The summer reading plan is going pretty well for the most part. I've finished 3 of the 5 books on my list but the last two are by far the longest. I hope to do a short review of each book in order to remind me of what the book was about and hopefully encourage others as well.
Speaking the Truth in Love: Counsel in Community by David Powlison
Well, anything that David Powlison writes is going to be good but I was a little frustrated as I started this book but pleasantly surprised as I finished it. The beginning of the book seems to target those who plan on pursuing counseling as a profession but it quickly picks up the pace as Dr. Powlison tackles how to talk with difficult people, how to counsel a "Psychologized" counselee, and how the ministry of the Word has wrong associations at times.
All in all, I will definitely be rereading parts of this book again. It is a wonderful resource and helpful in many ways as we redeem relationships for His glory and not for personal gain.
My favorite chapter was on "Think Globally, Act Locally" for a variety of reasons. It was clear that the god-substitutes that hijack my heart were on display in this chapter.
When people ask Dr. Powlison about how the here-an-now stories connect to God's long ago stories, he responds by saying...
Connect one bit of Scripture to one bit of life. Always ask two questions of yourself and others: What is your current struggle? What about God in Christ connects to this? (p. 62)
