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Resilient: Restoring Your Weary Soul in These Turbulent Times
Reclaim your joy and thrive through the storms of life when you find your strength in God.
The human soul has a built-in yearning for joy and beauty and all good things. But that craving for life has taken a real beating in the last few years. Join New York Times bestselling author John Eldredge as he gives you the tools you need to follow Jesus' path of supernatural resilience so you can reclaim your joy, strengthen your heart, and thrive through the storm.
Between false promises of ease and comfort on one side and the sheer trauma of global disease and disasters on the other, people today are facing a shortage of peace, happiness, and strength. In Resilient, Eldredge reveals a path toward genuine recovery and resilience through Jesus himself.
Drawing on wisdom from Scripture and Christian tradition, and illustrated throughout with powerful, true stories of grit and survival, Resilient will help you:
• Recover from the trauma of the COVID-19 pandemic
• Tap into the river of life that God promises his people
• Learn to be patient with yourself--genuine recovery from spiritual and emotional trauma takes time and intentionality
• Create a plan to foster resilience in your day-to-day life
• Discover deep wells of freedom and strength through Christ who lives within us
Thriving requires a resilient soul. This book will help you find the resilience you long for when the world has gone mad--and discover in Jesus himself the strength that prevails.
The human soul has a built-in yearning for joy and beauty and all good things. But that craving for life has taken a real beating in the last few years. Join New York Times bestselling author John Eldredge as he gives you the tools you need to follow Jesus' path of supernatural resilience so you can reclaim your joy, strengthen your heart, and thrive through the storm.
Between false promises of ease and comfort on one side and the sheer trauma of global disease and disasters on the other, people today are facing a shortage of peace, happiness, and strength. In Resilient, Eldredge reveals a path toward genuine recovery and resilience through Jesus himself.
Drawing on wisdom from Scripture and Christian tradition, and illustrated throughout with powerful, true stories of grit and survival, Resilient will help you:
• Recover from the trauma of the COVID-19 pandemic
• Tap into the river of life that God promises his people
• Learn to be patient with yourself--genuine recovery from spiritual and emotional trauma takes time and intentionality
• Create a plan to foster resilience in your day-to-day life
• Discover deep wells of freedom and strength through Christ who lives within us
Thriving requires a resilient soul. This book will help you find the resilience you long for when the world has gone mad--and discover in Jesus himself the strength that prevails.
289 pages, Library Binding
First published June 7, 2022
1062 people are currently reading
6125 people want to read
About the author
John Eldredge
229 books1,954 followersJohn Eldredge is an American author, counselor, and lecturer on Christianity. He is known for his best-selling book Wild at Heart.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 358 reviews
November 26, 2022
If ever there was a book that was a warm blanket for my soul, this would be it. The central theme of this book was that we all are longing for things to be made right again. Specifically, we all long for Eden. This book comes on the heels of the COVID-19 pandemic and addresses the hurts and pains that living in lockdown caused many of us. But more than that, Eldredge speaks of our need for a deeper, more profound relationship with God, that allows us to persevere.
I thoroughly loved this book and I can see myself rereading it in the future. Eldridge not only writes each chapter with care and beauty, but then gives practical applications and prayers for his readers. The prayers made this book feel less academic and more relational, which I loved.
Perhaps the only thing that may cause some readers to feel uncomfortable from this book is that Eldridge really believes that we are in the end times and that all of Jesus’ warnings are applicable to us today. Regardless of whether people agree or disagree with his end times analysis, his argument that we should remember Jesus’ words should still ring true. I highly recommend this book to anyone who is worn out or needing encouragement to be resilient.
I thoroughly loved this book and I can see myself rereading it in the future. Eldridge not only writes each chapter with care and beauty, but then gives practical applications and prayers for his readers. The prayers made this book feel less academic and more relational, which I loved.
Perhaps the only thing that may cause some readers to feel uncomfortable from this book is that Eldridge really believes that we are in the end times and that all of Jesus’ warnings are applicable to us today. Regardless of whether people agree or disagree with his end times analysis, his argument that we should remember Jesus’ words should still ring true. I highly recommend this book to anyone who is worn out or needing encouragement to be resilient.
June 10, 2022
It took me a lot longer to read this book than I had anticipated. I have read books by Mr. Eldredge before and have greatly enjoyed and been moved by them. I usually learn a lot from his books and am encouraged in making changes in my own life.
That said, I was expecting something very different from this book. Resilience is something which I think our society and people in it greatly need a renewal in. I had hoped for a book which would incite and encourage such a renewal. However, the book took on a more depressing tilt with more dialogue (seemingly) about COVID breaking us and the end of the world being near.
So what if it is and what if we are broken? We have a God who will restore us. A God whose grace will be sufficient for everything that we face. We need only rely on him, for he makes all things, even the seemingly impossible, possible. I had hoped the focus would be on a response like that! While there were comments and prayers to that effect, they were not the primary focus.
I found the title and description a little deceiving in that sense. The book didn’t seem to be so much about resilience as of our brokenness and struggling. I did gain new insights and was led deeper into considerations about these matters. So, I did not necessarily dislike the book entirely! However, it was very much not what I expected from the title and description and, because of that, made it hard to read and approach in the proper way.
This is a hard topic to cover, especially when we are still so near to what happened. Maybe what I am seeing in the book is the processing of the events still when I was hoping for more conviction and conclusion.
I still highly suggest Mr. Eldgrege’s books! Including this one if you’re prepared to go into this topic.
*This book was given to me for free in exchange for an honest review. All views expressed are completely my own.*
That said, I was expecting something very different from this book. Resilience is something which I think our society and people in it greatly need a renewal in. I had hoped for a book which would incite and encourage such a renewal. However, the book took on a more depressing tilt with more dialogue (seemingly) about COVID breaking us and the end of the world being near.
So what if it is and what if we are broken? We have a God who will restore us. A God whose grace will be sufficient for everything that we face. We need only rely on him, for he makes all things, even the seemingly impossible, possible. I had hoped the focus would be on a response like that! While there were comments and prayers to that effect, they were not the primary focus.
I found the title and description a little deceiving in that sense. The book didn’t seem to be so much about resilience as of our brokenness and struggling. I did gain new insights and was led deeper into considerations about these matters. So, I did not necessarily dislike the book entirely! However, it was very much not what I expected from the title and description and, because of that, made it hard to read and approach in the proper way.
This is a hard topic to cover, especially when we are still so near to what happened. Maybe what I am seeing in the book is the processing of the events still when I was hoping for more conviction and conclusion.
I still highly suggest Mr. Eldgrege’s books! Including this one if you’re prepared to go into this topic.
