Esssentials for Life~Your Back-to-Basics Guide to What Matters Most Book Review

Remember elementary school days of reading, writing, and ‘rithmetic? The foundational elements of education revolve around those basic concepts. If those basics are not mastered, the ability to comprehend other more difficult subjects is compromised. Our education begins, then, with the simple and basic essentials on which other, more intensive concepts, build. In Essentials for Life Marcia Ford reminds Christians of the fundamental principles of our faith. In the “busy-ness” of every day life, with distractions all around us and many demands for our time and attention, it is easy to push time in God’s Word, growing in our faith and understanding, to the back burner. Bible study and prayer can even become obligatory and not from a heart yearning to draw closer to the Creator of the Universe. Ford reins us back into the basics of our salvation, with 50 topics including: answering the big questions, seeking the truth about Jesus, grasping the impact of the Resurrection, discovering who the Holy Spirit really is, surveying what Christianity claims and why we believe what we believe, developing a Biblical worldview, how to study the Bible, facing the future fearlessly, having grace and compassion for others, etc. Each section within a topic includes Scripture passages, quotes from Biblical scholars, practical application tips…and ends with a section entitled “what’s essential”, with a summary and suggested do’s and don’ts.
‘“The greatest proof of Christianity for others is not how far a man can logically analyze his reasons for believing, but how far in practice he will stake his life on his belief”.
T.S. Eliot

…Many Christians are afraid to defend the very concepts that are foundational to true Christianity out of fear that they may offend someone and come across intolerant; defending the faith without appearing to be unloving and arrogant is in fact an uphill battle for contemporary Christians” (p. 40).

Marcia Ford penned this treasured book in an easy-to-read fashion, applicable to seasoned believers, to those who have strayed away from their faith, and to those are not Christians but perhaps are seeking basic information about the Christian faith. Each chapter stands independently, allowing the reader to move around within the book. The essential and practical tools covered in Essentials for Life will draw the reader closer to God, shoring up the foundation on which a life in Christ begins.

“To fully embrace Christianity is to reject the basis of other faiths. As with the question of the divinity of Christ, there really is no middle ground here; Christ is either the son of God or a
fraud, and Christianity is either a unique expression of faith based on a relationship or just one of many other religions, utterly without distinction” (p. 41).

I highly recommend this book to anyone desiring to renew their commitment to Christ…to those who feel stuck in a spiritual rut…to those who don’t know Christ personally…and to those who are called to share the Good News of Jesus Christ with a dying world---and that is all of us! Purchase your copy, or 2, or 10 now!!!