Drawing Closer to the Heart of God - The Sacred Romance

This is a very subjective book. Authors psychological issues dominate a bit too much I did not like the frequent mingling of sacred stories ,classical stories and contemporary stories. They took their own emotional temperature too frequently. Very introspective

This book is showing me how to love God differently and refreshingly. It's very enjoyable and inspiring. No matter where you are on your Journey this book helps chapter after chapter. It's easy to understand and a book to recommend to others.

This book is one of hundreds written by Chrisian authors offering new hope after life/self examination... the difference with this book is that it delivers. Probably the most influencial book I, as well as several friends, have read in the last five or six years. Easy to understand, hard to race through. Each chapter asks you to examine parts of your life, including the hard parts, and forces you to come face to face with a God who has an incredible amount of love for you. Absolutely fantastic.

I read a lot of books, mainly Christian/spiritual in nature and frankly, am not finished with this book yet. I forced myself to continue after Chp 1, found chapters 4 and 5, I think, rather interesting, and then back to forcing myself to continue reading. Some sentences and ideas are lengthy and seem too elaborate, when fewer words in a more simplistic way could have expressed the same idea. I guess the general concept is a good one, too many references to too many other pieces of literature made it tedious. Overall, I am not enjoying this book and feel I have gained little from it. In between I am starting Francis Frangipane's, "You Will Be Found By Me", which is a joy to read and has the Breath of God in it, simplistic and powerful.

The Sacred Romance Drawing Closer To The Heart Of God
I was very disappointed in this book. It is not all it is cracked up to be. After everybody telling me how great it was on the Intimacy with God.
I didnot make past chapter 2.

Theologically a nightmare. Here are some examples: On page 1 the author starts out by saying that the heart speaks to us and continues this idea onto page two. "The voice in our heart dares to speak to us again, more insistently this time. Listen to me - there is something missing in all this. You long to be in a love affair, an adventure. You were made for something more. You know it." Following this sentence the authors speaks about Samuel and how God was speaking to him and then goes on to basically say that God is speaking to us in our heart in these moments. However, the authors completely misuse the text in 1 Samuel 3. The way the authors word their statement you could assume that Samuel heard from the lord in his heart, but in the passage (the instance being referenced here) God speaks to Samuel in a vision. This is vastly different, and I don't know of any text that supports God speaking to the heart, but rather God changes the heart through regeneration and sanctification.

The authors go on to say that we fail to recognize God when he is calling through our heart, but we are taught to be led by the Spirit, though, not through the heart. Isn't our heart to be judged and fixed by the word of God (Hebrews 4:12), and not leading us? The authors never mention scripture here in regards to God speaking to the heart, or the issue of confirming it is actually God speaking.

My biggest "what" started below the previous text. The authors assume the heart is good and even imply that by neglecting our heart we start to sin or get distracted (p. 2 starting on the last line until the end of the paragraph on page 3). The authors say that we put our hearts to the side and, "we have an affair, or develop a colorful fantasy life fed by dime store romances or pornography...." and explain it by saying, "We make sure to maintain enough distance between ourselves and others, and even between ourselves and our own heart, to keep hidden the practical agnosticism we are living now that our inner life has been divorced from our outer life." Though, Jesus said, "For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, slanders" (Matthew 15:19). It is because of the heart that we sin, "The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it?" (Jeremiah 17:9).

They carry out this theme that the heart is good, and go on to say that we "lose heart because of addictions and affairs and depression and heartaches" (p. 4). Furthermore, "Very seldom are we ever invited to live out of our heart..." and "we divorce ourselves from our heart and begin to live a double life" (p. 5). But again, living out of the heart is the problem if it is not directed at God, not neglecting the heart as a guide. We live a double life because of the heart's turning away vs our new nature in Christ. The “deceptive heart” of Psalm 12:2 is a Hebrew metaphor, “double heart” (a heart and a heart).

