas Willard revolutionizes our understanding of Psalm 23 by taking this comfortably familiar passage and revealing its extraordinary "The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want...Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil."
Written with Willard's characteristic gentle wisdom, Life Without Lack helps you
God's comforting presenceGod's abundant generosityPeace and freedom from worryBased on a series of talks by the late author and edited by his friend Larry Burtoft and by his daughter, Rebecca Willard Heatley, Life Without Lack will forever change the way you experience the most well-known passage in all of Scripture.
Praise for Life Without
"Dallas Willard helps us to understand that the Twenty-Third Psalm is not meant as a nice sentiment or for kitschy decor, it is for the very thick of our lives, the very moment of crisis. Imagine what our personal lives, families, communities, and politics would look like if we rejected the frantic striving of our day, and instead embraced the life without lack offered to us in Jesus Christ. No one has helped me to imagine and enter into that life more than Dallas Willard. I recommend this book with great joy and hopeful expectation."
--Michael Wear, bestselling author of Reclaiming Hope
In Life Without Lack, Dallas Willard revolutionizes our understanding of Psalm 23 by taking this comfortably familiar passage and revealing its extraordinary "The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want...Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil."
Written with Willard's characteristic gentle wisdom, Life Without Lack helps you
God's comforting presenceGod's abundant generosityPeace and freedom from worryBased on a series of talks by the late author and edited by his friend Larry Burtoft and by his daughter, Rebecca Willard Heatley, Life Without Lack will forever change the way you experience the most well-known passage in all of Scripture.
Praise for Life Without
"Dallas Willard helps us to understand that the Twenty-Third Psalm is not meant as a nice sentiment or for kitschy decor, it is for the very thick of our lives, the very moment of crisis. Imagine what our personal lives, families, communities, and politics would look like if we rejected the frantic striving of our day, and instead embraced the life without lack offered to us in Jesus Christ. No one has helped me to imagine and enter into that life more than Dallas Willard. I recommend this book with great joy and hopeful expectation."
--Michael Wear, bestselling author of Reclaiming Hope
254 pages, Kindle Edition
Published February 27, 2018
1375 people are currently reading
5227 people want to read
About the author
Dallas Willard
118 books1,129 followersDallas Willard was a widely respected American philosopher and Christian thinker, best known for his work on spiritual formation and his expertise in phenomenology, particularly the philosophy of Edmund Husserl. He taught philosophy at the University of Southern California from 1965 until his death in 2013, where he also served as department chair in the early 1980s. Willard held degrees in psychology, philosophy, and religion, earning his PhD in philosophy from the University of Wisconsin–Madison with a focus on the history of science. He was recognized as a leading translator and interpreter of Husserl's thought, making foundational texts available in English and contributing significantly to the fields of epistemology, philosophy of mind, and logic.
Though a serious academic, Willard became even more widely known for his books on Christian living, including The Divine Conspiracy and Renovation of the Heart, both of which earned major awards and helped shape the modern spiritual formation movement. He believed that discipleship to Jesus was an intentional process involving not only belief but transformation through spiritual disciplines like prayer, study, solitude, and service. For Willard, spiritual growth was not about earning God’s favor but about participating in the divine life through active cooperation with grace.
His teachings emphasized the concept of apprenticeship to Jesus—being with him, learning to be like him—and his influence extended to ministries such as Renovaré, the Apprentice Institute, and the Dallas Willard Center for Spiritual Formation. He served on the boards of organizations like the C.S. Lewis Foundation and Biola University, and his intellectual and spiritual legacy continues through Dallas Willard Ministries and academic institutions inspired by his work.
Willard was also a deeply personal writer who shared candidly about the challenges of balancing academic life with family. Despite his own admitted shortcomings, those closest to him regarded him as a man of deep love, humility, and grace. His enduring impact can be seen in the lives and works of many contemporary Christian thinkers and writers, including Richard J. Foster, James Bryan Smith, and John Mark Comer. As both philosopher and pastor to the mind, Dallas Willard remains a towering figure in the dialogue between rigorous thought and transformative Christian practice.
Though a serious academic, Willard became even more widely known for his books on Christian living, including The Divine Conspiracy and Renovation of the Heart, both of which earned major awards and helped shape the modern spiritual formation movement. He believed that discipleship to Jesus was an intentional process involving not only belief but transformation through spiritual disciplines like prayer, study, solitude, and service. For Willard, spiritual growth was not about earning God’s favor but about participating in the divine life through active cooperation with grace.
His teachings emphasized the concept of apprenticeship to Jesus—being with him, learning to be like him—and his influence extended to ministries such as Renovaré, the Apprentice Institute, and the Dallas Willard Center for Spiritual Formation. He served on the boards of organizations like the C.S. Lewis Foundation and Biola University, and his intellectual and spiritual legacy continues through Dallas Willard Ministries and academic institutions inspired by his work.
Willard was also a deeply personal writer who shared candidly about the challenges of balancing academic life with family. Despite his own admitted shortcomings, those closest to him regarded him as a man of deep love, humility, and grace. His enduring impact can be seen in the lives and works of many contemporary Christian thinkers and writers, including Richard J. Foster, James Bryan Smith, and John Mark Comer. As both philosopher and pastor to the mind, Dallas Willard remains a towering figure in the dialogue between rigorous thought and transformative Christian practice.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 346 reviews
May 7, 2019
(I received a free copy of this book from a Goodreads Giveaway.)
Life Without Lack, a posthumous publication of talks Dallas Willard gave to a church group in 1991, is simply tremendous. The talks are nicely edited into book form by Willard's pastor, with input from his daughter. I don't know if everyone who reads this book will love it as much as I did, but this was exactly what I needed right now.
Though the book's subtitle suggests that it will be a commentary on Psalm 23, in fact that psalm is more of a general backdrop for Willard's reflections on the full life that Jesus promised to his followers. That is, there is little in this book that is a line-by-line analysis of Psalm 23. Willard guides the reader through reflections on who God is, what the world is like, what faith and trust mean, and how to mindfully and whole-heartedly live day by day with Jesus. It's a lot for one book to cover, and some sections take time to work through.
For me it was a great reminder of the perspective I should have on life and people around me. I tend to lose that perspective embarrassingly easily. I imagine I will return to Life Without Lack again and again to refresh myself and return to who I'm meant to be.
I recommend this book very highly to any Christian willing to be lovingly challenged to a fuller, more Christ-centered life.
Life Without Lack, a posthumous publication of talks Dallas Willard gave to a church group in 1991, is simply tremendous. The talks are nicely edited into book form by Willard's pastor, with input from his daughter. I don't know if everyone who reads this book will love it as much as I did, but this was exactly what I needed right now.
Though the book's subtitle suggests that it will be a commentary on Psalm 23, in fact that psalm is more of a general backdrop for Willard's reflections on the full life that Jesus promised to his followers. That is, there is little in this book that is a line-by-line analysis of Psalm 23. Willard guides the reader through reflections on who God is, what the world is like, what faith and trust mean, and how to mindfully and whole-heartedly live day by day with Jesus. It's a lot for one book to cover, and some sections take time to work through.
For me it was a great reminder of the perspective I should have on life and people around me. I tend to lose that perspective embarrassingly easily. I imagine I will return to Life Without Lack again and again to refresh myself and return to who I'm meant to be.
I recommend this book very highly to any Christian willing to be lovingly challenged to a fuller, more Christ-centered life.
