The Silence of Adam

This book is changing my life... rather I'm pleading with God that the truth in this book will continue to change my life permanently.

I was just thinking it's been quite a while since I've done a book report. I don't even know what the format would be, but this is a book that I want to study in-depth. So I'll post tidbits here and there when I discover something that just makes me more in awe about what is going on inside of me.

This second chapter is talking about the difference between unmanly and manly men. Unmanly men in very short summary feel powerless, angry, and terrified. The one aspect I related to the most (although I can honestly relate with all three in some form or fashion) was being terrified. Some quotes that stuck out...

"Life itself continually demands that men do more than they feel capable of doing." And yes, dad's reading a newlywed's ability to relate to this will laugh to themselves and say, "Good luck with that..."

"The terror won't go away. Usually it remains hidden under the wraps of success, sociability, and routine." Uh oh.

"Enjoying God is harder work. Terrified men want relief now!"

In manly men, they are found to be active, gentle, and purposeful. Some quotes that made me scream inside my head, "YES, THAT'S ME!!"

"A manly man's pain doesn't interfere with his feeling the plight of others, even when their troubles are less severe than his. He has the courage to face his experience honestly. He therefore feels the sadness of living in a fallen world, and the loneliness of living in imperfect community."

"No matter what happens in life, manly men always find room to move. There is always something to BE, even when there is nothing to DO." This is so true...

"Manly men are enticed by the joys of freedom, by the unhindered chance to follow the call of manhood. A manly man is not addicted; he treats his body roughly, to avoid coming under a foreign power. He fights hard against his relentless desire for pleasure. He moves according to a plan. He is a PURPOSEFUL MAN who knows what he's about and what he can contribute to the purpose for which he is living."

I love how much time he is spending identifying the symptoms of being manly and unmanly. He pays extremely close attention to detail and somehow is broad enough to relate to all kinds of circumstances. I feel like God is running after me with this book. Like everytime I read it or open it, He's about to show me something that will save me from the path of misguided purpose and destructive planning. I feel so loved by God when I read this book, like I've been given something truly of value.

And I'm just done reading Chapter 2. At this point, if you're a man, please hear me. I've read a few books, not as many as I would have liked but a few. If you don't read another book next year, I beg you to read this one. Please join me in discovering who God made us to be. And if you're not a believer, I plead with you to read this. It's truthful and gets to the root of issues without hiding behind Christian language. This book will change your life and introduce you to a very real, intimate God that loves you where you are today... not one that is waiting for you to clean up A, B, and C before He can love you fully.