Breaking the fast for one post before the New Year:
Primal, Mark Batterson
I wanted to hate it. I really did. Just a page or two into the introduction, and I was convinced Primal wouldn’t be any different than any other book criticizing modern Christians for being “lukewarm.” I knew it was going to rant and rave through 192 pages. I was convinced that I would drag myself through and write the obligatory blog post.*
But when I hit the first chapter, my perspective changed. Batterson walked me through a reinvigoration of loving God with all (more) of my heart, soul and mind. His early admission of his personal fascination with science uncovers itself in nearly every chapter. While at times it appears that illustrations are injected for the sake of an illustration, the stories each add a layer to Batterson’s point and provide credence to his writing style. He’s well-read and well-thought, and writes out the intersection of faith in God and the intricacy of creation and science.
Primal is exciting. It’s inspirational and encouraging. It makes me eager to seek out God more clearly in my life. The early fear of an angry author attempting to change “the next generation” was thrown out the window along the way. Batterson’s personal creativity, both in his own life and in ministry, speak to me.
I didn’t hate it. In fact, far from it.
*my copy of Primal was provided by Multnomah Books, the publisher of the book. No other compensation was provided.
After I started killing the crab grass, weeds, and other “green” stuff in the front yard, it started looking pretty bad. Kind of like this.
