Customer Reviews

A Year with God: Living Out the Spiritual Disciplines

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Richard Foster has for many years helped build up the lives of Christians with his work, especially, on the spiritual disciplines. I've been reading The Spiritual Formation Bible and enjoying it. "A Year With God" is another in a series of books by Foster related to the spiritual disciplines. While Foster's "Celebration of Discipline" helped start the current revival of the spiritual disciplines by describing each of them, "A Year with God" takes the disciplines and matches them up with Scripture passages and devotions. There are a total of 365, or one for each day of the year.

Foster has organized the 365 one-page devotionals around the 17 spiritual disciplines: prayer, study, confession, worship, service, secrecy, guidance, meditation, solitude, fellowship, fasting, chastity, submission, sacrifice, simplicity, and celebration. This is a very profitable way to present the devotionals, and it helps to reinforce a life of spiritual discipline for those who are seeking spiritual formation in this manner. I also like the fact that, unlike some other devotionals, the Scripture passage is often more than just one isolated verse.

However, there are a few important ways in which this devotional book falls short of what it should have been. First, I should mention that it is most useful to those already familiar with Foster's 17 spiritual disciplines, and less useful for those who are not. More importantly, the Scripture passage at the beginning of each devotional is often only loosely related to the devotional that follows. Because of this, and the fact that Scripture is not read continuously or in the larger context, the important aspect of having meditated deeply on Scripture is not fostered as much as it should have been. Also, the devotionals are often too short to provide adequate, deep reflection on the Scripture at hand. The Bible is therefore presented not as the basis and center of the spiritual disciplines but only as a prooftext or springboard for discussing them.

It seems almost as if Foster has written one more work related to his favorite topic of spiritual disciplines that is based more on the needs of the market (short, daily devotionals that don't reflect deeply on Scripture as a whole) and the need to extend his franchise than to actually promote the very disciplines he writes so passionately about.

I know this devotional will be of great benefit to many, and it is better than many others out there. But it could and should have been much more.

We are using this book in our small group at church and are finding that it is taking us to a whole new level of self-examination. We have some members traveling and they have purchased the book and read the daily meditations until they return. We meet on a weekly basis, so have agreed to read 5 days per week, keep a journal and then share our experiences and reactions at our meetings. I would definitely recommend it.

Richard J. Foster is the evangelical touchstone voice for thoughtful, pause-worthy spiritual reflective readings. Throughout the years, he has provided interested Christ followers and seekers a practical pathway to living out those sometimes seemingly unattainable spiritual disciplines. Above all, Foster's work takes the "believing" in one's heart and mind into the "working it out" day-by-day moments of real life. In this current text, co-edited with Julia L. Roller, Foster presents 365 one-page daily devotionals that include generous portions of scripture and commentary, with many punctuated by intermittent prayers and to-do suggestions.

This hefty hardcover text is broken down by topic. Readers will appreciate how easy it is to handle and navigate by simply checking the contents page and perusing through each subject area for one's area of interest. The authors expound in depth upon each subject by relegating roughly 20 days to every discipline. Included in the resource are a brief overview of the topic at hand and then every area's "mini-book" of allotted days. Foster delves deep --- as is his characteristic style --- into such topics as prayer, study, confession, worship, service, secrecy, guidance, meditation, solitude, fellowship, fasting, chastity, submission, sacrifice, silence, simplicity and celebration.

One of the most telling areas of a Christian's life is how he conducts himself in regard to selflessly serving those around him as following Christ's example. Foster writes that service can be defined as "Loving, thoughtful, active promotion of the good of others and the causes of God in our world, through which we experience the many little deaths of going beyond ourselves." He then notes the scriptural reference for this principle: "Like good stewards of the manifold grace of God, serve one another with whatever gift each of you has received" (1 Peter 4:10).

Broken down into two sections ("Spiritual Practice: Serving God in Every Task" and "Spiritual Practice: Not to Be Served, but to Serve"), the editors guide readers to first right themselves with God and then respond in loving others as themselves. Some of the sub-topics include serving and carrying, consecrated for God's service, service in the home, a willing heart, do not withhold good, washing one another's feet, servants of the Lord, serving each other's needs, a servant of the Gospel, and a light to the nations.

Interestingly, Foster and Roller manage to bring a true freshness to these age-old spiritual studies. Somehow, everyone is both ancient in wisdom and current to today's believer. Excellently written and presented, those new to the Christian faith will find themselves gently instructed and encouraged. Those seasoned Christ followers will find equal measures of challenge and perceptive Godly counsel as they continue their spiritual journey. This devotional is a resounding addition to Foster's previous fine works, and it is no wonder that his resume of accomplishments is associated with all things honorable, noteworthy and true.

--- Reviewed by Michele Howe, author of STILL GOING IT ALONE: Mothering with Faith and Finesse, and Single Parenting Columnist

What an amazing book. I used it as one of the resources for a spiritual transformation small group in our church. When you implement the spiritual practices your relationship with God, with people, and within your church will be affected. I am now into my second read of selected spiritual disciplines-ones I stuggled with during the first year.

This book arrived promptly and in new condition. I am anxious to gather with a group of like-minded people who are committed to embarking on this year-long reading, prayer, and life transformation project.

I have been a fan of Renovare and the ministry they are engaged in to help people to live the Christ-in-you life for a number of years now. A Year With God is another great tool in this ongoing ministry of the Renovare Group. The book is arranged in 365 daily readings grouped in reflective studies of eighteen spiritual disciplines including: The With-God Life, Prayer, Study, Confession, Worship, Service, Secrecy, Guidance, Meditation, Solitude, Fellowship, Fasting, Chastity, Submission, Sacrifice, Silence, Simplicity, and Celebration. The book is well annotated in the notes section and features a short list of recommended reading to accompany each discipline studied at the end of the book.

Each devotional reflection is a short page long and begins with a selected Scripture passage. Following the reading is a brief commentary reflection and application of the text. The devotion ends with a question or exercise prompting an action step. All in all, the format is succinct and directly to the point. Don't let this fool you... succinct does not equal shallow and short doesn't mean easy. As the title suggests, spending a year with God living out the spiritual disciplines, is not shallow or easy. The devotions are thought-provoking and challenging. If the participant engages in the reflections with the intent of allowing the Triune God to change them and mold them into the image of Jesus Christ, they will reap the benefit and fruit of their effort. Chris Webb, President of Renovare, writes the following words in the Forward of A Year with God:

"If read quickly, these pages will yield a few nuggets of insight, perhaps some interesting quotes to share with friends at church, but little more. Absorbed slowly and thoughtfully, A Year with God will continue to bear fruit in your life long after the book itself has been placed back on the shelf."

I heartily agree with Webb's insightful words. My family has been using A Life with God this year for our morning devotional time before heading on with our respective days. We allow for approximately thirty minutes of our morning together to reflect upon God's word as a family. We are able to focus our thoughts on a particular reading with a specific theme over the course of 2-3 weeks (the length of study for each discipline). This is good for us; as each of us head off into different directions, we still carry with us a central idea that shapes us as individuals and as a family. In this respect the length of the reflections is just right. Also, I don't think A Year with God is meant to be relegated to a single style of use (as I have described for my family). It would be great in a number of group settings and would be equally beneficial for individual use.

The one thing I don't think this devotional book should be used for is a substitute for reading and study of the Bible and/or a substitute for prayer. This book is a supplement and a catalyst... to assume that it can be used in the place of regular Bible reading and prayer is to invite problem and difficulty. Used as in the spirit and design the book was intended will produce life-changing results as echoed by Chris Webb. I recommend it with highest marks.