*This book was given to me for free in exchange for an honest review. All views expressed are completely my own.*
April 14, 2022
4.5 stars for this post-pandemic look at weariness and filling your reserves in Christ. I've been a huge fan of John Eldredge for years and while this book is not my favorite of his, it was a well-needed read for this time in history. Looking at the effects of the pandemic as a trauma, it's easy to see what coping mechanisms we've used to get through it and how we've looked for things to "get better again". Eldredge uses the pages of this book to help guide the reader to draw closer to Christ and get our fill from Him rather than turning away as many have. This is a great guide on resilience, particularly in the wake of the pandemic, but also in the wake of any trauma. I would definitely recommend this read to any who are desperate in their desire to return to "normal", to those who are weary to their very souls, and to those believers who are questioning God during these times.
Special thanks to Nelson Books and NetGalley for an advance e-copy of this book. I was under no obligation to provide a review and the thoughts contained herein are my own.
Special thanks to Nelson Books and NetGalley for an advance e-copy of this book. I was under no obligation to provide a review and the thoughts contained herein are my own.
January 17, 2023
This book was encouraging and challenging for me. While it is specifically geared to a post COVID audience, the concepts of resilience are always necessary. Each chapter is written in an easy to digest way, they almost read as sermons. There is a short adventure story used as an illustration to begin each chapter as well as sections of applicable skills and written out prayers. I benefitted from reading a chapter at a time and allotting time for prayer and reflection while reading. I didn't love the 'advertising' for his other book and repeated mention of downloading his app, BUT I also understand why it is there.
July 21, 2022
I really enjoy reading books by John Eldredge, & this one was also great. This book was very applicable to speaking to our current “turbulent” times post pandemic and our lack of wholehearted devotion to the Lord. He spoke a lot about the current state of our culture desiring the comfort and love of God, just without the kingdom. We are grasping for life to be “good again”, and I fall victim to this temptation to pursue security more than the King. I also liked how he talked about mental and emotional resilience and applicable ways to build them.
September 4, 2023
7/5*
So wonderfully written and perfect timing as we come out of a pandemic - but also just living in this world with so much coming at all of our senses (all the times!). This breaks down your day and getting your soul healthy with tangible exercises. I highly recommend the audio book as the exercises are wonderful to listen to.
If the book is too much at this moment, I also recommend his Pause app and going through is 30 days of Resilience.
So wonderfully written and perfect timing as we come out of a pandemic - but also just living in this world with so much coming at all of our senses (all the times!). This breaks down your day and getting your soul healthy with tangible exercises. I highly recommend the audio book as the exercises are wonderful to listen to.
If the book is too much at this moment, I also recommend his Pause app and going through is 30 days of Resilience.
June 10, 2022
Goodreads shoved it into my feed as an unsolicited advertisement, which automatically merits the lowest possible rating.
May 6, 2022
Christian author and counselor John Eldredge‘s “Resilient” is the perfect read after all we’ve been facing. He used the recent pandemic and prophecies about the end of the age to share with readers a way to access the source of our resiliency and strength found in Jesus Christ.
Eldredge said “comfort culture” has made us softies with our easy and fast access to so many of our wants and needs. We’ve become less resilient than previous generations. For example, my grandparents lived through the Great Depression, the Dust Bowl, and World War II. They became more creative and resourceful when facing supply shortages. They learned how to tighten their belts and band together in their communities. They didn’t have this vast access to up-to-the-minute news and demands for their time from electronic devices.
Eldredge said we likewise have been through trauma with the global pandemic. Even before the pandemic though, he said we were headed toward burnout. We already had the perfect storm brewing with the constant connection to social media and steady stream of news updates on the death count, mask wars, the need for a vaccine and then societal and political unrest. No one could make plans. The end seemed nowhere in sight. Now, we just want things to go back to normal, he said. We want life to be good again.
But he said the last years of grief, loss, fear, strife, heartache and soul-crushing desolation took a toll on the human spirit. Eldredge then said something Karl Mordo said to Dr. Strange in the Marvel movie: “The bill comes due.” People who stayed the course during the pandemic had to rally many times. They didn’t have time to recovery and replenish their emotional and mental stores. Even when it looked like things were back to normal, people found that sense of desolation and disquiet in their spirits. Many became like camels who will walk many miles through the desert showing no signs of distress …and then drop dead (an example from the opening chapter).
Eldredge thankfully didn’t wait to help readers learn how to regain a spirit of resilience. He discussed skills in every chapter to help draw from the river of life found in Jesus Christ, the sustainer and ruler of life and the universe. Nothing escapes God’s notice. Nothing is out of His control. Eldredge wanted readers to cling to this fact and ask for God’s strength to endure and draw upon His endless supply of resilience. He encouraged readers to become “singlehearted” and make God the center of their daily lives. We need to take our attention off the world and refocus attention to our part in His love story.
Eldredge shared stories of people who survived (and didn’t survive) traumatic events in a way that drew me in and had me scouring the Internet for more information. For example, in chapter 5, Eldredge talked about the importance of the mother in childhood development. “Mother wounds” develop from poor attachment. We have a primal need for an “assurance of abundance” at our birth and moms because the source of that love and reassurance that she will supply our needs, just like God supplies His children.
One footnote in that chapter led me to look up Dr. Robert Karen’s “Becoming Attached.” I checked out the book online for an hour through this free library called “Internet Archive.” Dr. Karen talked about a silent film with “grainy, flickering images” of “Jane, a little Black baby” whose mother left for a three-month period. It comes from this 1947 study called “Grief: A Peril in Infancy.” I actually found the video on YouTube he talked about, an original silent film with headings from child psychologist Katherine Wolf and psychoanalyst René Spitz. They provided the film evidence as part of their research that focused on the effect of long-term absence from their mother during the first year of life.
Eldredge used this idea of new birth and the bond of child with mother to then connect to something philosopher Dallas Willard shared with him. Willard said salvation in Jesus Christ created a new attachment between us and God. When we are saved, we are essential “born again” and are a new creation. Salvation is “the soul’s loving bond to our loving God.”
Eldredge provided prayers at the end of each chapter. The prayers were everything – well-written, beautifully expressed, and true to the skills Eldredge taught in each chapter. All of the prayers were at the very end as well as the footnotes. Thank you to Netgalley.com and Thomas Nelson for the draft e-copy of Eldredge’s Resilient: Restoring your soul in these turbulent times.”
Eldredge said “comfort culture” has made us softies with our easy and fast access to so many of our wants and needs. We’ve become less resilient than previous generations. For example, my grandparents lived through the Great Depression, the Dust Bowl, and World War II. They became more creative and resourceful when facing supply shortages. They learned how to tighten their belts and band together in their communities. They didn’t have this vast access to up-to-the-minute news and demands for their time from electronic devices.
Eldredge said we likewise have been through trauma with the global pandemic. Even before the pandemic though, he said we were headed toward burnout. We already had the perfect storm brewing with the constant connection to social media and steady stream of news updates on the death count, mask wars, the need for a vaccine and then societal and political unrest. No one could make plans. The end seemed nowhere in sight. Now, we just want things to go back to normal, he said. We want life to be good again.
