Review of Trekking

[Gerry Steen]

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Trekking" by Gene Maynard.]

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4 out of 5 stars

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Do you feel empty? Have you abandoned “meaningless” Christian rituals? Do you want Christianity to fill the emptiness you feel? If you answered yes to these questions, Gene Maynard hopes to show you how to fill the emptiness in his book Trekking.

Maynard explains why traditional Christian churches lose their followers. Many people feel uninspired by old rituals, preaching, and entertainment in the church. They turn to other religions to fill the emptiness and feel closer to God. Maynard believes that our materialistic society causes our feeling of emptiness. We have so much but feel unsatisfied. We are missing a meaningful relationship with Jesus. Maynard maintains that a lifestyle of simplicity will allow us to be close to Jesus.

Marnard explains how the Quaker tradition of spending time in silence to contemplate enables one to listen to Jesus. The practice of self-isolation is also discussed. Christian history is filled with prophets, saints, and revolutionary leaders who practiced self-isolation to be closer to God. The author emphasizes the importance of minimizing our distractions so we can be inspired by God's message through spiritual contemplation.

Traditionally, Christians have made pilgrimages to contemplate readings in the Bible, focus on Jesus, and find a higher purpose. Maynard shares a few of his contemplative spiritual experiences from a five-week trekking trip on a 500-mile Camino de Santiago pilgrimage trail in Spain.

I enjoyed the author's style of narration. Easy-to-understand language was used to explain spiritual concepts. Their arguments were supported with biblical quotes, historical information about revolutionary movements in Christian churches, and examples of spiritual enlightenment through contemplative spirituality. The book was well-written, and the editing was professionally done. This contributed to my smooth reading experience. However, I was disappointed that the author did not provide more details about their trekking pilgrimage. I would have enjoyed reading a short diary of the trekking experiences, spiritual and physical, that were encountered each day. Reading about their daily experiences would have allowed me to experience a more authentic account of their 5-week trek on the Camino de Santiago pilgrimage trail. Considering the above factors, I gave this book 4 out of 5 stars.

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Trekking
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon

[Shirley Ann Riddern Labzentis]

Great review again, Gerry. That would bug me, too. A book titled Trekking does not discuss the daily aspects of treks. Hmm. Anyway, you wrote a great review, but it is not enough to inspire me to read the book. I still consider myself a Christian, but I do not practice it anymore. As I got older, I realized all the lies that the nuns told us in school, and when the priests were caught molesting the altar boys, that was enough for me. I just stopped any and all religions as I suspect that they only tell you what they want you to believe.

[Priya Murugesan]

A well-written review! However, I am not into religious books. So I will skip this one. Thanks for your review!

[RJ Reviews]

As usual, an excellent review that provides an indepth discussion on the book theme. I toofeel that religions must reform themselves and find relevance in today’s world. I enjoyed reading your analysis of the book a lot.
Tbh, strictly religious books aren’t my forte. I will skip this one. Looking forward to read more of your amazing review, Gerry. Have a great day.

[Stephen Christopher 1]

Hi Gerry, I wouldn't have thought this was your kind of book (based on a recent comment we shared). I too like the idea of the author providing more of his personal trekking journey would add to the book. As you know, this genre isn't for me. Thanks for the insightful review as always.

[Gerry Steen]

Hi Gerry, I wouldn't have thought this was your kind of book (based on a recent comment we shared). I too like the idea of the author providing more of his personal trekking journey would add to the book. As you know, this genre isn't for me. Thanks for the insightful review as always.

Do you mean the comment where I stated that I am a lukewarm Catholic? Well, I am. I haven't gone to church in 35 years. I don't say the rosary either. However, as I age, I am looking for personal spiritual fulfillment. I think I have found this through contemplative spirituality. It is a very personal thing. No church rituals. No priest. Just me and God. I have a feeling that one day I will pick up the New Testament and read it again, cover to cover, like I did when I was 16 (nearly 50 years ago).

[Adrian Bouknight]

Gerry, thank you for this review! The decline of traditional churches is quite a contentious and complicated challenge for many in America today. Especially given how our culture historically has been so well entwined with Christianity, it raises many questions of what America will look like in years to come.

This sounds like an interesting read that many in the church may find inspiring!

Thank you for sharing this review.
-Adrian

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Trekking" by Gene Maynard.]

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4 out of 5 stars

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Share This Review

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Do you feel empty? Have you abandoned “meaningless” Christian rituals? Do you want Christianity to fill the emptiness you feel? If you answered yes to these questions, Gene Maynard hopes to show you how to fill the emptiness in his book Trekking.

