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Looking for God: Slightly Unorthodox, Highly Unconventional, and Entirely Unexpected Thoughts about Faith
God is in the details, but sometimes we just overlook him. Nancy Ortberg encourages readers to see God in this very personal, very engaging series of essays that will bring God into focus and allow you to grow deeper in your relationship with him than you had ever imagined.
208 pages, Hardcover
First published February 6, 2008
5 people are currently reading
156 people want to read
About the author
Nancy Ortberg
9 books8 followersNancy Ortberg is the Director of Leadership Development at Menlo Park Presbyterian Church, in Northern California, and the author of Seeing in the Dark: Finding God's Light in the Most Unexpected Places and Unleashing the Power of Rubber Bands, Lessons in Non-Linear Leadership. A highly sought-after speaker, Nancy has been a featured presenter at the Catalyst and Orange conferences, and has been a regular contributor to Rev! Magazine. She and her husband, John, live in the Bay Area and have three grown children: Laura, Mallory, and Johnny.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 33 reviews
June 12, 2010
I love Nancy's unconventional approach to her faith. Her story telling ability is raw, honest and authentic, and has a way of drawing you in, no matter how long or short you've been walking with God. She masterfully approaches the Christian faith from all angles, causing you to think differently. And you can't help but want to know God more, better.
This book is 20 chapters and can easily be doubled or tripled up to be done in a community group setting. The chapters are short and very engaging on both the head and heart levels. This is by far one of my favorite books!
This book is 20 chapters and can easily be doubled or tripled up to be done in a community group setting. The chapters are short and very engaging on both the head and heart levels. This is by far one of my favorite books!
March 12, 2020
I loved this! I took my time with this little gem because I wanted to savor every bit. This book is continuing to work on me — restoring my connection with my true heart and soul, and unleashing my true worship of The Creator.
November 3, 2018
31/10/18
1: THEPROBLEMWITHQUIETTIME
Summary: You can find happiness, peace and value in "little", everyday things too.
2. THIS, TOO?
Summary: Gratitude is important.
3. JELL-O
Summary: Comparison is not appropriate.
4. PRONOUNS
Summary: Community is vital. Although everyone should be invited, It's our instinct to exclude.
Quote: Community is where we learn the truth about ourselves, where we are deeply loved, where walls are broken down, and where people who are usually excluded are included.
[...] In community, it really isn't all about us.
Remark: I claim there are inner walls in every societal circle mostly because of individual thoughts, desires, ideas and feelings.
Although agreed that community is surely not about me, but we, I reckon in it you can only learn about your related mechanisms, the way you express yourself.
Isolation or putting yourself in various situations/taking small risks without a break are the greatest ways to get to know the inner person better. Frankly, the latter has not much to do with community in perticular.
Also, sometimes excluding isn't obvious and sometimes you feel alone even If you're surrounded by your "deeply loved" group members.
5. WORK
Summary: We are created for work. It's a form of community, - a we -, certainly not only about one for the purpose of serving. Experiences linked to it can lead to joy.
Quote: It matters how we live Monday through Friday. Showing up to work with a renewed sense of purpose and the expectation of contributing both to the task and to other people plays a significant role in what it means to follow Christ.
Every day you go to work, whether that job is dead center on your passion and calling target, or it is simply a stepping-stone on your journey to figuring out what you really want to do, you have an opportunity to honor God.
Remark: *what* How can all of this be connected to spiritual aspects and Jesus, specifically? This is a mentality one ought to learn to enjoy work, not a religious belief.
6. oridnary
Summary: God is in oridnary things too. We don't realize how great ordinary days and contents can be until the circle breaks.
Quote: ordinary can do that. it gives us a sense of purpose even in the mundane, a kind of freedom that releases us from the need to be important-a need that can weigh us down and sink us into our own pitiful selves. ordinary gives a peace and joy and centeredness that turns us toward God and builds him deep inside of us.
Remark: I agree on the purpose and greatness of oridnary, but again, why does it have to be strongly correlated to God? When, in fact, this, later sentence couldn't be a better response: "what stayed with me after that was a deep appreciation for odinary days."
7. THEBWORD
Summary: Balance is not something we need in life for It's an illusion of having control.
Remark: She denies balance for not being theologically correct and confusing it with intelligent problem-solving and mindfullness under stressful situations.