But he said the last years of grief, loss, fear, strife, heartache and soul-crushing desolation took a toll on the human spirit. Eldredge then said something Karl Mordo said to Dr. Strange in the Marvel movie: “The bill comes due.” People who stayed the course during the pandemic had to rally many times. They didn’t have time to recovery and replenish their emotional and mental stores. Even when it looked like things were back to normal, people found that sense of desolation and disquiet in their spirits. Many became like camels who will walk many miles through the desert showing no signs of distress …and then drop dead (an example from the opening chapter).
Eldredge thankfully didn’t wait to help readers learn how to regain a spirit of resilience. He discussed skills in every chapter to help draw from the river of life found in Jesus Christ, the sustainer and ruler of life and the universe. Nothing escapes God’s notice. Nothing is out of His control. Eldredge wanted readers to cling to this fact and ask for God’s strength to endure and draw upon His endless supply of resilience. He encouraged readers to become “singlehearted” and make God the center of their daily lives. We need to take our attention off the world and refocus attention to our part in His love story.
Eldredge shared stories of people who survived (and didn’t survive) traumatic events in a way that drew me in and had me scouring the Internet for more information. For example, in chapter 5, Eldredge talked about the importance of the mother in childhood development. “Mother wounds” develop from poor attachment. We have a primal need for an “assurance of abundance” at our birth and moms because the source of that love and reassurance that she will supply our needs, just like God supplies His children.
One footnote in that chapter led me to look up Dr. Robert Karen’s “Becoming Attached.” I checked out the book online for an hour through this free library called “Internet Archive.” Dr. Karen talked about a silent film with “grainy, flickering images” of “Jane, a little Black baby” whose mother left for a three-month period. It comes from this 1947 study called “Grief: A Peril in Infancy.” I actually found the video on YouTube he talked about, an original silent film with headings from child psychologist Katherine Wolf and psychoanalyst René Spitz. They provided the film evidence as part of their research that focused on the effect of long-term absence from their mother during the first year of life.
Eldredge used this idea of new birth and the bond of child with mother to then connect to something philosopher Dallas Willard shared with him. Willard said salvation in Jesus Christ created a new attachment between us and God. When we are saved, we are essential “born again” and are a new creation. Salvation is “the soul’s loving bond to our loving God.”
Eldredge provided prayers at the end of each chapter. The prayers were everything – well-written, beautifully expressed, and true to the skills Eldredge taught in each chapter. All of the prayers were at the very end as well as the footnotes. Thank you to Netgalley.com and Thomas Nelson for the draft e-copy of Eldredge’s Resilient: Restoring your soul in these turbulent times.”
August 22, 2023
What a beautiful book for anyone who needs a little spiritual boost. This book spoke to my heart and watered my soul. My husband and I listened to this book together and we loved it! I highly recommend this book!!
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September 1, 2022Eldredge writes from the viewpoint that the pandemic could be setting us up for the end times. At the least, it has created trauma and uncertainty for many millions of people. So he goes to the Scriptures where Jesus teaches about the last days. From those Scriptures and from survival stories, Eldredge weaves his prescriptions for building resilience for tough times. I found wisdom in his approach and handling of the Scriptures. I’m not ready to declare this the end of the age, but resilience is always needed.
Eldredge provides intimate prayers and other spiritual exercises to help draw on Christ’s strength that prevails. The survival stories and other illustrations are on target. This book was better than I had expected. I definitely recommend it for believers who need some encouragement in tough times.
Note: the audio book includes sometimes where Eldredge (who reads his own work) will go through a prayer a second time to allow the listener to fully engage. It is a different experience than the physical book, I expect.
Eldredge provides intimate prayers and other spiritual exercises to help draw on Christ’s strength that prevails. The survival stories and other illustrations are on target. This book was better than I had expected. I definitely recommend it for believers who need some encouragement in tough times.
Note: the audio book includes sometimes where Eldredge (who reads his own work) will go through a prayer a second time to allow the listener to fully engage. It is a different experience than the physical book, I expect.
March 20, 2023
There was a time when I ate up Eldredge's writing, and indeed his style is still quite inspirational.
I think there are some very good things about this book, but there are also some things that are not so helpful, and plenty more that's really just fluff, mixes of pat evangelical rhetoric with metaphor and religious jargon. That's the real takeaway here, and probably the reason I burned out on this genre of Christian self-help long ago: it tries to say everything, but ends up saying even less than the secular psychology self-help stuff. If you came for theology, there's almost none. If you came for practicality, there's very little (the most "practical" attempt the book makes is writing prayers that you can pray, which can be good for those who have trouble forming such discourse...but even then, they aren't nearly as beautiful or deep as more traditional liturgical ones might be). If you came for psychology or therapy, there's a little bit here, but it seems watered down by the religious package it comes in. There's even a dearth of stories, which usually make these kinds of books both more tolerable and more immediately applicable.
A few good parts: he does a good job empathizing with the reader over how the pandemic (specifically) has affected our lives, attitudes, and outlook (generally), and most of what he has to say about that is helpful to identify. In fact, this is probably why I was able to finish the whole book: it felt good to keep reading. Certainly, even if we don't take a friend's advice in our tough times, it's a necessary part of our resilience to have an empathetic connection to one another.
He also brings in a few useful concepts from psychology, including one that will stick with me a bit: that of attachment. I'd never really seen attachment theory (he goes into depth on how mothers affect their children, for better or worse, from the very beginning) applied to faith matters, nor to stressors like the pandemic, but I thought he at least began a useful connection here. Certainly if faith is to be helpful and healthy for us in recovering from the trauma of the pandemic and the (less healthy) coping mechanisms we've triggered, relational therapy and concepts like attachment can be very actionable. Using maternal attachment analogously to our religious devotion offers a somewhat more mystical and emotionally complete way forward. Of course, he may have negated this later when he reverts to the basic evangelical line of "your feelings matter less than correct beliefs," which is only partly true, and often unhealthy.
I think his overall goal was noble: identify what we've been through in the pandemic, diagnose what it's done to our psyches and our relationships, and offer ways to heal. It delivers on 1, partially delivers on 2, and mostly fails 3.
If you're interested in the topic of resilience (or what some may call the "anti-fragility" of the human mind), I recommend the book "The Coddling of the American Mind," by Jonathan Haidt and Greg Lukianoff. While it was written before the pandemic (and I'd love to see an update of how that factors in), this book explores the concept of psychological resilience, and our postmodern cultural aversion to it, without needing to exist in a specific religious or political idiom. I've also heard that books like "Grit" and other educational psychology voices have been saying these things for years. Likely there will be more of these as we explore the affects of the pandemic in real recovery time.
Eldredge speaks to a narrow audience here, and will likely only connect to those who already agree with both his preassumptions and his methods for solutions. But if all he can really offer is "pray more," it's not going to go very far with readers outside that narrow Bible belt.
