O2: Breathing New Life into Faith (ConversantLife.com®)

“I see more passion for trees in the Sierra Club than I do for Jesus in the church.”

How can Christians revive and sustain their spiritual vitality? International Bible teacher Richard Dahlstrom offers an answer as practical and life–sustaining as oxygen.

People can’t hold their breath forever or continually blow air out, yet many Christians focus either on the inner life or on external service. As a result, their faith eventually becomes lifeless and irrelevant.

Dahlstrom invites readers to “inhale” life as they embrace fresh perspectives on prayer, the word, solitude, and the creation. “Exhaling” continues the cycle of breathing through hospitality, generosity, service, and obedience to Christ’s kingdom vision.

This thoughtful and inspiring description of a healthy life of faith leads to a balanced and holistic spirituality that mirrors Jesus’ life and teaching.

Starred Review. Dahlstrom, a Seattle pastor and international speaker, is an original and welcome evangelical voice of reason who offers skeptics and Christians alike compelling advice on living out their faith, Jesus-style. Where, he asks, is Christians' passion for Christ? Do their beliefs make any substantive difference in their daily lives? In 1984, Dahlstrom realized that his own spiritual well was dry, so he moved with his wife to an island where he learned to breathe again—effectively balancing inhalation (prayer, solitude, Sabbath rest, Scripture study and contemplation) with exhalation (service, outreach, hospitality and generous giving). In this book, he gives Christians tools to achieve spiritual balance by integrating these inwardly and outwardly focused spiritual practices. Dahlstrom's tenderness is deeply stirring, as is his tough stance in confronting modern believers' unwillingness to follow in Jesus' stead by serving sacrificially, reaching forth in love and spilling out their lives for others. Dahlstrom's approach balances gentle compassion with fierce assessments of problems in the church today, making this an excellent guide to soul renovation. (July)
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