01/11/18
8. SHOES
Summary: Sometimes you have to be salt: not a defining point. Sometimes you need light for something greater, a transformation.
9. COULDWEPLEASESTOPTALKINGLIKETHIS?
Summary: Your words reflect your inner world. The way you express yourself matters. (God's there even in doubt.)
Remark: The only chapter in this book that I can relate to, agree with so far.
Quote: We need to think deeply about the theological implications of what we are saying and remember that God is not simply a useful tool to support our politics or our beliefs.
10. JESUS
Summary: Jesus isn't that nice and sweet. He suprised people, messed things up for the better, for a shake, for a lesson and awareness.
Remark: This chapter was the most interesting so far since I also thought Jesus had these always and extremely positive traits only.
02/11/18
11. COULDA,SHOULDA,WOULDA
Summary: "Sometimes we find God in our failures. Our painful, embarassing, public failures. Trouble is, often when something hurts, we avoid it. And when we do, we pull away from the very thing we need to face in order to encounter God."
12. DON'TFORGETTOREMEMBER
Summary: "The act of remembering is so powerful - and smell is one of the more remarkable ways that those distant memories are awakened- that God reminds us often to do it."
13. MODEL
Summary: "The greatest apologetic, the best defense or evidence of our faith, is the way we live authentically with God. Authenticity implies honesty, struggles, questions, desert times, shaking fists and hopeful silences. I can only model what I am experiencing. Anything else is either behavior modification or "faking it"- neither of which is transformational."
14. HEROES
Summary: "It is desperately important to our faith that we choose the right people to be our heroes. And in order to do that, we have to look in the right places."
15. OPENORCLOSED
Summary: "When it comes to our hands, we have a choice. We can either go through life with then closed: tightfisted, fearful, angry, reluctant, withholding, comparative, and empty. Or we can go through life with our hands open: generous, expressive, grateful, helping, and full."
16. LONGINGS,ACHES,ANDPAINS
Summary: "The spiritual layers became more available to me as I dug a little deeper and allowed the longings, aches and pains to have their voice." & "If we pay attention to the pain, struggle with it and live in it, we grow."
17. ALLINEED
Summary: "Real faith emerges when we give serious consideration to our attitudes toward money. The grip that money has on our lives will determine the amount of freedom we experience."
18. REAL
Summary: ""First clean the inside of the cup and dish, and then the outside also will be clean.""
19. STARTSANDSTOPS
Summary: "Beginnings hold the promise of hope, the expectation of the new and fresh." & "Endings have a purifying effect. When the dust settles after a crisis hits, we can find what is real-what is core-by what is left behind and who rose to the occasion" (soul)
Final remark :
I wasn't able to link the thoughts, events and value systems in the book to a transcendental being. For me they're reasoned with human-like feelings, mechanisms, intelligence, awareness, ration.
Therefore, eventually despite every positive trait, the book became boring and sometimes even hilarious. Latter because author praises the typical images of God and Christ, their attitudes and expressions, the Bible.
1: THEPROBLEMWITHQUIETTIME
Summary: You can find happiness, peace and value in "little", everyday things too.
2. THIS, TOO?
Summary: Gratitude is important.
3. JELL-O
Summary: Comparison is not appropriate.
4. PRONOUNS
Summary: Community is vital. Although everyone should be invited, It's our instinct to exclude.
Quote: Community is where we learn the truth about ourselves, where we are deeply loved, where walls are broken down, and where people who are usually excluded are included.
[...] In community, it really isn't all about us.
Remark: I claim there are inner walls in every societal circle mostly because of individual thoughts, desires, ideas and feelings.
Although agreed that community is surely not about me, but we, I reckon in it you can only learn about your related mechanisms, the way you express yourself.
Isolation or putting yourself in various situations/taking small risks without a break are the greatest ways to get to know the inner person better. Frankly, the latter has not much to do with community in perticular.
Also, sometimes excluding isn't obvious and sometimes you feel alone even If you're surrounded by your "deeply loved" group members.
5. WORK
Summary: We are created for work. It's a form of community, - a we -, certainly not only about one for the purpose of serving. Experiences linked to it can lead to joy.
Quote: It matters how we live Monday through Friday. Showing up to work with a renewed sense of purpose and the expectation of contributing both to the task and to other people plays a significant role in what it means to follow Christ.
