I was sent a copy of A Holy Pursuit by Dianne Jago to read and review. Here is the description as found on the back of the book:
"Chase your dreams and follow your heart, no matter the cost” is the call of the world today. The opposite extreme, often advised by well-meaning Christians, is to lay down all of our dreams and passions, avoiding all self-interest.
One narrative says to follow a passion, and the other says to lay it down. Both claim to offer happiness and purpose on the other side. But what does the Bible say about dreams, goals, and passions? Author Dianne Jago tackles these questions in her new book A Holy Pursuit. Discover who she wrote the book for in this conversation.
This book was perfect timing during a season where I have felt it on my heart to encourage women in their calling. So many live this life wondering how they fit into the grander scheme of things. I had never heard of Dianne before and so, was looking forward to getting to know her through her book.
I hadn't even reached the first chapter and I was already highlighting and underlining! Right away, I knew this was going to be good and something I would be recommending to many other women. The book isn't geared towards just women, however, I lead women and that is who I am called to minister to so, I am recommending it for women.
Dianne explores all the different facets when it comes to following and laying down our dreams. It's okay to dream. God created us to dream! The tricky part is how do we decipher what is always going to be a dream and what is it that He is calling us to. What things hinder us? What things slow us down? And how do we overcome those? Dianne does a beautiful job using scripture to support her theology in how God designed us uniquely and how the power of the Holy Spirit empowers us to discern.
Within the pages of this book, we learn how the gospel can change the dreamer. We learn that there is a bigger picture that God knows about and, while we may have all our plans written in succinct formation, God doesn't follow those plans necessarily. This should come as a relief!
Dianne shows us the struggles the dreamer has like comparison (oh man I struggle with this one!), discontent (as an ENFP, I struggle with this too!), and selfish ambition. If I'm going to be real, there have many dreams squashed by God because my own agenda was on the line and, not His. She directs our attention to consult with HIM with our dreams and I just love that.
Perhaps my favorite chapter was the one called You Aren't Filler. I won't give it away too much because you need to read it yourself. Each chapter has a quote at the beginning that is so fitting. This chapter began with this quote:
"Our work for Christ is not passive; it demands sacrifice, planning, energy, wisdom, and passion. Nevertheless, all of that effort is futile unless Christ remains the source of strength powerfully at work in our inner being." - Dr. Glenn Jago
Dianne does a brilliant job of writing in a relatable way, intertwining her personal story while continually pointing us toward Jesus, the source of all wisdom. The gospel truly does free us and, just like in Dianne's story, can change our plans and align them with God's in a beautiful way.
You would do yourself a disservice if you did not add this book to your library!
Find A Holy Pursuit at the following retailers:
Author bio: Dianne Jago is a military wife and mother of three residing in Pensacola, Florida. She is the founder and chief editor of Deeply Rooted Magazine, where she works with her team to encourage, inspire, and equip women to be deeply rooted in Christ alone.
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