I think there are some very good things about this book, but there are also some things that are not so helpful, and plenty more that's really just fluff, mixes of pat evangelical rhetoric with metaphor and religious jargon. That's the real takeaway here, and probably the reason I burned out on this genre of Christian self-help long ago: it tries to say everything, but ends up saying even less than the secular psychology self-help stuff. If you came for theology, there's almost none. If you came for practicality, there's very little (the most "practical" attempt the book makes is writing prayers that you can pray, which can be good for those who have trouble forming such discourse...but even then, they aren't nearly as beautiful or deep as more traditional liturgical ones might be). If you came for psychology or therapy, there's a little bit here, but it seems watered down by the religious package it comes in. There's even a dearth of stories, which usually make these kinds of books both more tolerable and more immediately applicable.
A few good parts: he does a good job empathizing with the reader over how the pandemic (specifically) has affected our lives, attitudes, and outlook (generally), and most of what he has to say about that is helpful to identify. In fact, this is probably why I was able to finish the whole book: it felt good to keep reading. Certainly, even if we don't take a friend's advice in our tough times, it's a necessary part of our resilience to have an empathetic connection to one another.
He also brings in a few useful concepts from psychology, including one that will stick with me a bit: that of attachment. I'd never really seen attachment theory (he goes into depth on how mothers affect their children, for better or worse, from the very beginning) applied to faith matters, nor to stressors like the pandemic, but I thought he at least began a useful connection here. Certainly if faith is to be helpful and healthy for us in recovering from the trauma of the pandemic and the (less healthy) coping mechanisms we've triggered, relational therapy and concepts like attachment can be very actionable. Using maternal attachment analogously to our religious devotion offers a somewhat more mystical and emotionally complete way forward. Of course, he may have negated this later when he reverts to the basic evangelical line of "your feelings matter less than correct beliefs," which is only partly true, and often unhealthy.
I think his overall goal was noble: identify what we've been through in the pandemic, diagnose what it's done to our psyches and our relationships, and offer ways to heal. It delivers on 1, partially delivers on 2, and mostly fails 3.
If you're interested in the topic of resilience (or what some may call the "anti-fragility" of the human mind), I recommend the book "The Coddling of the American Mind," by Jonathan Haidt and Greg Lukianoff. While it was written before the pandemic (and I'd love to see an update of how that factors in), this book explores the concept of psychological resilience, and our postmodern cultural aversion to it, without needing to exist in a specific religious or political idiom. I've also heard that books like "Grit" and other educational psychology voices have been saying these things for years. Likely there will be more of these as we explore the affects of the pandemic in real recovery time.
Eldredge speaks to a narrow audience here, and will likely only connect to those who already agree with both his preassumptions and his methods for solutions. But if all he can really offer is "pray more," it's not going to go very far with readers outside that narrow Bible belt.
November 28, 2022
I bought Resilient: Restoring Your Weary Soul in These Turbulent Times by John Eldredge after reading his book, Get Your Life Back: Everyday Practices for a World Gone Mad.
"One of the most remarkable things about human beings is how resilient we can be. Yet one of the most surprising things about human beings is how all that resilience can evaporate in a moment."
I enjoyed Resilient, but if I was going to read only one of these two books, I would pick Get Your Life Back. I am struggling with how to review Resilient, as it wasn't quite what I was expecting. It speaks quite a bit about the turbulent times we are living in and some skills as to how we can survive. Eldredge also ends each chapter with a prayer.
I recommend Resilient to anyone who is weary with the way things are and needs some soul restoration.
"One of the most remarkable things about human beings is how resilient we can be. Yet one of the most surprising things about human beings is how all that resilience can evaporate in a moment."
I enjoyed Resilient, but if I was going to read only one of these two books, I would pick Get Your Life Back. I am struggling with how to review Resilient, as it wasn't quite what I was expecting. It speaks quite a bit about the turbulent times we are living in and some skills as to how we can survive. Eldredge also ends each chapter with a prayer.
I recommend Resilient to anyone who is weary with the way things are and needs some soul restoration.
August 9, 2022
This is a great book. It’s truly been written for such a time as this. Eldredge takes the time to address the issues that coming out of Covid has brought to the surface and the type of trauma that we have collectively experienced. This trauma needs to be taken seriously and he prescribes some ways to bring this trauma to Jesus and allow Him to heal us as we engage our hearts in prayer and “orienting” habits.
October 11, 2022
A deep, deep dive into the soul and into loving and connecting to Jesus. A gentle unfolding of some raw core desires and longings that come from weariness and trauma. An affirming of the promise of the Lord and of the truth of him inside of us. A very needed guide into how to tap into Jesus as our center of life.
November 18, 2022
Some helpful insights worth considering mixed with some squishy theology and bad exegesis (along with some weird hyper eschatology).
January 18, 2023
This was a really good read. I plan to read it again this calendar year. It puts into perspective what really matters. Does my heart live the shallows, midlands, or deep-matters? How do I recenter my life so that can build in resilience?
July 22, 2024
What does your soul need to grow in resilience? John Eldredge explores this question, and the surprising and unsurprising answers. Reading this felt like a cool mountain breeze on a weary summer day.
November 13, 2022
4.4/5
slower to start but this book hits such an interesting point of talking to the believer post covid. He also gave some practice prayers throughout which were beautiful. I have noticed myself reference this book multiple times so I think this book stayed with me more than I originally thought it would! Overall I greatly enjoyed it! Would recommend.
slower to start but this book hits such an interesting point of talking to the believer post covid. He also gave some practice prayers throughout which were beautiful. I have noticed myself reference this book multiple times so I think this book stayed with me more than I originally thought it would! Overall I greatly enjoyed it! Would recommend.
July 30, 2022
I'll start this review with my other readings on resilience, and then put this book review at the end, after the dashes, in case you just want to scroll down to that part. But if you'd like other references and ideas, read on.
Several years ago, I had begun reading about resiliency when, with my dad's illness, I became part of the sandwich generation, trying to balance the needs of my parents and children. My quest started with reading Shelly Radic's "Momology: A Mom's Guide to Shaping Great Kids." The first chapter, four sections, were about resiliency and being resilient ourselves as moms. The book had been the theme book for MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers) and our mentor moms discussed the topic of resiliency in the meeting, too. I discovered that I already, routinely, did not just some, but EVERY stress-reducing, resiliency enabling thing on their list, both in the book and from our mentors. I still felt overwhelmed, and my take-away note was just that, yes, we should try to strengthen our resiliency, but life can just be hard sometimes.
TIME's booklet, "The Science of Happiness," did have a few things to add to my reservoir about resiliency: "Like the animal whose pulse returns quickly to normal once it has outrun a predator, resilient brains seem to shut off the stress response and return to baseline quickly." I think, in my original readings of resiliency, I had focused more on 1) getting through the crises at all, rather than quickly and 2)taking some of the sting out of the process. The idea of trying to return quickly to a state of calm is an interesting one to me.
I had already discovered, about myself, that I can do pretty well through a crisis, or even a series of crises, depending on their severity, of course, but I seemed to have almost routine trouble after the crisis had ended. That's when I'd have more trouble either in overreacting to others or in my own thoughts. I called it, in my own mind, the "denouement." In literature, the part of the story after the crisis ended, when it should just be a wrap-up of any loose ends, is the "denouement." And the "denouement," in real life, is where I'd have my trouble. Coming off of the adrenaline rush to a more calm state didn't go smoothly for me. Or, as the TIME booklet phrased it, the "shut off the stress response and return to a baseline quickly."