Every day you go to work, whether that job is dead center on your passion and calling target, or it is simply a stepping-stone on your journey to figuring out what you really want to do, you have an opportunity to honor God.
Remark: *what* How can all of this be connected to spiritual aspects and Jesus, specifically? This is a mentality one ought to learn to enjoy work, not a religious belief.
6. oridnary
Summary: God is in oridnary things too. We don't realize how great ordinary days and contents can be until the circle breaks.
Quote: ordinary can do that. it gives us a sense of purpose even in the mundane, a kind of freedom that releases us from the need to be important-a need that can weigh us down and sink us into our own pitiful selves. ordinary gives a peace and joy and centeredness that turns us toward God and builds him deep inside of us.
Remark: I agree on the purpose and greatness of oridnary, but again, why does it have to be strongly correlated to God? When, in fact, this, later sentence couldn't be a better response: "what stayed with me after that was a deep appreciation for odinary days."
7. THEBWORD
Summary: Balance is not something we need in life for It's an illusion of having control.
Remark: She denies balance for not being theologically correct and confusing it with intelligent problem-solving and mindfullness under stressful situations.
01/11/18
8. SHOES
Summary: Sometimes you have to be salt: not a defining point. Sometimes you need light for something greater, a transformation.
9. COULDWEPLEASESTOPTALKINGLIKETHIS?
Summary: Your words reflect your inner world. The way you express yourself matters. (God's there even in doubt.)
Remark: The only chapter in this book that I can relate to, agree with so far.
Quote: We need to think deeply about the theological implications of what we are saying and remember that God is not simply a useful tool to support our politics or our beliefs.
10. JESUS
Summary: Jesus isn't that nice and sweet. He suprised people, messed things up for the better, for a shake, for a lesson and awareness.
Remark: This chapter was the most interesting so far since I also thought Jesus had these always and extremely positive traits only.
02/11/18
11. COULDA,SHOULDA,WOULDA
Summary: "Sometimes we find God in our failures. Our painful, embarassing, public failures. Trouble is, often when something hurts, we avoid it. And when we do, we pull away from the very thing we need to face in order to encounter God."
12. DON'TFORGETTOREMEMBER
Summary: "The act of remembering is so powerful - and smell is one of the more remarkable ways that those distant memories are awakened- that God reminds us often to do it."
13. MODEL
Summary: "The greatest apologetic, the best defense or evidence of our faith, is the way we live authentically with God. Authenticity implies honesty, struggles, questions, desert times, shaking fists and hopeful silences. I can only model what I am experiencing. Anything else is either behavior modification or "faking it"- neither of which is transformational."
14. HEROES
Summary: "It is desperately important to our faith that we choose the right people to be our heroes. And in order to do that, we have to look in the right places."
15. OPENORCLOSED
Summary: "When it comes to our hands, we have a choice. We can either go through life with then closed: tightfisted, fearful, angry, reluctant, withholding, comparative, and empty. Or we can go through life with our hands open: generous, expressive, grateful, helping, and full."
16. LONGINGS,ACHES,ANDPAINS
Summary: "The spiritual layers became more available to me as I dug a little deeper and allowed the longings, aches and pains to have their voice." & "If we pay attention to the pain, struggle with it and live in it, we grow."
17. ALLINEED
Summary: "Real faith emerges when we give serious consideration to our attitudes toward money. The grip that money has on our lives will determine the amount of freedom we experience."
18. REAL
Summary: ""First clean the inside of the cup and dish, and then the outside also will be clean.""
19. STARTSANDSTOPS
Summary: "Beginnings hold the promise of hope, the expectation of the new and fresh." & "Endings have a purifying effect. When the dust settles after a crisis hits, we can find what is real-what is core-by what is left behind and who rose to the occasion" (soul)
Final remark :
I wasn't able to link the thoughts, events and value systems in the book to a transcendental being. For me they're reasoned with human-like feelings, mechanisms, intelligence, awareness, ration.
Therefore, eventually despite every positive trait, the book became boring and sometimes even hilarious. Latter because author praises the typical images of God and Christ, their attitudes and expressions, the Bible.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 23, 2010
When I first started reading this book, I thought it was going to be too light. I wanted something deeper. And then, I found myself reading paragraphs from the book out loud to my husband. Nancy writes about the everyday challenges of the Christian life in a way that makes the reader feel known, but not judged; encouraged yet also humbled. I definitely recommend this book.
