Review of Take Heart

[João Ramos]

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Take Heart" by Gary Wooden.]

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5 out of 5 stars

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Is it possible to live a life without conflict? The answer to this question seems obvious to any critical-thinking individual. Even so, some "enlightened" people believe it is possible to end conflict. That's not the analysis of Gary Wooden, author of Take Heart. In this nonfiction book, the author addresses how a Christian should resolve conflicts. Since it is impossible to avoid them and they originate in sin, according to him, it is necessary to understand them and know how to face them.

Take Heart is divided into Part 1: A Theology of Conflict, Part 2: Overcoming Through Conflict, and Part 3: Resolving Interpersonal Conflicts. It contains many biblical passages, and the author provides examples from his personal life and how he dealt with conflicts. Far from being a model Christian throughout his life, Gary Wooden led a chaotic life until he converted and accepted Jesus Christ.

The book presents several exciting and appropriate biblical passages, but I liked the author's humility the most. Not only did he have no shame in commenting on his crimes and sins before he converted, but he also points out on several pages that, even now, he has to deal with his prideful nature to be a good Christian. This humility is evident when he says that it is difficult for one side to be entirely guilty and the other altogether innocent in a conflict. Both sides need to give in and understand the nature of sin for the dispute to be resolved.

Take Heart is a meticulously crafted book, exceptionally edited with no single grammatical errors. Its concise 172 pages are packed with insightful content, leaving no room for anything to be missing. The ideas flow seamlessly, making it a perfectly cohesive guide to resolving conflicts from a Christian perspective.

What score should I give to a book that delivers everything it promises? The maximum score, correct? That's why Take Heart deserves 5 out of 5 stars. It's an instructive, thought-provoking, and remarkable book. As there are no flaws, there is no reason to deduct a star from the final score. I recommend this book to all Christians having difficulty living a harmonious life in modern chaos. Although I tend to believe that even non-Christians would benefit from the advice given in the book, the many biblical passages would probably displease the atheist or agnostic reader, at least the most intolerant ones. As many of these people do not consider the Bible a "scientific" document (although Isaac Newton disagreed), I felt it necessary to make this point.

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Take Heart
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[williams Emerald]

While “Take Heart” is primarily aimed at Christians, its lessons on resolving conflicts could potentially benefit anyone, although readers with differing beliefs might find some content challenging.

[Sandre Lamar]

The book tackled a lot of important christian life with sensitivity and grace.

[Tomy Chandrafrost]

Living in modern chaos isn't an easy job for everyone. I think it would be interesting to heard some perspective from the Christianity point of view. Thank you for writing this review.