January 10, 2018
This is the book my heart and soul needed in this season of my life. I literally finished the last chapter and went to my knees with a heart full of gratitude and knowing that I was experiencing God's presence and peace. This book reconnected me with the Shepherd-heart of God and forever changed the way I read and understand the 23rd Psalm.
There's depth to Dallas Willard's teaching style, but the way he builds one concept on top of the other makes it easy for anyone to follow along.
I have loved Dallas Willard since I discovered him in the book, The Divine Conspiracy, back in 2000. I truly feel like he has mentored me spiritually through his work.
This book is based on a series of talks given by the late author and was edited by his friend, Larry Burtoft and his daughter, Becky Willard Heatley. Having read so many of the authors other books, I felt they did a really good job of re-creating the written "voice" of Dallas Willard.
I'm delighted to have received an Advance Reader Copy from the publisher.
There's depth to Dallas Willard's teaching style, but the way he builds one concept on top of the other makes it easy for anyone to follow along.
I have loved Dallas Willard since I discovered him in the book, The Divine Conspiracy, back in 2000. I truly feel like he has mentored me spiritually through his work.
This book is based on a series of talks given by the late author and was edited by his friend, Larry Burtoft and his daughter, Becky Willard Heatley. Having read so many of the authors other books, I felt they did a really good job of re-creating the written "voice" of Dallas Willard.
I'm delighted to have received an Advance Reader Copy from the publisher.
January 26, 2018
On May 8th 2013, Dallas Willard died of cancer and the world lost a great thinker and writer. Although a philosophy professor at USC by profession, he was perhaps more widely known (and certainly in the evangelical subculture) for his published works regarding Christian spiritual formation. Interestingly, I once heard him say that he never set out to write a book; a remarkable statement for one whose books have been so influential.
Often, when the world loses a well-respected author, one grieves their death, but also laments the realization that there will likely be no more published works. Occasionally, a posthumous publication may appear; for example, Jerry Bridges' beneficial The Blessing of Humility. But in Dallas's case--due in large part to a large corpus of unpublished works and the perseverance of his family and friends to see his works come to light--new books continue to appear. I'm grateful.
Life Without Lack: Living in the Fullness of Psalm 23 (2018) is the latest offering. In the book's preface, Larry Burtoft wrote, "Twenty-six years ago, I was introduced to the possibility of a life in which I was never in need. Of anything. At any time. From anyone. A life that knows no fear or fluster. No anxiety or angst. No perturbation of any sort. It was, in short, the offer of a life with lack" (p. vii). Burtoft goes on to talk about how this book was born out of an 8-week study of Psalm 23.
The book's 200 plus pages progress through eight chapters in addition to some supplementary material. Willard writes of the importance of renewing the mind to truly live into the reality of a glorious, all-sustaining God as an essential characteristic of the Christian life. One of the sentences that captured me early on was this: "One of our greatest needs today is for people to really see and really believe the things they already profess to see and believe." As I thought about the importance of renewing our minds, the truth of that sentence landed hard upon me. Do I merely give assent to the truths of God, or do I live my life, fully and completely, as though those truths matter? Willard unapologetically believed that what God said in His word could actually change our lives, not only that we could live a little less anxiously or angrily, but that we could live without anxiety, without anger. In other words, we could live a life without lack.
Through the book, he carefully explores what a Psalm 23 life could look like. There is no naivete here; he addresses the threats to this peaceable life. His discussion of "Satan's Three Weapons of Temptation" in chapter 4 was exceptional. I was particularly struck by the ways in which he connected these three weapons described in 1 John 2:16Open in Logos Bible Software (if available), with the temptations of Eve and Jesus. He made a three way connection that I had never even considered before, but seems clear and accurate.
However, Dallas did not stop with these three weapons, but went on in the latter chapters to describe "the three things that must be working in us before we can truly experience the sufficiency of God: faith, death to self, and agape love," devoting a chapter to each. In the final chapter, he lays out the practicalities of living this way. I was particularly appreciative of his plan for spending a day with Jesus where he identifies several particularities one may wish to consider as they put this life into place.
As I stopped to reflect upon what I had read, I felt challenged, hopeful, and invigorated. Challenged to consider whether I believe that a life without lack was really possible, hopeful in envisioning that it might be, and invigorated as I ponder how I might put this into practice.
Though Dallas's earthly life concluded nearly four years ago, his words remain as fresh as ever. If you get a chance, pick this book up and read it. Talk to others about it. And then begin to put it into practice. You never can tell what could happen.
*I received a proof copy of this book in exchange for my review. All of the viewpoints expressed here are my own.
Often, when the world loses a well-respected author, one grieves their death, but also laments the realization that there will likely be no more published works. Occasionally, a posthumous publication may appear; for example, Jerry Bridges' beneficial The Blessing of Humility. But in Dallas's case--due in large part to a large corpus of unpublished works and the perseverance of his family and friends to see his works come to light--new books continue to appear. I'm grateful.
Life Without Lack: Living in the Fullness of Psalm 23 (2018) is the latest offering. In the book's preface, Larry Burtoft wrote, "Twenty-six years ago, I was introduced to the possibility of a life in which I was never in need. Of anything. At any time. From anyone. A life that knows no fear or fluster. No anxiety or angst. No perturbation of any sort. It was, in short, the offer of a life with lack" (p. vii). Burtoft goes on to talk about how this book was born out of an 8-week study of Psalm 23.
The book's 200 plus pages progress through eight chapters in addition to some supplementary material. Willard writes of the importance of renewing the mind to truly live into the reality of a glorious, all-sustaining God as an essential characteristic of the Christian life. One of the sentences that captured me early on was this: "One of our greatest needs today is for people to really see and really believe the things they already profess to see and believe." As I thought about the importance of renewing our minds, the truth of that sentence landed hard upon me. Do I merely give assent to the truths of God, or do I live my life, fully and completely, as though those truths matter? Willard unapologetically believed that what God said in His word could actually change our lives, not only that we could live a little less anxiously or angrily, but that we could live without anxiety, without anger. In other words, we could live a life without lack.
Through the book, he carefully explores what a Psalm 23 life could look like. There is no naivete here; he addresses the threats to this peaceable life. His discussion of "Satan's Three Weapons of Temptation" in chapter 4 was exceptional. I was particularly struck by the ways in which he connected these three weapons described in 1 John 2:16Open in Logos Bible Software (if available), with the temptations of Eve and Jesus. He made a three way connection that I had never even considered before, but seems clear and accurate.
However, Dallas did not stop with these three weapons, but went on in the latter chapters to describe "the three things that must be working in us before we can truly experience the sufficiency of God: faith, death to self, and agape love," devoting a chapter to each. In the final chapter, he lays out the practicalities of living this way. I was particularly appreciative of his plan for spending a day with Jesus where he identifies several particularities one may wish to consider as they put this life into place.
As I stopped to reflect upon what I had read, I felt challenged, hopeful, and invigorated. Challenged to consider whether I believe that a life without lack was really possible, hopeful in envisioning that it might be, and invigorated as I ponder how I might put this into practice.
Though Dallas's earthly life concluded nearly four years ago, his words remain as fresh as ever. If you get a chance, pick this book up and read it. Talk to others about it. And then begin to put it into practice. You never can tell what could happen.
*I received a proof copy of this book in exchange for my review. All of the viewpoints expressed here are my own.