Consider these statements, “Starting very early, life has taught all of us to ignore and distrust the deepest yearnings of our heart” and “Very seldom are we ever invited to live out of our heart” (p. 5) yet as Jesus said it is out of the hearts that evil comes, and so sinful man is very much trusting, acting upon, and living out of the heart. Consider Romans 1:21 on the unrighteous, “although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened.” And, 1:24, “Therefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, to the dishonoring of their bodies among themselves.” It is the heart that is the problem, and this is the corrupt nature of man at work, which wrestles within the believer as well. It is the “lusts of the heart” that caused the “affair” or “pornography” the authors attribute to ignoring the heart. We do not “lose heart” when we have affairs, we are acting upon it.

“But because of your hard and impenitent heart you are storing up wrath for yourself on the day of wrath when God's righteous judgment will be revealed” (Romans 2:5). "This is the unfortunate thing about everything that happens on earth: the same fate awaits everyone; The hearts of all people are full of evil, and there is madness in their hearts during their lives - then they die" (Ecclesiastes 9:3).

In one moment, the authors call the heart the "flame of the human soul", which I assume means "passion" as they later call it "the passion of our life", but at other times they seem to imply it means something more. If the authors mean the heart in the biblical sense of the word (the whole man in his entirety) then they appear to be teaching against scripture. Note page 3, “a life without heart is not worth living”, but you can’t live a life without yourself. If they mean to define the heart as "passion" and tell us to listen to those passions that still seems rather strange to me. The authors say, "However we may describe this deep desire, it is the most important thing about us, our heart of hearts, the passion of our life. And the voice that calls to us in this place is none other than the voice of God" (p. 7). The voice that calls to us in the passion of our life is God? The authors seem to imply that God speaks to us through our emotions as passion is just an overwhelming emotion of excitement or enthusiasm. Yet Timothy 4:3-4 tells us, "For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths." Their passions led them to embracing false teachings and so I read a statement about God speaking to us through passions and it just seems wrong.

The authors never really seem to truly identify what they are implying the heart is. If they hold that the heart is the "passion of our life" then they misrepresent Jesus' actual teachings (see page 7, paragraph 3) on the heart as Jesus knew the Hebraic meaning of the heart. Robert Saucy in his book, Minding the Heart, notes that there are 814 occurrences of “heart” (lev and levav) which solely relate to the human heart. The heart is the center of our being, it is who we are, the seat of our thoughts, emotions, and actions. “More than the soul and spirit, ‘the heart’ is the all embracing term for the human psychological phenomena” (Bruce Waltke). Hans Walter Wolfe, in Anthropology of the Old Testament, said, “The most important word in the vocabulary of the Old Testament anthropology is generally translated heart”. This being said, to neglect all of scriptures teaching on the heart is problematic.

On pages 8-9, the authors say a lot that I could agree with, but I am still unsure about how they define the heart given some of their text. On page 10 they start talking about finding “the lost life of the heart” and I must admit I don’t know what to think of this statement. It appears the texts focus is on those who have strayed since they describe this all as, “this pilgrimage brings us to the destination, set within all of our hearts, which in some way we have known, longed for, and been haunted by since we were children" (p. 10). They blatantly describe the destination as the “intimacy, beauty, and adventure of life with God” but this gained in Christ and is maintained by abiding in Christ, his word and by shaping the heart with the Word (Hebrews 4:12). The authors state that “Most Christians have lost the life of their heart and with it, their romance with God (p. 10), and if this be the case than most Christians are failing to repent and return to the Lord. What is the “life of the heart” and how is its loss responsible for removing romance with God when the heart is wicked? Are they saying that Christians have lost the abundant life given to us in Christ? It is just unclear. These kind of statement makes me think that the authors define the heart by “passion”, but every now and then they say something that seemingly indicates that it is more than that such as, “It is our aim to help you ‘guard your heart,’ to see more clearly the enemies of your heart and the hearts of those you love; to enable you to better enter the battle for hearts to which our Captain calls us” (p. 11). It may be best to begin with the notion that we need to pray for God to create in us a clean heart as David did (Psalm 51).

The Authors then mention “God’s resurrection of the heart” (p. 10), which sounds like regeneration to me, but that wouldn't make sense being that their audience is Christian. They then say, “we hope to help you discover your souls deepest longing and invite you to embrace it as the most important part of your life” (p. 11). This statement only makes sense to me if the writers are writing to unbelievers, yet they say they are writing to Christians. The souls’ deepest longing is communion and fellowship with God and that is embraced so long as you are abiding in Christ.

