Author: Barry D. Ham, PhD.
Info: Copyright 2015. Shippensburg, PA: Destiny Image Publishing
Rating (on a scale of 1-4 stars): ✮
Where Acquired: Gift, plus it was required reading for a work project.
What it's about: Ham gives his take on living a purposeful life designed by the Almighty. The purposes he outlines are based on all of humanity's relational experiences: relationship with God, relationship with others, and relationship with oneself.
Favorite Quotes:
"Worship is my active, all-of-life response to the worth of who God is and what He does." - Matt Heard. -- p. 51
If I only live for getting off work on Friday afternoon, my percentages for happiness are slim. I don't know about you, but two out of seven days is not enough for me. I much prefer to enjoy and find fulfillment in seven out of seven days. -- p. 203
You may falsely believe that you can't change, but God knows you can. Until you accept His grace, your most derailing limitation is you. -- p. 252
What I liked:
It was an easy read. I completed most of it on a bus ride back and forth to church.
What I didn’t like:
The author didn't put much of himself into this work. I'm not impressed when an author creates a "to do" type book, but doesn't show where he's done what he suggests. Ham places himself at a very safe distance from the reader and the concepts.
I was not thrilled with how marriage-centric this book was. For example, from page 92:
Favorite Quotes:
"Worship is my active, all-of-life response to the worth of who God is and what He does." - Matt Heard. -- p. 51
If I only live for getting off work on Friday afternoon, my percentages for happiness are slim. I don't know about you, but two out of seven days is not enough for me. I much prefer to enjoy and find fulfillment in seven out of seven days. -- p. 203
You may falsely believe that you can't change, but God knows you can. Until you accept His grace, your most derailing limitation is you. -- p. 252
What I liked:
It was an easy read. I completed most of it on a bus ride back and forth to church.
What I didn’t like:
The author didn't put much of himself into this work. I'm not impressed when an author creates a "to do" type book, but doesn't show where he's done what he suggests. Ham places himself at a very safe distance from the reader and the concepts.
I was not thrilled with how marriage-centric this book was. For example, from page 92:
This is a picture…of God’s design for marriage. He knows how He built us, and He knows that people were not designed to be alone. While I recognize that there are some people who prefer to be single and truly enjoy doing life solo, most prefer to journey with a spouse. We are, for the most part, naturally wired that way. God’s desire is that with the support of our mate, we become even more capable of achieving our God-given purposes.
Here's a question: Does the author consider alone synonymous with single? That seems to be what
the book indicates. Someone needs to show me in scripture where God “wired” everyone for marriage? Most
importantly, what if a person isn’t “wired” for marriage? Marriage for
the Christian is not their choice; it is God’s choice. So, what if
marriage is not what God has chosen for someone? Can they not “become
more capable of achieving their God-given purpose” without a mate? C'mon, man!
The author created a "100 plan" chart that chronicles how he plans to spend every stage of his life from birth to 100 years old (or when old age sets in). Near the end of life, he lists “enjoy being nurtured by family.” I have two problems with this: one, what if you don't have a family to nurture you, and second, even if you do, should you plan to mooch off them and have them take care of you for the rest of your life? Sounds pretty selfish to me.
Takeaway:
This book read like a watered down, over quoted, knockoff version of Rick Warren's The Purpose Driven Life. Ham's offering wasn't very original and seemed to be directed towards middle-class Christian families with children. I would recommend Warren's book over this one.
As a side note, the author is going to be at a staff function at work where we'll be allowed to ask questions. I plan to ask the questions I had in this review. I'll post my findings and let you know.
UPDATE: I did meet Dr. Ham and asked him my questions. First, he was very kind and likeable. However, he did try to weasel out of my objections. His claim was that he understood why I would have the trepidation I felt, but that he wrote the book for "the majority." Again, in admitting that, he reiterated his assumptions that we are all supposed to be "wired" for marriage.
Though I enjoyed our discussion, his explanation doesn't change my mind about how I evaluated the text.
The author created a "100 plan" chart that chronicles how he plans to spend every stage of his life from birth to 100 years old (or when old age sets in). Near the end of life, he lists “enjoy being nurtured by family.” I have two problems with this: one, what if you don't have a family to nurture you, and second, even if you do, should you plan to mooch off them and have them take care of you for the rest of your life? Sounds pretty selfish to me.
Takeaway:
This book read like a watered down, over quoted, knockoff version of Rick Warren's The Purpose Driven Life. Ham's offering wasn't very original and seemed to be directed towards middle-class Christian families with children. I would recommend Warren's book over this one.
As a side note, the author is going to be at a staff function at work where we'll be allowed to ask questions. I plan to ask the questions I had in this review. I'll post my findings and let you know.
UPDATE: I did meet Dr. Ham and asked him my questions. First, he was very kind and likeable. However, he did try to weasel out of my objections. His claim was that he understood why I would have the trepidation I felt, but that he wrote the book for "the majority." Again, in admitting that, he reiterated his assumptions that we are all supposed to be "wired" for marriage.
Though I enjoyed our discussion, his explanation doesn't change my mind about how I evaluated the text.
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