December 15, 2017
This books represents a lecture that Willard gave at a church. The danger with those kinds of books is that it reads like a lecture and not like a book. They did a wonderful job transferring what he said into book format. It is very readable and, in classic Dallas Willard style, it makes the reader see the tremendous beauty of God.
Dallas teaches on Psalm 23 by looking throughout the Bible and highlighting how different people came to experience this “Life Without Lack.” From Job To Jesus, Dallas highlights the similarities, and lays forth a helpful map for those who also want to experience such a life.
My soul was blessed by this book. I was privileged enough to get a pre-released copy. I hope when it is actually released many churches and individuals will make it a study.
Dallas teaches on Psalm 23 by looking throughout the Bible and highlighting how different people came to experience this “Life Without Lack.” From Job To Jesus, Dallas highlights the similarities, and lays forth a helpful map for those who also want to experience such a life.
My soul was blessed by this book. I was privileged enough to get a pre-released copy. I hope when it is actually released many churches and individuals will make it a study.
January 30, 2018
Dallas Willard has been instrumental in my life at helping me move from being simply someone who says that believe in Jesus, to someone who actively and intimately loves Christ Jesus. I was presented with Willard’s The Divine Conspiracy at a point in my life when I was heavily considering walking away from my calling into ministry. I was done. I didn’t want to go down that path anymore. I still “believed in Jesus”, whatever that really means, but I didn’t find significance or purpose in ministry. I’d rather just watch from the sidelines. Exposure to Willard’s books changed all that. Not that Willard pushed the for call back into ministry, but his explanation of the intimacy found in Christ Jesus and what he means to truly follow Him, helped me to see life through a new lens, a new perspective. I will forever be grateful and thankful for Dallas Willard.
When Dallas Willard died in May of 2013 I was heartbroken. No one knew it until today, but I cried in my car on my way to work after finding out. Although I knew Dallas was experiencing the wonderful presence of Christ, I grieved the loss of an incredible man of God and the end to his books and teachings.
Thankfully, through the work of Gary Black Jr., Gary Moon, John Ortberg, and more, Dallas’ influence and work has continued.
Life Without Lack: Living in the Fullness of Psalm 23 is another beautiful continuation and extension of Willard’s work posthumously. Through the efforts and collaboration of Larry Burtoft (a friend of Willard) and Becky Willard Heatley (Willard’s daughter) another public addition to Willard’s catalogue has been preserved.
Life Without Lack is a compilation of Willard’s eight-week teachings series on Psalm 23 originally taught in early 1991 to a group of roughly thirty people at Valley Vista Christian Community. The teaching was preserved on cassette tape, and transposed into this book, a project that Burtoft had planned on for years, but never found fruition until after Willard’s death. As a Dallas Willard enthusiast, I was absolutely delighted to hear the news of the release of this book.
The book is broken into eight chapters, which follow the eight original teaching sessions. Each chapter richly and deeply defines and explains life with God, through the context of God’s ever-present character. Psalm 23 provides the foundation of the teaching yet is not overly expounded. If one were looking for a commentary on Psalm 23, this is not the book for that. What is elucidated is the fact that the Good Shepherd as described in Psalm 23, offers true freedom and peace in an intimate relationship with Him.
Life Without Lack is meaty. It is not a quick read. It is a book that is meant to take time to digest, time to apply to one’s life, and time to dwell upon. This is not a new concept to those who are familiar with Willard. For me, at least, while reading Willard, to read and re-read the same chapter in a sitting, is commonplace. Good content takes time and reflection to grasp and process.
Overall, I highly recommend this book. Read it slowly. Read it purposely. And read it with the hopeful expectation that you’ll be enlightened, encouraged, and invigorated by it. May you grow deeper in your relationship with Christ Jesus through it. If this is your very first Dallas Willard book, then I recommend you borrow or purchase Hearing God, The Spirit of the Disciplines, The Divine Conspiracy, or Renovation of the Heart to read beforehand or closely afterward. Dallas Willard writes and speaks with a breadth of knowledge, worth taking the time to ponder and apply.
Life Without Lack releases on February 27, 2018. It will be available in hardcover, ebook, audiobook, and more. You can preorder on Amazon, Christianbook, and through all major book retailers.
Disclaimer: I received an Advance Reader Copy from the publisher. (This in no way affected my honest review of the book)
When Dallas Willard died in May of 2013 I was heartbroken. No one knew it until today, but I cried in my car on my way to work after finding out. Although I knew Dallas was experiencing the wonderful presence of Christ, I grieved the loss of an incredible man of God and the end to his books and teachings.
Thankfully, through the work of Gary Black Jr., Gary Moon, John Ortberg, and more, Dallas’ influence and work has continued.
Life Without Lack: Living in the Fullness of Psalm 23 is another beautiful continuation and extension of Willard’s work posthumously. Through the efforts and collaboration of Larry Burtoft (a friend of Willard) and Becky Willard Heatley (Willard’s daughter) another public addition to Willard’s catalogue has been preserved.
Life Without Lack is a compilation of Willard’s eight-week teachings series on Psalm 23 originally taught in early 1991 to a group of roughly thirty people at Valley Vista Christian Community. The teaching was preserved on cassette tape, and transposed into this book, a project that Burtoft had planned on for years, but never found fruition until after Willard’s death. As a Dallas Willard enthusiast, I was absolutely delighted to hear the news of the release of this book.
The book is broken into eight chapters, which follow the eight original teaching sessions. Each chapter richly and deeply defines and explains life with God, through the context of God’s ever-present character. Psalm 23 provides the foundation of the teaching yet is not overly expounded. If one were looking for a commentary on Psalm 23, this is not the book for that. What is elucidated is the fact that the Good Shepherd as described in Psalm 23, offers true freedom and peace in an intimate relationship with Him.
Life Without Lack is meaty. It is not a quick read. It is a book that is meant to take time to digest, time to apply to one’s life, and time to dwell upon. This is not a new concept to those who are familiar with Willard. For me, at least, while reading Willard, to read and re-read the same chapter in a sitting, is commonplace. Good content takes time and reflection to grasp and process.
Overall, I highly recommend this book. Read it slowly. Read it purposely. And read it with the hopeful expectation that you’ll be enlightened, encouraged, and invigorated by it. May you grow deeper in your relationship with Christ Jesus through it. If this is your very first Dallas Willard book, then I recommend you borrow or purchase Hearing God, The Spirit of the Disciplines, The Divine Conspiracy, or Renovation of the Heart to read beforehand or closely afterward. Dallas Willard writes and speaks with a breadth of knowledge, worth taking the time to ponder and apply.
Life Without Lack releases on February 27, 2018. It will be available in hardcover, ebook, audiobook, and more. You can preorder on Amazon, Christianbook, and through all major book retailers.
Disclaimer: I received an Advance Reader Copy from the publisher. (This in no way affected my honest review of the book)
January 31, 2018
Do you want to gain practical strategies to focus your life without lack? Living life as the Great Shepherd proposes in Psalm 23? I found that in this excellent resource, strategies to develop the mindset and lifestyle of fullness in all God’s goodness for those who fully trust Him. It is practical, well grounded in the Word of God, and will guide you to growth spiritually, and will teach you how to spend the day with Jesus. It was so much more than I expected, so helpful, made me pause, ponder, re read, think, and process. I only finished it in a short amount of time because I’ve been fatigued and had to stop and rest, so I rested with this book. Reviewing Psalm 23 with each chapter and taking notes and highlighting as I went. Now to stop, synthesize and apply. Blessed to get an ARC of this amazing book, I didn’t expect it to be this unique and amazing.
