First Position

I first discovered Stovall Weems when I read his book, Awakening, and was challenged in

unexpected ways. When I found out that he had written another book I was eager to read it and hoped to be pushed spiritually and mentally once again. After finishing, I can easily say that I was not disappointed by his latest book, The God First Life. I found myself underlining multiple passages and writing notes in the margins as his words stirred my thoughts and spirit. Stovall has a way of writing that presents things that I already know to be true, but they are phrased in a way that often causes me to murmur in verbal agreement as I read. It's a solid, spirit-filled presentation of fundamental truths that reminded me of where my focus should be centered-on God alone.

Stovall begins his book by adding two simple words to a common phrase, "your life, God's way." It's the addition of these words that challenges our allegiance and directs our hearts to seek God above all else. These flow out of Matthew 6:33 and the command from Jesus to seek the kingdom of God before we seek anything else. This is the most essential directive from Christ and the foundation of the book-nothing should be in the highest priority except for God himself.

The book proceeds to take the reader through the fundamental parts of the life of a devoted Christ-follower. Stovall carefully takes the reader through a pathway of deeper devotion and discipleship that is all centered on God. It all makes sense and yet is presented in a way that stimulates thought in new ways. None of this is a brand-new revelation, yet it still pushes me to think carefully about my own pathway of growth in Christ.

I would feel extremely comfortable recommending this book to new believers as well as the more seasoned Christ follower. It's an excellent guide for initial discovery and an impetus for mid-faith growth and refocus. We all need the reminder to make sure that each part of our faith is centered on seeking God above all other things. 

Awakening by Stovall Weems

I finished reading the book Awakening by Stovall Weems this past week and was blown away by the depth of spiritual insight and application. The book is written on the principle of the need for spiritual awakening in each of us and how we can attain that by fervently seeking God through prayer and fasting. As the founder and lead pastor of Celebration Church, it is obvious that he is committed to this vision and practice for his personal life as well as for the growth of God's church. Stovall believes in the desire for all Christ-followers to be passionately pursuing this spiritual insight with the Holy Spirit. He writes, "Awakening to the presence and power of God is both a one-time event and recurring newness we experience throughout our lives."

Weems writes with a passionate style that captures the attention of any reader and also inspires you to practice these spiritual disciplines so that this awakening can be personally experienced. He presents theologically sound evidence for frequent times of prayer, worship and fasting and yet also offers practical advice to help in the process. The use of personal stories from people in his church make the book even more real and the resulting experiences more tangible.

I recommend this book for anyone who is serious about pursuing fasting as a spiritual discipline and a way to open your spiritual life to what God has ready to bless you with. I am excited about entering into a church-wide time of prayer and fasting this summer and the awakening that God will bring for our church. This is a book that I will recommend to anyone asking about fasting and I will certainly be re-reading it myself.

I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review.