kristensreadingnook's review
5.0
This was a great daily devotional exploring many aspects of Enneagram 9 personalities, including going to 3 in growth, how to be aware of going to 6 in stress, overcoming sloth, and truly leaning into being a peacemaker. I loved starting my day with this book and plan to read it again and again as I lean into my God-given personality.
bgstrong's review
3.0
I admittedly read more than one “day” at a time - because I wanted to move on to another devotional
That’s not to say that this one was bad - but I bought it and started it when I was REALLY into enneagram, and that has fizzled some so my excitement about this book fizzled some too.
Enneagram is like myers-Briggs, astrology, or any of those types of things - it means as much as you want it to. Do I identify with a lot of the traits an enneagram 9 has? Yes. Is it the entirety of who I am? I dunno. Maybe not.
But, I did get some good things from this book. But I wouldn’t call it life changing.
That’s not to say that this one was bad - but I bought it and started it when I was REALLY into enneagram, and that has fizzled some so my excitement about this book fizzled some too.
Enneagram is like myers-Briggs, astrology, or any of those types of things - it means as much as you want it to. Do I identify with a lot of the traits an enneagram 9 has? Yes. Is it the entirety of who I am? I dunno. Maybe not.
But, I did get some good things from this book. But I wouldn’t call it life changing.
chericeri's review
5.0
I was first drawn to this devotional because I wanted to take my knowledge of the enneagram a step further and use it to help me grow in new ways, particularly in a personal time of uncertainty and transition. The biblical focus of this devotional, combined with the personal experience of it being specifically tailored to a Nine, really appealed to me and seemed different to anything I’d seen before.
The devotional ended up being even better than I hoped. It was very Bible-focussed, centring each day around a piece of scripture, while still exploring specific aspects of the enneagram in a lot of depth. Prior to reading this, I didn’t have a great understanding of some of the topics covered, like sloth, the gut, and merging, and I didn’t know if they had any basis in scripture. The devotional dived deep into each of these topics and firmly connected them to spiritual growth and who we are in Christ, helping me to understand their significance and how God could work through these areas. It never felt like it was skimming the surface, and instead gave enough space to really dig into each topic.
The ‘shift in focus’ section at the end of each day was helpful for consolidating what I had read, and allowed me to reflect on its application in my own life. It also invited me to pause in prayer and bring these reflections to God instead of just reading and moving on which is often what happens when I read a devotional. I also enjoyed how there were three writers involved; each of them brought different gifts and a welcome shift in tone and pace that created some variety from day to day.
Where this devotional really shone was in how it inspired practical application and tangible change in my life. The days on conflict taught me about the dangers of absorbing conflict, and provided guidance and instruction from scripture on how to deal with conflict in a way that is gentle and kind. This challenged me to bring a hurt to a friend instead of pretending it was okay, which felt like a very big moment of growth in my life! The 10 day section on sloth helped me become more aware of the difference between resting and numbing in my own life. There have been several moments since that I’ve stopped and considered why I’m doing a certain activity, and I’m now more able to recognise whether it’s helpful and restful or not. The section on seasons of stress also stands out, as it prompted me to bring a specific worry to God and receive his peace instead of allowing it to live in my head and overwhelm me. I truly feel like I have come out of this devotional with a far greater self-awareness, and the knowledge, scripture and strategies to keep pushing into spiritual and personal growth.
The Peacemaker will be helpful to any fellow Nines who want to take their enneagram knowledge deeper and gain a greater understanding of who God has made them to be. Its a fantastic source of encouragement, a call to growth, and an opportunity to listen to what God wants to say to you on a personal level. I will definitely be dipping back into it because there is so much treasure within its pages!
The devotional ended up being even better than I hoped. It was very Bible-focussed, centring each day around a piece of scripture, while still exploring specific aspects of the enneagram in a lot of depth. Prior to reading this, I didn’t have a great understanding of some of the topics covered, like sloth, the gut, and merging, and I didn’t know if they had any basis in scripture. The devotional dived deep into each of these topics and firmly connected them to spiritual growth and who we are in Christ, helping me to understand their significance and how God could work through these areas. It never felt like it was skimming the surface, and instead gave enough space to really dig into each topic.
The ‘shift in focus’ section at the end of each day was helpful for consolidating what I had read, and allowed me to reflect on its application in my own life. It also invited me to pause in prayer and bring these reflections to God instead of just reading and moving on which is often what happens when I read a devotional. I also enjoyed how there were three writers involved; each of them brought different gifts and a welcome shift in tone and pace that created some variety from day to day.
Where this devotional really shone was in how it inspired practical application and tangible change in my life. The days on conflict taught me about the dangers of absorbing conflict, and provided guidance and instruction from scripture on how to deal with conflict in a way that is gentle and kind. This challenged me to bring a hurt to a friend instead of pretending it was okay, which felt like a very big moment of growth in my life! The 10 day section on sloth helped me become more aware of the difference between resting and numbing in my own life. There have been several moments since that I’ve stopped and considered why I’m doing a certain activity, and I’m now more able to recognise whether it’s helpful and restful or not. The section on seasons of stress also stands out, as it prompted me to bring a specific worry to God and receive his peace instead of allowing it to live in my head and overwhelm me. I truly feel like I have come out of this devotional with a far greater self-awareness, and the knowledge, scripture and strategies to keep pushing into spiritual and personal growth.
The Peacemaker will be helpful to any fellow Nines who want to take their enneagram knowledge deeper and gain a greater understanding of who God has made them to be. Its a fantastic source of encouragement, a call to growth, and an opportunity to listen to what God wants to say to you on a personal level. I will definitely be dipping back into it because there is so much treasure within its pages!
More...