The Challenger: Growing as an Enneagram 8

by Elisabeth Bennett, Meredith Boggs (Foreword)

The Enneagram is an ancient personality typology using nine points within a circle to represent nine distinct personality types. This sixty-day devotional is for Enneagram Eight, known as the Challenger.

This book will help Eights, and those who love them, better understand how God created them and how best to use their unique gifts to serve Him and love others. It features an explanation of what the Enneagram is, how it benefits people, and a full description of what it means to be an Eight, including the Challenger’s deadly sin and their greatest strength.

Some attributes of the The sixty days of this devotional are split into six ten-day topics that include uniqueness, weakness, strength, pain points, and how Challengers react in times of stress and growth.

192 pages, Hardcover

Published October 26, 2021

Reviews

[Ginny · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really fantastic book. Even as a non-believer I still learned so much and the daily lessons were very insightful

[Allen Scott · Rating 5 out of 5]

So good and useful that I may keep it on a permanent daily cycle. Author(s)[there are excerpts from other writers], do an excellent job of giving a personal touch without overdoing bias in presentation of the devotionals. Devotionals also present a path for inward reflection without underemphasizing a relationship with God. My wife is a 9 and hers also seems to be quite good. Recommend the whole series.

[Sarah Cowan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this book! Elisabeth shows how 8s reflect God's strength and protection - an aspect of 8s I haven't seen often in enneagram literature and social media. Each day's devotions are short but full of truth. I was challenged and encouraged to continue to grow in godliness through the Scripture and devotions of this book.

[Kelly Jashinske · Rating 5 out of 5]

Man. I've never felt so SEEN as an 8. Being an 8 *Christian* woman isn't easy and the devotional not only validated everything I've ever felt, but also pointed me to Jesus every step of the way. Which is what is most important. It's important that we know ourselves, but the point ISN'T ourselves. It's all about HIM. What a valuable tool this devotional is - I'll be reading it again!

[Holly · Rating 1 out of 5]

When I first got this book, I was really excited to begin understanding a bit more about my Enneagram type, my wings, and understanding what makes me tick.

And while I am not a religious individual, and I don’t mind some of the things that were said, after 59 pages, I had to bow out and realize this book isn’t for me.

In the amount I read, it felt like it was more about the author pinpointing their favorite Bible verses versus teaching relevant information around the Enneagram type itself. Even within the first 59 pages, there was a lot of repetitive information.

Overall it was a bit monotonous. While I think the author has good intentions, personally this wasn’t what I was looking for as far as information goes. Hopefully I will be able to find a different book to suit my needs.

[Damara · Rating 5 out of 5]

Elisabeth Bennett’s 60 Day Devotional is one that is dynamically written. Each day is carefully curated to validate the reader’s experience that developed each enneagram type. She beautifully weaves together the past and present with gentle recommendations to moving forward and grow.

This book provides personal reflection that empowers the reader to design a blueprint that aligns their best attributes with their best future self.

I love this book’s insight to my Enneagram type. It was affirming in so many ways. (Damara)

[As You Wish · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was full of perfectly bite-sized ideas to think about, especially for Enneagram 8s. I appreciated that it didn't seek to pigeon-hole me as only a type, but to recognize that we are all composed of a beautiful mosaic of personality traits, desires, cultures, and the spiritual reality that we live in. I would highly recommend, and I'm also interested to read her devotionals for the other Enneagram types.

[Ciska Van · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an amazing devotional that deep dives into the Enneagram 8, exploring various different aspects of this Enneagram type. This book has been so insightful, helping me to gain a deeper understanding of my husband, who is a type 8. Whether you are new to the enneagram or have been exploring and learning about it for some time, this devotional adds value and truly touches the heart.

[Paige Harley · Rating 5 out of 5]

We got these books for everyone in our family and are swapping after we read our own enneagram number… it’s been so helpful.

I don’t think I have ever felt so seen!

Being an a 8 is not easy and the things I thought for most of life have been shown to me through a different lens. So grateful for these truths and the healing that has occurred.

[Jordan Pollock · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this devotional. The enneagram gives a specific touch and flavor to the reader. The early parts of the book were most helpful helping me understand certain tendencies that I brought to relationships. It gave me a new love and interest for the enneagram.

[Taylor Chitwood · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 stars hesitantly rounded up.

There IS some good stuff in here. I tabbed 6 or 7 devotionals to come back to that I really loved. But it felt like wayyyyy too many non-8s wrote way too many of these devotionals, and I wish they’d had it be an “only 8-written” book. The 10 days of vulnerability specifically being written by nearly all 2s was strange to me, even though that’s our growth Type, because 2s will never understand the depth of why we don’t want to be vulnerable. I’d much rather have had a healthy 8 write all of these because they CAN understand our motivations. For the devos that were written by 8s, I did love them and glean much from them! This was my 2nd read and I won’t read this again past the ones I’ve tabbed.