Book Review: A Holy Pursuit by Dianne Jago
I offhandedly picked up, A Holy Pursuit by Dianne Jago (founder of Deeply Rooted Magazine) as my first read of quarantine. I flipped to the first page and sank into this opening:
“We don’t have to look far to find a book, inspirational quote, or Instagram post telling us to chase after our dreams. Whether written by a hopeful atheist or an evangelical Christian, we find these messages everywhere: If your dream doesn’t scare you, you’re not dreaming big enough. Never give up on something you can’t go a day without thinking about. The cost of not following your heart is spending the rest of your life wishing you had. #hustle #goals #dowhatyoulove #girlboss #followyourdreams
Women across the world are bombarded with messages like these. When scroll after scroll after scroll on our newsfeed is filled with seemingly perfect women doing all the things, it’s no surprise that we experience growing discontent, wondering if we too should be chasing after our dreams. These mantras and those like it not only overlook the Christian’s primary aim in life—to live for God’s glory alone—but they seep into Christian culture, adopt a Christian twist, and disguise themselves as wisdom.” -Dianne Jago
Oh. Yeah. I mean, wasn’t this what drove me to pick up this book in the first place? A Holy Pursuit is an incredible read on how the Gospel frees us to follow and lay down our dreams (I stole that nutshell summary from the subtitle). Dianne has written a tasteful and gently written instructional/personal testimony to Christian women. A Holy Pursuit calls to attention our desire to find purpose in our lives, and the heart of God for our lives.
This book is a must-read, particularly as we battle through the quiet of quarantine. This is for the girl struggling to know if she’s living God’s purpose for her life, the woman staring at her instagram feed and feeling like she isn’t living up to her potential, the woman without children wondering if she’s a failure.
Dianne shares her story of growing up and searching for her purpose in life. Was it in English? Photography? She opens up her heart and life and brings the reader into a cozy space. I could almost picture her sharing her stories and wisdom with me over a cup of coffee and comfy armchairs.
The questions she asked herself echo into the reader’s heart and open the door to some convicting soul thought. Questions like; “How do I pursue God’s dreams for me?” or “How do I live in the will of God?” Dianne’s journey to founding Deeply Rooted Magazine is long and full of surprise twists and turns. But she uses her story to bring back into the light God’s heart for dreams.
A Holy Pursuit is a necessary read for Christian women, and I pray Dianne’s words would sink into our community and individual hearts. It is an excellent read, and more importantly, a call to our souls to take up God’s dreams for our lives.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Mia Grace loves sunflowers, words, old hardcover books, and fountain pens. She adores Jesus Christ, and seeks to listen and obey him in her life. Her life verse is Isaiah 52:7, and her prayer is for every girl to grasp the height, weight, depth, width, and power of Christ's love for them.