Review of Trekking

[Jillianb90]

[Following is a volunteer review of "Trekking" by Gene Maynard.]

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5 out of 5 stars

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Trekking is an accessible introduction to contemplative Christian spiritual practices, drawing inspiration from the author’s experience taking the Camino de Santiago pilgrimage.

I felt like I was in safe hands with the author, thanks to his stellar credentials. He’s an instructor in a doctoral program in spiritual formation, and he studied under the renowned Quaker theologian Dr. D. Elton Trueblood. This book is biblically sound and it’s clearly the result of years of study and practice. Yet I also appreciated the author’s humility. He freely outlines the spiritual blind spots he is still working on and the lessons he learned late in life. The book is well-written and edited, with very few grammatical errors.

The book uses examples from church history, the author’s own life and the Bible to show the importance of taking time to rest in God’s presence, and it helpfully details methods for doing so, such as the ancient Christian practice of lectio divina. Those looking for a travel memoir about the Camino de Santiago may be disappointed; this book is more focused on hands-on tips. I appreciated that aspect, but others might feel misled.

The most challenging lesson of the book for me was the chapter on simplicity. As someone who likes filling my life with activity, pursuing simplicity is something I find very difficult. And yet the author lays out such a compelling case for it that I couldn’t help but see the appeal.

One thing I really appreciated about Trekking is that the end of the book is devoted to life in community and how our own spiritual practices equip us to better help others. Unlike other Christian nonfiction and self-help books, this book recognizes that our own spiritual health is just the beginning. The reason it matters is that it puts us in a strong position to come alongside one another and meet our neighbours’ needs.

This book is a hidden gem and I feel lucky to have discovered it. It was easily a 5/5 star read for me. I enjoyed it so much that I have subscribed to the author’s Substack newsletter to gain more of his wisdom! I would definitely recommend this book to Christians looking to deepen their spiritual practices.

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Trekking
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