Follow the life journey of one of our generation's greatest apologists in this reflective memoir. You'll visit the neighborhood in India where he grew up; feel his mother's love, his father's harshness---and his own rebellious soul. Exchanging pantheism for monotheism, Zacharias has spent three decades answering questions about the existence of a living God. Inspiring! 240 pages, hardcover from Zondervan.
Zacharias invites readers to follow him on this journey through his life and into the lives of others, and see how he has become more convinced with each year that Jesus Christ is the one who came to give us life to the fullest and to point us to the freedom and beauty of truth for everyone--easterner or westerner--all over the world.
In Walking from East to West, Ravi Zacharias gives readers a glimpse into his life, focusing on his years growing up in India and what God used to ultimately shape him into a worldwide evangelist.
There is humble heartbreak expressed throughout the book, as Zacharias explains his tumultuous relationship with his father, who early on labeled him a failure. His sense of hopelessness and despair eventually led him to attempt suicide, and through that, the truth of God’s Word was able to penetrate his heart. Zacharias provides a balanced view of his childhood, never blaming his father for the abuse, instead carefully revealing insight into the family situation and how the Lord eventually changed Zacharias and later, his father. He describes God as being in the shadows of his life, never absent, but simply waiting on His perfect timing to bring Ravi into the family of God.
The book is broken into two major sections: his early years in India and re-establishing in Canada. There is a third part, which is more of an epilogue, where Ravi describes his trips back to his homeland and what it means to him looking back. The story that Zacharias weaves of his past is mesmerizing, threading together anecdotes, parables, and history into a fine narrative worth reading on its own. On top of that, he entwines his own grasp of Eastern thinking and culture, in a way that Westerners can understand. One example is how the framework of ancestors is critical to the identity of Indians, and how that affects their society today. Readers will also get a foretaste into Zacharias’ ability to reason with skeptics, and know that it comes from his own beginnings as a questioner of life. He also reveals the thinkers and theologians who influenced his faith, without going into the doctrines themselves.
This is not a typical leader-of-the-faith autobiography. Instead, Zacharias shows how the Lord uses the humble and weak to bring about His purposes. Even if readers know nothing about the man and his ministry, they will be uplifted and encouraged to pursue God with whole hearts. -- Anne Walker, Christian Book Previews.com
"A frank, endearing story of a respected apologist and evangelical statesman’s life….[It] starkly contrasts the real implications of rejecting or accepting the lordship of Jesus. Nothing short of meaning in life is at stake, and Walking from East to West exposes the silliness of much popular religious pluralism by underscoring the gravity of worldview selection….This is storytelling in the fashion of C. S. Lewis: rational argumentation expressed in narrative." — Christianity Today
Average Rating: 5 out of 5 stars(5 out of 5 stars)
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5 out of 5 stars
Reviewed by janet phillips (mechanicsville, VA), November 07, 2009
Loved the book. Very inspiring and easy to read.The Lord has given him a great gift. HIs journey from east to west was unbelievable!
5 out of 5 stars
Reviewed by Harold Mcneil (Jacksonville, FL), May 26, 2009
To have met and personally heard Dr. Zacharias, and then read the steps that he went through, with God's divine leadership, preparing him for a very unique ministry, has been a special blessing for my wife and me.
5 out of 5 stars
Reviewed by L. Dwight Custis (Gresham, OR), April 02, 2009
An amazing story of the sovereignty of God in salvation. I purchased an extra copy for our church library.
4.5 out of 5 stars
Reviewed by Ginger Demaris (Redmond, OR), July 22, 2008
This is an excellant book. The story of Ravi and how he becomes the person God wants him to be is inspiring. How his potential to be such a knowledgeable Bible scholar and defender of the faith grew over time and events is revealed thru this great book.
5 out of 5 stars
Reviewed by Jeannette Rawlins (Atlanta, GA), July 18, 2008
One of the most wonderful and enspiring books I've read in a long time. I cried for him when his heart broke and did a victory dance for him when he stepped into the path God paved for him. You'll easily see the hand of God in Ravi's life and hopefully it will help you see God's hand in yours.
5 out of 5 stars
Reviewed by Marian W. Patton (Pottstown, PA), July 08, 2008
I found this excellent, easy reading and a very exciting demonstration how God can work in our lives if we let Him. Having listened to Ravi Zacharias for many years, it was extremely interesting to learn his life story; to learn how God completely changed him.
4 out of 5 stars
Reviewed by Chantal Cripe-mamie (1030 Bussigny,), April 17, 2008
Beautiful and candid biography by a great apologist, who writes in a very understandable manner. This is an enriching testimony.
5 out of 5 stars
Reviewed by Melanie Canchola (Orlando, Florida), March 24, 2008
This is my favorite of all Ravi Zacharias books to date. One person I gave it to said it has altered her life forever. Ravi is very down to earth and open about his life in this book. I cheered, laughed, and cried as I read it. You will want this in your library.
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