Excited to have a "library" of "nearly two hundred excerpts from godly men and women" who Tozer read, studied and were mentored by, I eagerly began to read. Quickly you discover the book is divided into 8 sections, reflecting the main subjects Tozer taught on - Worship, Prayer, Exhortations, The Holy Spirit, Jesus, Practicing the Presence of God, Doctrine, and Christian Life. Additionally, Bell has organized the excerpts into short devotional-type readings whereby you can either read them as such in a short sitting or read several together. The book lends itself to being an easy read.
However, I have to admit my excitement began to wane as I noticed some of the men and women that influenced Tozer. Madame Guyon, a mystic, and Tauler, a Christian Universalist, as well as many Catholic writers are among the authors. It is here where I miss the voice of Tozer himself. I would want to know why Tozer would include them among his most influential men/women. Or were these writings among his belongings and the assumption made that they influenced him? We won't know the answer to this question unless somewhere Tozer recorded how these authors impacted his thoughts and devotion to the Lord.
Overall, this is a good resource and one I am thankful to have in my own personal library. I am sure I will be reading from it in my own personal devotional times.
4 stars
I received a complimentary book for review from Bethany House Publishers.
