Crazy Busy - Book Review

Book Review of Kevin DeYoung's "Crazy Busy A (Mercifully) Short Book about a (Really) Big Problem".

“Pride is the villain with a thousand faces”, says Kevin DeYoung. And fittingly, he starts the book by identifying his own pride and problems in being crazy busy. It sounds like DeYoung had (and may still have) a very busy life, but through it all, by the grace of God, he seems to be killing his pride, reducing his anxiety, and welcoming his Jesus into the inevitable storms that arise in life. Hearing from his experiences of busyness and his humble attempt to explain what he’s learning from it all has proven to be both comforting and encouraging. But this (mercifully) short book is more of a helpful handbook than it is a biography.

DeYoung describes the Killer P’s of pride, helping us see that our jam-packed timetable, our tendency to double-book appointments, and our lack of rest isn’t just the result of poor time management, but it is often rooted in pride. These insights go deep into the heart, and help us to invite the Spirit to surgically remove the pride that so easily entangles (i.e. Power: “I need to stay busy because I need to stay in control”; Prestige: “If I keep pushing myself, I’ll finally be somebody. I’ll finally matter. I’ll finally arrive.”; Pity: We enjoy the sympathy we receive for enduring such heroic responsibilities).

In this short book, DeYoung brings much practical help, insight from scripture, with gospel-centered perspective and encouragement . He touches base on topics of: technology for the social media fanatics, parenting for the stressed out soccer-moms, people pleasing for the peer-pressured pastors, and devotions for the University students in the midst of exam-season. Pretty much, every chapter will most likely apply to everyone at one point in their lives. Though this is book is not a silver-bullet to fix all of our problems, it does serve like a compass and a map, to get a clearer view of our spiritual landscape, and to point us back to Christ.

If you’ve had someone ask you “how’s it going”, and you say “busy”, I’d recommend picking this up. Oh and while you’re at it, save your loved ones some time by picking them up a copy too!


As a part of this review, Crossway has graciously provided me with a complimentary copy of this book through Beyond the Page.

Good News to the Poor

Book Review of "Good News to the Poor" - by Tim Chester

The subject of justice and mercy for the oppressed is something that has been greatly lacking in my discipleship. Most people I know don’t talk much or know much about this topic. This book has been an ideal read as I seek to find out what the Bible says about taking care of the widow, the orphan, and the alien, as well as what it says about the rich.

Chester, in this greatly helpful and challenging book, gives a thorough and widely-scoped look at what the Good News is for the poor. As I am a conservative and reformed evangelical, taking a course on Biblical Justice at a more liberal and somewhat emergent bible college, I appreciated his balanced approach in urging “conservatives not to marginalize those who uphold the cause of the oppressed and to urge social activists not to go down the blind alley of theological liberalism” (Loc.169).

Chester approaches this issue of justice and mercy from many angles, yet they all go well together to give us a comprehensive understanding of the issue at hand, all-the-while not boring or overwhelming us with a weighty tome to read. He writes this book with sound grace-based, gospel-centered theology, rooted in and elaborated with scripture, looking back at church history and forward to Christ’s return, challenging us with radical commitment to Christ, and providing ample applications and examples for how we can live this out.

This book challenged me, amongst other chapters, in the chapter titled: “Good News to the Rich”. Where Chester confronts our consumerism and lack of contentment: “How we handle our money is vital for our spiritual well-being. Every time we spend money, we are making an ethical decision” (Loc.1759).

This book is for pastors and parishioners, leaders and labourers, pew-sitters and activists; Christians - poor, middle-class, and rich. This book will stir-up thoughts, raise important conversations, evoke praise, and hopefully, challenge and put God’s people to the task.

May it be a blessing to you as it has been to me.

As a part of this review,  Crossway has graciously provided me with a complimentary copy of this book through Beyond the Page.