Jimmy Robson - Outside Reading

As of late, I have been reading Donald Miller's book Blue Like Jazz for the second time. I find the book very interesting and rather refreshing because it does not concern the practical aspects of religion as much as the struggles and triumphs that accompany everyday life. In the tagline, Miller refers to it as "Nonreligious thoughts on Christian spirituality." I like this concept a lot, because too often I find that people concern themselves with the logistical aspects of religion and completely ignore the spiritual aspect. I fully believe that the point of religion is to nurture the soul and serve something higher than oneself. Throughout the book, Miller addresses a variety of "religious" concepts such as faith, grace, and love, along with concepts people would normally not consider religious, such as change, community, and money. He includes each of these topics because one's religion should be a factor in each part of his or her life. When you consider yourself to be a part of a religion, with the exception of Buddhism and Atheism (for those who consider it a religion), you are committing yourself to the belief that a deity is in control. Therefore, in order to obtain the best results, it is best to take your religious beliefs into account, trusting that your God or gods are in every situation. Furthermore, in the case of Christianity (Which this book is concerned with), Jesus promised his followers "Life more abundant." Anyone who has been alive more than seven years knows that life is full of ups and downs. Therefore, a more abundant life means higher triumphs and potentially harder struggles. The difference is what you put your trust in to get you through the struggles and raise you back up.