To prove I’m not (too) biased in the ‘Books to Buy For Christmas‘ that I have people review on this blog, today, Jason Stasyszen (who many know as @br8kthru) has reviewed the book Wild at Heart: Discovering the Secret of a Man’s Soul
Personally, I don’t like this book but the majority of people I know who have read it tell me I’m wrong and it’s awesome.
Let’s hear what Jason has to say:
I know it’s not popular in today’s culture (at least in the Western world), but there is some confusion as to the role and heart of men and women and their differences.
Some say there are no differences at all. Some have taken the differences to silly levels as if all men should be macho jerks and all women should be prissy princesses, but what was in the heart of the Father as He created us as male and female?
Wild at Heart by John Eldredge is an attempt to reveal that heart of God for men and restore a more proper vision for his life.
I don’t think it’s a perfect book, but it certainly releases a lot of freedom and grace for those who’ve been turned off by Christianity’s seeming quest to turn men into wimpy nice guys. In other words, I think it’s a valuable start for those who may be struggling with these issues (of which I have).
It’s in my heart to see men truly transformed into the reality of all God has for us. There are fears that are common to us as males and certain desires, as the one for adventure, that is present to some degree.
The author outlines the various ways that men typically try to find meaning while pointing us toward the “true self” that God has given us through Christ. We often settle for validation in these other means than to embrace God’s best.
The book is an easy read with plenty of cultural references mixed with personal stories and stories from the Bible. It all flows together nicely to stir and encourage, to inspire and embolden.
Like I said, I feel like this is a great starting point. For men, it’ll offer some hope and freedom as well as understanding of what it means to be a godly man while embracing what makes us fundamentally male. For women, it will give an insight into the heart and mind of the men in their lives and may help them to cultivate and encourage those men.
All that said, if you read this with the Holy Spirit, there can be a wonderful conversation started in your own heart and between you and the Father. The challenges, encouragement, and hope presented within are certainly relevant for today.
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Thank you, Jason. I know that my opinion is never even close to perfect and I love that we’re in a community that can share ideas, opinions, likes and dislikes. I hope that people read this book and get a lot out of it!
Here are all the books that have been recommended thus far:
If you click on any of these book links and subsequently purchase one, I will get a small commission from Amazon. All commissions will go toward my family’s Well Fund, to try to build a well for a needy community in Africa.
Thanks Peter. I’m glad we don’t have to agree on everything as well and different things can impact us differently. I am interested to know why you disliked the book, but I’m just a curious kind of guy. 🙂 Thanks again!
I didn’t like it because I couldn’t really identify with the kind of ‘man’ he was talking about.
I did see a lot that was of great value in the book but it seemed like it was written for someone more ‘manly’ than me and actually made me feel insufficient and un-masculine!
Jason (and Peter): this book came into my life in the early 2000s and literally “saved” me. I had lost heart and found myself just wandering. I knew there was an answer and after I read this AND DID THE FIELD MANUAL (which is in my eyes the diamond in the rough) I not only found out what was happening I also found my heart. i do agree that this is not a perfect book but it is far better than many of the “men” books I have read. I am actually leading some men through it right now. Thanks for the review jason and than peter for “allowing” him to disagree. 🙂
Thank you for the great comment, Bill.
I do realize that many men benefit greatly from this book, which is why I ran Jason’s review.
It didn’t help me any… but I’m just one person and I’m VERY glad that others (yourself included) have found great benefit from it.
Yeah, I guess it’s sort of redundant to say it’s not a perfect book as there is only one perfect book, but something was awakened in me as well as I read it. Even though I finished it just a few months ago, I started it several years ago (a family member was going to the hospital so I let them borrow it even though I hadn’t finished it). They gave it back a while ago, but I was going a trip so I took it and finished the last 100 pages or so. What God awakened in the 1st half was still with me and He added to it with the 2nd. I love how God can do things like that! Thanks Bill.
I like a lot of what John has to say in this book and many of his others…it is a good starting place like Jason stated. John’s passion to know the Father is what stirs me and his desire that men be set free to be all they can in Christ is awesome. I liked the book but I like Fathered By God much more. Thanks Jason and Peter!
Cool, Jay. I’ll have to check that one out too. Thank you.
I love this book and recommend it to every brother who will listen. But I didn’t used to. The first time I read it I didn’t like it and didn’t get it. But I couldn’t get it out of my head, so I read it a second time and I do believe it changed my life in how I pursue my relationship with God, with my wife, and with my children. This was a good review and reminds me I need to get back to pursuing leading a group of men through this (using the Field Manual of course)
I LOVED this book! I’d consider it a MUST read for every man, recommended reading for every woman. I look at men and women, and I see their differences as inherent to their design by their Creator. Reading this book gives me hope for men to discover all they can be, and hope that women will not simply allow it, but put their full empowerment behind it.