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The Deeply Formed Life: Five Transformative Values to Root Us in the Way of Jesus
During our chaotic times, discover five forgotten values that can spark internal growth and help us reconcile our Christian faith with the complexities of race, sexuality, and social justice.WINNER OF THE CHRISTIANITY TODAY BOOK AWARDMost believers live in the state of “being a Christian” without ever being deeply formed by Christ. Our pace is too frenetic to be in union with God, and we don’t know how to quiet our hearts and minds to be present. Our emotions are unhealthy and compartmentalized. We feel unable to love well or live differently from the rest of the world—to live as people of the good news.New York pastor Rich Villodas says we must restore balance, focus, and meaning for our souls. The Deeply Formed Life lays out a fresh vision for spiritual breakthrough following five key • Contemplative Rhythms slowing down our lives to be with God.• Racial Justice examining a multi-layered approach to pursuing racial justice and reconciliation.• Interior Examination looking beneath the surface of our lives to live free and love well.• Sexual Wholeness exploring how our sexuality connects with our spirituality.• Missional Presence living as the presence of Christ in a broken world. The Deeply Formed Life is a roadmap to live in the richly rooted place we all yearn a place of communion with God, a place where we find our purpose. Praise for The Deeply Formed Life“The Deeply Formed Life is a book for our time. Honest, wise, insightful, funny, and—above all—deep. The way Rich and New Life Fellowship hold emotional health and racial justice together is beyond inspiring. This is spiritual formation for the future of the church.”—John Mark Comer, pastor of teaching and vision at Bridgetown Church and author of The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry “I’ve studied the Bible under Pastor Rich’s leadership for close to a decade. The core values he shares in this book serve as guidance, not only for how we should live as Christians in an ever-changing world but also for how we can live a life of purpose—that consistently and enthusiastically points to Jesus.”—Susan Kelechi Watson, actress from the awardwinning television series This Is Us
290 pages, Kindle Edition
Published September 15, 2020
1040 people are currently reading
6248 people want to read
About the author
Rich Villodas
12 books185 followersRich Villodas is the Brooklyn-born lead pastor of New Life Fellowship, a large, multiracial church with more than seventy-three countries represented in Elmhurst, Queens. Prior to becoming lead pastor, he gave oversight to New Life's small group ministry and served as preaching pastor. Rich graduated with a BA in pastoral ministry and theology from Nyack College. He went on to complete his master's of divinity from Alliance Theological Seminary. He enjoys reading widely, and preaching and writing on contemplative spirituality, justice-related issues, and the art of preaching. He's been married to Rosie since 2006 and they have two beautiful children, Karis and Nathan.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 474 reviews
April 7, 2024
This book had some good aspects and aspects that frustrated me very much.
I will begin with the good.
- Rich is very passionate about what he is saying in this book and truly does believe it. I especially appreciated when he used personal stories with his wife and kids as that gave the impression that he lives this out or, as he admits, tries to to the best of his ability.
- The discussions I had around this book have been very helpful and fruitful for me
- Some sections were quite insightful. I especially thought the contemplative rhythms and the interior examination sections were the most helpful and my wife and I actually implemented technology boundaries following our discussion of the content in the first chapter. Without spoilers, I think that this chapter offers great thoughts and was a good launching point for the rest of the book
Now the not so good
- It is clear that this book is made to be easily quotable, because lines that are most likely to be quoted are sectioned off in between paragraphs many times per chapter. This annoyed me greatly and took some practice to read around. It is more of a publishing decision, but still annoying.
- The most frustrating thing is the lack of clarity with some of the lines. On a number of occasions, he mentioned something that doesn't make sense or I wished he would explain more and just moved on. Some lines just lack clarity, even though they can make big, definitive statements. (Sometimes conversations afterward helped me understand these lines better, but not always)
- I noticed that some of Rich's influences were New Age false teachers, such as Richard Rohr (who coauthored a book that was quoted) and Brian Zahnd, who endorsed Rich's book. This plays itself out most, imo, in a serious lack of talking about sin and how God redeems us from His judgment through the Cross. In some places there is actually an intentional downplaying of the soteriological effect of the cross.
These are just my thoughts. Overall there was a lot of helpful stuff. The unhelpful stuff was glaring when I went through it, however, which is why I am rating the book a 3/5
I will begin with the good.
- Rich is very passionate about what he is saying in this book and truly does believe it. I especially appreciated when he used personal stories with his wife and kids as that gave the impression that he lives this out or, as he admits, tries to to the best of his ability.
