From Goodreads:
What if we are stubbing our toes on the sacred every day and not realizing it? We are the most connected culture in history but arguably the most disconnected from the awareness of God’s presence. “Waking Up Slowly” is author Dave Burchett’s personal challenge to live “in the moment” and find the everyday joys he misses in disconnected busyness. What moments of joy do we inadvertently miss as we stare at our screens? What performance idols destroy our ability to appreciate God’s gifts? Dave Burchett sets out to find out how life might look differently if he awoke each morning consciously looking for the easy to miss “postcards from God.” “Waking Up Slowly” is an intimate, warm, and touching story of discovering how to more fully appreciate living in the moment. During his discovery, the author finds regular reminders of daily joys from his Labrador pal, Maggie.”Waking Up Slowly” challenges the reader to recognize, appreciate, and celebrate the ways that God reveals himself daily. Through regular people, everyday situations, cuddly creatures, and stunning nature, God’s presence is real and discoverable. We just need to wake up to it.

ISBN: 9781496415820
Publisher: Tyndale House Publishers
Publication date:  March 7th 2017
Pages: 240

Review:
Waking Up Slowly is David Burchett’s personal journey to discover God’s presence more intimately, by disconnecting himself from all the technologies that took up his time (phones, internet and so on) and using that time more effectively by being present to his family, to his friends, and ultimately to God.

Burchett is a successful sports director in television. He is married with three grown boys, several grandchildren and at least 2 labradors. One of them, Maggie, features in this book, providing him with insights into better ways of living in God’s presence.

I felt very challenged and encouraged by this book. I really enjoyed Burchett’s honest, down-to-earth, non-academic approach to writing. His style allows the reader to feel like he is really understanding where the normal everyday person is situated, especially in relation to the temptation that modern technology provides for us. One way I gauge how good a book is is by the number of highlights and notes that I make. I must think this is an absolutely brilliant book as I highlighted, and made notes of, lots of the book. I really felt God speaking to me through it, encouraging me to take on many of the activities that Burchett had at the end of each chapter. As it is now Lent, where people traditionally give up something for the period leading to Easter, this book’s premise of giving up technology is an apt one.

The book contains 21 chapters, each focussing on a single aspect that Burchett found very helpful in addressing how to be more present to his family, and to God. At the end of each chapter he has a section called “God’s Take” where a scripture passage for reflection is followed by “A Dose of Grace”, with Burchett challenging us to do something. In the last chapter that challenge is to find some time to give God our undivided and silent presence, to simply speak with, and be with, God. The chapters are easy to read and often completed without realising it. This is the mark of an accomplished writer.

“How have you woken up to the ways God reveals Himself in your life?” I’ve seen God revealed through music (especially church music), books (any, but particularly Christian ones like this), and through simply talking with God and listening to Him.

Thank you, Mr Burchett, for blessing the world with a great, thought-provoking, honest book. I have been challenged and loved throughout the reading of it.

I received a complimentary copy of the book for review purposes from Tyndale House.

Recommend for: Anyone.
Rating: 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