Shift

Title: Shift: Changing Our Focus to See the Presence of God

Author: Abby McDonald

Genre: Christian Nonfiction, Christian Living

Publisher: Leafwood Publishers

Source: Own

My review:

I have wanted to read Shift: Changing Our Focus to See the Presence of God by Abby McDonald since it came out (2020). When I got money for Christmas, I bought a copy and finally got a chance to read it.

Here's the beautiful truth we often forget: if we are in Christ, we are living reflections of his glory. His transforming power isn't activated from outside, but within. Faith is activated not by seeing, but by doing, even when we don't know what the result will be. 

While it is a good book, it didn't quite live up to my expectations (which were high). Written in a conversational style, it is easy to read and understand. There are plenty of nuggets of wisdom sprinkled throughout. 

However, I did not find any new information or life-changing nuggets of wisdom. Toward the end of the book, I was just ready for it to be over. Not because the book was awful, it wasn't. There was too much "fluff" in the middle that could have been condensed, leaving the last few chapters in tack. 

I appreciate the work the author put into Shift and her being true to Scripture. I recommend this book to anyone who feels they need a shift in their perspective.

★★★/5

Synopsis (Goodreads): 

If we want to see God in the midst of our struggles, we have to change the way we look for him. There is no denying that miracles, answers to prayer, and abundant blessings testify to God's presence. When the desires of our hearts are filled, it's easy to see him. But what about the seasons when he seems invisible? Scripture tells us God never sleeps, but it is easy to feel like he is not attuned to our needs. Shift explores the life-changing truth that when we adjust our lens to focus our eyes on God rather than on what we wish we were seeing in our lives, he reveals himself to us. In fact, those moments when he seems invisible to us are often when others see him the most in us. When Jesus walked the earth, he looked to God for his earthly needs. Jesus had a deep relationship with the Father that fueled his mission, his purpose, and his effectiveness. Scripture tells us that we can have that too. But there is a shift that needs to take place in our hearts and minds. No matter our circumstances, we can see God in our lives - right here, right now.