PRIMAL

At the risk of sounding like a brown-nosing staff member, let me just say this: I love Mark Batterson. His new book, Primal, is the most accurate reflection of his heart and mind that he's written yet, in my humble little opinion. I wasn't even planning to write a review, but after reading it on my recent flight, I wanted to share a few thoughts. First, here are some of my favorite lines from the book:

• Some of the sacrifices you've made for the cause of Christ might not even qualify under a second-century definition.
• I couldn't help but wonder if our generation has conveniently forgotten how inconvenient it can be to follow in the footsteps of Christ.
• I've discovered that when I've lost my way spiritually, the way forward is often backward.
• What will kill you if you don't do it?
• Establish an income ceiling.
• God is awed by his own creation (HZ commentary: I had never thought of it like that before...but it's true)
• Learn more, worship more
• There is an awful lot of sideways energy in the kingdom of God. We're so busy arguing with one another that we don't have any energy left over to love our neighbors. What would happen if we spent less energy defending ourselves and more energy learning from one another?
• All of us love miracles. We just don't like being in situations where we need one.
  
• Our spiritual ancestors were martyred because they loved God more than they loved life.
• Amo Dei!

Mark challenges us to bring a reformation in our generation by a radical return to the Great Commandment. And to be great at the great commandment. While not a strict exposition of the Great Commandment, Mark describes heart, soul, mind, and strength as compassion, wonder, curiosity, and energy. I discovered that I am primarily a curiosity lover and after that a wonder lover.

Yesterday, as we were walking along a stream in Oregon, I found myself worshiping. It was an expression of love from wonder of creation.

Mark writes about this stuff passionately because he lives it purposefully. I've seen him up close and in the day to day, and I've watched him learn this from experience. If you can only read one book in 2010 (which would be lame, by the way), read Primal.

Amo Dei!