December 11, 2021
Nancy Ortberg's writing always speaks to my soul and spirit. Although this book did not grab me as much as the first one I read, this still contains much valuable thought on the Christian life. Recommended.
September 29, 2018
Spoke easily without judgement throughout this book. Shared a personal journey that we can all relate to on some level. Then brought it home.
February 1, 2022
Good story telling, interesting.
November 12, 2022
It was a great book, chapter 11 really got my attention. I would highly recommend!
April 7, 2023
What a lovely book. Enjoyed every minute of it!
May 14, 2009
On Chapter 3 so far and it is really interesting. I wish it had more stories but it asks great questions and has a little humor. Enjoying it so far. three stars so far...
I liked this book until I got to chapter 4 then it turned into awesome!!! Chapter 5 is awesome too!
Okay I cried today reading this about the shoes chapter. So good.
The chapter that talked about shoes was awesome. I cried again. She really moved my heart. I think the question isn't would you give your shoes away but when will you give your shoes... away?
The chapter about Jesus was so good also. Many people say Jesus was sweet and nice, NEVER angry. I agree that isn't the Jesus of the Gospels. Though I don't agree with everything Ms. Nancy says she is such a heart string tug person. She really tries to get people to see the another view of things.
I'm really loving this book.
Chapter 15 open or closed
Chapter 16 Longings, Aches, and Pains
Do I want children more than I want God? This chapter helped me answer this question. I'm in the process digging deep for the answer.
Chapter 17 All I need
Am I content with what God has given me?
Chapter 18 HOLY
Awesome! I have really realized that we use this word way too much in the wrong way. Holy Cow, Holy *%@*!, Holy Moly... We defiantly don't use it in the right context. I've decided not only to reserve this word for GOD but also make dramatic change to the words I use.
Chapter 19 Real
Do we truly have a relationship or do we treat Jesus just as a religion?
Chapter 20 Starts and Stops How are we going to end?
I liked this book until I got to chapter 4 then it turned into awesome!!! Chapter 5 is awesome too!
Okay I cried today reading this about the shoes chapter. So good.
The chapter that talked about shoes was awesome. I cried again. She really moved my heart. I think the question isn't would you give your shoes away but when will you give your shoes... away?
The chapter about Jesus was so good also. Many people say Jesus was sweet and nice, NEVER angry. I agree that isn't the Jesus of the Gospels. Though I don't agree with everything Ms. Nancy says she is such a heart string tug person. She really tries to get people to see the another view of things.
I'm really loving this book.
Chapter 15 open or closed
Chapter 16 Longings, Aches, and Pains
Do I want children more than I want God? This chapter helped me answer this question. I'm in the process digging deep for the answer.
Chapter 17 All I need
Am I content with what God has given me?
Chapter 18 HOLY
Awesome! I have really realized that we use this word way too much in the wrong way. Holy Cow, Holy *%@*!, Holy Moly... We defiantly don't use it in the right context. I've decided not only to reserve this word for GOD but also make dramatic change to the words I use.
Chapter 19 Real
Do we truly have a relationship or do we treat Jesus just as a religion?
Chapter 20 Starts and Stops How are we going to end?
January 31, 2012
Everyone has their different view or opinion on their faith. The Bible has been translated several times and in several different directions, so it is books like these that always seem so extremely helpful when it comes to enterpretation.
Ortberg writes with the sort of style that makes you feel as though she is talking directly to you; if you are an avid reader and have a problem being a grammar freak, beware, but otherwise that ability is very good in aiding readers to understand what she is trying to say.
I have personally been having a little bit of trouble with my faith as of late, but this book turned out to seriously hit the emotional spot. Even if you are not a largely religious sort of person, this book makes a considerable amount of points to ponder. It is a quick, full read that I would easily reccomend to anyone.
God really does lead his kids in the directions they need to go.
Ortberg writes with the sort of style that makes you feel as though she is talking directly to you; if you are an avid reader and have a problem being a grammar freak, beware, but otherwise that ability is very good in aiding readers to understand what she is trying to say.
I have personally been having a little bit of trouble with my faith as of late, but this book turned out to seriously hit the emotional spot. Even if you are not a largely religious sort of person, this book makes a considerable amount of points to ponder. It is a quick, full read that I would easily reccomend to anyone.
