Now, I have to say, this title may be a little exaggerated. However, I can assure you that the book I am referring to will change your perception on your life and on your daily decisions.
What book am I referring to…? The Principle of the Path by Andy Stanley.
One of my goals for this year (2017) was to read more. By read more, I mean actually start and finish more than just one book a year. And of course when you are writing goals, you are supposed to be specific, so I said I wanted to read a total of five books. The books I chose were a balance between enjoyable novels and thought provoking “self-help” books.
I was not sure what “self-help” books I wanted to read. (To be honest I cannot stand most self-help books because they are either extremely repetitive or basic common sense). So I decided to ask my dad, who reads a new book almost ever week, for some suggestions. When he pulled The Principle of the Path from his book shelf, he immediately said, “This one, you need to read this, in fact, hurry up and read it so I can read it again.”
Since he was super insistent on me reading this book, I thought, why not? Well I am sure glad I did. Andy Stanley did an amazing job with taking a simple concept, making decisions, and digging deep to shed clarity as why our daily decisions are so important.
The Principle of the Path is all about our attention, decisions, and destinations. It is all about how our decisions choose the paths we take and ultimately the destinations we end up at. Sometimes are decisions are clear and easy and other times our decisions can be muddied by our emotions. If we understand that every decision we make is a step in a certain direction, and we learn to trust God to make our paths clear, it is possible to end up at the destinations we desire.
This book has completely changed my perception on life. There are so many little decisions that I make almost everyday that I used to think of as nothing. Now I look at these moments as big steps in a direction towards or maybe even away from what I want. For instance, I want to be fit and slim. I want to work out and eat right, but every time I decide to sleep in or buy Oreos from the grocery store, I am taking steps in the wrong direction. These little decisions may seem small and insignificant, but in the end, if I want to be fit, I have to make the right decisions that will lead me to that destination.
This is just one of many examples that this principle applies to. Andy gives multiple examples from his own life, lives of those around him, and the bible. It was nice to read a book that was so relatable. I have been able to see this principle play throughout my life and how it played out in my past decisions, so now I look at all my daily decisions in a different light.
One thing that has opened my eyes through reading this book was, if God has amazing plans for my life, and he knows the right paths to take and decisions to make, why would I not drop everything and follow him? I mean think about it, why would I not desire the unconditional love and abundant wisdom that God is offering me? Why would I pass up the opportunity to lead the life God has planned?
Obviously all of this is a lot easier said than done, but the hopeful thing is that we do not have to have our lives figured out. We do not have to be afraid of the unknown future because 1) we can predict our futures based on the decisions we have been making and 2) we have a God that we can depend on to lead us in the right direction if we would just lean on him.
This kinda seems like me just ranting, but in all honestly it is hard for me to put into words the effect this book has had on me. Especially in a season of my life where everything I am doing now dramatically effects my future, understanding this principle has given me some clarity on what to prioritize, the right decisions to make, and the destinations I want to end up at.
Anyways, I really encourage you to check out the book, and you never know, it really could change your life!
Edge of Inspire 