To Know the Love: Becoming Whole in a Fracturing World
- Downloads：2926
- Type：Epub+TxT+PDF+Mobi
- Create Date：2022-07-13 13:21:42
- Update Date：2025-09-06
- Status：finish
- Author：Rich Villodas
- ISBN：0525654410
- Environment：PC/Android/iPhone/iPad/Kindle
- Download
Summary
An invitation to love like Jesus and step beyond distraction and division into the joy we long to experience--from the author of The Deeply Formed Life， winner of the Christianity Today Book Award
Sometimes， the world feels like it is tearing itself apart because we have not been taught to love。 Our daily experience is marked by reactivity， impatience， unresolved conflicts， and the inability to hold space with one another。 The impact on our bodies and most treasured relationships is overwhelming。 But what if a different future is possible？ What if we could find real peace， joy， and love？
In this dynamic book with fresh energy and classic truth， pastor and author Rich Villodas writes that the way towards wholeness， healing， and a new collective future is found in the ancient way of Jesus。 Jesus offers a way of being human that is both strong and tender enough to tear down the walls of hostility we see and feel daily。 Jesus presents us with a way of healing， reconciliation， humility， reflection， patience， empathy， truth-telling， and presence。 It's the way of the Cross， and the victorious path of the resurrection。 We have not been trained to love well。 Our society reminds us of this often。 But what if that could change？ What if we submitted ourselves to an ancient path that forms us out of sentimentality into self-giving love; out of anger and into compassion; out of fear and into hospitality？
Sometimes， the world feels like it is tearing itself apart because we have not been taught to love。 Our daily experience is marked by reactivity， impatience， unresolved conflicts， and the inability to hold space with one another。 The impact on our bodies and most treasured relationships is overwhelming。 But what if a different future is possible？ What if we could find real peace， joy， and love？
In this dynamic book with fresh energy and classic truth， pastor and author Rich Villodas writes that the way towards wholeness， healing， and a new collective future is found in the ancient way of Jesus。 Jesus offers a way of being human that is both strong and tender enough to tear down the walls of hostility we see and feel daily。 Jesus presents us with a way of healing， reconciliation， humility， reflection， patience， empathy， truth-telling， and presence。 It's the way of the Cross， and the victorious path of the resurrection。 We have not been trained to love well。 Our society reminds us of this often。 But what if that could change？ What if we submitted ourselves to an ancient path that forms us out of sentimentality into self-giving love; out of anger and into compassion; out of fear and into hospitality？
Reviews
Susan Carson
，
Rich Villodas brings us a book we desperately need in our fragmented， divided times。 He invites us to live lives formed by God’s love， addressing the causes of our fragmentation and giving practical guidance for living emotionally healthy relationships that heal and bridge the divides。 Writing with a pastor’s heart， Villodas shares vulnerably from his own life and struggles， bringing ancient and modern voices to help guide。 The chapters on contemplative prayer and justice are worth the price of Rich Villodas brings us a book we desperately need in our fragmented， divided times。 He invites us to live lives formed by God’s love， addressing the causes of our fragmentation and giving practical guidance for living emotionally healthy relationships that heal and bridge the divides。 Writing with a pastor’s heart， Villodas shares vulnerably from his own life and struggles， bringing ancient and modern voices to help guide。 The chapters on contemplative prayer and justice are worth the price of the book。 Says Villodas， “We were not made for the kind of antagonism that pervades our world。 We were made in love， and for love， by a good， beautiful， and kind God。" I was thrilled to receive an advance copy。 。。。more
D。j。 Lang
，
I can't give this book any less than 5 stars。 Before I even requested this ARC from NetGalley and WaterBrook & Multnomah， I had pre-ordered it and bought it to arrive on my Kindle the minute it comes out; however， I wanted to read it as soon as possible！ I have to say here at the beginning that book includes a subject I was looking for last year and could not find: how to be an unanxious presence in a very anxious world。 Villodas brings much to the table with Good and Beautiful and Kind， but thi I can't give this book any less than 5 stars。 Before I even requested this ARC from NetGalley and WaterBrook & Multnomah， I had pre-ordered it and bought it to arrive on my Kindle the minute it comes out; however， I wanted to read it as soon as possible！ I have to say here at the beginning that book includes a subject I was looking for last year and could not find: how to be an unanxious presence in a very anxious world。 Villodas brings much to the table with Good and Beautiful and Kind， but this learning to be an unanxious or non-anxious presence has to be one of the major reasons for buying this book。 I own and read The Deeply-Formed Life by Villodas so I knew I would appreciate his take on the good and beautiful and kind life。 The word "kind" threw me at first because I've grown accustomed to seeing good， and beautiful， and true linked together。 The title might also throw other readers who are expecting something different， maybe something light with inspirational tales of wonder。 This book is not about feeling good about other people's stories of how they were good， beautiful， and kind。 This book is about learning to BE good， beautiful， and kind。 Ourselves doing the work， not how to get others to be good， beautiful， and kind。 This is for people who want to be transformed from the inside。 Villodas is transparent in his examples from his own life。 I appreciate the integrity in his writing。 Even at the beginning， he gives an example where theologically his church holds to a particular historical view （cue half the crowd happy and the other half upset） followed by how the church followed the command to love in action as Jesus commands （cue first half of crowd now unhappy and the second half happy）。 Don't miss the wisdom in this book and the chance to grow more like Jesus: good， beautiful， and kind just because you don't agree with every word in the book。 I follow an old saying when it comes to reading; Eat the meat but spit out the bones。 As for me， I only mildly disagreed with one thing in the entire book。 I am eager for my pre-ordered copy to come through on July 12 so I can actually highlight passages as I re-read it。 I read this ARC from June 3 to June 16 and now I know that I also want to purchase the physical book; I'm sure I'll be re-reading this book again and again。 Thanks to NetGalley and WaterBook & Multnomah for this ARC。 。。。more
Ann
，
Good and Beautiful and Kind， by Rich Villodas， should be required reading for every parent of children of all ages。 Additionally， anyone who wants to help make the world a better place， which quite possibly should be everyone， needs to follow Villodas' example。 Why can't there be more goodness and kindness in the world？ The answer is simple。。。there can be， we just have to commit to making this a reality。 In an age where entitlement and anger and meanness and no empathy nor compassion run rampant Good and Beautiful and Kind， by Rich Villodas， should be required reading for every parent of children of all ages。 Additionally， anyone who wants to help make the world a better place， which quite possibly should be everyone， needs to follow Villodas' example。 Why can't there be more goodness and kindness in the world？ The answer is simple。。。there can be， we just have to commit to making this a reality。 In an age where entitlement and anger and meanness and no empathy nor compassion run rampant on our streets and in our schools and in our communities， it is time to do something about it all。 I totally agree that prayer， forgiveness， calmness and humility are the keys to success and should be practiced by everyone。 Thank you for such a hopeful and praiseworthy book。 Hopefully others will make this their self-help primer of the year。 。。。more
Christine
，
I really appreciate Rich's honest， thoughtful perspective here。 He has so much wisdom to offer in matters of unity despite differences， love in suffering， and an outward focused life。 He presents the idea that the root of our sin is essentially that we are bent inward， not outward or upward。 And he's not wrong。 It's when we're self-obsessed and overly self-focused that we fail to love God and others as we ought。 I especially appreciated the chapter on healthy disagreements。 Rich points out that I really appreciate Rich's honest， thoughtful perspective here。 He has so much wisdom to offer in matters of unity despite differences， love in suffering， and an outward focused life。 He presents the idea that the root of our sin is essentially that we are bent inward， not outward or upward。 And he's not wrong。 It's when we're self-obsessed and overly self-focused that we fail to love God and others as we ought。 I especially appreciated the chapter on healthy disagreements。 Rich points out that when we fully rest and are secure in God's love， we're free to engage honestly and receive constructive criticism which in turn enables us to love those around us better。 Sometimes it's not a deliberate inward curve。 Sometimes it's a defense mechanism， a subconscious self-protection。 But we can't grow past it or love others fully if we don't deal with the curve。 While I had a bit of a hard time getting off the ground with this book， there's a lot of good meat here for those who are willing to stick with it and dig deep！ 。。。more
Rachael
，