I want to note that I am not neglecting the importance of “guarding your heart”, or the heart itself. In fact, the heart is extremely important, which is why I said there are some things they said that I could agree with. My main issue is that the authors seem to place too much emphasis on living out of the heart, and have not yet mentioned that the heart must be changed if there is a problem, because the heart is the sources of those problems. Robert Saucy once said, “If our heart controls the “issues of life” – our thoughts, attitudes, aspirations, feelings, talk, and behavior – we can only conclude that the problems of our life are ultimately problems of the heart. We don’t experience the abundant life of love, joy, and peace for which we were created because something is seriously amiss in our heart.”

There is no clear understanding of what they mean by the heart, and if they mean it in the biblical sense they completely neglect a theme running throughout all of scripture, “The intent of man’s heart is evil from his youth” (Genesis 8:21). “The Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great on the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually” (Genesis 6:5).

In the Author's emphasis of the heart, and living from it and through it, I can’t help, but think of this quote “Other places in the Old Testament speak of the heart “lifting up” the person (2 Kings 14:10) or the heart being “lifted up” (Deut. 17:20). The arrogant heart is also pictured as “great” or “important” as well as “wide” or “broad” and in some cases, simply literally “proud” or “insolent”” (Saucy, Minding the Heart, p. 51).

Proverbs 16:5, “Everyone who is proud in heart is an abomination to the Lord”, and to be “proud of heart” literally means to be “high of heart” here.

The Sacred Romance is a lyrically written examination of God's heart and ours. John Eldredge and Brent Curtis are compelling authors who weave a magnificent word picture of our lives and of the One who longs to commune with us in perpetual joy. The authors describe our unquenchable thirst, the deep-seated desire of our hearts that constantly seeks fulfillment. We see a wooer who "launches a thousand ships" to rescue his beloved, a king who slips disguised into the enemy's camp to vanquish the coldblooded usurper of our hearts. Drawing both from biblical and secular sources, the authors illustrate how the world seeks recognition and acknowledgement. God offers to take us on a journey, one fraught with adventure and unexpected surprises. Will we join the Sacred Romance and enter into union with our wild lover? Or, will we imbibe the cup of honeyed poison proffered by our seductive, revenge-obsessed enemy? Will we settle for "less-wild lovers," those that only provide a foretaste of true bliss? Or will we find what we truly seek on that great Wedding Day when all is revealed?

I loved how each author wrote alternating chapters. Each chapter was filled with beautiful and sometimes hard-hitting imagery. The Sacred Romance calls to us even as young children, yet the Arrows of Life call that Romance into question. Mr. Brent and Mr. Eldredge do a masterful job of putting the beauty and pain of life into proper perspective. My favorite examination occurred in Chapter 5 where the authors examined God's wildness through His pursuit of Job. This chapter also contains a vivid picture of God's wild and unpredictable pursuit of a human heart in its examination of the character Lieutenant Dan in the movie Forrest Gump. I had never thought of using that movie to illustrate God's pursuing love. My other favorite chapter is 6, in which God's heart is exposed. This chapter truly moved me.
I loved how graphically our hearts were unmasked in this book, how our "false selves" were described and our true yearnings laid bare. The authors mine the depths of the human condition, exposing the ruthless adversary who seeks to defile and reminding us of the One who longs to restore. This book will mesmerize you and give ample food for thought. Not to be missed. God bless you all.

