I had an interesting experience recently. I was spending a leisurely Saturday afternoon browsing the racks at my local library when I came across a paperback wedged upside-down between two shelves. I'm a book lover, and I couldn't bear to see the little book twisted around, cover bent, pages every which way. As I reached into retrieve it a little voice inside of me said, "Read this book." So I decided to borrow it and read it before even knowing the author's name, the title, or the subject matter. I'm glad I did.
The book turned out to be The River Within by Jeff Imbach. A spiritual formation primer, it raises questions about the absence of passion in many Christians. Where is the life abundant promised by Christ? Quite often it's been crushed by cultural values in the church, where conformity and pat-answers are the order of the day. Imbach makes a great case for living passionately. He suggests that spiritual disciplines keep the passion moving in a life-affirming direction.
Yes, it's yet another book that encourages me to look at the totality of my life and not just the God-bits. I'm already a big proponent of experiencing God in all areas of life. Imbach's book just got me to stop feeling guilty about it. What a great message to be reminded of: God is experienced in church, prayer, and his word; but he's also experienced in nature, conversations, and circumstances. And maybe even in a library on a lazy Saturday afternoon...
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I recently read The River Within as part of a conference I was attending, and it has become an all-time favorite. I'm trying to find copies to share, and am finding it difficult! Thanks for sharing!
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