- The discussions I had around this book have been very helpful and fruitful for me
- Some sections were quite insightful. I especially thought the contemplative rhythms and the interior examination sections were the most helpful and my wife and I actually implemented technology boundaries following our discussion of the content in the first chapter. Without spoilers, I think that this chapter offers great thoughts and was a good launching point for the rest of the book
Now the not so good
- It is clear that this book is made to be easily quotable, because lines that are most likely to be quoted are sectioned off in between paragraphs many times per chapter. This annoyed me greatly and took some practice to read around. It is more of a publishing decision, but still annoying.
- The most frustrating thing is the lack of clarity with some of the lines. On a number of occasions, he mentioned something that doesn't make sense or I wished he would explain more and just moved on. Some lines just lack clarity, even though they can make big, definitive statements. (Sometimes conversations afterward helped me understand these lines better, but not always)
- I noticed that some of Rich's influences were New Age false teachers, such as Richard Rohr (who coauthored a book that was quoted) and Brian Zahnd, who endorsed Rich's book. This plays itself out most, imo, in a serious lack of talking about sin and how God redeems us from His judgment through the Cross. In some places there is actually an intentional downplaying of the soteriological effect of the cross.
These are just my thoughts. Overall there was a lot of helpful stuff. The unhelpful stuff was glaring when I went through it, however, which is why I am rating the book a 3/5
November 20, 2021
A Must-Read for Modern Disciples
This book has its finger on the pulse of our culture. Villodas gives practical Biblical advice on how to live in this cultural moment in such a way that both is formative in our relationships with the Lord but grows a deep well of intimacy with the Lord to position us to love those around us well. This book is like sitting down for a series of discipleship meetings with someone who knows and loves Jesus, but also deeply cares for your own spiritual formation. The practices and the end of each movement of the book are worth their weight in gold and for a church culture that is devoid of liturgies gives a rhythm for how to engage with God in ways that train the natural bend of our souls to be back towards Jesus. I think that this book is a must-read in all seasons of life but especially for young adults entering the marketplace or ministry after graduation.
This book has its finger on the pulse of our culture. Villodas gives practical Biblical advice on how to live in this cultural moment in such a way that both is formative in our relationships with the Lord but grows a deep well of intimacy with the Lord to position us to love those around us well. This book is like sitting down for a series of discipleship meetings with someone who knows and loves Jesus, but also deeply cares for your own spiritual formation. The practices and the end of each movement of the book are worth their weight in gold and for a church culture that is devoid of liturgies gives a rhythm for how to engage with God in ways that train the natural bend of our souls to be back towards Jesus. I think that this book is a must-read in all seasons of life but especially for young adults entering the marketplace or ministry after graduation.
January 1, 2022
One of the best books on spiritual formation I’ve ever read. Gonna be a classic up there with Bonhoeffer, Eugene Peterson for me. If you got done reading Scazzero’s Emotionally healthy Spirituality/Discipleship and were like ‘that was good/helpful, but not as deep as I’d like” then this is the book for you. Definitely appreciated Villodas’s approach to tough topics like racial reconciliation and sexuality. So good to think about these things within an embodied spiritual framework. There’s such a significant difference between ‘spiritualizing’ something and ‘embodied/habitual spirituality’.
February 1, 2021
While the book goes over good topics and has a few good things here and there, the book overall wasn’t all that good. For one it lacks clarity a lot of the time. Also there seemed to be a lack of Scriptural interpretation and application of the topics. In addition, the author seems to hold to some soft CRT/I which is concerning, along with quoting from a book co-authored by Richard Rohr, a very false teacher. Not really a book that I’d recommend or refer to
February 2, 2021
3.5 stars. Honestly, for the genre and tradition in which this book is written, it's well-done and practical. Villodas has a great depth of insight, breadth of knowledge, and many examples of spiritual disciplines and practices to help foster a well-rounded spiritual life. I think many of his suggestions in this book would certainly help many folks to be more "deeply formed" as he puts it.
However, it is still very much in the evangelical, self-help-y, tradition of prescriptive spiritual manuals (though on the better end of that spectrum). There are frequent reminders that Villodas's thriving church is the example to follow, which is a hallmark of this type of work. The materials are cursory rather than in-depth. It suffers from being wide rather than deep, and some topics are just a bit too shallow to do justice to the topic being examined (i.e. contemplative spirituality, justice, mission). It tries to be everything for everyone, and unfortunately suffers for it.