For me, what has helped the most in that scenario, has been meditating on the verse "Be at rest once more, O my soul, for the Lord has been good to you." - Psalm 116:7. It was, in effect, reminding myself to calm down, "be at rest," reminding myself that the crisis was over "has been," and reminding myself to be grateful for all the little ways that I'd seen goodness through the ordeal, "for the Lord has been good to you." That, more than anything, has helped me through my denouements.
I am sure that resiliency must be all throughout the Bible, but I was excited to see a book that compiled thoughts and verses on the topic, all derived from 2 Timothy. John Benton's "Resilient" was beautifully and thoughtfully done. (John Benton's book "Resilient" is different from this work by John Eldredge by the same name.) In Benton's book, I liked the realistic assessment of what Timothy faced that compelled Paul to write the letter.
I liked that John Benton frankly addressed suffering, refusing to wear rose-colored glasses. He also wasn't afraid to convey 2 Timothy's warnings. "In our culture, where everything has to be positive, we may not be used to Paul's blunt and stern warning. But sometimes we need to be shown the shocking bottom line if we are going to have a resilient mindset in the Christian life."
I found Benton's discussion of Elijah interesting. I had always thought that Elijah's discouragement (he wanted to die!) after his great victory at Mount Carmel came from exhaustion and the extreme stress he'd been under. John Benton thought that it was because, when fire fell from heaven, proving to Israel beyond doubt that the Lord was God, and Baal was not, Elijah expected Israel to return to God. The turning point and source of discouragement came for Elijah in that even with unheard of, visible, dramatic proof, King Ahab and Queen Jezebel still chose not to follow God.
At the end of 2 Timothy, John Benton noted how Paul took care of himself physically, mentally, socially, and spiritually. That made me think of my mom. After she'd lost my dad, her husband for 45 years, I found her taking care of herself physically (going for walks for exercise), mentally (reading, working crosswords, jigsaw puzzles, and other puzzles), socially (becoming more involved with her friends at church), and spiritually (now she found that one devotional wasn't enough. She did three every day.) I found myself amazed and impressed with her, and with the model that she set for us during her own darkest days.
I heard a good sermon on this topic of resiliency and staying the course, but the sermon was unrelated to this book. If you watch it, unless you'd enjoy hearing a financial update of the church, I'd skip ahead to 8:45 in the sermon.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l1SLO... Choose the sermon on 08.04.19, and fast forward to 8:45.
The Book "Emotional Intelligence" has a chapter called "How Resilience Works." In it, the author, Diane Coutu, said that she came across several studies (not listed) in which the same three characteristics were associated with resilience: facing down reality, searching for meaning, and being able to continually improvise.
Apparently, those that were resilient faced their circumstances realistically, not merely optimistically. In general, people tended toward denial as a coping mechanism, but over time, the optimistic tended to become disillusioned.
Here's a song about resilience: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eHp58...
- - - Review of John Eldredge's "Resilient"
I find it odd that I've not read a John Eldredge book before. His books were frequently mentioned at our former church, although in perusing his other titles, I think the ones our church recommended had to do with men's ministry. I have no idea if they were any good.
This book was published in 2022, after much of the pandemic, and John Eldredge's words and experiences reflected that. This was written as book to help us heal from those experiences.
I find it interesting that John Eldredge's book "Resilient" could be so different from John Benton's book "Resilient" and yet there are similarities. I would consider rereading either one for their different viewpoints. Whereas John Benton focused on Paul's epistles to Timothy in the past, John Eldredge focused on the coming "end of the age" and the trials we might have to walk through. In that regard, it was perhaps more like David Jeremiah's "I Never Thought I'd See the Day," another book I'd recommend. David Jeremiah's book, however, doesn't focus on resiliency but on understanding how we got to today's world events. I liked the way that John Eldredge made his focus of such times resiliency rather than hysteria or wild speculation.
I liked Eldredge's understanding about the real trouble coming in the denouement, although he didn't call it that. But he had the most thorough understanding of that phenomenon that I've seen so far.
I thought his understanding about our daily comforts softening us and weakening our resiliency was astute. Our society is not used to deprivations or how to handle them.
I also thought it was astute that he linked the Great Falling Away (or the mass apostasy of the end times) to a desolation that causes people to give up on God, as well as his comments on Jesus' prophecy "The love of many will grow cold."
Eldredge's warnings about seeking an earthly paradise apart from God are appropriate for today's world.
I liked the verses he pulled in about strength with an eye towards resiliency. I had not really thought of those verses of strength along those lines before. I've heard such a concept referred to as "emotional stamina" before, generally in the context of someone feeling like they don't have it, such as in the statement, "I just don't have the emotional stamina right now."
I liked Eldredge's idea of benevolent detachment. "The soul was never meant to inhabit a world like this. It's way too much. Your soul is finite. You cannot carry the sorrows of the world. Only God can do that. Only He is infinite. Somewhere, sometime in your day, you've just got to release it. You've got to let it go."
This made me think (again) that I could never (again) pray the prayer, "Break my heart for what breaks Yours" because I could never survive such sorrow and such brokenness in the world. Only God could carry it all.
I would consider reading Eldredge's "Get Your Life Back" for more on the topic of benevolent detachment.
I'm not sure what to think about the way that Eldredge advises communing with the Holy Spirit within us. It reminded me some of David Benner's "Opening to God: Lectio Divina and Life as Prayer," which I think got our former church into some trouble. It focused on prayer and meditating on God, without corralling those thoughts within the confines of scripture. I could imagine Eldredge's meditations going either way on that. Those that he included did seem to be scripturally sound or at least not opposed to anything in scripture, but I can imagine some readers getting carried away with this, or calling their own thoughts on par with scripture.
I have not done the 30-day app with the prayers and contemplations, but one reviewer said that those alone were worth this book. I suppose I am afraid that, in trying to be calming, the reader would make them sound boring! And usually, I like my prayers a little more free-flowing than that. But I might be missing out on something good.
I DO need, however, just to rest in God's presence more.
John Eldredge's last two chapters had all the to-do's that seem to be the bulk of others' writings on resiliency. Creating margin. Play. Laugh. Don't indulge in worry. Arrange our lives to be centered around God. Regular habits of prayer. Asking God for our own prescriptions for soul-care during these times. Worship. I've recently seen the power of worship in this. It makes me think of the verse "God inhabits the praise of His people." - Psalm 22:3 NKJV.
Eldridge also mentioned facing and evaluating our losses and mental state and renewing our love for Jesus. "First, look back to name what these years have been like for you. Name the losses, the fears, the sources of your anger and frustration... What's it been like for you? What's been hard?... Put it all out there. Honor it, Grieve it."