The Sacred Romance was such a refreshing read. Perhaps it was just the timing in which I read the book, but I would recommend it to everyone. Here's why:
The opening chapter of the book (The Lost Life of the Heart) spoke to me very strongly - it made my heart pound. I have never had a book do that to me before. I was the one the authors wrote about in the first chapter. It describes what happens when we come to a point of being burned out in our spiritual life - or perhaps is it better to say overwhelmed by the weight of everything around us. It is so easy to be distracted into focusing on our own little stories.
The authors guide the reader to remember that God is up to something big. He is working out in history His own big story. Each of our lives is a little story within that big story. However, so many people get caught up in their own little story, that they forget that God has a role for them in His big story. This causes us to lose heart along the way. Our problems overwhelm us when we forget God's big story.
Okay, but why is this book so good at reminding us of that?
The authors paint the picture of a wild God - the Lover of our souls who pursues us restlessly. They look thoroughly at both the Old Testament and the New Testament. But, this book isn't preachy. The authors go beyond Scripture, while staying Scriptural. They look at Literature and Cinema, old and new. What is this longing presented to us throughout history - why all the stories of the lost love pursued by her lover? Because, deep down inside, we all want to be loved and pursued. The authors show us that the Bible presents us with the story of the Lover of our souls pursuing us. God longs to meet our deepest needs. The authors claim that the intimacy God desires to share with us is "an intimacy much more sensuous, much more exotic than sex itself" (p. 161).
Ask yourself what the following names have to do with God. Forrest Gump, A River Runs Through It, When Harry Met Sally, Robert Frost, Soren Kierkegaard, The Hobbit, Cinderella, Alice In Wonderland, Henry V, Pilgrim's Progress, and Helen of Troy. These, and more, are used to teach us what God wants from us.
Chapter 12 (Coming Home) was worth the price of the book.
I have only one negative comment. I was frustrated by the incomplete bibliography. Hey, it's the scholar in me.
I loved this book so much that I bought a copy for every Sunday School teacher that teaches under my ministry. This is the best book on the overall message of the Bible that I have ever read. I believe everyone, not only Christians, should read this book. I believe it will help non-Christians see what Christians believe, even if the non-Christians don't agree with our beliefs. It will be worth your time and money!

The Sacred Romance by John Eldredge and Brent Curtis. A journey of the heart. And how we get lost in the woods along the way. The heart is the key to our spiritual journey, and many of us seem to get lost in this world, substituting the love of God with the things of this world. "The God who saves is also a God who woos His own to a relationship primarily of the heart. As we draw closer to Him, we must choose to let go of other less-wild lovers, such as perfectionistic driveness and self-indulgence. Eldredge and Curtis identify the lies offered by false loves and instruct us on the journey back to the Lover of our souls. In carefully crafted words and images, the authors entice the reader to his or her own journey of the heart, promising, it is possible to recover the lost life of our heart and with it the intimacy, beauty, and adventure of life with God."

I found myself having to reread several of the chapters to absorb the information, which is fine. I also found myself at times somewhat discouraged. I really didn't find the book as inspirational as most that I tend to read, and would add that it is very realistic. It is loaded with John and Brent's real-life stories of the trials and detours that we take along the way to finding the heart of God. Maybe I've shared many of these and have been so focused on the road ahead that I haven't reflected on them recently. So I did - and have found that it has drawn me in closer to God. Which has been very enlightening in itself?

Thirsty hearts are those whose longing have been weakened by the touch of God within them - A.W. Tozer.

Where are you finding yourself in this journey?

"Every woman is in some way searching for or running from her beauty and every man is looking for or avoiding his strength. Why? In some deep place within, we remember what we were made to be....we carry with us the memory of image-bearers walking in the Garden. We long for intimacy because we were made in the image of perfect intimacy. So why do we flee our essence? As hard as it may be for us to see our failures, it is far harder still for us to remember our glory. The pain of the memory of our former glory is so excruciating, we would rather stay in the pigsty than return to our true home." (page 95)

I read this book several years ago, when I was at a place in my spiritual walk where I was questioning my relationship with God. I am not easily impressed with modern literature, but this book made me dissolve into tears, laugh with utter abandon and rededicate myself to knowing God on the deepest level possible. It isn't an epic. It isn't lengthy. Yet the profound truths and spiritual depths contained therein makes this book an immediate classic.

This book reveals the true ageless tale that begins, "Once upon a time...and ends, "And they lived happily ever after." But, thankfully, it isn't a fairy tale. It is a true story of God in relationship and His heroic intimacy...intimacy beyond our wildest imagination. Like the shimmer of sunlight on a lake, these are reflections of the love that flows from God to us...His beloved. It is a story of an eternal romance that will carry your heart away...and make you ache for the kind of love for which you have dreamed....for which you were created.

