Catholic Company Book Review: Spirituality You Can Live With

Spirituality You Can Live With

About the Book:

Can you still be spiritual while dealing with life’s daily grind? Are you nearer to God now than you were a few years ago? Do you sometimes lose hope amid the chaos of your daily routine? Chris Padgett has some practical help for you – an easy-to-use guide for those interested in habits of holiness they can actually maintain amid the frantic pace of daily life. Thirty lively chapters geared to the busy person cover the essentials of the faith - from brokenness and repentance to joy, dryness in prayer, and loving yourself and your neighbor. Discover how to maintain an inner silence even while surrounded by noise. Each short chapter features 2 or 3 questions for reflection to help you examine your life and make small changes every day.

My Comments:

I've come to the conclusion that books about how to improve your spiritual life are a lot like books about how to lose weight.  In both cases, while they may try to put a different spin on the tried and true advice, when it comes right down to it, if weight loss is your goal you need to eat less and exercise more.  If getting closer to God is your goal you need to sin less and pray more.  

However, just as diet books can sometimes give you the structure and encouragement you need to eat less and exercise more, so spirituality books can give you the structure and encouragement you need to sin less and pray more.  Spirituality You Can Live With is a good thirty day guide.  Each day you read one chapter and then meditate on the questions at the end.  Chris Padgett is very practical and starts by asking the reader to look at life as it is now, and where Christ fits. He covers our weakness and being open to God.  Mary is discussed as are the sacraments.  In short, it is a good book to give structure and guidance to your prayer life for a month.

I'd like to thank The Catholic Company for  providing a review copy of this book.  Visit The Catholic Company to find more information on Spirituality You Can Live With . They are also a great source for a Catechism of the Catholic Church or a Catholic Bible.