I also found some of the sections a bit "click bait" sounding (I know, it's a book...but still). For example, one of the five areas of a deeply formed life was "sexual wholeness," but REALLY it's a section on community and embodied spirituality. Or the section on "racial justice" was really about reconciliation (racial and otherwise) as a broader reality of human flourishing. I don't know why the decision was made to look at big topics but claim that the root is a smaller manifestation of that topic, but it at least felt like it was because those things are attention-grabbing in our culture today. A minor complaint, but it left a bad taste in my mouth.
However, it is still very much in the evangelical, self-help-y, tradition of prescriptive spiritual manuals (though on the better end of that spectrum). There are frequent reminders that Villodas's thriving church is the example to follow, which is a hallmark of this type of work. The materials are cursory rather than in-depth. It suffers from being wide rather than deep, and some topics are just a bit too shallow to do justice to the topic being examined (i.e. contemplative spirituality, justice, mission). It tries to be everything for everyone, and unfortunately suffers for it.
I also found some of the sections a bit "click bait" sounding (I know, it's a book...but still). For example, one of the five areas of a deeply formed life was "sexual wholeness," but REALLY it's a section on community and embodied spirituality. Or the section on "racial justice" was really about reconciliation (racial and otherwise) as a broader reality of human flourishing. I don't know why the decision was made to look at big topics but claim that the root is a smaller manifestation of that topic, but it at least felt like it was because those things are attention-grabbing in our culture today. A minor complaint, but it left a bad taste in my mouth.
November 1, 2021
i think it was @hayley.e.morgan who posted about this one and put it on my radar, but it took me a bit to get to it! villodas built on principles i’ve learned from folks like john mark comer and aaron niequist, adding new layers for me when it comes to how to live a life that is rooted in things of Christ. it’s meaningful and helpful without being trite or patronizing, it felt fresh and relevant without trying too hard, and i especially loved his thoughts on pursuing diversity in churches, fighting for justice, and keeping the Sabbath.
February 28, 2024
I just don’t understand how you can write an entire book about spiritual formation and spend an entire chapter talking about racial reconciliation but skip the study and memorization of Scripture.
I also don’t understand why there was such a honed in focus on racial reconciliation - surely we are called to deal with our other -isms (sexism, classism, etc) just as much as racism, and I feel like perhaps this chapter should have been generalized to “loving your neighbor” and racial reconciliation given as one example.
Finally, I had a generally difficult time following the author’s writing style and felt like he invented phrases for the sake of sounding catchy or grouping practices together - social sexuality being that we should have healthy friendly physical touch at church… like what?!
There are a few really helpful practicals, but this is not a book I would ever recommend when I think of spiritual formation.
I also don’t understand why there was such a honed in focus on racial reconciliation - surely we are called to deal with our other -isms (sexism, classism, etc) just as much as racism, and I feel like perhaps this chapter should have been generalized to “loving your neighbor” and racial reconciliation given as one example.
Finally, I had a generally difficult time following the author’s writing style and felt like he invented phrases for the sake of sounding catchy or grouping practices together - social sexuality being that we should have healthy friendly physical touch at church… like what?!
There are a few really helpful practicals, but this is not a book I would ever recommend when I think of spiritual formation.
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March 10, 2025this is one of those books that I’m already excited to re-read
March 22, 2025
Discover intentional spiritual transformation through five overlooked values—contemplative rhythms, emotional health, healthy sexuality, racial reconciliation, and missional living. Move beyond surface-level Christianity to authentically embody Jesus amid life's complexities. Learn to quiet your heart, cultivate deeper love, reconcile faith with social issues, and become truly formed by Christ in a chaotic world.
This is at least the third time I’ve read this book, and I've gained such different tools each time because of my purpose:
1st – Breezed through it for a doctoral class and wrote that paper haha. 2nd – Realized it actually held deep, counter-cultural values. 3rd – Used it the past three months for a preaching series at @youngadultskcc, and let me tell you—formulating concepts into sermons so people can actually grasp how to implement them in their lives really forces you to examine how these values have benefited you or where you still need to add them to your life.
All that being said, I would have never used this book as a teaching series if I wasn’t personally deeply impacted by these values. They’ve challenged me to see where Jesus calls us to be counter-cultural and how abiding in Him is possible only if we pursue what He does. You don’t have to uproot your life and become a monk—Jesus lived in active community and work—but you do have to intentionally choose calm over busyness, reconciliation over division, honest internal examination over avoidance, sexual wholeness over shame, and “being” over “doing.” And Pastor Rich is the best leader to show you how.
