David Murray’s book
Reset: Living a Grace-Paced Life in a Burnout Culture
came at a good time for me. The past year has been very challenging: The loss of my spouse due to brain tumor and cancer, serving as caregiver for my aging mother, and her stroke and passing. It is situations like these that we cannot avoid and that can overwhelm us that catch us when we are pushing things “to the limit” in the first place.
This book is written specifically for men—specifically pastors and other Christian leaders, but the information shared is applicable to anyone. The author and his wife are planning a second volume specifically for women, although the author welcomes women to not wait for this second volume which will address things very specific to them, but to feel free to use this book for now as most of what is shared will be applicable to them too.
Murray ran into a health crisis when he was in his forties due to stress and overwork. God led him to rediscover God’s mercy and slow down establishing “patterns and rhythms that will help [the reader] live a grace-paced life.”
He uses the analogy of automobile repair bays. As you enter each “bay” you are walked through steps to not only repair and restore the immediate symptoms, but to take steps to live life in a way that you can remain healthy. I’m sure I’m not alone in finding the fact that one of the first steps immediately after “reality check” and “review” is “rest.” In fact, of the ten “repair bays” virtually all of them force the reader to slow down as they do things such as review, rest, relax, rethink, and reduce. Murray repeatedly uses the phrase “grace-paced” throughout the book. This is in such contrast to the ordinary me-driven burnout speed our culture tends to live in. Slowing down and allowing God’s Word to rejuvenate and recharge us will certainly help us to avoid the downward spiral of burnout that is so common around us and in which many of us (myself included) are in danger.
I recommend this book to everyone. In this burnout culture, virtually all of us need a tune-up of our lives. Hopefully, crisis won’t be interrupting your life anytime soon, but preparing ahead and tuning up your life to live grace-paced now will help you through the inevitable “bumps in the road” the future brings. (Reviewed by Pastor Mike)
For more information or to purchase,
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I received a free copy of this book from Crossway Publishing in exchange for my honest review here. (Mike Fischer)
