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Enneagram #1

The Gospel for Improvers: A 40-Day Devotional for Honest, Responsible Perfectionists:

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What if you didn’t have to be perfect to be good?

For the Enneagram One—the Improver—life is all about making everything better. While our increasingly chaotic and careless world needs your integrity and hardworking discipline, sometimes your need for perfection causes you to get frustrated, overwhelmed, and overworked.

Certified Enneagram Coach and pastor, Tyler Zach, offers this 40-day devotional to help you hear from God and actualize your full potential by finding clarity on who you are and where you’re going.

Inside, you’ll discover how to enjoy every moment, go with the flow, pursue progress over perfection, practice self-care without feeling selfish, and let go of your frustration with the way life is and instead rest in the Perfect One who is making all things new. Be prepared to encounter a reliable God who perfectly understands you and invites you into His “good life” filled with joy, optimism, and unexpected surprises.

184 pages, Paperback

First published June 1, 2022

22 people are currently reading
56 people want to read

About the author

Tyler Zach

9 books52 followers
Tyler Zach is an author and Enneagram coach with over 18 years of ministry experience. He is the co-founding pastor of One Hope Church in Omaha, Nebraska, where he resides with his lovely wife and two adopted sons. He started an Instagram account (@GospelForEnneagram) which has grown to 46K+ followers. Visit www.tylerzach.com to grab his free resources such as his Enneagram self-tying guide, 5-day devotionals, or ebook called "Should Christians Use The Enneagram?"

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5 stars
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15 (23%)
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3 (4%)
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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
Profile Image for Brian.
19 reviews22 followers
June 20, 2022
Tyler offers clear insights for Type Ones with grace-filled invitations for those who never feel "good enough." Filled with scripture, great quotes from a variety of sources, simple guiding prayers, and room for personal reflection, this devotional has a big impact. It can be returned to and repeated over and over again until the messages of and invitations to grace are truly internalized. If you are or know and love a Type One, this is a book offering potential for true life transformation and gospel freedom.
1 review
June 20, 2022
It is natural for Enneagram 1s to continually work on ourselves, hence we are commonly known as the Improver. I have been waiting for this book for a while.

Tyler manages to write a devotional that helps shine a light on my areas of improvement without being harsh on criticism or overly codling. It is the right balance that make you reflect on current behaviours and motivations, match that to the word of God and His plans for us, and then ends with a prayer, reflection questions and suggested response. His suggested responses are very practical and convicts you.

This is a good resource for any Ones. A lot of self help resources are well *self* help. I always feel frustrated when my motivation loses steam. But good Christian resources like this help remind you that we have Christ in us and with us, and I am not working to be better so that I would be loved. But I am already good because of Christ, and now how do I walk in that.
Profile Image for Melissa.
72 reviews
November 8, 2023
I would definitely recommend this book for Enneagram Ones, or anyone who loves them. The author has clearly put a lot of time and effort into understanding what makes a Type One tick and their paths for growth and freedom as a believer. I found this book to be deeply challenging, but in a very good and personalized way. It was like reading a book someone who knows me very well wrote for me!

My only critique of the book would be that there were some grammatical errors, which may distract and annoy Type Ones. But even those offer the Type One an opportunity to grow haha.
Profile Image for Brian Robinson.
4 reviews
June 19, 2022
Tyler Zach has written the best Enneagram devotion I have read so far. As a one, I was challenged to grow and build on my knowledge about my enneagram type to be more self-aware. This devotion is Gospel centric. Each day’s devotion synthesizes the truth of Scripture, real life examples from other ones and a wealth of research from other Enneagram authors and teachers. I highly recommend this devotion for all enneagram ones and those that are close to ones.
1 review
June 17, 2022
An encouraging voice to counter my harsh inner critic. A resource full of grace-filled messages, this life-giving book includes daily readings incorporating words from the Bible, a prayer and reflections. It has helped me to lay down my load.
Profile Image for Joshua Siders.
4 reviews2 followers
June 20, 2022
Tyler’s book is a peaceful oasis for those (like me!) who are constantly pressing forward to the next hill on the horizon. Especially helpful were the comparisons to Paul and how he found rest in God’s completed work. A high recommend for all Ones and the people who want to understand us!
1 review
April 22, 2024
Run Do Not Walk...

This book has completely liberated and transformed my life and I am so grateful.

Also Tyler Zach is one of the most generous and humble people I have ever encountered.

Be prepared to live in JOY after reading!
4 reviews
July 12, 2024
Never have I ever felt so understood. Such a great book with great insights! Wish I knew my husband’s Enneagram number so I could read up on him. It would do us all good to understand one another a little better!
Profile Image for Kelley Roberts.
3 reviews
January 25, 2024
This is the most impactful devotional I’ve ever read. It’s like a devotional that’s personalized to you. absolutely eye opening and encouraging.
Profile Image for Taylor Ohlmann.
26 reviews
July 22, 2024
Relatable. Convicting. Encouraging. Helpful. Definitely one of those devotionals I will return to again and again.
Profile Image for Shelley Shrader.
65 reviews
June 11, 2022
God’s love first, then improvement!

This devotional book is a must-read for ones!

It brings awareness and clarity to our true identity in Christ while also addressing how our childhood wounds and how the messages we received affect our thoughts, feelings, and actions. The introduction is full of “take-aways” to meditate over (don't skip it).

As a type 1, I’m all too familiar with getting entwined in the performance trap and taking on a false sense of responsibility. Reading, reflecting, and praying over each chapter and honestly answering the questions have led me to discover areas I’ve gained freedom and wholeness and those that still need improvement.

Most importantly, this book views the enneagram through the lens and power of the gospel to transform us which leaves you edified and hopeful. I’d like to challenge you to spend 20 to 30 minutes in a quiet place, free of distractions in contemplative prayer each day when you read, reflect, and pray. Take time to be still, then listen to and look for what the Lord might be saying to you and write! Revelation leads to growth.


I’m still pondering how and when I utilize the defense mechanism of Reaction Formation. I was thrilled to see perfection defined biblically as the process of being made complete in Christ. There seems to be a tendency for people, but especially one’s, to confuse perfection with righteousness.

Some of my favorite quotes are: “Self-care without soul care is self-ish care.”, “Let go of the pressure to always be ‘the adult’ and embrace child-like joy.”, "Jesus redeemed us from being ‘human doings’.”, “You don’t have to fight to be right because you are already good.”

I did not complete every Respond Invitation, but I found them a valuable added bonus.

Do yourself a favor and don’t overthink it; just buy it!
Profile Image for Jaymie.
2,301 reviews21 followers
June 11, 2022
[I received a free electronic review copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.]

4 stars - Great! Might re-read.

Another great devotional for an Enneagram type by Tyler Zach. There's TONS of content here - a Bible verse, devotional thought, "Good News," a prayer, reflection questions, and a response activity. I am waiting for my husband, an Enneagram One, to weigh in on the material too, but I thought it was well done. [I am not an Enneagram One, but I do have a 1 wing.]
Profile Image for Kellie Nicholas.
6 reviews
June 21, 2022
As an Enneagram 1 it is easy to feel overlooked or unseen.
This devotional helped me to feel seen and heard but also pointed me to God who is really the only one who can truly do that.
I’m looking forward to dipping back into it again and savoring the wisdom it provides.
1 review
November 12, 2022
I have really enjoyed reading this book, it has given a lot of personal insight and been encouraging. Overall, would recommend, but there is a sentence here and there that don’t exactly line up with my denomination (SBC). It is definitely a improving text for the Improvers and challenging.
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews

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