This book kicked my butt. Like Foster said “it is the book I have been searching for all my life.” It seems to so beautifully present all my life is becoming as an apprentice of Christ! When ever Year A in the lectionary cycle affords nine weeks of epiphany, I will use weeks 4-9 to preach the divine conspiracy!

Dallas Willard is brilliant at taking Scripture we have heard and read about a thousand times, turning it slightly around and shining a light on it so that we see new and varied facets we have never noticed before. In this book, Willard has done exactly that with the Beatitudes, bringing out an understanding that, while centuries old, is suddenly fresh and new to me. I reread this book periodically simply because it helps me recapture some of the freshness of walking with God.

ever. ever ever. read it three times. changed my life. caused me to see the world in a completely different way.

keep in mind—this is not light reading, but it’s unbelievably rich.

sa::tm