What was your first impression?

"A Purpose Driven Life" is a tidily arranged study book. Its subtitle
is "What on earth am I here for?". Through the studies it aims
to help answer that question in a Christian way. It has many bible references
and a good direction style in the way that each chapter leads in to the next.
I certainly got the feeling that the writer had a definite intention and
purpose behind writing the book.

What's it about?

It is a 40-day study book made up of forty (short!) chapters. These are grouped
within five "purposes". For example, one was "You Were
Planned For God's Pleasure", another was "You Were Formed For God's
Family". The book aims to encourage growth and progress in personal faith.

What did you like about it?

I really appreciated the succinct conclusion at the end of each chapter.
These included a verse to remember and a question to consider. They
really helped me to reflect on where I was at, and where I could be going. (For
an example of these conclusions, see the end of the review.) The author
clearly expected that you would be changing in your faith. That in itself was
an encouragement to persevere.

What didn't you like?

Any study book will appeal to some people and not to others. I have heard
some people criticise the book because the style was too emotionally based and
not down-to-earth enough. However, I am very much a "down-to-earth"
type person and was not put off by this enough to put the book down. I've
also heard someone say that the book made them feel inferior and inadequate
as they reflected on their faith. I would agree that it is a challenging book.
For myself, there was not much I did not like It did sometimes feel there
was an overuse of clichés and Christian catch phrases to emphasise some points,
though.

What will you still remember a year from now?

In one of the early studies, the point is made about God knowing, accepting
and loving us, with our weakness as well as our strengths, our failings as well
as our achievements. It is a central message of our faith, but "learning"
it for myself through the study book was a great help. Another revelation to
me was the fact that everything is God's; it is all on loan from God, given
to us "on trust". Again, it's preached a lot, but it came alive to
me and has made me change my view on the value of possessions. There were many
other revelations too.

Who would you recommend this book to?

This wouldn't suit someone who didn't have a commitment to the Christian faith.
There were too many assumptions about Christian understanding in the presentation
of the studies to make it appropriate. New and growing believers, though,
who had a desire to be challenged and changed would learn from it. Mature
Christians may feel they have "heard it all before", but with a listening
heart, I am certain the studies would bring out new lessons.

Can you give us a couple of good quotes from the book?

"My mother loved to cook for me… One of her great pleasures was watching
her kids enjoy what she prepared. The more we enjoyed eating it, the more enjoyment
it gave her. But we also enjoyed pleasing Mom by expressing our enjoyment of
her meal. It worked both ways…Worship works both ways too. We enjoy what God
has done for us, and when we express that enjoyment to God, it brings him joy
- but also increases our joy."

An example of a chapter summary:

"Day 24: Point to Ponder: The truth transforms me.

Verse to remember: "If you continue in my word, then you are
my disciples indeed; and you shall know the truth and the truth shall make you
free" John 8:31-32

Question to Consider: What has God already told me in his Word that
I haven't started doing yet?"