Another book...

I just finished a fabulous book today: Wild at Heart by John Eldredge.


A very interesting and enlightening read.

This book is about the hearts of men and how they are wild and free and totally meant to be that way. God created men and women differently, inside and out, we're different creatures with different desires and inclinations. This book brings out those differences and sheds a godly and scriptural light on them.

A lot of times churches, societies and women try to feminize men and make them into something they're not (and never should be): safe, sweet and tame.

"That strength [that makes man wild and free] so essential to men is also what makes them heroes. If a neighborhood is safe, its because of the strength of men. Slavery was stopped by the strength of men, at a terrible price to them and their families. The Nazis were stopped by men. Apartheid wasn't defeated by women. Who gave up their seats on the lifeboats leaving the Titanic so that women and children would be saved? And have we forgotten - it was a man who let himself be nailed to calvary's cross. This isn't to say women can't be heroic. I know many heroic women. It's simply to remind us that God made men the way they are. Yes, a man is a dangerous thing.
So is a scalpel.
It can wound or it can save your life.
You don't make it safe by making it dull;
You put it in the hands of someone who knows what He's doing."

I love this. Such an awesome perspective! How many times I've squished the dangerousness out of the men in my life. My father, brother, brother-in-laws, friends, boyfriends...these men have a wild heart, God created them that way. And instead of trying to "tame" them and make them safe I need to encourage them to be the men God created them to be.

And something that super applies to my life:
"There are no formulas with God. Period. So there are no formulas for the man who follows him. God is a Person, not a doctrine... The adventure begins and our real strength is released when we no longer rely on formulas. God is an immensely creative Person and he wants his sons [and daughters!] to live that way too... So there comes a time in a man's life when he's got to break away...and head off into the unknown with God. This is a vital part of our journey and if we balk here, the journey ends."

Some of my favorite quotes and passages...

Life is not a problem to be solved...it's an adventure to be lived.

--

Two roads diverged in a wood and I, I took the one less traveled by, And that has made all the difference.

--

Don't ask yourself what the world needs, Ask yourself what makes you come alive, and go do that, because the world needs more people who come alive.

If you read the book, take caution, it's got some certainly skip-able parts. But over-all I'm so glad I read it, this book gave me a great perspective on men (and women too, actually!) and how their minds and hearts work.



awesome video - be sure to watch :)

xoxo