Living the God Life (by John Ortberg)

(Amazon UK link)

I've enjoyed just about everything I've read by John Ortberg, so from time to time I check to see if he's written anything else. I was pleased to find 'Living the God Life' available at one of my favourite online bookshops, as it had been on my wishlist for a while. I was a little surprised that there was no paperback version, but the price was good so I spent a little of my Christmas money on it.

I was a little disappointed at first to find that this was simply a collection of short anecdotes taken from Ortberg's other books, alongside Scripture verses and a few quotations from other people. Nothing new at all. However, I started to skim it, and soon found myself reading properly.

It's a beautifully presented book, so I can see why it's only available in hardback format. It would make an excellent gift, perhaps for a teenager being baptised or confirmed, or a new Christian of any age.

It's divided into three broad sections: about God's love, making life special, and moving forward in trust. With rather more interesting titles than that. The various anecdotes and verses gel together to enlarge on the themes; despite having read most of the contents before in various places, I found the book encouraging and somewhat inspiring.

Not a book to read straight through, necessarily; it's light-weight and easy to dip into. But a nice addition to anyone's shelves.

Review copyright Sue's Book Reviews, February 2010