February 14, 2018
I am in the process of digesting this book. This is not a quick-read book, but it is oh so satisfying! For me, it is expanding my view of who God is and how much He loves me. I committed to reading the book and reviewing it having never read anything by Dallas Willard and I was taken by surprise at the depth of the writing, but it's good food for the soul and spirit. I will come back and submit a more complete review of the book when I finish. I am reading an advanced reader copy which I received from the publisher.
February 5, 2018
I'm on my second reading of this book. In my opinion this book takes Dallas Willard's immensely beautiful understanding of what Jesus is doing right now in your corner of the universe, and explains how you can join him in that work. True inner goodness, peace and overflowing joy is the reward!
February 27, 2018
I read this book with pen and paper close by. The author shares a great perspective on how to live a life that is full, and abundant with the peace that comes when walking out your Faith and trust in God.
His explanation of walking closer with God is refreshing to me. We live a life that is full of lack and we don't even realize it. We do this partly because we aren't always taught how to walk deeper and more trusting with God. We are taught to "Trust God" and to "Have Faith" but this book takes you on a journey to better understand how we get there. Once we understand this then we can walk out the scripture that says "I will fear no evil" because we have total trust in who God is.
This is a book I will be reading again as I go on a deeper in my walk with God finding complete rest in him as my Shepherd.
I was given an advanced copy of this book by the publisher and I was so glad to be able to share my honest opinion.
His explanation of walking closer with God is refreshing to me. We live a life that is full of lack and we don't even realize it. We do this partly because we aren't always taught how to walk deeper and more trusting with God. We are taught to "Trust God" and to "Have Faith" but this book takes you on a journey to better understand how we get there. Once we understand this then we can walk out the scripture that says "I will fear no evil" because we have total trust in who God is.
This is a book I will be reading again as I go on a deeper in my walk with God finding complete rest in him as my Shepherd.
I was given an advanced copy of this book by the publisher and I was so glad to be able to share my honest opinion.
June 19, 2018
I wholeheartedly recommend this book to all spiritual seekers and those who would like to grow in their faith. Much of the content is the material that Dallas taught during the first retreat of the Renovare Spiritual Formation Institute. This material in particular had a tremendous positive impact on my spiritual life as I became deeply convinced that in God I have everything I need and that this world is a perfectly safe place to be. I have loved and benefited from everything that Dallas wrote, but I really enjoyed the conversational tone of “Life Without Lack” since it is mainly the transcript of a series of his talks. As I read it I could hear his voice and his characteristic way of using inflection and pauses as he spoke. What a treat!
February 23, 2018
Dallas Willard is inspirational and thought provoking as he explores the 23rd Psalm in "Life Without Lack." He draws a sharp contrast between the complete sufficiency of God and the complete futility of mankind's efforts to meet their own desires. His own words say it best when he writes: "Human desire is infinite by its nature; it cannot be satisfied." In other words, it is futile to think that we can ever meet our own wants. It's just not possible. No matter what you want, or what you have, it's never enough. Our desires are insatiable. But the good news is that God provides for us as our shepherd. In fact, he provides everything we need. Everything. With God, there is no lack.
Although he passed away in 2013, his family and friends wrote out Willard's thoughts on Psalm 23 based on video tapes of his original lectures. Typical of his famous book, "The Divine Conspiracy", this one is written with insight not found in other Christian authors. He writes with clarity and a profound understanding of scripture that makes the text infinitely important for the reader to internalize and fully understand. One wants to pause after each paragraph and let the words soak in so as to allow the reader to fully grasp each concept.
All the points made in "Life Without Lack" build upon one another, so that by the end of the book the reader fully realizes just what the psalmist meant when he wrote those now famous words: "The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want." Willard inspires and lovingly confronts the reader with the reality of Jesus Christ and the very nature of God.
"Life Without Lack" concludes with Willard writing about the total sufficiency of God's love for each of us. While that may sound trite in a book review, it's the honest truth of his exemplary life.
I was very pleased to have read this important book, and I recommend it highly.
I received an Advance Reader Copy from the publisher.
Although he passed away in 2013, his family and friends wrote out Willard's thoughts on Psalm 23 based on video tapes of his original lectures. Typical of his famous book, "The Divine Conspiracy", this one is written with insight not found in other Christian authors. He writes with clarity and a profound understanding of scripture that makes the text infinitely important for the reader to internalize and fully understand. One wants to pause after each paragraph and let the words soak in so as to allow the reader to fully grasp each concept.
All the points made in "Life Without Lack" build upon one another, so that by the end of the book the reader fully realizes just what the psalmist meant when he wrote those now famous words: "The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want." Willard inspires and lovingly confronts the reader with the reality of Jesus Christ and the very nature of God.
"Life Without Lack" concludes with Willard writing about the total sufficiency of God's love for each of us. While that may sound trite in a book review, it's the honest truth of his exemplary life.
I was very pleased to have read this important book, and I recommend it highly.
I received an Advance Reader Copy from the publisher.
February 10, 2018
In 1991, Dallas Willard gave a series of eight talks over as many weeks to a study group at Valley Vista Christian Community, where he and his wife, Jane, worshipped. The talks presented the Twenty-Third Psalm as “an accurate description of the kind of life that is available to anyone who will allow God to be their Shepherd” (xi). The pastor of Valley Vista, Larry Burtoft, had arranged to have those talks recorded and suggested to Dr. Willard that he “turn the talks into a book.” Dr. Willard responded by saying he was too busy to take on a writing project and that perhaps Mr. Burtoft himself might use the recordings and give it a go.
Life without Lack is Mr. Burtoft’s rendering of Dr. Willard’s spoken words into written form. He acknowledges, in the preface, his debt to his coeditor, Rebecca Willard Heatley, Dr. Willard’s daughter and literary executor, who by drawing on her deep knowledge of her father’s work, gave “invaluable suggestions that clarified and enlarged the teaching” presented in the book.
The book captures the cadence and tone and wry humor of Dr. Willard’s voice, and while reading it, you feel as though you’re sitting at Dr. Willard’s feet, thinking with him and learning from him. And what is it we’re learning? In the introduction, Dr. Willard says, “This book is a series of in-depth meditations on the Twenty-Third Psalm intended to help you really see it, really believe it, and to live as though it were true” (xvi).
To that end, Dr. Willard covers the nature of our shepherd-God and his endless love for us and his inexhaustible ability to provide for us. He also addresses why God created people and why he desires to live in relationship with us. Related to that, Dr. Willard explains how Satan attempts to disrupt God’s plan for human history. He finally “examines three conditions that must be present in our own lives if we are to experience the fullness of the wisdom, power, and love of God: faith, death to self, and agape love” (xvii).
Life without Lack is a very practical book. If I were given charge over the discipleship of new converts in a parish I would lead them through this book as well as Dr. Willard’s Hearing God: Developing a Conversational Relationship with God as foundational texts that the Holy Spirit might use to establish those converts in the Christian faith and an interactive relationship with the Trinity.
