Connecting by Larry Crabb (1997, Audio Cassette)

While I was reading his other book Men and Women: Enjoying the Difference, I stumbled across an audio version of this book, Connecting. I wish I lived closer to Dr. Crabb, because I'd hire him as my personal therapist. His voice is so confident yet soothing. The audio version is what I am giving my 5-star rating!

Dr. Crabb first begins to ouline what a dis-CONNECTION looks like. From Adam and Eve, when Adam hid from God in his shame, we are destined to disconnect by our very nature, Crabb argues. Then he goes on to describe a story about a time when he made his first REAL connection with his eldest son. In the pit of despair and at his wit's end, Crabb turned to God for answers. He prayed that the Holy Spirit would guide him not with wisom to know what to say but with the ability to show his son the "person of Christ." It was in this venue that his connection was established. He didn't lecture the boy, he just showed love and grace and tried to answer the question: What would Jesus do?

Crabb's experience with Biblical insight is astonishing in the 4 part audio set. The last 2 parts deal with practical application, i.e. why we don't connect (what's wrong) or falsely connect (with 4 descriptions of defenses we put up to protect ourselves) and what we can do to make it better.

As a woman, my relationships (and the health of them) is core to who I am. This book really touched that and made me think more about how I could bless my fiance and children and co-workers and customers and less about what I had to lose. God is so good to use this man to touch me like that! I hope you will read it and that it affects your "cirlce of influence" (to borrow Covey's term) as it has mine. 5 stars...no less! Buy the book on tape!