"Second, pay attention in the current moment... Name what the current moment feels like what it's demanding of you, how it's impacting your soul... When you have a heart for humanity, when you share Jesus' compassion for people, communities, and creation, you're going to experience a lot of heartache in an hour like this one. Care for your soul by putting words to what it's like. Don't just pretend everything is fine."
"Remember - when Jesus tells us 'don't be alarmed,' 'don't let your heart be troubled,' 'be on guard so that your hearts are not weighed down,' he's loving us and treating us like grown-ups, assuming that we can control our emotions." That's an interesting thought, and it makes me think that many (most?) of American grownups are not emotional grownups.
One reviewer wrote that this book was much darker than she thought it would be, and focused more on the troubles than on the overcoming them. I didn't find that to be so. But, I can understand her feeling in that. I think that, as an engineer, we have to thoroughly understand a problem before we can design a solution. (In this case, though, we are given solutions by God, and the solution is Himself.)
Favorite quotes:
"He restores my soul." - Psalm 23:3a
"Keep alert at all times. And pray that you might be strong enough to escape." - Luke 21:36 NLT
"'Peace! Be strong now; be strong.' When he spoke to me I was strengthened." - Daniel 10:19
"The eyes of the LORD search the whole earth in order to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to Him." - 2 Chronicles 16:9, NLT
"God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever." - Psalm 73:26
"Every addiction is a misplaced prayer." - Carl Jung
"No matter how promising an idea sounds, if God's not in it, you don't want to be in it either."
"We are aiming for release, turning over into the hands of God whatever is burdening us and leaving it there. It is so easy to get caught up in the drama in unhealthy ways, and then we are unable to see clearly, set boundaries, respond freely."
"The soul was never meant to inhabit a world like this. It's way too much. Your soul is finite. You cannot carry the sorrows of the world. Only God can do that. Only He is infinite. Somewhere, sometime in your day, you've just got to release it. You've got to let it go."
Several years ago, I had begun reading about resiliency when, with my dad's illness, I became part of the sandwich generation, trying to balance the needs of my parents and children. My quest started with reading Shelly Radic's "Momology: A Mom's Guide to Shaping Great Kids." The first chapter, four sections, were about resiliency and being resilient ourselves as moms. The book had been the theme book for MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers) and our mentor moms discussed the topic of resiliency in the meeting, too. I discovered that I already, routinely, did not just some, but EVERY stress-reducing, resiliency enabling thing on their list, both in the book and from our mentors. I still felt overwhelmed, and my take-away note was just that, yes, we should try to strengthen our resiliency, but life can just be hard sometimes.
TIME's booklet, "The Science of Happiness," did have a few things to add to my reservoir about resiliency: "Like the animal whose pulse returns quickly to normal once it has outrun a predator, resilient brains seem to shut off the stress response and return to baseline quickly." I think, in my original readings of resiliency, I had focused more on 1) getting through the crises at all, rather than quickly and 2)taking some of the sting out of the process. The idea of trying to return quickly to a state of calm is an interesting one to me.
I had already discovered, about myself, that I can do pretty well through a crisis, or even a series of crises, depending on their severity, of course, but I seemed to have almost routine trouble after the crisis had ended. That's when I'd have more trouble either in overreacting to others or in my own thoughts. I called it, in my own mind, the "denouement." In literature, the part of the story after the crisis ended, when it should just be a wrap-up of any loose ends, is the "denouement." And the "denouement," in real life, is where I'd have my trouble. Coming off of the adrenaline rush to a more calm state didn't go smoothly for me. Or, as the TIME booklet phrased it, the "shut off the stress response and return to a baseline quickly."
For me, what has helped the most in that scenario, has been meditating on the verse "Be at rest once more, O my soul, for the Lord has been good to you." - Psalm 116:7. It was, in effect, reminding myself to calm down, "be at rest," reminding myself that the crisis was over "has been," and reminding myself to be grateful for all the little ways that I'd seen goodness through the ordeal, "for the Lord has been good to you." That, more than anything, has helped me through my denouements.
I am sure that resiliency must be all throughout the Bible, but I was excited to see a book that compiled thoughts and verses on the topic, all derived from 2 Timothy. John Benton's "Resilient" was beautifully and thoughtfully done. (John Benton's book "Resilient" is different from this work by John Eldredge by the same name.) In Benton's book, I liked the realistic assessment of what Timothy faced that compelled Paul to write the letter.
I liked that John Benton frankly addressed suffering, refusing to wear rose-colored glasses. He also wasn't afraid to convey 2 Timothy's warnings. "In our culture, where everything has to be positive, we may not be used to Paul's blunt and stern warning. But sometimes we need to be shown the shocking bottom line if we are going to have a resilient mindset in the Christian life."
I found Benton's discussion of Elijah interesting. I had always thought that Elijah's discouragement (he wanted to die!) after his great victory at Mount Carmel came from exhaustion and the extreme stress he'd been under. John Benton thought that it was because, when fire fell from heaven, proving to Israel beyond doubt that the Lord was God, and Baal was not, Elijah expected Israel to return to God. The turning point and source of discouragement came for Elijah in that even with unheard of, visible, dramatic proof, King Ahab and Queen Jezebel still chose not to follow God.
At the end of 2 Timothy, John Benton noted how Paul took care of himself physically, mentally, socially, and spiritually. That made me think of my mom. After she'd lost my dad, her husband for 45 years, I found her taking care of herself physically (going for walks for exercise), mentally (reading, working crosswords, jigsaw puzzles, and other puzzles), socially (becoming more involved with her friends at church), and spiritually (now she found that one devotional wasn't enough. She did three every day.) I found myself amazed and impressed with her, and with the model that she set for us during her own darkest days.
I heard a good sermon on this topic of resiliency and staying the course, but the sermon was unrelated to this book. If you watch it, unless you'd enjoy hearing a financial update of the church, I'd skip ahead to 8:45 in the sermon.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l1SLO... Choose the sermon on 08.04.19, and fast forward to 8:45.
The Book "Emotional Intelligence" has a chapter called "How Resilience Works." In it, the author, Diane Coutu, said that she came across several studies (not listed) in which the same three characteristics were associated with resilience: facing down reality, searching for meaning, and being able to continually improvise.
Apparently, those that were resilient faced their circumstances realistically, not merely optimistically. In general, people tended toward denial as a coping mechanism, but over time, the optimistic tended to become disillusioned.
Here's a song about resilience: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eHp58...
- - - Review of John Eldredge's "Resilient"
I find it odd that I've not read a John Eldredge book before. His books were frequently mentioned at our former church, although in perusing his other titles, I think the ones our church recommended had to do with men's ministry. I have no idea if they were any good.
This book was published in 2022, after much of the pandemic, and John Eldredge's words and experiences reflected that. This was written as book to help us heal from those experiences.
