One of the first books I was assigned to read during my freshman year at Bible college was Ordering Your Private World, by Gordon MacDonald. Being a green, new student, fresh out of high school and into the big world for the first time, I had no idea what to expect, or any indication of just how much this book would impact my world.
It was phenomenal! I think I read it multiple times that year, and a few times after that as well. The impact that it had on my personal life was indescribable. After college, I kept that copy of the book, but didn’t read it much, although its principles continued to form a solid base for much of my personal life structure. And it has always been one of the most impactful books on my life.
Last fall, I decided to pull it out and add it to my list to read over the winter, and then I found that it had been updated and revised, so I grabbed a new copy to read instead. And once again, it holds a tremendous influence on my life and how I seek to order my inner world.
Gordon MacDonald presents some of the most practical input and advice into how to order the private world within, so that the public world can remain as effective as it can be. Looking at such topics as rest and leisure, time management, and reading, MacDonald presents several excellent principles to help make the inner life as stable as it can be. Is this exhaustive? Of course not. There are other things one can do to help maintain balance and order in the inner life. But this is an excellent place to start.
Life is hectic and busy and stressful. Without order in the inner places, the outer world is on the brink of collapse. Ordering Your Private World is a resource I highly recommend that you read. You might just find it to be as world changing as I did all those years ago, and still is.
Ratings & Details For Ordering Your Private World:
- Genre/Style: Spiritual Growth
- Purpose/Premise: 10 of 10 stars
- Spiritual Content: 10 of 10 stars
- Readability/Flow: 10 of 10 stars
- Cover: 10 of 10 stars
- Overall Rating: 10 of 10 stars
Question: How do you go about keeping the inner word ordered and disciplined? What resources have you found to be helpful? You can leave a comment by clicking here.
I received this book free from Harper Collins Christian Publishing as part of their BookLook Bloggers review program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.