I’ve been reading Dallas Willard’s books and articles for years now. Not long ago I enrolled in a cohort for an eighteen-month program in spiritual formation and we had readings that we’d been assigned. One of those readings was A. W. Tozer’s The Knowledge of the Holy—that chapter titled, “Why We Must Think Rightly About God.” And as soon as I came upon the sentence, “What comes into our minds when we think about God is the most important thing about us,” I was overwhelmed with irritation. Surely, I thought, what anyone thinks about God can’t be the most important thing about them. The most important thing? Seriously? Even if what someone thought about God turned out to be nothing more than base idolatry wouldn’t the most important thing about that person be the fact that he or she was created in the likeness of God? Christ died to redeem people who are mistaken about all sorts of things. I wanted to kick Tozer in the pants for being such a sloppy thinker.
The day before, I’d bought Dallas Willard’s Renewing the Christian Mind: Essays, Interviews, and Talks, edited by Gary Black, Jr. It was sitting on my desk within easy reach and although I had to get down to the assigned readings, I thought that at that moment reading anything else would be preferable to having to endure Tozer. I tossed Tozer on a pile of papers and opened Willard to the first chapter, “Transformation of the Mind,” and began to read. Not far into the essay my eyes landed on this sentence: “The single most important thing in our mind is our idea of God and the associated images” (italics mine), dovetailed into a quote from Tozer’s “Why We Must Think Rightly About God.”
How like Dallas Willard to adjust Tozer’s unfortunate phrasing and get to the heart of what that mystic most surely intended to say without drawing attention to his fuzzy thinking; without correcting the inaccuracy of Tozer’s original statement. Confronted with the gracious response I had before me on the page, I teared up, and my heart was flooded with the desire to be good to others—not only in deed, but straight off the bat, from the depths of a good and gracious heart.
I wanted the sort of heart Dallas has, which I believe is to say, I wanted the sort of vision of life that leads to having the goodness of heart Jesus possesses. Living into the fullness of Psalm 23 is a way of getting a heart like that. As is true of anything Dallas Willard writes, you’ll encounter in Life without Lack some ideas that will bake your noodle. But you’ll also receive practical instruction regarding what you can do to live into those conditions of trust, death to self, and love that make possible a life without fear and anxiety.
[I was given an advanced reader’s copy of Life without Lack by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.]
Life without Lack is Mr. Burtoft’s rendering of Dr. Willard’s spoken words into written form. He acknowledges, in the preface, his debt to his coeditor, Rebecca Willard Heatley, Dr. Willard’s daughter and literary executor, who by drawing on her deep knowledge of her father’s work, gave “invaluable suggestions that clarified and enlarged the teaching” presented in the book.
The book captures the cadence and tone and wry humor of Dr. Willard’s voice, and while reading it, you feel as though you’re sitting at Dr. Willard’s feet, thinking with him and learning from him. And what is it we’re learning? In the introduction, Dr. Willard says, “This book is a series of in-depth meditations on the Twenty-Third Psalm intended to help you really see it, really believe it, and to live as though it were true” (xvi).
To that end, Dr. Willard covers the nature of our shepherd-God and his endless love for us and his inexhaustible ability to provide for us. He also addresses why God created people and why he desires to live in relationship with us. Related to that, Dr. Willard explains how Satan attempts to disrupt God’s plan for human history. He finally “examines three conditions that must be present in our own lives if we are to experience the fullness of the wisdom, power, and love of God: faith, death to self, and agape love” (xvii).
Life without Lack is a very practical book. If I were given charge over the discipleship of new converts in a parish I would lead them through this book as well as Dr. Willard’s Hearing God: Developing a Conversational Relationship with God as foundational texts that the Holy Spirit might use to establish those converts in the Christian faith and an interactive relationship with the Trinity.
I’ve been reading Dallas Willard’s books and articles for years now. Not long ago I enrolled in a cohort for an eighteen-month program in spiritual formation and we had readings that we’d been assigned. One of those readings was A. W. Tozer’s The Knowledge of the Holy—that chapter titled, “Why We Must Think Rightly About God.” And as soon as I came upon the sentence, “What comes into our minds when we think about God is the most important thing about us,” I was overwhelmed with irritation. Surely, I thought, what anyone thinks about God can’t be the most important thing about them. The most important thing? Seriously? Even if what someone thought about God turned out to be nothing more than base idolatry wouldn’t the most important thing about that person be the fact that he or she was created in the likeness of God? Christ died to redeem people who are mistaken about all sorts of things. I wanted to kick Tozer in the pants for being such a sloppy thinker.
The day before, I’d bought Dallas Willard’s Renewing the Christian Mind: Essays, Interviews, and Talks, edited by Gary Black, Jr. It was sitting on my desk within easy reach and although I had to get down to the assigned readings, I thought that at that moment reading anything else would be preferable to having to endure Tozer. I tossed Tozer on a pile of papers and opened Willard to the first chapter, “Transformation of the Mind,” and began to read. Not far into the essay my eyes landed on this sentence: “The single most important thing in our mind is our idea of God and the associated images” (italics mine), dovetailed into a quote from Tozer’s “Why We Must Think Rightly About God.”
How like Dallas Willard to adjust Tozer’s unfortunate phrasing and get to the heart of what that mystic most surely intended to say without drawing attention to his fuzzy thinking; without correcting the inaccuracy of Tozer’s original statement. Confronted with the gracious response I had before me on the page, I teared up, and my heart was flooded with the desire to be good to others—not only in deed, but straight off the bat, from the depths of a good and gracious heart.
I wanted the sort of heart Dallas has, which I believe is to say, I wanted the sort of vision of life that leads to having the goodness of heart Jesus possesses. Living into the fullness of Psalm 23 is a way of getting a heart like that. As is true of anything Dallas Willard writes, you’ll encounter in Life without Lack some ideas that will bake your noodle. But you’ll also receive practical instruction regarding what you can do to live into those conditions of trust, death to self, and love that make possible a life without fear and anxiety.
[I was given an advanced reader’s copy of Life without Lack by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.]
February 14, 2018
This book is changing the way I think about God. Willard’s explanation of Scripture is profound, but so easy to understand! What a gift it was to read this!
Willard talks about the truth of an all-sufficient God— a truth that I so often forget. My favorite portion of the book was the last chapter in which he walks through a practical method of living day after day with Christ.
So thankful I received this advanced reader’s copy from the publisher.
Willard talks about the truth of an all-sufficient God— a truth that I so often forget. My favorite portion of the book was the last chapter in which he walks through a practical method of living day after day with Christ.
So thankful I received this advanced reader’s copy from the publisher.
January 20, 2018
Dallas Willard changed my life With his gentle wisdom and cutting assessment of reality he has changed the way I understand Jesus. This book is no different. In much the same way that Brother Lawrence has helped numerous people practice God's presence, Brother Dallas helps lead the reader into a new kind of life, a life without fear, a Life Without Lack and he explains clearly how it is possible to live as such.
I highly recommend Life without Lack as it will prepare you to embrace a journey where God is with us and we have no lack. To quote Dallas in his own words from the book,
"This abandonment of the self to God is the way to experience abundance in God. It means that, in God’s hands, we are content for him to take
charge of outcomes. And in that posture we make way for him to
live in us and be with us, in order to achieve what is best for us and
for others far beyond anything we can even imagine."
I received an Advance Reader Copy of Life Without Lack from the publisher and am grateful that I have been able to read yet another work from one of the best authors of our time.
