by Peter Scazzero
Take a dash of biblical counseling, a pinch of spiritual direction, a tsp of contemplative spirituality, a cup of personal anecdotes, and a healthy dose of prayer, allow to simmer for a few weeks and you get Emotionally Healthy Spirituality.
The beginning of the book describes the problem with most people’s spirituality – it is shallow and unhealthy. The middle of the offers a description of how to move forward by going backward and dealing with issues in one’s past. The final part of the book (and the most helpful in my opinion) describes the kind of life that allows for the cultivation of emotionally healthy spirituality.
Dr. Scazzero describes the importance of following a “Rule of Life.” This “rule” is really more like a trellis that provides the stability necessary for one to mature in Christ. His discussion on Sabbath and the Daily Office are worth reading. In the end, the book can be summarized in this way:
- most of our lives are too busy and we need to slow down
- most of us live unintentionally and as a result we live shallow, fearful lives of running from life’s difficulties
- in order to live life to the fullest (this is why Jesus came) we must slow down and learn to abide
If you have never read anything like this then I recommend it. However, if you are a Nouwen fan or read David Benner than you could probably forgo this book and look at reading something else.
