God in Slow Motion Review

God in Slow Motion by Mike Nappa
Visit the author's Amazon page
Amazon Blurb:

Jesus was not in a hurry.

He had only three years of public ministry—three years to heal and
teach and change the world—but the Bible never tells us he was rushing through
them.

We are the ones who rush through them. Catching the gist of this
parable. Smiling at the punch line in that dialogue. We can race through the
Gospels in hours, fully briefed on Christ’s life, but hardly changed.

Until we sit down with Mike Nappa’s God in Slow Motion. Nappa hasn’t carved up the Gospels for quick review or sliced them into tiny pieces for academic study. He has taken ten important moments from the life of Christ and reveled in them, chewing on their words, relating them to life, comparing them with modern culture, allowing the
Spirit to work, and letting Christ change him.

The result is a rich, personal, and biblical narrative about Jesus and
how His purposes unfold, then and now. See how God is sneaky about his glory.
How he presents evidence for belief. How he can be comforting and terrifying at
once. This is the “good news” in all its many-splendored wonder: the life of
Christ, frame by frame.

And it is worth every minute because it will change you too.

I received a copy from the publisher via Booksneeze in exchange for an honest review. The Kindle edition is $9.99 (1/29/14)

My Thoughts:
There was a lot I enjoyed about Nappa's book. "God in Slow Motion" focuses on 10 different moments in Christ's three year ministry. Nappa takes each moment and slows them down, zeroing in words, feelings, thoughts to draw the reader in to not just read the story, but experience it. It very much reminded me of the way Pastor Andy Stanley preaches; basically re-telling the story in his own words but also teaching and bringing understanding along the way. 

I felt the best chapters were the beginning few. The afterword also did a fantastic job of driving the point of the overall book home. It was short and sweet, but brought all the different stories and points made together beautifully. Nappa challenges us to pass this book along after finishing, and while I would love to keep this one for my collection, I just might have too. This book seems to be going under the radar. Heck, I seem to be the 6th person to review on Goodreads. It is a book I would recommend to more mature Christians, who feel the need to return their gaze back to Jesus after living a busy, hectic period. Since each chapter focuses on a different story and aspect of the life of Christ, it can be read devotional style as well, as long as you don't mind longer devotions! And it is definitely a book you can pick up time and time again for a fresh reminder of how great God is. 

I can't think of many negatives. I feel my one complaint is that, I feel like the book isn't sticking with me. It had fantastic points, dove deep into characteristics of God in fresh ways, and the writing was brutally honest. But somehow those points are sticking with me. I stated earlier I would give it to more mature Christians, or Christians who are further along on their walk with God. Newer Christians might struggle with some of the heady topics and Nappa makes assumptions that we've heard this story or know that verse. Even still "God in Slow Motion" is a great reminder to all Christians how amazingly wonderful our Savior truly is.

On my Goodreads review, I first rated it as a 4. But I struggle with finding a reason to not rate it higher, and so, officially now folks, I will bump it up to 4.5 Stars.  I really encourage others to pick this one up, read it, and let me know your thoughts!

Have a fantastic Wednesday!