Reset (David Murray)

Pace matters.  In today's American culture, that pace is frequently too fast.  We burn out, fall apart, wear down, and (ultimately) destroy ourselves in today's frenetic society.  In Reset, David Murray challenges us to change the way we think, and live "a grace-paced life in a burnout culture."

The point of the book: "by connecting God's grace more and more to our daily lives . . . we can learn how to live grace-paced lives in a burnout culture."  Murray points out five powers of grace:
- motivating ("in view of God's amazing grace to me in Christ, how can I serve God and others?")
- moderating (we're not perfect; we accept that both work and relationships are flawed, and therefore take them to God and don't seek human or divine approval)
- multiplying (we depend on God to give increase, not on our own effort)
- releasing (we release control to God's hands, which "humbly submits to setbacks and problems")
- receiving (we recognize and receive weekly Sabbaths, exercise, sleep, and fellowship as blessings)

He then takes the reader through chapters teaching to rest, re-create, relax, rethink, reduce, refuel, and relate, among other things.  His more cogent points:
- Physical and spiritual health are connected.  Ignore one, affect the other. 
- Sleep matters- a lot.  Some championship athletes (like LeBron James) sleep 12 hours a day!  Everyone's needs will vary, but 7-9 hours a night is a must for almost everyone.  Neglect this and everything else will suffer.
- "We must nurture our lives with regular recreation, especially physical exercise."  Doing so is imperative to think more clearly and be more effective in our vocations.
- "We need rest for the body and the mind."  We need to turn down the volume in our information-soaked life.  Minimizing screen time (in any form), breathing exercises, yoga, vacations, and regular Sabbath-keeping are some tips for increased inner peace.
-  We need to re-think the answer to a basic question: "who am I?"  How we answer that- often with a list of roles and responsibilities- reveals a good deal about our priorities, and it's the starting point to  recover our true identities.  Priorities must align with how we should be living.
- We do too much, and need to reduce.  Come up with a routine and prune activities accordingly.  Many good things will never get done- but as people with finite capacity, that will always be true.  Accept limits and stop pretending we're more than we are.
- Food matters- the fuel you consume has a marked impact on mood, energy levels, and more.  And everyone needs activities in their lives that "refuel" them.  For example, keeping a blog.  Seems like a good idea.
- "The joy of [our] journey depends so much on who's riding with us."  As it is not good to be alone, we need to prioritize our relationships with God, spouse, kids, and friends.

This book is good, if much seemed like common sense.  I can't say I learned a lot of new things, but I was reminded of things I need to improve.  In that sense, it was valuable.  It's so easy to go down rabbit holes of false gods and forget what matters in life. And living where I do- in a high-paced area- heightens the pressure to "go, go, go."  Slow down, plan & prioritize, remember what matters.

Rating: A-