Emotionally Healthy Spirituality: Unleash a Revolution in Your Life in Christ

The Christian faith is supposed to produce deep, positive change. So why doesn't it seem to work in "real life"? That question screamed at Pastor Peter Scazzero when his church and marriage hit bottom and every Christian remedy produced nothing but anger and fatigue. As he began digging under the "good Christian" veneer, he uncovered entire emotional layers of his life that God had not yet touched. Discovering that his emotional immaturity had fed his spiritual immaturity, Scazzero experienced a spiritual revolution by biblically integrating emotional health and contemplative spirituality. In Emotionally Healthy Spirituality, Scazzero unveils what's wrong with our conventional means of "spiritual growth" and offers seven biblical, reality-tested, transformational steps that will help you live out your faith with authenticity, awareness, and a hunger for God.

Emotional Healthy Spirituality is a groundbreaking work on the integration of emotional health and contemplative spirituality that current models of discipleship fail to address. Many sincere followers of Christ, followers who are really passionate for God, join a church, participate weekly in a small group, serve with their gifts, and who are considered "mature," remain stuck at a level of spiritual immaturity--especially when faced with interpersonal conflicts and crises. Emotionally Healthy Spirituality offers a strategy for discipleship that address this void, offering powerful pathways to transformation that will help readers mature into a faith filled with authenticity and a profound love for God.

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Reviewed by Bill Coviello (North Babylon, NY), October 28, 2009

REVIEW CONTINUED. Besides being a man of great faith, who walks boldly with the Lord he has been blessed by God as an educator as well as a paster, preacher, speaker and author. I would recommend this book, along with the companion DVD and workbook to everyone no matter what your faith level and spirituality because no one ever arrives and this book will pove to you that there is still much room for your faith and spiritual growth. I would also strongly recommend all his other books; his "The Daily Office" is a must after reading this book. It will help you build on the princples and themes found in the Emotionally Healthy Spirituality book and workbook. Then take it a step further and get "The Emotionally Healthy Church", and pick up a copy for your Pastor as well. This book has had a great impact on many Churches but more need to derive the impact. It won the 2003 Gold Medallion Award and after reading it you will know in your heart why it did, and don't forget the companion workbook. For those who attend small group fellowship meetings or lead small groups be sure to get the 8 Video Sessions for small groups and individuals which is also useable with "The Daily Office". I would also encourage you to talk to your Pastors and Ministry Leadership about obtaining the "Emotionally Healthy Spirituality Church Wide Initiative Kit". In closing let me just say that Pastor Pete is an ispiration to me and if you follow my advice he will be an inspiration to you as well. So pick up his books and be blessed. If there is one thing I can say I have learned, it is never let a blessing pass you by, and if you don't read and contemplate over his books YOU Will Be Missing Out On Blessings. His books don't end here though. ChristianBook.com carries 18 books that Dr. Scazzero has Authored or Co-Authored so do a search for Peter Scazzero and see what you are missing out on.

Reviewed by Bill Coviello (North Babylon, NY), October 28, 2009

It's hard to say much more than what the other reviewers of already said about Emotionally Healthy Spirituality. I will start by saying I have read it several times and gotten more out of it each time. His writing is nothing short of wonderful as is his Preaching and Church, The New Life Fellowship located at 82-10 Queens Blvd., Elmhurst, NY 11373. If you are ever in the neighborhood you owe yorself a blessing by attending one of his services and seing first hand the marvelous works this House of Worship performs for it's it's congragants and neigborhood. It to me epitomizes what Jesus Christ, Our Lord and Savior envisioned when he said to Peter "Upon this rock I will build MY Church". Peter, in Greek is Petros which by no coincidence means Rock, and Paster Pete Scazzero, lives up to the meaning of his name. His writings are passionate, his preaching is passionate, he and his wife Geri live life passionately with the Lord but most importantly he has a Passion for the work of the Lord and all God's people. The outreach and fellowship at New Life Fellowship is truely phenominal and just when you think the pinnacle of the outreach program has been reached, a new project is embarked upon. You need to read this book, understand where he came from and how he had to face his giants and through deep emotional sprituality becomes victorious. This book can make you victorious too. All you have to do is read it and put into practice what he writes and preaches and watch your faith level and spiritual walk increase in leaps and bounds.

Reviewed by David R. Bess (Charleston, West Virginia), June 06, 2009

This book offers a different take on Christian spirituality. Rather than just emphasizing prayer, Bible study, fellowship and witnessing, it goes deeper and explores the emotions that accompany spirituality. Scarrezo is right on target when he states that many Christians develop spiritually but fail to develop emotionally. The author does an excellent job of defining the problem of emotionally unhealthy spirituality and lists the top ten symptoms of it: 1) Using God to run from God, 2) Ignoring the emotions of anger, sadness and fear, 3) Dying to the wrong things, 4) Denying the past's impact on the present, 5) Dividing our lives into "secular" and "sacred" compartments, 6) Doing for God instead of being with God, 7) Spiritualizing away conflict, 8) Covering over brokenness, weakness, and failure, 9) Living without limits, 10) Judging other people's spiritual journey. After defining unhealthy spirituality, in part two of his book he moves to describing the pathway to emotionally healthy spirituality. Knowing yourself, understanding your past, letting go of power and control, surrendering to your limits, and observing regular times of renewal and refreshment are all presented as ways to reach emotional well being. He speaks of the “daily office,” a helpful practice unfamiliar to many evangelicals. This title is growing on me. Upon first completing it, I wasn’t too impressed with the content, especially the second part. As I pray and think upon what the author says however, I see how God can use these principles to move me towards more emotionally healthy spirituality. I recommend it.

Reviewed by Lynn Thor (Des Moines, WA), April 04, 2008

This book made me really look inside of myself and deal with issues that were buried and forgotten about. It helped me to become real with myself and God.

Reviewed by Laurel Favilla (NY), July 03, 2006

Peter Scazzero's first book, "The Emotionally Healthy Church" has had a great impact on churches and church leaders all over North America and beyond, so much so that it is now available in 5 languages. Next year another language will come out and by sometime in 2008 it will be available in 7 languages according the publisher. It is interesting to note that book was written for a church leader. This new book, "Emotionally Healthy Spirituality: Unleash the Power of Authentic Life in Christ", goes beyond just leadership, to everyone who has a seeking heart. I am member of Pastor Pete's church. His preaching and teaching has and continues to transform how we see ourselves in Christ, how we relate to each other, both in the world and in the Body of Christ, and in how to walk out a freedom in emotional and spiritual health that has restored our joy in the Lord! Our church funtions in a greater degree of love and understanding of who God made each of us to be as individuals and as a body. We are still journeying on that path, growing daily. Yet, upon reading this book I told Pastor Pete that his writing is even better than his preaching on this book and that's saying something! Even after sitting under teaching for 3 years now on this new book "Emotionally Healthy Spirituality: Unleash the Power of Authentic Life in Christ", I found myself drawing nearer and deeper into who Jesus is as I read, and how much the love of the Father is impacting my life like never before. The grace and the power of the Holy Spirit reaches through every word. Although written in easy reading form, there is much to chew on in this book, much to digest. Pick it up for your summer reading under a shade tree on your vacation. Read it slowly and contemplate the Lord's presence as you do so. You won't be sorry, you'll be changed.

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