Maynard explains why traditional Christian churches lose their followers. Many people feel uninspired by old rituals, preaching, and entertainment in the church. They turn to other religions to fill the emptiness and feel closer to God. Maynard believes that our materialistic society causes our feeling of emptiness. We have so much but feel unsatisfied. We are missing a meaningful relationship with Jesus. Maynard maintains that a lifestyle of simplicity will allow us to be close to Jesus.

Marnard explains how the Quaker tradition of spending time in silence to contemplate enables one to listen to Jesus. The practice of self-isolation is also discussed. Christian history is filled with prophets, saints, and revolutionary leaders who practiced self-isolation to be closer to God. The author emphasizes the importance of minimizing our distractions so we can be inspired by God's message through spiritual contemplation.

Traditionally, Christians have made pilgrimages to contemplate readings in the Bible, focus on Jesus, and find a higher purpose. Maynard shares a few of his contemplative spiritual experiences from a five-week trekking trip on a 500-mile Camino de Santiago pilgrimage trail in Spain.

I enjoyed the author's style of narration. Easy-to-understand language was used to explain spiritual concepts. Their arguments were supported with biblical quotes, historical information about revolutionary movements in Christian churches, and examples of spiritual enlightenment through contemplative spirituality. The book was well-written, and the editing was professionally done. This contributed to my smooth reading experience. However, I was disappointed that the author did not provide more details about their trekking pilgrimage. I would have enjoyed reading a short diary of the trekking experiences, spiritual and physical, that were encountered each day. Reading about their daily experiences would have allowed me to experience a more authentic account of their 5-week trek on the Camino de Santiago pilgrimage trail. Considering the above factors, I gave this book 4 out of 5 stars.

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Trekking
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon

[Bayan Abdullah 1]

Thank you, Shirley Ann, for your thoughtful response. I appreciate your perspective and understand your concerns. It’s true that the book’s title, “Trekking,” might lead one to expect more detailed accounts of the physical journey. However, I found the spiritual insights and historical context provided by the author to be quite enriching.

I respect your decision regarding religion and understand how personal experiences can shape our beliefs. It’s important to find what resonates with us individually. If you ever decide to explore more about contemplative spirituality or other forms of spiritual journeys, this book might still offer some valuable insights.

Thanks again for sharing your thoughts! : techie-studyinggray:

[Chinedu Umeobika]

Nice work, Gerry! This is a wonderful review, and I appreciated every part of it. Your dislike also resonated with me; I wonder why it isn't discussed in detail in this book, as it’s highly reflected in the title. However, I love the author's efforts to help Christians reconnect with God. This is a book I would truly love.

[Bethel Saint Bright]

It's sad what churches have turned Christianity into these days. I am a devout Christian but I almost stopped going to church because of the shenanigans I was seeing, especially in my native Africa. I share the author's sentiment that people are tired of the old rituals and shambolic practices that don't add meaning to life.

[Sarah Zain]

Your review is thorough Gerry. The topic itself doesn't suit me, but all the respect to the idea and the spirituality of one of the main religions.

[Mona Alves]

This is a fantastic review, I really like how in-depth you got to explain the book. The observations about the church and the guidance to find spirituality again are very intriguing to me, but ,not being a Christian myself, it's unlikely I'll check out the book.

[Qwerty Writes]

It was a well-thought-out review. Your writing voice is very calm, on point, and full of life. However, I don't think this book resonates with me. Spirituality should have an aspect of realism that you live through. I don't think simple is the answer as mediocrity is an insult to the God of the bible. He put a lot of work into making us, we would devalue ourselves and him by not pushing our limits to achieve what he made us to do. How else would he get his glory? In terms of having a relationship with him, it is real, though it is different for every person (In terms of personality and character) and what works for one person doesn't work for another. We're all unique after all. And relationships are developed not forced. They take time. Isolation should not be something taught, it can be a bit scary and overwhelming if it's something that you force on yourself. It's spiritual and relational. It's only understood through experience.
For those reasons, I would pass on this book.
On another note, your reviews are really good and I enjoy reading them. Keep up the good work!

~Qwerty

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Trekking" by Gene Maynard.]

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4 out of 5 stars

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Share This Review

---

Do you feel empty? Have you abandoned “meaningless” Christian rituals? Do you want Christianity to fill the emptiness you feel? If you answered yes to these questions, Gene Maynard hopes to show you how to fill the emptiness in his book Trekking.

Maynard explains why traditional Christian churches lose their followers. Many people feel uninspired by old rituals, preaching, and entertainment in the church. They turn to other religions to fill the emptiness and feel closer to God. Maynard believes that our materialistic society causes our feeling of emptiness. We have so much but feel unsatisfied. We are missing a meaningful relationship with Jesus. Maynard maintains that a lifestyle of simplicity will allow us to be close to Jesus.

