A book full of golden nuggets, this is a fictional book but full of spiritual wisdom.  I read it through first quite quickly as I could not put it down, then read it again slowly making notes in my journal, which I constantly refer to.

The book describes four very different women who come together by chance at a sacred journey retreat.  They happen to sit together at the back of the room.

They all come with different sets of baggage, different characteristics and personalities and they are not at all sure that they want to be there.  At the first session they are invited to walk a labyrinth.  One of the women has high heels on and says she cannot walk it because she did not wear sensible shoes.  So, the four decide to call themselves the ‘Sensible Shoes Club’.

The book follows their different journeys.  How they cope with their personal problems,  their struggles with their daily lives.  How they each encounter a loving God in their day to day lives.  And sometimes not.  How they help each other through the highs and lows of life.

I found the book easy to read, it helped me gain more insight into my own spiritual life.  This book, and the three books that continue the women’s journey, are books that I shall keep and refer to often.  They are also very useful for discussion in groups and a study guide can also be bought as a tool for solo or group use.

The author has great experience as a Spiritual director and weaves her knowledge and experience throughout the book.  I thoroughly recommend this book as a very useful tool in our lives, and how we can encounter a loving God more deeply.

When I saw that this book was advertised as ‘A Guide for Sinners, Quitters and Procrastinators’, I knew it was for me!  Self-control may not be an immediately attractive subject in this age of instant gratification. We are led to believe that life is all about me, but, if we are honest, we know we need it.

But self-control is no fun.  It’s boring.  And, actually, I do want my own way.  Even more reason to read this book.

Dyck reveals the foundational nature of self-control; that all the other fruit of the Holy Spirit rely on it being in place.  He explains that life is actually not about us and that self-control is more about submission to God’s plan for our lives than it is about controlling ourselves.

This book is so easy to read, amusing and really, really helpful. Putting Dyck’s thoroughly Biblical teaching into practice has transformative potential.  This book is for anyone, like me, struggling with seeing less of the fruit of the Holy Spirit in their lives than they would like.

Review written by: Geoff Purkiss