I find it interesting that John Eldredge's book "Resilient" could be so different from John Benton's book "Resilient" and yet there are similarities. I would consider rereading either one for their different viewpoints. Whereas John Benton focused on Paul's epistles to Timothy in the past, John Eldredge focused on the coming "end of the age" and the trials we might have to walk through. In that regard, it was perhaps more like David Jeremiah's "I Never Thought I'd See the Day," another book I'd recommend. David Jeremiah's book, however, doesn't focus on resiliency but on understanding how we got to today's world events. I liked the way that John Eldredge made his focus of such times resiliency rather than hysteria or wild speculation.
I liked Eldredge's understanding about the real trouble coming in the denouement, although he didn't call it that. But he had the most thorough understanding of that phenomenon that I've seen so far.
I thought his understanding about our daily comforts softening us and weakening our resiliency was astute. Our society is not used to deprivations or how to handle them.
I also thought it was astute that he linked the Great Falling Away (or the mass apostasy of the end times) to a desolation that causes people to give up on God, as well as his comments on Jesus' prophecy "The love of many will grow cold."
Eldredge's warnings about seeking an earthly paradise apart from God are appropriate for today's world.
I liked the verses he pulled in about strength with an eye towards resiliency. I had not really thought of those verses of strength along those lines before. I've heard such a concept referred to as "emotional stamina" before, generally in the context of someone feeling like they don't have it, such as in the statement, "I just don't have the emotional stamina right now."
I liked Eldredge's idea of benevolent detachment. "The soul was never meant to inhabit a world like this. It's way too much. Your soul is finite. You cannot carry the sorrows of the world. Only God can do that. Only He is infinite. Somewhere, sometime in your day, you've just got to release it. You've got to let it go."
This made me think (again) that I could never (again) pray the prayer, "Break my heart for what breaks Yours" because I could never survive such sorrow and such brokenness in the world. Only God could carry it all.
I would consider reading Eldredge's "Get Your Life Back" for more on the topic of benevolent detachment.
I'm not sure what to think about the way that Eldredge advises communing with the Holy Spirit within us. It reminded me some of David Benner's "Opening to God: Lectio Divina and Life as Prayer," which I think got our former church into some trouble. It focused on prayer and meditating on God, without corralling those thoughts within the confines of scripture. I could imagine Eldredge's meditations going either way on that. Those that he included did seem to be scripturally sound or at least not opposed to anything in scripture, but I can imagine some readers getting carried away with this, or calling their own thoughts on par with scripture.
I have not done the 30-day app with the prayers and contemplations, but one reviewer said that those alone were worth this book. I suppose I am afraid that, in trying to be calming, the reader would make them sound boring! And usually, I like my prayers a little more free-flowing than that. But I might be missing out on something good.
I DO need, however, just to rest in God's presence more.
John Eldredge's last two chapters had all the to-do's that seem to be the bulk of others' writings on resiliency. Creating margin. Play. Laugh. Don't indulge in worry. Arrange our lives to be centered around God. Regular habits of prayer. Asking God for our own prescriptions for soul-care during these times. Worship. I've recently seen the power of worship in this. It makes me think of the verse "God inhabits the praise of His people." - Psalm 22:3 NKJV.
Eldridge also mentioned facing and evaluating our losses and mental state and renewing our love for Jesus. "First, look back to name what these years have been like for you. Name the losses, the fears, the sources of your anger and frustration... What's it been like for you? What's been hard?... Put it all out there. Honor it, Grieve it."
"Second, pay attention in the current moment... Name what the current moment feels like what it's demanding of you, how it's impacting your soul... When you have a heart for humanity, when you share Jesus' compassion for people, communities, and creation, you're going to experience a lot of heartache in an hour like this one. Care for your soul by putting words to what it's like. Don't just pretend everything is fine."
"Remember - when Jesus tells us 'don't be alarmed,' 'don't let your heart be troubled,' 'be on guard so that your hearts are not weighed down,' he's loving us and treating us like grown-ups, assuming that we can control our emotions." That's an interesting thought, and it makes me think that many (most?) of American grownups are not emotional grownups.
One reviewer wrote that this book was much darker than she thought it would be, and focused more on the troubles than on the overcoming them. I didn't find that to be so. But, I can understand her feeling in that. I think that, as an engineer, we have to thoroughly understand a problem before we can design a solution. (In this case, though, we are given solutions by God, and the solution is Himself.)
Favorite quotes:
"He restores my soul." - Psalm 23:3a
"Keep alert at all times. And pray that you might be strong enough to escape." - Luke 21:36 NLT
"'Peace! Be strong now; be strong.' When he spoke to me I was strengthened." - Daniel 10:19
"The eyes of the LORD search the whole earth in order to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to Him." - 2 Chronicles 16:9, NLT
"God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever." - Psalm 73:26
"Every addiction is a misplaced prayer." - Carl Jung
"No matter how promising an idea sounds, if God's not in it, you don't want to be in it either."
"We are aiming for release, turning over into the hands of God whatever is burdening us and leaving it there. It is so easy to get caught up in the drama in unhealthy ways, and then we are unable to see clearly, set boundaries, respond freely."
"The soul was never meant to inhabit a world like this. It's way too much. Your soul is finite. You cannot carry the sorrows of the world. Only God can do that. Only He is infinite. Somewhere, sometime in your day, you've just got to release it. You've got to let it go."
March 30, 2023
4.2 stars. Great post-pandemic book on resiliency of the soul as believers. Some hyper-eschatology in the later chapters but overall a solid book that I will probably read again.
Favorite prayer from the book based on Ezekiel 47:9 & Revelation 22:1-2:
Jesus, I come back to you now in my longing for life to be good again. I love you here, Lord, in my soul's heartache. I consecrate to you my Life. I surrender to you my ability to aspire for good things, plan for them, take hold of them, enjoy them, and keep on aspiring. I consecrate all living in me to you, Lord Jesus; I give you my famished craving for life to be good again. I love you here. I love you right here. And now I ask that the river of your life would flow in me, in my longing for life to be good again. I open my heart and soul to the river of life. Let it flow in me, through me, and all around me-restoring, renewing, and healing me. You alone are the life I seek, and I welcome your river into my heart and soul;
I receive the river of your life in me. Thank you, God! In your mighty name I pray.
Favorite prayer from the book based on Ezekiel 47:9 & Revelation 22:1-2:
Jesus, I come back to you now in my longing for life to be good again. I love you here, Lord, in my soul's heartache. I consecrate to you my Life. I surrender to you my ability to aspire for good things, plan for them, take hold of them, enjoy them, and keep on aspiring. I consecrate all living in me to you, Lord Jesus; I give you my famished craving for life to be good again. I love you here. I love you right here. And now I ask that the river of your life would flow in me, in my longing for life to be good again. I open my heart and soul to the river of life. Let it flow in me, through me, and all around me-restoring, renewing, and healing me. You alone are the life I seek, and I welcome your river into my heart and soul;
I receive the river of your life in me. Thank you, God! In your mighty name I pray.