Perfect for you if you like:
Thoughtful, practical spiritual formation
Integrating faith with justice & reconciliation
Contemplative rhythms
Counter-cultural approaches to faith
Similar to:
Practicing the Way by John Mark Comer
Emotionally Healthy Descipleship by Peter Scazzero
Sacred Rhythms by Ruth Haley Barton
This is at least the third time I’ve read this book, and I've gained such different tools each time because of my purpose:
1st – Breezed through it for a doctoral class and wrote that paper haha. 2nd – Realized it actually held deep, counter-cultural values. 3rd – Used it the past three months for a preaching series at @youngadultskcc, and let me tell you—formulating concepts into sermons so people can actually grasp how to implement them in their lives really forces you to examine how these values have benefited you or where you still need to add them to your life.
All that being said, I would have never used this book as a teaching series if I wasn’t personally deeply impacted by these values. They’ve challenged me to see where Jesus calls us to be counter-cultural and how abiding in Him is possible only if we pursue what He does. You don’t have to uproot your life and become a monk—Jesus lived in active community and work—but you do have to intentionally choose calm over busyness, reconciliation over division, honest internal examination over avoidance, sexual wholeness over shame, and “being” over “doing.” And Pastor Rich is the best leader to show you how.
Perfect for you if you like:
Thoughtful, practical spiritual formation
Integrating faith with justice & reconciliation
Contemplative rhythms
Counter-cultural approaches to faith
Similar to:
Practicing the Way by John Mark Comer
Emotionally Healthy Descipleship by Peter Scazzero
Sacred Rhythms by Ruth Haley Barton
July 6, 2021
3.5 stars. Some good stuff in here.
He has a script for processing messy emotions that I think will be a game changer for me:
1. What happened?
2. What am I feeling?
3. What is the story I’m telling myself?
4. What does the gospel say?
5. What counter-instinctual action is needed?
He has a script for processing messy emotions that I think will be a game changer for me:
1. What happened?
2. What am I feeling?
3. What is the story I’m telling myself?
4. What does the gospel say?
5. What counter-instinctual action is needed?
June 26, 2023
Most of us opt to be "shallowly shaped rather than deeply formed." Some of Villodas' most powerful writing was in the first few chapters. He drove home the above principle and argued that unless we can stop and practice getting away to pray and reflect like Jesus did we will never be deeply formed. This paired well with his teaching on rest, which despite not being new, felt like an oasis in the desert. I'll be chewing on this book for a while.
February 2, 2024
I really enjoy contemplative books about how to live in the way of Jesus. I especially enjoyed the beginning of the book, which was about monastic meditation, contemplation, and prayer and the end of the book, which was about living missionally and using our work as worship. I will return to this book. 4.5 stars rounded up.
July 2, 2025
I appreciated this book! Reminded me of practicing the way, just a wider scope of topics looked at in depth. There’s a lot of talk about spiritual formation these days, so I didn’t feel like there was anything revolutionary in this book, but nevertheless it was super solid.
July 29, 2025
such a good read
May 23, 2025
my first ever bookstudy!!!
really loved this!!
racial reconciliation and sexual wholeness in my church ayup ayup ayesplease ayesmaam
really loved this!!
racial reconciliation and sexual wholeness in my church ayup ayup ayesplease ayesmaam
November 20, 2021
A good storyteller. Full of ideas to put into practice. I appreciate the thought of him taking a congregation through these ideas. We need more of this in community.
August 4, 2025
As someone who is always seeking to grow in my faith and deepen my relationship with God, I found Rich Villodas' book, The Deeply Formed Life, to be an incredibly helpful and insightful read. What stood out for me the most was the way Villodas structured the book, devoting a chapter on theory followed by a chapter on practice, but also how the deeply formed life is not just an individualistic or personal growth journey, but a way of life that is inspired by Jesus and a Christian spirituality that leads to personal and collective flourishing.
I particularly appreciated Villodas' chapters on Contemplative rhythms and practices, as they helped me understand how our fast-paced culture can shape us and prevent us from truly living out the way of Jesus. His insights from the monastic traditions of the church were very insightful, not as a means to escape the world, but to have rhythms of departure from it in pursuing God, which leads to thriving in the world.
