Your Own Jesus by Mark Hall (2009, Hardcover)

YOUR OWN JESUS isn’t a book that I would suggest only listening to on audio, or borrowing from a library. It is a book of substance that should be read, then read again, and really absorbed. The “discussion guide” that follows, is full of statements and questions that will cause real examination of where you are in your personal relationship with Jesus Christ, our Savior. The guide is as valuable as the text itself.

It is very apparent that Mark Hall understands how vital it is to have an individual, personal relationship with God. One cannot depend on someone else’s experiences to sustain them through the storms of life. Definitely, there is a difference between “weight-bearing belief” and “mental assent to certain facts”.

Those who contributed to this writing, exposed unique experiences and stretched me beyond any prior mental or spiritual contemplation. The teacher from Israel using the method of “fence building” changed how I view violation of the ten commandments. While all contributions were significant, the story of “Blue” forever changed my perspective to daily life. I will recall this every time I read Psalm 91 in the future.

Lifesongs, Mark’s first book, gave us glimpses of how God allowed him to “hear the songs first”. YOUR OWN JESUS, while it points to how some of the lyrics came to be, is much deeper on many levels. If you are a fan of Alter and the Door, this will expand your appreciation tremendously to the meaning of those lyrics. It is not possible to offer a higher recommendation!