December 10, 2022
I didn’t finish this book; only read to chapter 4. I thought it was full of fluff and did not like the themes of end times and your life isn’t right because you’re not a good enough Christian. The end times talk was very triggering to me and felt manipulative. He has prayers at the end of each chapter with what I thought were ridiculous claims about how your life would change after a week of praying them. He thinks we need to spend more time reading our Bible (probably twice as much time) as we do reading/listening to secular news & social media. Lots of guidelines about the “right”/correct way to follow and/or trust Jesus and, once you get it right, you’ll find meaning and joy. Honestly, I think it’s a bunch of bullshit and was written in a couple weeks because his publisher wanted to take advantage of people’s vulnerabilities after pandemic trauma.
November 13, 2024
I wasn’t sure I “needed” this book since I didn’t identify with much of the trauma described, but it ended up being a great read. A wonderful call to live simply and focus on eternity instead of the chaos around us.
April 27, 2023
Kind of missed the mark for me.
Firstly, The talk of now being the end times kind of threw me off. Not sure what he was trying to accomplish by it and it felt unnecessary. It explicitly states in the Bible in Matthew 24:36 that no man knows the day or hour.
Secondly, talk of the pandemic “trauma” was very broad and it was hard to discern of what trauma he was referring. Specific traumas need specific healings. If he was referencing the widespread depression that comes from isolation that resulted from the pandemic, a lot of healing from that comes from intentionally forming strong community. He didn’t mention anything about that. If he was referring to the trauma of losing loved ones to disease from the pandemic, one might want to look into counseling from a therapist or talk to their pastor about working through their grief. He didn’t mention anything about that, either. His best advice he gives seems to refer to general burnout and exhaustion, which many frontline workers from the pandemic did face. And I would agree that the best place to face that would be intentional respite, especially the kind that comes from God. But he didn’t talk about any of these specific needs, and then says this is the “adjustment” we need to make:
“The world really has gone mad.
I’m not going to get pulled down with it.
I’m readjusting my life around recovery and resilience;
This is my orientation now.”
I struggle to see how that is going to help someone with isolation anxiety/depression resulting from the pandemic or grief-stricken people. I just feel like he had a big opportunity to research ways for those hurting from the pandemic to get the help they need and completely missed the mark.
Firstly, The talk of now being the end times kind of threw me off. Not sure what he was trying to accomplish by it and it felt unnecessary. It explicitly states in the Bible in Matthew 24:36 that no man knows the day or hour.
Secondly, talk of the pandemic “trauma” was very broad and it was hard to discern of what trauma he was referring. Specific traumas need specific healings. If he was referencing the widespread depression that comes from isolation that resulted from the pandemic, a lot of healing from that comes from intentionally forming strong community. He didn’t mention anything about that. If he was referring to the trauma of losing loved ones to disease from the pandemic, one might want to look into counseling from a therapist or talk to their pastor about working through their grief. He didn’t mention anything about that, either. His best advice he gives seems to refer to general burnout and exhaustion, which many frontline workers from the pandemic did face. And I would agree that the best place to face that would be intentional respite, especially the kind that comes from God. But he didn’t talk about any of these specific needs, and then says this is the “adjustment” we need to make:
“The world really has gone mad.
I’m not going to get pulled down with it.
I’m readjusting my life around recovery and resilience;
This is my orientation now.”
I struggle to see how that is going to help someone with isolation anxiety/depression resulting from the pandemic or grief-stricken people. I just feel like he had a big opportunity to research ways for those hurting from the pandemic to get the help they need and completely missed the mark.
April 13, 2024
I stumbled across Resilient on NetGalley and requested it since I have enjoyed other books by the author. However, this book ended up being more than just “another book by an author I enjoy”. Resilient is the book I NEEDED to read at this moment, and I had no idea. Eldredge puts his skills as a longtime Christian counselor to use to clearly articulate the way that world events of the past 5 years impact us personally on a psychological and spiritual level, as well as on a societal level. Reading this book has helped me better understand my own actions and longings, as well as those of others. Eldredge’s explanation of how today’s world circumstances fit what Jesus told us to expect in the end times is unlike any other explanation I’ve read before and makes crystal clear why resilience has eternal implications. I close the final pages of this book feeling the need to act yet also greatly comforted and hopeful for the future. I’ve already ordered a physical copy for myself and another to share. THIS IS A MUST READ FOR ALL CHRISTIANS.
Thanks go to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read an advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.
Thanks go to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read an advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.
November 3, 2022
Almost a companion book to his book, Get your Life Back.
Read as a book club with my sisters and discussed on Marco Polo, which added greatly to the experience.
Our souls are weary and longing to get back to ‘the good life’ is not what will restore them. We need resilience as we face the coming days. This book talks about why we are weary, why we need resilience and how to put it all into practice. It was so good full of truth and reminded and wonderful prayers to help find our way back to the depths with God.
Read as a book club with my sisters and discussed on Marco Polo, which added greatly to the experience.
Our souls are weary and longing to get back to ‘the good life’ is not what will restore them. We need resilience as we face the coming days. This book talks about why we are weary, why we need resilience and how to put it all into practice. It was so good full of truth and reminded and wonderful prayers to help find our way back to the depths with God.
January 8, 2023
Overall, this book had great content with practices to try. One concept I don’t remember hearing before is the importance of “attachment love” with God. Eldredge spends quite a bit of time talking about the effects of Covid. I know there was a wide array of experiences with Covid, but I think he overuses the word “trauma.” However, his explanation of why our high comfort culture has crumbled our resilience with hard things was very helpful. Spiritual practices seems to be the main way Eldredge describes how to gain resilience.
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October 4, 2023i am hesitant to give this book a star rating, because i believe it holds some great truths about the state of the US specifically post- covid. i honestly enjoyed john’s conversational writing style, but overall because john desired to pack so much into this book, i believe the point was often lost. i appreciate john’s willingness to step into writing about post- covid trauma, and it probably filled a need that he saw among the people he was leading. unfortunately for me, if just didn’t resonate.
April 17, 2024
I always love Eldredge’s books but this one fell pretty short. I love his writing style and the way he connects things but it really feels like he just phoned this one in. I had high hopes for the subject matter as well, and while he did offer some good ideas here and there the book felt very lacking overall. He also kept insinuating that he was very sure that the return of Jesus was coming soon based off of his experiences in 2020, which felt pretty out of character for him and a little weird. Considering this book was published over 2 years ago and we’re all still here, I’d wager that he was at least a little off.
May 11, 2022
The prayers and meditations alone in this book are worth buying it. I really enjoyed the focus on getting back to the heart of the matter and putting God as the priority and searching within to find God. A timely book for our generation especially after everything globally that has happened and all the news that we get bombarded with daily. We have reached deep, but are often giving from near empty tanks. A great resource with provided prayers and meditations to pause and rest in Jesus.
I received an eARC of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.
I received an eARC of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.
May 5, 2023
John Eldredge is a very good writer and a sold out Jesus follower. Unfortunately, for me, this book missed the mark. As we are now a solid three years after the start of COVID, I just don't find myself in the headspace for which this book was written. This is a book I'll likely forget within a week.
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