Another chapter that stood out for me was the one on Interior examination. As someone who tends to avoid difficult emotions and situations, Villodas showed me the importance of self-examination and knowing oneself in order to love others authentically, especially family, but also how it leads flourishing as individuals.
In service of showing how a deeply formed life leads to collective flourishing, Villodas' chapter on racial reconciliation was especially fitting in showing that being truly formed as a self leads to embracing the other. In the same way, his chapter on missional formation shows that missional formation starts with "being" and results in "doing," emphasising the importance of being Jesus' hands and feet in the small processes of each day and not necessarily in grandiose acts, thus making the missional life accessible to all.
Overall, The Deeply Formed Life is a must-read for anyone seeking to deepen their faith and live out the way of Jesus in today's world. I highly recommend it.
I particularly appreciated Villodas' chapters on Contemplative rhythms and practices, as they helped me understand how our fast-paced culture can shape us and prevent us from truly living out the way of Jesus. His insights from the monastic traditions of the church were very insightful, not as a means to escape the world, but to have rhythms of departure from it in pursuing God, which leads to thriving in the world.
Another chapter that stood out for me was the one on Interior examination. As someone who tends to avoid difficult emotions and situations, Villodas showed me the importance of self-examination and knowing oneself in order to love others authentically, especially family, but also how it leads flourishing as individuals.
In service of showing how a deeply formed life leads to collective flourishing, Villodas' chapter on racial reconciliation was especially fitting in showing that being truly formed as a self leads to embracing the other. In the same way, his chapter on missional formation shows that missional formation starts with "being" and results in "doing," emphasising the importance of being Jesus' hands and feet in the small processes of each day and not necessarily in grandiose acts, thus making the missional life accessible to all.
Overall, The Deeply Formed Life is a must-read for anyone seeking to deepen their faith and live out the way of Jesus in today's world. I highly recommend it.
August 19, 2021
This book was great. And I'll definitely be rereading it as a devotional.
Here is an excerpt.
"As I think about the future of Christianity in our world, I'm convinced that followers of Jesus have a great opportunity before us. The way of the world continues to swallow people in its pace, hostility, distractions, and shallowness.
Having the right answers to the questions of faith is helpful but will not do much to form people in the way of Jesus. We need more than answers found in arguments. We need answers found in very lives. We need to locate integrative answers to the fundamental questions that reside not only in the head but in the entire person.
When we take seriously the task to follow Jesus and reflect his transforming power in all aspects of life, we will be at a place where the claims of the gospel take root in deeper ways. To this end, may we work in the power of God's Spirit to see Christ formed in our lives, our churches, our world. "
Here is an excerpt.
"As I think about the future of Christianity in our world, I'm convinced that followers of Jesus have a great opportunity before us. The way of the world continues to swallow people in its pace, hostility, distractions, and shallowness.
Having the right answers to the questions of faith is helpful but will not do much to form people in the way of Jesus. We need more than answers found in arguments. We need answers found in very lives. We need to locate integrative answers to the fundamental questions that reside not only in the head but in the entire person.
When we take seriously the task to follow Jesus and reflect his transforming power in all aspects of life, we will be at a place where the claims of the gospel take root in deeper ways. To this end, may we work in the power of God's Spirit to see Christ formed in our lives, our churches, our world. "
September 22, 2020
In his book, Pastor Rich outlines the need for a deeply formed life in Christ, a life that is rooted not just deeply but broadly, sinking roots firmly into the life of Jesus while also intertwining them with community. He explores five values that will pull our roots down into the life of Christ and will allow our lives to blossom into fruit for the life of the world. Though gentle in tone and punctuated with timely humor, it does not compromise its message, nor does it neglect to detail formational practices that can be immediately applied towards that mission. I found it refreshed my heart while it refocused me, and I am excited to continue onward in the journey of spiritual formation in Christ as well as to share it with others in the church that my husband and I pastor here in New York.
August 5, 2021
Rich Villodas invites the reader on a journey of introspection and unlearning. The things that were most gratifying were conversations about difficult subjects like sex and love; anger; emotional intelligence; racial dilemmas in a multiracial America. How does one get a deeply formed life? Pause/be willing to take inventory about your you. It is not a legalistic nor liberal argument but instead a meditation to get the reader to move past surface experiences and expectations and just find a deeper sense of their journey in Christianity sans the browbeating often disguised as "honest" help. It read like the wise friend, mentor or stranger you heard speak and decided you'd like to hear more because of their non pushy welcome. Highly recommended. Villodas is a pastor of a church in Queens, NY.