God really does lead his kids in the directions they need to go.
September 3, 2009
This was a very good, quick read. Rather than having one single coherent thought that carried the book, the book is divided up into short little essays about different topics on the Christian faith. I enjoyed Nancy Ortberg's perspective on things like giving, beginnings and endings, being authentic. Several chapters, particularly the later ones, are more poignant than others and had me in tears at points. I believe that the authenticity that Nancy seeks to live her life with is echoed in her words on the page. I found myself disagreeing with some points, but in general it just made me think about some things - made me pause and go "huh" - and any book that can do that for me, is a winner in my book.
December 30, 2011
I enjoyed this collection of essays from Nancy Ortberg. Many of them are the kind of thing you want to savor and think about before moving to the next chapter, but I'm unfortunately not very good at that. Still, I am trying to hold on to the essay on balance (it's a unicorn, Jesus was not balanced, and it's a concept that Christians seek and try to implement w/o really thinking if it's theologically accurate) and the essay on being real and reconverted. A quick read.
February 28, 2013
This book is a breath of fresh air from the the Christianese's inclination towards rigid perspectives about walking with God. I love how in spite of being a pastor's wife, that Nancy Ortberg is able to relate to and address the real sentiments of struggling Christians in a non-hardsell and loving manner.
May 28, 2013
Really great book - full of encouragement, conviction and authenticity.
"Authenticity implies honesty, struggles, questions, desert times, shaking fists, and hopeful silences. I can only model what I am experiencing. Anything else is either behavioral modification or 'faking it' - neither of which is transformational...God lives in the struggle. It is there we find Him."
"Authenticity implies honesty, struggles, questions, desert times, shaking fists, and hopeful silences. I can only model what I am experiencing. Anything else is either behavioral modification or 'faking it' - neither of which is transformational...God lives in the struggle. It is there we find Him."
January 21, 2014
Nancy Ortberg in both her books that I've read, writes really honestly. There isn't any skirting around her mistakes--almost every chapter contains a record of a mistake she made and how she handled it. It doesn't have a very clear focus on any single aspect of finding God, but I think almost anybody would get something helpful out of it.
June 23, 2016
Written with heartfelt sincerity and openness, Nancy Ortberg shares thoughts and personal experiences on a number of spiritual, practical topics. She writes with passion, but always in an accessible, conversational style. Chapters are more like mini-essays, and work well for reading briefly and then pausing for personal reflection. Definitely recommended for that purpose.
June 30, 2008
Really enjoyed this look at Christianity through the eyes of Nancy Ortberg. The main takeaway: It's all about being real. Which is really important to me.
I've enjoyed her husband's books for years so it was nice to see the counterpart.
I've enjoyed her husband's books for years so it was nice to see the counterpart.
January 24, 2012
A delightful collection of inspirational essays. Although some were more rich with meaning than others, I felt that essay #14 was brilliantly written and the author's terse yet witty writing style enchanted me.
May 6, 2012
Absolutely delightful! A fast read raw honest anecdotes. Nancy Ortberg's humor adds charm to her very convicting essays. I am exceptionally glad I came across this and took the time to read it. Many of the things N.Ortberg shared have been wonderful additions to my Adult Bible study.
August 29, 2014
3.5 stars - story telling, personal, easy read. Short stories that were nice to read just before bed but nothing really profound. It was very much like the reader was getting to know the author on a personal level.
April 20, 2008
from the first pages you get the sense that this is hope for everyone who felt like they were doing christianity wrong.
April 30, 2020
EXCELLENT, down-to-earth short stories about finding God in day to day events - QUICK read - exactly what I needed at this time in my life
From Today's Christian Woman
From Today's Christian Woman
July 5, 2008
This is an AWESOME book! Definitely one that I want in my personal collection.
June 10, 2009
Engaging essays, colorful imagery. Quick read. Truths, but not in sync with my needs at this moment.
August 4, 2010
I loved this book and was captivated by Nancy's writing. It was fresh and covered a multitude of issues.
July 31, 2011
This was fantastic! Insightful, moving and full of truth!
May 14, 2013
Really thoughtful book on the nature of the grace & goodness of God... I need to write a fuller review.
June 25, 2014
Nice easy thoughtful read.
February 11, 2016
Neat thoughts on the Christian life; liked it!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 33 reviews