I highly recommend Life without Lack as it will prepare you to embrace a journey where God is with us and we have no lack. To quote Dallas in his own words from the book,
"This abandonment of the self to God is the way to experience abundance in God. It means that, in God’s hands, we are content for him to take
charge of outcomes. And in that posture we make way for him to
live in us and be with us, in order to achieve what is best for us and
for others far beyond anything we can even imagine."
I received an Advance Reader Copy of Life Without Lack from the publisher and am grateful that I have been able to read yet another work from one of the best authors of our time.
August 11, 2018
I am only part of the way through this book but it is already life-changing and life-giving. I really cannot express how this book is blowing my mind right now.
I have never read a book from Dallas Williard before, though many people have recommended his books to me so I jumped at the chance to receive an advanced reader's copy from the publisher.
Life Without Lack seeks to reveal how you can live completely content. Now, I realize this is an enormous claim, one that - though we wish could be true - we cannot bring ourselves to believe wholeheartedly.
The book deep dives into Psalm 23, ("The Lord is my shepherd....") and reveals how God is with us at all times whether we believe it or not. As the author puts it:
"This book is a series of in-depth meditations on the Twenty-third Psalm intended to help you really see it, really believe it, and to live as if it were true."
And another one of my favorite quotes so far:
"A life without lack is a life in which one is completely satisfied and sustained, no matter what happens."
I am writing my review before I'm completely through the book because it's not something you can just skim. My copy is already bathed in highlighter and margin notes. However, I wanted to give my impressions thus far to help convince others this is a book that everyone should read!
I have never read a book from Dallas Williard before, though many people have recommended his books to me so I jumped at the chance to receive an advanced reader's copy from the publisher.
Life Without Lack seeks to reveal how you can live completely content. Now, I realize this is an enormous claim, one that - though we wish could be true - we cannot bring ourselves to believe wholeheartedly.
The book deep dives into Psalm 23, ("The Lord is my shepherd....") and reveals how God is with us at all times whether we believe it or not. As the author puts it:
"This book is a series of in-depth meditations on the Twenty-third Psalm intended to help you really see it, really believe it, and to live as if it were true."
And another one of my favorite quotes so far:
"A life without lack is a life in which one is completely satisfied and sustained, no matter what happens."
I am writing my review before I'm completely through the book because it's not something you can just skim. My copy is already bathed in highlighter and margin notes. However, I wanted to give my impressions thus far to help convince others this is a book that everyone should read!
February 10, 2018
What made Dallas Willard different? Why do we get the sense when we read what he wrote, listen to what he taught and most of all watch video of him, that he made progress in Christianity?
He did the work. He did the things he wrote and taught about, the things he recommended to us.
I'm glad to be part of the launch team for Dallas's new book (published posthumously), 'Life without Lack'. This book comes from teaching Dallas did in a church on Psalm 23 many years ago. His friend Larry Burtoft recorded the sessions and has edited them into this book along with Dallas's daughter, Becky Willard Heatley. I got to read an advance copy.
I was a little bit worried that this book would not 'sound' like Dallas's writing and speaking. But, happily, it does. It comes from his spoken teaching and it reads that way.
Listening to Dallas (and also reading his writing), I hear someone who practiced what he preached and grew in grace. He comes across as wise and humble. He is not afraid to sometimes suggest that he has done these things. He doesn't rush to disabuse us of the notion that he has been able to make progress. (And this is a form of humility.)
(I have developed a pretty comprehensive list of his talks that can be listened to here: The Wisdom of Dallas Willard [https://thewisdomofdallaswillard.blog...].)
For example, on p82, Dallas writes 'To listen to his Word and nourish our whole beings with it is not a nice thing we might do occasionally. Our very lives depend upon it.' My sense is that Dallas lived this out. He teaches a lot about the importance of memorizing Scripture (including in this book) and he even shares (in some of his talks) his experience with it.
He talks some about of his own practice of spiritual disciplines, including disciplines he made up himself. Dallas teaches us to persevere when our attempts don't succeed. He teaches us to experiment. He obviously did these things himself.
This is a book that is meant to be applied. All of Dallas's books are, in a sense, but this one is especially. The material was first taught to a church group, so the emphasis is not on deep theological teaching for a more general audience. In contrast, 'The Divine Conspiracy', which also is very applicable, but can be hard for people without philosophical and theological background to get through.
Dallas teaches that grace is the gift of God and that it is worth all of our best effort. Some of us are so afraid of presuming on God's grace that we actually stay away from effort and teach others to do so!
Dallas has the best practical Christian psychology of anyone I know (rooted in profound philosophical knowledge). He intends for his teachings and suggestions to be realistic and not just a nice theory that may be completely impractical. Contrast this with the ultra-orthodox theological watchdogs who criticize him but whose teachings, for all intents and purposes, do not produce Christ-like change in people (and possibly only make them more Pharisaical).
It's encouraging to read his suggestions and know that he has tried them himself and found them helpful. We see and hear the evidence in his life.
All of this culminates in a very practical chapter about how to spend a day with Jesus, beginning with one day and laying the foundation for many in the spirit of Brother Lawrence and Frank Laubach.
Maybe most of all, Dallas had the vision that we could be God's children and obey Him and be transformed by Him and live in His love. The vision helped him to continue in his determination to grow.
I expected this book to be more of an exposition of Psalm 23, but it is not. Rather, Dallas draws conclusions from Psalm 23 and then writes about how to experience them, including what the prerequisites are. In this way, 'Life without Lack' is somewhat systematic. You could think of it as a prequel to 'The Divine Conspiracy'.
Don't read this book casually. Don't read it like a typical book. Don't read it with no plans to change your life.
Read it with the expectation that God wants to challenge you and encourage you, through the writing of Dallas Willard, to experience more of the full life He wants you to have, as demonstrated in the great Shepherd Psalm.
He did the work. He did the things he wrote and taught about, the things he recommended to us.
I'm glad to be part of the launch team for Dallas's new book (published posthumously), 'Life without Lack'. This book comes from teaching Dallas did in a church on Psalm 23 many years ago. His friend Larry Burtoft recorded the sessions and has edited them into this book along with Dallas's daughter, Becky Willard Heatley. I got to read an advance copy.
I was a little bit worried that this book would not 'sound' like Dallas's writing and speaking. But, happily, it does. It comes from his spoken teaching and it reads that way.
Listening to Dallas (and also reading his writing), I hear someone who practiced what he preached and grew in grace. He comes across as wise and humble. He is not afraid to sometimes suggest that he has done these things. He doesn't rush to disabuse us of the notion that he has been able to make progress. (And this is a form of humility.)
(I have developed a pretty comprehensive list of his talks that can be listened to here: The Wisdom of Dallas Willard [https://thewisdomofdallaswillard.blog...].)
For example, on p82, Dallas writes 'To listen to his Word and nourish our whole beings with it is not a nice thing we might do occasionally. Our very lives depend upon it.' My sense is that Dallas lived this out. He teaches a lot about the importance of memorizing Scripture (including in this book) and he even shares (in some of his talks) his experience with it.
He talks some about of his own practice of spiritual disciplines, including disciplines he made up himself. Dallas teaches us to persevere when our attempts don't succeed. He teaches us to experiment. He obviously did these things himself.
This is a book that is meant to be applied. All of Dallas's books are, in a sense, but this one is especially. The material was first taught to a church group, so the emphasis is not on deep theological teaching for a more general audience. In contrast, 'The Divine Conspiracy', which also is very applicable, but can be hard for people without philosophical and theological background to get through.
