Sometimes in life we get stuck. Whether that’s from a broken relationship, a sin that we cannot shake or just the general malaise of a busy life, we can get stuck. Doug Fields’ book Fresh Start is about getting unstuck, about finding that fresh start and moving forward. The subtitle to Fields’ book is “God’s Invitation to a Great Life.” And while the book may offer an invitation to a great life, Fields’ latest book doesn’t offer the same greatness.
Fresh Start isn’t a bad book; it’s just not a great book. Fields offers some practical advice for those trapped in any number of ruts and what it might look like to get out of those ruts and find a fresh start. If someone feels trapped in a particular rut, one which Fields addresses, that particular chapter could be helpful. On the whole, though, Fresh Start felt like a collection of sermons turned into chapters for a book. The chapters are good for specific individuals, but the book as a whole feels like it’s trying to hit too wide of an audience to be truly effective.
There was one thought, though, which has continued to stick with me. Before the main push of the book, Fields discusses how any endeavor in spiritual formation includes both the possible and impossible. As humans, we are responsible for what is possible and then we trust in God for the impossible. We do what we can, and then trust that God will do what he does, no matter how impossible that might seem. That thought has encouraged me as I attempt to become more like Christ. It’s freeing to know that I simply need to do what I can, and then trust in God to what he will. It’s a liberating thought that can lead to a fresh start.
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