December 30, 2023
This book was a good exercise in taking what works for me, and tossing out what doesn’t. 😆 I had a hard time getting through the first half, but appreciated the second half. The author seems like a good guy, and the dynamics of his church show that he has a lot of experience handling tough situations within a congregation. However, I feel like he relies heavily on his experience and perspectives, without giving any data or scriptural support for the topics he covers. Honestly not my fave, wouldn’t recommend.
November 13, 2024
School read - that said, there were some good things, like about pace of life and unity in the body of Christ. I think I didn’t appreciate that it felt like there was more “this is what my church does you should do it” than “this is biblical you should do it” which makes me hesitant to love it. My roommate said something funny about this book: “it seems like he got bored during covid and wrote a book about all the big issues of 2020.” Oh well
October 14, 2021
This is the best “Christian living” book I can remember reading. The author references scripture, historical Christians, and his church’s life to lay a foundation for going deeper as we live out the gospel.
I’m going to compile my notes so I can reference them as I try to put these ideas into practice.
I’m going to compile my notes so I can reference them as I try to put these ideas into practice.
April 16, 2025
- my favorite (?) Christian book I’ve read so far??
- has insight into so many aspects of life: lifestyle, reflection, relationships, race, sexuality, the church
- honestly timing wise as a new YA it provides so much insight into making everyday count and really living; I think I would’ve still appreciated it as a student but as a YA it hits diff
- I wanted to take notes on every chapter
- has insight into so many aspects of life: lifestyle, reflection, relationships, race, sexuality, the church
- honestly timing wise as a new YA it provides so much insight into making everyday count and really living; I think I would’ve still appreciated it as a student but as a YA it hits diff
- I wanted to take notes on every chapter
March 18, 2023
When a band breaks through with a cool sound, there is always a string of bands that imitate that sound. If I pick up on the same sounds coming from what feel like secondary sources, I tune them out. I grabbed this book because it deals with topics that matter to me, but I quickly found the content repetitive from others who say the same stuff, only better. While I agree with much of what is said, I didn't find a lot to be challenged by. I also found Villodas' constant self-referencing both irritating and ironically undermining to his own voice. Some sections resonated a little more for me than others. This would be a decent introduction to spiritual formation and disciplines for someone who had never considered the topics before, but sadly, I was looking forward to having it over with.
April 6, 2022
This is a timely book with a clarion call back to discipleship in such confusing times. We can easily be pulled in many directions without stopping to pause and consider what is happening in our bodies, our hearts, and soul. I like the way the book is divided. One chapter highlights a particular rhythm or topic of discipleship and then the following chapter provides "best practices" for each. This allows us to think of ways to apply it in our lives. This was helpful. The book does attempt to cover really big topics like racism and sexuality and perhaps it might be all too much and a bit scattered at times.
January 28, 2025
I kept wanting to call this book “Deeply Transformed Life” because I could never remember the title but it truly did transform and shape my life. It led to so many good conversations surrounding these 5 principles that the author built his church on:
- Contemplative rhythms
- Racial reconciliation
- Interior examination
- Sexual wholeness
- Missional presence
I’m definitely going to keep coming back to these chapters over and over again, because even over several months, this book was a lot to take in. I highly recommend this book!
- Contemplative rhythms
- Racial reconciliation
- Interior examination
- Sexual wholeness
- Missional presence
I’m definitely going to keep coming back to these chapters over and over again, because even over several months, this book was a lot to take in. I highly recommend this book!
January 5, 2022
Thoughtful and practically helpful book on spiritual formation. Towards the end of the book, the author discusses the extremes of focusing only on being or focusing only on doing. We must hold them in dynamic tension and live a life where “doing flows from being.” I think that idea encapsulates this book and it has helped me evaluate this tension in my own life. May we submit to the Spirit as He forms Christ in us that we might live like Him on His mission in this world.
January 20, 2023
In short, Rich Villodas teaches his reader that “We need a life of doing that flows from being.” I appreciate the pairing of spiritual practices with the necessity to doing good (and difficult) works.
July 21, 2023
Very similar to Pete Scazzero’s “Emotionally Healthy Spiritually” with some more recently applicable examples of living a deeply formed life by Christ. I love how honest Villodas is his stumblings and successes in the five areas. Written clearly with very helpful applications. I feel encouraged to dive deeper with Jesus to have his grace deeply form me rather than just on the surface— he should change everything about me.
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