Dallas teaches that grace is the gift of God and that it is worth all of our best effort. Some of us are so afraid of presuming on God's grace that we actually stay away from effort and teach others to do so!
Dallas has the best practical Christian psychology of anyone I know (rooted in profound philosophical knowledge). He intends for his teachings and suggestions to be realistic and not just a nice theory that may be completely impractical. Contrast this with the ultra-orthodox theological watchdogs who criticize him but whose teachings, for all intents and purposes, do not produce Christ-like change in people (and possibly only make them more Pharisaical).
It's encouraging to read his suggestions and know that he has tried them himself and found them helpful. We see and hear the evidence in his life.
All of this culminates in a very practical chapter about how to spend a day with Jesus, beginning with one day and laying the foundation for many in the spirit of Brother Lawrence and Frank Laubach.
Maybe most of all, Dallas had the vision that we could be God's children and obey Him and be transformed by Him and live in His love. The vision helped him to continue in his determination to grow.
I expected this book to be more of an exposition of Psalm 23, but it is not. Rather, Dallas draws conclusions from Psalm 23 and then writes about how to experience them, including what the prerequisites are. In this way, 'Life without Lack' is somewhat systematic. You could think of it as a prequel to 'The Divine Conspiracy'.
Don't read this book casually. Don't read it like a typical book. Don't read it with no plans to change your life.
Read it with the expectation that God wants to challenge you and encourage you, through the writing of Dallas Willard, to experience more of the full life He wants you to have, as demonstrated in the great Shepherd Psalm.
February 3, 2018
Having known Dallas when he was alive, I eagerly await any book of his writing. This book was no exception. Like most of his books, I don't rush through. I want to savor the concepts he presents and let them become integrated into my thoughts, heart, and life.
In Life Without Lack, Dallas invites us to reexamine a Psalm many of us know so well. We can lose sight of the precious truths hidden in Psalm 23 if we treat it as too familiar. From the beginning of this book, Dallas presents a compelling and refreshing view of God and the fact that HE is our good Shepherd. Because He is who He is, we truly lack nothing. To live in this truth is to be free and able to experience the joy which is at the heart of God.
Dallas always makes theology practical. He shows us how our thoughts lead to beliefs and those lead to decisions and actions. What we dwell upon in our mind has great power. We are to learn to dwell upon God in truth - understanding who He is and responding to Him in love. Throughout the book, Dallas weaves other scriptures into the unfolding of the depths of this Psalm to help us draw increasingly nearer to God.
Let me share just the prayer from the opening of the book, as a foretaste of the rich fare in this book:
Lord Jesus Christ
We are so thankful to you that you have said,
"Fear not little flock,
for it is your Father's good pleasure
to give you the kingdom."
We are thankful for the ease with which you walked upon this earth,
the generosity and kindness with which you cared for those
who were out of the way and in trouble,
the extent to which you even loved your enemies
and laid down your life for them.
We are so thankful to believe that this is a life for us,
a life without lack, a life of sufficiency.
It's so clear in you, the sufficiency of your Father
and the fullness of life that was poured through you,
and we're so thankful that you have promised that same love,
that same life, that same joy, that same power for us.
Lord, slip up on us today.
Get past our defenses, our worries, our concerns.
Gently open our souls, and speak your Word into them.
We believe you want to do it,
and we wait for you to do it now.
In your name, Amen.
In Life Without Lack, Dallas invites us to reexamine a Psalm many of us know so well. We can lose sight of the precious truths hidden in Psalm 23 if we treat it as too familiar. From the beginning of this book, Dallas presents a compelling and refreshing view of God and the fact that HE is our good Shepherd. Because He is who He is, we truly lack nothing. To live in this truth is to be free and able to experience the joy which is at the heart of God.
Dallas always makes theology practical. He shows us how our thoughts lead to beliefs and those lead to decisions and actions. What we dwell upon in our mind has great power. We are to learn to dwell upon God in truth - understanding who He is and responding to Him in love. Throughout the book, Dallas weaves other scriptures into the unfolding of the depths of this Psalm to help us draw increasingly nearer to God.
Let me share just the prayer from the opening of the book, as a foretaste of the rich fare in this book:
Lord Jesus Christ
We are so thankful to you that you have said,
"Fear not little flock,
for it is your Father's good pleasure
to give you the kingdom."
We are thankful for the ease with which you walked upon this earth,
the generosity and kindness with which you cared for those
who were out of the way and in trouble,
the extent to which you even loved your enemies
and laid down your life for them.
We are so thankful to believe that this is a life for us,
a life without lack, a life of sufficiency.
It's so clear in you, the sufficiency of your Father
and the fullness of life that was poured through you,
and we're so thankful that you have promised that same love,
that same life, that same joy, that same power for us.
Lord, slip up on us today.
Get past our defenses, our worries, our concerns.
Gently open our souls, and speak your Word into them.
We believe you want to do it,
and we wait for you to do it now.
In your name, Amen.
February 18, 2018
I have been eagerly awaiting Dallas Willard’s latest book Life Without Lack. After reading it, it seems as if Dallas looking down from heaven sent this to us at a critical time. Although we can always say “nothing is new under the sun” our current times needs a bold wakeup call and diagnostic examination from the perspective of God’s Kingdom. Dallas provides this and more in Life Without Lack. As is always the case with Dallas he never leaves you without remedy for the malaise and Life Without Lack is no exception. From the unpacking of Psalm 23 which is the foundation of the book to a chilling chapter on the works of Satan, to the development of what I would call the silver triangle of sufficiency for a dynamic life without lack, to the template of living your ordinary day with Jesus, Dallas shows us that through living constantly in the presence of God we have everything we need to live without lack. This is a must read for everyone in a culture awash in lack.
March 1, 2018
I'm reading an ARC (Advanced Reader Copy) of this book. I love it. I'm not far into it, just the first chapter. But that's okay! This is a book to take in slowly, really think about what you are reading and how it applies to you. If you read it through too quickly you will miss much of the "meat" of this book.
This is the first book by Dallas Willard that I am reading, after I finish this I will be reading more if his books.
This book makes you slow down and think, that's why I'm going so slowly, I find I go back and read things again to really drink in the meaning.
Here's one quote from chapter one I highlighted:
We have the ability and responsibility to keep God present in our minds, and those who do so will make steady progress toward him, for he will respond by making himself known to us.
Wow! I can make my mind do what God wants and I'm supposed to do that!
I highly recommend this book!
I received an ARC in exchange for my honest review.
This is the first book by Dallas Willard that I am reading, after I finish this I will be reading more if his books.
This book makes you slow down and think, that's why I'm going so slowly, I find I go back and read things again to really drink in the meaning.
Here's one quote from chapter one I highlighted:
We have the ability and responsibility to keep God present in our minds, and those who do so will make steady progress toward him, for he will respond by making himself known to us.
Wow! I can make my mind do what God wants and I'm supposed to do that!
I highly recommend this book!
I received an ARC in exchange for my honest review.
February 7, 2018
Using the well-known Psalm 23 as his launching point, author Dallas Willard explores what it means to live a life without fear; a life of trust in God; a life without lack. Based on a series of talks given by the author some 20+ years ago, this book was compiled posthumously by a close friend of the author. Willard is an expert at breaking down deep thoughts into digestible bites, and his warmth and true care for the reader is evident in every page. Read this one with pen in hand - lots to ponder and savor.