Having first read Wild at Heart about two years ago, and very much enjoying it, after reading The Sacred Romance, I now have a better perspective on what a deeper relationship with God is really about. Where Wild at Heart focuses on men's issues, and Captivating focuses on women's issues, The Sacred Romance focuses on people issues. Specifically, how our wounding causes a loss of heart which can lead to a rather superficial relationship with God. A fire insurance policy if you will rather than a vibrant and meaningful daily walk.

In perspective, as a seasoned Christian so to speak, the whole idea of loss of heart and how we are wounded has helped me understand my own journey so much better. And most important my relationship with God.

In closing, just a caution. This is not a light-weight book. Although easy to read the issues that it can surface are weighty and will require the reader to dig in and think.

Everything that the authors consider important is written in capital letters in this book. For example, the Sacred Romance is our relationship with God and the Message of the Arrows is every negative thought, emotion, or word which we receive while living in this world. I had a hard time relating to the concept of the spiritual void which the authors seem to think will enter the life of every believer. Certainly, all Christians have periods when their faith seems dry and God seems far away, but it doesn't feel to me as dramatically awful as the authors portray it. I agree that living for this world will bring frustration and "false gods" who will never live up to what we are promised in the way of happiness. I also agree that being busy at church and in life is not what God wants for us; rather He is interested in having a close relationship with us. Somehow the authors flowery language, and overly-dramatic references did not draw me in, but rather turned me off. They speak of the Heart and Romance, but never really define it or make many suggestions about how the Sacret Romance can be achieved, other than to "abide with Him". Fortunately, many of the reviewers seem to have found some real answers in this book, and for that I thank God.

The message of this book is not for every Christian because not everyone is at the same place in his/her life journey (i.e., Christian walk). However, if you are tired of playing church, wondering if there is more to this life, wondering what the abundant life looks like, wondering of God understands why you like the things you like, frustrated over why you can't seem to overcome the things (sin, addictions, fear) that plague you, and you have the courage to push beyond the boundaries of the conventional American Christian mindset, then read this book prayerfully and let God Himself speak to your heart. Do not make the mistake of thinking this message is about doing whatever you please. It is about finding within the framework of your current circumstances the life of joy and excitement that God destined you to have from before the foundations of the world. Afterall, He promises to give you the desires of your heart.(Ps 37:4)

This is one of the most profoundly impactful books I have ever read. EVER. Beautifully written, the authors take you on a most breathtaking adventure! The book pierced my heart while confirming and articulating what an intimate love relationship with my "Braveheart" can really be like. Outside of the Bible, if I could only keep one book with me for the rest of my life, it would be this one.

This is an excellent book, and one that captures the lost passion so many of us live without. The authors attempt to demonstrate how much our lives are truly designed to be passionate, and drawn to God. There are two major themes: The first is that God desires a relationship with us. The second is that our lives are often confined to the "smaller story" and we seldom play out the role God has in mind, choosing instead to go through the motions of daily events - devoid of passion and romance.
Often the depictions of God in the Christian Church cast Him in the role of a distant dictator. This is the metaphor I grew up with. A closer look at the Scripture reveals a God who is passionate and desires more than anything a right relationship with us. The authors discuss this concept at length and provide Biblical backing for the theology.
The more compelling aspects of the book were the more practical. A close look at our lives reveals our fears keep us trapped in the mundane, and keep us from risking the "larger story" we are called to be a part of. We have lost the romance, the spark, and the adventure, of our youth, to be replaced with a cold logic and practical drudgery, and small stories. The depictions of the hope and grandeur of our dreams from youth are depicted with such stark reality, that it jars you awake to the fact that so much of what we call maturity is a lack of trust, adventure, and passion. There is a longing in each of us for something more, this book shows what that is.
An excellent book, but one that must be discovered on your own. I chose not to go into detail in the review, as this book is not about the "what" of our lives, as some technical self-help rulebook would be, but rather about re-discovering the passion and romance we long for. Take a risk, immerse yourself, and prepare to be awakened.

