Soulprint - A book review

Although a small and enjoyable read, Batterson's Soulprint packs some big thought-provoking punches. Provoking some thoughts I can't easily shake off.

For those that may insist on a much shorter version of my review, well, here it is: You're not going to easily be able to 'shake off' the beautifully intrusive thoughts and questions that Batterson shares within Soulprint's pages. For me, that's a good thing. I don't want to shake off these thoughts. After reading this book, I now find myself wanting to address them and get some very needed answers to questions I hadn't before thought to ask myself.

Being born sinful into a sinful world, yet, being blessed with a notion to (sooner or later) seek out God and find at least some fundamental answers to His mysteries can only mean one thing...We have graciously been given this desire to want to know the answers. How does one go about finding these answers? As obvious as it may sound to some, we'll need God's help in figuring out WHY we are here - you know, since He IS the one who created us and all. Sadly enough though, many of us have instead peppered our individual pasts looking for answers and for love 'in all the wrong places' (forgive the reference to the song - but it works to make my point). So, why are YOU here? What did God have in mind when He created YOU? How can YOU fulfill His purpose(s) that you and you alone were uniquely created for?

Ever taken some one-on-one time with God and asked, "Why am I here?" This is just one of the questions/suggestions Batterson includes in this book. Using the story and example of David from the Bible, Batterson explains the importance of knowing the answer to that simple question. Simple in terms of asking - perhaps a bit harder in finding the answer. It's hard to shake off the potentially life altering answers you and I might find in asking this one question alone.

I never considered that the answer to this question (Why am I here?) may very well be within my own history, within my own past. I never really considered that my history could be a beautiful part of the incredible mosaic of God's master plan; HIS-story. I never considered that at all. Actually, I've spent a lot of time and energy (not to mention money) pushing much of my history, my past, away - at least the bad parts of it. All while trying to seek a better future and, in more cases than not, repeating the same mistakes. That's because I wasn't learning from my mistakes; I was covering them up instead. Soulprint invites us to do the exact opposite; to look back into the history of our lives and revisit some of the mistakes and the highlights (the good stuff) to find the God-threads (the moments in life where God was turning us to Him). Hmm. Never considered that either. That thought is hard to shake off too.

In the illustration that Batterson uses with David - King David the Warrior - we're reminded that he was but a shepherd with the knowledge of tending sheep and a skill of using a slingshot. Not usually the typical qualifications you would think of when considering a warrior - much less one who would be called to battle face-to-face with a 9-foot giant in Goliath. Yet, David's training as a shepherd and his skill with the slingshot was literally a couple of steps God had perfectly used in David to prepare him for the largest battle of his life. Soulprint continues with example after example illustrating how God had prepared David for some truly incredible things (Army Commander and King) by using some very unlikely ways. While reading further into the book, it gets harder to shake off the notions that God is doing this with each of us. It's harder still to shake off the desire that Soulprint invokes within us to finally figure out our unique role (our divine purpose) to fulfill our places in His story - for you and all of mankind. Wow. Hard to shake off.

By using David's unlikely history to illustrate God's grand design for him to fulfill His purpose(s) - Batterson reminds us that God has a unique plan for each and everyone of us - even though, sadly enough, many of us don't seek it. This book will challenge you to seek your divine purpose, to look back at the moments in your past - your history - to enable you to truly find your unique purpose(s) that God has in mind for you to help fulfill His (His)story for His glory and to draw you closer to Him.

All these thoughts and more are as enjoyable to read as you would expect from within Batterson's gift of writing. If you've never read any of his other books - Soulprint will make a good first impression and leave you wanting more. The challenge(s) from Batterson in Soulprint are as intrusive and uncomfortable as you might expect them to be as it pertains to finding God's purpose(s) for you. But therein also lies the joy - sort of like being in church and hearing one of those sermons that seemingly was preached just for you (the ones that step on your toes kinda sermons).

Discovering WHY you are here and how that WHY will please God is our common thread of purpose in living our lives (as Christians). Yet, just as unique as are our individual fingerprints - so too are the purposes of our individual and unique Soulprints.

A great read that will leave you with the desire to discover yours; an enjoyable read that's hard to shake off.