Marnard explains how the Quaker tradition of spending time in silence to contemplate enables one to listen to Jesus. The practice of self-isolation is also discussed. Christian history is filled with prophets, saints, and revolutionary leaders who practiced self-isolation to be closer to God. The author emphasizes the importance of minimizing our distractions so we can be inspired by God's message through spiritual contemplation.

Traditionally, Christians have made pilgrimages to contemplate readings in the Bible, focus on Jesus, and find a higher purpose. Maynard shares a few of his contemplative spiritual experiences from a five-week trekking trip on a 500-mile Camino de Santiago pilgrimage trail in Spain.

I enjoyed the author's style of narration. Easy-to-understand language was used to explain spiritual concepts. Their arguments were supported with biblical quotes, historical information about revolutionary movements in Christian churches, and examples of spiritual enlightenment through contemplative spirituality. The book was well-written, and the editing was professionally done. This contributed to my smooth reading experience. However, I was disappointed that the author did not provide more details about their trekking pilgrimage. I would have enjoyed reading a short diary of the trekking experiences, spiritual and physical, that were encountered each day. Reading about their daily experiences would have allowed me to experience a more authentic account of their 5-week trek on the Camino de Santiago pilgrimage trail. Considering the above factors, I gave this book 4 out of 5 stars.

******
Trekking
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon

[Stephen Christopher 1]

Do you mean the comment where I stated that I am a lukewarm Catholic? Well, I am. I haven't gone to church in 35 years. I don't say the rosary either. However, as I age, I am looking for personal spiritual fulfillment. I think I have found this through contemplative spirituality. It is a very personal thing. No church rituals. No priest. Just me and God. I have a feeling that one day I will pick up the New Testament and read it again, cover to cover, like I did when I was 16 (nearly 50 years ago).

Yes that's the one! I like your approach to religion as its one of personal spiritual fulfillment. I was baptized Church of England (now Anglican), over 50 years ago, and have had my struggles with organized religion since. Now I'm a Buddhist and really embrace the 'do no harm' mantra. It's challenging for me to read books heavily connected to Christianity, which is why I'm not sure this book is for me.

[Kshitija Sonawane]

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Trekking" by Gene Maynard.]

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4 out of 5 stars

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Share This Review

---

Do you feel empty? Have you abandoned “meaningless” Christian rituals? Do you want Christianity to fill the emptiness you feel? If you answered yes to these questions, Gene Maynard hopes to show you how to fill the emptiness in his book Trekking.

Maynard explains why traditional Christian churches lose their followers. Many people feel uninspired by old rituals, preaching, and entertainment in the church. They turn to other religions to fill the emptiness and feel closer to God. Maynard believes that our materialistic society causes our feeling of emptiness. We have so much but feel unsatisfied. We are missing a meaningful relationship with Jesus. Maynard maintains that a lifestyle of simplicity will allow us to be close to Jesus.

Marnard explains how the Quaker tradition of spending time in silence to contemplate enables one to listen to Jesus. The practice of self-isolation is also discussed. Christian history is filled with prophets, saints, and revolutionary leaders who practiced self-isolation to be closer to God. The author emphasizes the importance of minimizing our distractions so we can be inspired by God's message through spiritual contemplation.

Traditionally, Christians have made pilgrimages to contemplate readings in the Bible, focus on Jesus, and find a higher purpose. Maynard shares a few of his contemplative spiritual experiences from a five-week trekking trip on a 500-mile Camino de Santiago pilgrimage trail in Spain.

I enjoyed the author's style of narration. Easy-to-understand language was used to explain spiritual concepts. Their arguments were supported with biblical quotes, historical information about revolutionary movements in Christian churches, and examples of spiritual enlightenment through contemplative spirituality. The book was well-written, and the editing was professionally done. This contributed to my smooth reading experience. However, I was disappointed that the author did not provide more details about their trekking pilgrimage. I would have enjoyed reading a short diary of the trekking experiences, spiritual and physical, that were encountered each day. Reading about their daily experiences would have allowed me to experience a more authentic account of their 5-week trek on the Camino de Santiago pilgrimage trail. Considering the above factors, I gave this book 4 out of 5 stars.

******
Trekking
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon

Hey Grandpa,

I format my reviews like yours, starting with questions. You have inspired me to change the way I write my reviews, So, thank you for that. I liked this book and I can agree. I have been depressed and I understand how this internet, this concrete journal, how it can stop us from feeling things. I am not a Christian but this has helped me stay close to myself.