The first chapter which introduced the book was very inspirational. I was totally inspired to accept what Eldridge and Curtis were saying. They encouraged the reader to pursue a deeper relationship with God. By describing the abundant life that God had for me, that included adventure and intimacy I was totally inspired. This is what I've been waiting for I thought. Then I kept on reading looking forward to the keys to this life. How do I open myself up the live this more abundant life? How do I take part in the sacred romance?

Although it may not have been there purpose, my expectations about life were raised, and then lowered as I have no idea how to get from here to there. I don't want to live a life of dutiful service and small indulgences which is as far as Eldridge and Curtis were willing to take me. I guess the rest of the journey is up to me to figure out.

John Eldredge and Brent Curtis are authors who clearly walk close with God. The Sacred Romance is a great treasure! It takes us back to those times when we were young, and the world was full of magic and wonder. They talk about how those ideas and longings were pierced by the Arrows of lifem and on from there. John and Brent remind us that God is a God who pursues us. He is the one who desires to woo our hearts.
An eye opening book that will take your breath away. It's easy to relate and dive into the book that has stories and experiences that both authors offer in the book. It's very well written, and one that you will not want to put down. Any true Christian will truly enjoy and cherish this book, and will no doubt cherish and enjoy a closer walk with God- the desire of their true hearts!

This book is not an intellectual theological exercise and to approach it as such will only lead to disappointment as you can read from other reviews. This book instead offers both the Christian and the non Christian a different perspective of drawing nearer to God by examining our soul to a level that most people are fearful to look at. If you dare to take the challenge of looking at your life seriously and applying the truths that in this book, not only will your relationship with God change, but the way you treat others and yourself will be become more coated with mercy and grace. Take the challenge and make it a goal and prayer to at least pick up just one good thing from the book and you will not be disappointed.

This is in response to the review by Challies Dot Com, from Ontario, when he states that the book is full of errors. I feel you have totally missed the essence of this book . . . the message it offers. Love of God and a relationship with Him cannot be judged by anything more than what is in your heart (i.e., soul, spirit) and at some point in our lives, I feel we are all called upon by our souls (our deepest selves) to reunite in spirit with Him. When I read this book I sobbed and thought my heart would break in two. It was part joy, part physical pain, and part a tremendous loneliness that I had been feeling and looking back, I know that breaking feeling was actually my heart opening up to Him again.
I am so sorry that you were so intent on viewing the book from a standpoint of history and accuracy (according to whom, I don't know) that you missed the main thrust of the words.

This review starts with a bit of personal mush, so just bear with me:
Throughout the majority of my life, I could only identify myself as a Christian who had too many wounds, and to many questions. I'd tried to explain this to other Christians who didn't understand what it was I was trying to say: The more I needed to find out if I was just being ungrateful, the more I would receive a shallow "Smile- God loves you" as my general answer. I knew this.
The only love I could find in the Church was the 'logical' kind, the kind that we are told to have, and so we say we have because of our faith. I felt that God must think me miserable and lowly, and ultimately felt nearly nothing for me as much as I tried to aspire to his expectations.
I am now halfway through the book and the workbook, and although there are some things that I disagree on (though not much) I find this book to be extreemely eye opening and uplifting.
However, the authors take a very unorthodox and 'romantic' way of bringing their points home. I would not suggest this book to anyone who feels that their service to God need be one of simple obedience and faith with no movement of heart or soul. This is not for those that steer away from questions. This is not for the ones who must see everything as a simple 'God did this, so we must do this, period.' This book is for the faithful of God who are soft hearted and childlike, who feel that there is something missing in their lives.
If you need to read something that brings everything into perspective for once instead of feeding you the same 'logical' things... If you find your heart needs to be stirred (not *entertained*, mind you); If you find that your life as a Christian lacks meaning or drive... or anything else...
Then please, do yourself a favor and buy the workbook as well.
This book was meant for you.

I knew Brent Curtis before his untimely rock-climbing accident. Brent was a man who truly lived the Sacred Romance.
I first experienced the Sacred Romance on audio tape. I have since read the book, and listened to the tape series (available through Dan Allender's ministry) three more times. No other Christian authors have come close to explaining what I have always known intuitively - that knowing God means knowing Him at the level of the heart.
This is a book that men can treasure courageously, and women can savor romatically. You will never view Christianity in the same light after experiencing the Sacred Romance.