This review is based on an advance reader copy from the publisher.
This review is based on an advance reader copy from the publisher.
February 1, 2018
While Dallas Willard may have passed away after a battle with cancer, that did not stop Life Without Lack from being posthumously published. Originally a lecture from 1991, Life Without Lack was put into book format as what I thought was going to be a deeper look into Psalm 23. While the first chapter did dissect Psalm 23 a little bit, the book did not go into nearly the detail I thought it would for the Shepherd Psalm. Instead Dallas uses this Psalm as a way to look further into the lives of those who lived without lack from the Bible (Job, David, Jesus). I appreciate the way this book did not read like a lecture, but it read as a book would. This is a study, so it does go a little bit slower at parts. It can also be hard to digest what Dallas is saying in some sections, so I suggest taking your time and taking notes throughout the book.
I received an Advanced Reader Copy from the publisher and I am honored I was chosen to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
I received an Advanced Reader Copy from the publisher and I am honored I was chosen to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
February 27, 2018
I have read Psalm 23 countless times and have heard it at more funerals than I can count. Sadly, I had not taken the time to really reflect on the depth of the Psalm. I was fortunate to receive an Advance Copy of this book and I am currently half way through it. In this book Dallas Willard encourages and challenges the reader to grasp the complete sufficiency and provision that God, our Great Shepherd, desires to provide his children...in good times and tough times. The book assists the reader in understanding that one can experience a "life without lack"...which begins with and in our mind and what we allow it to dwell upon. Willard assures the reader that they can have complete assurance in God's ability to provide everything they need. Regardless of the season of life you find yourself in, you'll find this book to be both encouraging and challenging. Only half way through, I am grateful for the reflections and insights that Dallas Willard has left us.
January 31, 2018
I received an Advance Reader's Copy from the publisher and am so thankful for having had the opportunity to read it! I really thought this book would be a detailed look at Psalm 23, line by line, and although there is that in the first chapter, it is so much more. This is my first experience with Dallas Willard, and I can say whole heartedly that it will not be my last.
Willard's background in Philosophy is especially valuable to me because his arguments in faith are grounded in philosophical reasoning, of a more academic tone, but also deep. He clearly outlines how by living a life in communion with God, that is: trusting him, dying to self, and practicing agape love, that we can be secure in the promises of Psalm 23. His words also helped me to better understand the desires of the Good Shepherd in placing us on earth and was deeply encouraging to my soul.
Willard's background in Philosophy is especially valuable to me because his arguments in faith are grounded in philosophical reasoning, of a more academic tone, but also deep. He clearly outlines how by living a life in communion with God, that is: trusting him, dying to self, and practicing agape love, that we can be secure in the promises of Psalm 23. His words also helped me to better understand the desires of the Good Shepherd in placing us on earth and was deeply encouraging to my soul.
February 28, 2018
This book focuses on the 23rd Psalm and how we don’t lack when we have God. I’ll admit that it takes a little time and effort to find a rhythm with the book but it’s because it is filled with such richness and it’s a much more intelligent book than I am used to. I liken it to watching a movie with subtitles or reading Charles Dickens. Stick with it and all of a sudden you are immersed and no longer struggling to follow along.
Great book!
I received an advanced copy from the publisher.
Great book!
I received an advanced copy from the publisher.
February 13, 2018
This book is one of Dallas’ best. He had previously mentioned his love affair with Psalm 23 in other writings and talks, but this book gives it the full treatment.
As a long-time fan of Dallas and someone who also holds this psalm dearly, I couldn’t wait for this book. I’m happy to say that it didn’t disappoint! One of my fears with any posthumous book that has been edited by others is the voice. Having read all of Dallas’ other books, I was nervous about how the book would read. Have no fear, it reads like Dallas is speaking directly to the reader. I couldn’t put it down and I found myself feeling more and more alive as I continued to read.
The basic question this books attempts to answer is, “How can we live like Paul, content in all circumstances?” Dallas’ answer is that our mind is a key resource. When we think correctly about God, we can act out of this correct understanding of reality.
If you are a Dallas, fan this book is required reading. If you are looking for a devotional resource, look no further. If you are facing challenging circumstances or on top of the world, this book is for you. I would recommend it to everyone.
As a long-time fan of Dallas and someone who also holds this psalm dearly, I couldn’t wait for this book. I’m happy to say that it didn’t disappoint! One of my fears with any posthumous book that has been edited by others is the voice. Having read all of Dallas’ other books, I was nervous about how the book would read. Have no fear, it reads like Dallas is speaking directly to the reader. I couldn’t put it down and I found myself feeling more and more alive as I continued to read.
The basic question this books attempts to answer is, “How can we live like Paul, content in all circumstances?” Dallas’ answer is that our mind is a key resource. When we think correctly about God, we can act out of this correct understanding of reality.
If you are a Dallas, fan this book is required reading. If you are looking for a devotional resource, look no further. If you are facing challenging circumstances or on top of the world, this book is for you. I would recommend it to everyone.
October 31, 2018
My issue with this book is really with the title, not the content. This isn’t a book about Psalm 23. I’m preparing to preach through the Psalm and was looking for some helpful application or exegesis, but this book supplied neither. It’s a helpful book explaining how to live a life of biblical contentment, but it is not a book about Psalm 23. In fact, the psalm is rarely mentioned in its eight chapters.
February 14, 2018
Dallas Willard stood as a giant among thinkers and those invested in the spiritual formation of God's people. His books and teaching impacted thousands upon thousands as he made apprenticeship to Jesus accessible to all who would want it. "The Divine Conspiracy" is Willard's magnum opus but "Life Without Lack" contains all of his most favorite subjects to teach on: using his favorite Psalm to talk about the beauty of God's character, the value of humans, the tragedy of sin, and the possibility of living a life without fear; namely as an intentional disciple of Jesus. There are so many nuggets of wisdom contained in this book. A few of my favorite are, "But what is faith? It is simply an understanding of how things are, wedded to a commitment to live one's life in light of that understanding," (p. 69). "The important thing is to be in the presence of God, for that is the birthplace of the life without lack," (p.119). "Death to self is submitting all your desires to God. This abandonment of the self to God is the way to experience abundance in God," (p.159). "Love, then, is the condition of the will, embodied in the fundamental dimensions of the human personality, guiding them for the purpose of serving the good," (p.171).
I highly recommend this book for anyone who wants to be an intentional disciple of Jesus. This will help you move into a life without fear or without lack.
I highly recommend this book for anyone who wants to be an intentional disciple of Jesus. This will help you move into a life without fear or without lack.
February 13, 2018
Life Without Lack was a refreshing read that helps bring the reader closer to a life that is so full of Jesus that we are living the 23rd Psalm out in our day-to-day lives. I was a little worried when I first got started that the book would be 'heavy' and super theological and that it would be hard to get through. I was pleasantly surprised however in that, while I wouldn't call it an 'easy' read so to speak...I feel like for a very theologically packed book, it reads easy. While there were some heavy and maybe hard to understand definitions and themes, Dallas Willard always added a real life example so as to make that concept make sense! I thoroughly enjoyed this book, and definitely will read it again at a slower pace. It is one of those books that you can read again and again and get something new out of it every time!
I received an Advance Reader's Copy from the publisher.
I received an Advance Reader's Copy from the publisher.
January 12, 2020
A phenomenal book.
October 29, 2025
so many good ideas and practices that I hope I can adopt.
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