GRATEFUL:
30 Days of Growing in Thankfulness
By Allison Brost
The Good Book Company. 158 pages. £9.99
ISBN 978 1 802 541 311
Aimed at the personal reader, this book presents a Bible verse for every day of the month and applies the truth/principle found there to personal, family or church life.
Brost’s aim is to help the reader explore the depths of God’s generosity and goodness in all of life and promote an attitude of thorough-going thankfulness. The topic is particularly relevant to us in the West, as affluence has promoted a deep sense of entitlement among us, and we are prone to take blessings for granted.
She uses a mixture of Bible stories and personal anecdotes to illustrate her points. The American context is evident, but this does not detract from the applicability of the points made.
The material is organised in a structured way using gardening imagery, starting with soil preparation and concluding with a section on reaping the harvest, which is helpful as it accurately mimics the gradual development of a godly trait in a believer’s life.
The book is attractively produced and will probably appeal more to women than men. We have seen a growing tendency to publish this kind of book, and this reviewer has benefitted greatly from Bible study approached in this way. However, I wonder whether there would be greater benefit to individuals and to the local church as a whole if such studies were conducted in small groups or one-to-ones.
Most sections conclude with “homework” based on the point considered that day, helpfully rooting truth in day-to-day experience; others have prayers which align the reader’s thoughts along the lines of that day’s insight.
This book takes the reader on a gentle journey of discovery into the way God deals with His children in love and fatherly care, which may often include hardship, sorrow and pain, and the author is never glib or pious. Brost’s perspective on gratitude has been hard-won, which will encourage any reader struggling with God’s providence. This book is certain to help the personal reader and with a little imagination could be easily adapted for group use.