I must admit that the hype surrounding this book may have raised my expectations too high. Curtis and Eldridge provide a new perspective here on a human being's need for a love relationship with God. While containing many references to the Scriptures, the basic themes within the book are elaborations on Biblical truth rather than expositions of Biblical truth. In other words, this volume is built AROUND the Bible rather than UPON the Bible.
The fresh, vivid nature of this work may motivate some readers to open their hearts to a more intimate walk with Jesus Christ. After reading Eldredge's third volume in this series, "Wild at Heart" and being favorably impressed, I was disappointed in the quality of this initial undertaking. A far better book on the same subject is A.W. Tozer's "The Pursuit of God."

This book has absolutely changed my life. It is the first Christian book I have been able to fully relate to. I have allowed the "Arrows" of my life to turn me into a skeptical, pessmistic person with the belief that God is basically the big disciplinarian in the sky. This is the first book that has said that my feelings are natural and has not dismissed them. Instead it has helped me look at the various individual threads of my past and how they have woven the current fabric of my life. But most importantly, the book has used those revelations as a starting point and outlines the path to healing and transforming my view of God to one of a loving Father and passionate bridegroom. I'm telling everyone I know about this book and the workbook. The workbook is a crucial component to getting the most out of the book. It's a lot of work, but it's worth it!

I loved this book; loved the softly-meandering journey it takes you on. It happened I picked it up at a time where I needed hope, however. The authors don't seek to downplay or avoid God's presence in all aspects of 'public' society today -there are references to movies, music, and other venues we often, as Christians, are told to steer clear of. Yet I think by doing so we limit God's reach -even limit His willingness TO reach. Call me romantic, but to believe He might use any/all avenues to move people seems a more 'godlike' quality. Especially if, as scripture states, He is a jealous God.

Some might think this book leads one to be centralized, even arrogant -to believe God is continuually seeking after US seems unbelievable. But if He is ...what a motivation factor! Inspiring -and that's this book. Makes you laugh, cry, remember love, and hope. Inspires faith, too -all those 'greatest' things. Excellent!

Beautifully written by two men who evidently are themselves making the journey in the Way of the Heart and who are living the Sacred Romance they write about. Reading this book felt like an intimate and enlightening glimpse into the heart of a fellow pilgrim. The authors draw widely from their personal experiences and luminous writers both literary and spiritual, as well as references to popular culture to illustrate their points. A highly enjoyable and illuminating read!

As a person who was acquainted with Brent Curtis for several years before he joined John Eldredge and wrote this book, I looked forward with anticipation to attending the first conference where the authors presented this material. At that time, the book was in process and was not released from the publisher until more than a year later. My life had already been radically altered to become more real, more true, and, yes, more vulnerable and able to admit failure in my relationships that it been. But after attending the first conference and later when I read and studied the book in a small group, I found that my heart was forever captured and changed by a God who is more than acquainted with my arrows and who knows my deepest desires and longings. Furthermore, I discovered that my longings were not something to be shunned, but something that were placed there to draw me into the great heart of God and to bring me to a place of deeper joy and life than I dreamed cvould be possible. Over the past 10 years, not only has my life radically and solidly been changed for the better by the truth in this book (as well as in John's subsequent books "The Journey of Desire" and "Wild At Heart,") but so have the lives of numerous of my friends who have read these books. Though it may seem to be impossible, I have come to KNOW at the deepest levels of my being that I am enjoyed and treasured by my Creator and my Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. This God has been lovingly pursuing me through the long, dark tangled woods of my life journey as well as through the sunny meadows. Because of this God and the truth spoken in this book, the pain of life continues to be transformed into joy which is beyond explanation.
If this book does not captivate and change you as radically as it did me, please do not get too discouraged or write off the value of the book. We all go through times when certain books mean more than they might at other times. If that is the case, I trust that you will experience the same positive life results through some other source. The truths cannot be denied because they are much bigger than either the book or the authors!
For female readers (and for the men who love them) I would highly recommend a book by Jan Meyers, entitled, "The Allure of Hope."

Best for guys who have thrown out emotion, joy, passion, and feelings from their relationship with God. The authors ask us to revisit those areas we've segregated to those "emotional unstable types". we've found refuge in doctrines and truths yet found ourselves longing for more. We all have those who we passionately seek to spend time with. Is it the same for seeking to talk with God? There's a Father who so desires to talk with us, anytime of the day, sharing our joys and pains.

This book is AMAZING! Although I felt it was slow at first, Eldredge and Curtis do *such* a great job of digging deeply into the questions we have in our hearts about God's love and faithfulness. Does He *really* love me? Can I be *sure* He will come through? Am I WANTED and NOTICED? Cared for?
The authors deal with these questions--not with bumper-sticker answers, but with deep, thoughtful explanations of the love God promises and delivers. This book (and the Holy Spirit using it to work in your heart) have the potential to change your shallow, rule-following Christianity into a dynamic, wild, passionate love relationship with the personal God who has moved HEAVEN and EARTH just to KNOW YOU!

My guess is that readers who think they already have a good handle on life and Christian doctrine will probably be disappointed with this book. Likewise, this book will disappoint readers who want to see concepts like faith, hope, love, idolatry, grace, election, predestination, etc., expressed in religious language with which they are familiar, and not in language (and metaphors) in which people of our culture commonly express what is important to us and what drives us. Many thoughtful, ardent, traditionally-minded, well-meaning Catholics, Calvinists, etc., will not like this book.

Readers, however, who are desperately asking questions like, "Why do I have to hurt so much? When can I finally get out of the situation I am in? Why am I so burned out even though I have done everything I know to be faithful to Christ? How can I be so lonely? Why does this addiction keep re-surfacing? What is God doing here?" will probably find this book a God-send. I re-read this book recently at precisely such a time in my life, and it was wonderful. It reminded me that God is not after my religious devotion and doctrinal comformity, he wants my *heart*, the deepest center of myself, and that he may well invade my life in a way that hurts me, that strikes me as ruthless and devastating, in order to get it. God is committed to my sharing and radiating his glory--nothing less. Amazing.

In my view, one of the best aspects of this book is its emphasis not just on what God has promised to share with us (beauty, intimacy, adventure, glory), but *when* he will share it. Yes, we get a substantial foretaste now, but our deepest longings will be finally, fully satisfied only when we see him. Until Jesus comes back, God will mess with our lives and our idols in order to make sure that we don't get distracted by anything less than the awesome destiny he is preparing for us. As eloquently expressed toward the end of this book, God can use memory, imagination, and a passion for glory (i.e., faith, hope, and love) to help us wait and long with patience for the day when glory and unhindered intimacy with himself will really be ours.

I have told those that I've recommended this book to that it has been the single most life changing book I've read, apart from the Bible. Eldrege and Curtis have shared a glimpse into our Beloved's heart that I only dared to believe was there. I often thought I was a bit crazy for some of my thoughts about God having a romance with ME, of all people. But the insights of these two men have given me hope that maybe, just maybe, my heart wasn't wrong when it said to me, "There's more!" Other reviews have mentioned that the authors have said nothing new. That we would be better to read Lewis, and Bunyan and Edwards, and by all means, WE SHOULD! And the authors obviously have and have been greatly impacted. But what this book does that the others may not is appeal to a contemporary society, by use of contemporary, as well as historical and scriptural, resources to remind a broken generation longing for true love that the Lover of their souls still pursues them, and has a starring role for them in the Greatest Romance ever.

Every Christian (and non-Christian, for that matter) should read this phenomenally insightful book. While telling a story that is true for all of us, John Eldredge and Brent Curtis also make the story deeply personal and centered on the individual. I felt as though they were reading my mind as I read this book and that every word pertained to me. They challenge the reader to think outside "the box" of traditional Christian views and reach for a more exciting, loving, and rewarding relationship with God; one which deep down each of us has always known was there, but were too afraid to discover. I wish that I could tell everyone in this world to read this book.