Chazown, Revised and Updated Edition Lib/E: Discover and Pursue God's Purpose for Your Life

by Craig Groeschel

A Different Way to See Your Life. Vision and Purpose: Dream It, Live It, Attain It! Do you wake up each day motivated by knowing exactly why you were created? Guided by intention in every step? Enter: Chazown. Hebrew for "vision," God wants to give His for you, and this book will reveal it!

Genres: Christian, Christian Living, Nonfiction, Christianity, Faith, Religion, Spirituality

Audio CD

First published March 20, 2006

About the author

Craig Groeschel is the founding and senior pastor of Life.Church, a multisite church with locations throughout the United States and globally at Life.Church Online.

Craig and his wife Amy started Life.Church in a two-car garage in Edmond, Oklahoma in January 1996. While Life.Church has grown over the years, its mission remains the same: to lead people to become fully devoted followers of Christ. Today, the church is known for its innovative use of technology to spread the Gospel, launching the first fully digital church experience in 2006 and the most downloaded Bible app in history, YouVersion, in 2008.

As a widely respected leader in the Church, Craig speaks frequently at leadership events and conferences worldwide. He is a New York Times best-selling author with books about topics like dating and marriage, social media, purpose, direction, church leadership, and more. He also hosts the Craig Groeschel Leadership Podcast, a practical tool to spark new ideas and prompt innovative thinking in leaders at every level within any organization.

Craig and Amy married in 1991 and have six children. They live in Oklahoma where Life.Church began.

Visit www.craiggroeschel.com to be the first to hear about new podcast episodes, books, leadership events, and more.

Reviews

[Chris · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bad Title = Great Help!

When I first picked up Craig Groeschel's book Chazown I saw a 235 page paperback and thought, "Let me get comfortable for a nice read." About forty minutes later I was done and realized this is not a book, or a bible study, but a field manual for those seeking to live a God purposed life.

Craig's first challenge is to help us find the "sweet spot" in life. The place where our core values, spiritual gifts and past experiences intersect. This is accomplished by page 65. I paused at this point wondering if we were done. Two thirds of the book remained to be read. Hmmm.

This is actually where I began to enjoy each short chapter. They are designed to encourage personal reflection and interaction. Many believers I've known over the years can tell you where the sweet spot of their life is, but few have been mentored on how to actually get there and stay in that spot. The fact Craig spends a majority of his time here is refreshing.

The author provides great examples from his own history. He also coaches on five areas of life in which we need to be victorious in order to fully live out our purpose. They are God, Work, People, Health and Finances.

The book closes encouraging community accountability on the journey to our "Chazown" (pronounced khaw-zone) and contains an appendix with a six page, four week study guide for small groups.

This is a perfect resource for new believer small groups and Christians who have been drifting aimlessly through life. I'm not sure The name (Chazown) `sells' it well, but the book is very well done. We all need a direction, purpose and a plan for our lives to be fulfilling. This book can help us get serious about living the John 10:10 abundant life Jesus promised we could have in Him. Just be ready to dive in.

This book was provided free of charge from it's publisher in exchange for this review.

[Camelia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Definitely a book you don’t want to rush through. Take a pen and a piece (or more pieces) of paper and just get started. This book can be an easy reading but if you really want to discover the chazown for your life than it’s a painful book to read beacuse it will ask of you to go deep within and bring to light all sorts of things. Things that might’ve been well burried. But that depends on what you want for your future life.
I encourage you to do it! Dig deep inside and change whatever God wants you to change in order for you to become who He has always knew you can be!

[Simon Wiebe · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sehr schönes Buch zur Visionsfindung. Ein Stern Abzug für die vielen Geschichten und Bibelverse (die viel zu oft platt auf uns übertragen wurden). Hätte man paar weggelassen, wäre man locker auf 150 statt 250 Seiten gekommen. Dann würden auch die Hauptmetaphern noch stärker durchkommen, die mir sehr gut gefallen haben (3 Kreise für die Visionsfindung, 5 Fahrradspeichen für Erfolge). Das Buch eignet sich sicherlich sehr gut für die Jugendarbeit und für Menschen, die beruflich, kirchliche, privat gerade Orientierung suchen.

[Dan Cooley · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoy reading Craig Groeschel - almost as much as I enjoy robbing his free resources from LifeChurch.tv. This book is to help you discover your life’s purpose. As much as I have enjoyed Craig in the past, response to Chazown is bipolar. Part I loved, some I hated.



I Loved


That Craig included a section about setting a vision for our finances. I wish I had read it 30 years ago.





I Hated


The out-of-context title. The title Chazown (pronounced khaw-ZONE) is the Hebrew word translated “vision” in Proverbs 29:18 “Where there is no vision, the people perish.” (KJV) Craig quotes Pv 29:18 in the KJV and goes on to say, “This is the most important statement from Scripture that I will quote in this book. It’s so important, if fact, that it is the source of the book’s title… where there is no Chazown – no dream, no revelation, no vision, no sense of our created purpose—we perish.” (p.8) Craig – get out of the old KJV.





The complete sentence in the New King James reads, “Where there is no revelation, the people cast off restraint; But happy is he who keeps the law.” It’s similar in the NASB, NIV, NLT, etc. When the entire sentence is read, it’s obvious this passage is about divine revelation. Happy is he who keeps God’s law. Unrestrained are those who won’t follow God’s law. The French Bible says they are “without brakes,” the NLT says they “run wild.” There is nothing in this passage to suggest that we need to find our created purpose or we perish.



I Loved

The way Craig starts and ends with our epitaph. What will be on our gravestone? How will we be remembered? What will God say “well done” for? Craig is extremely motivational, and has a plethora of wonderful illustrations. As always, he is a great read.



I Hated

Chapters 12-13 on Un-Spiritual Gifts. I say that because this had nothing to do with spiritual gifts given to us by God after salvation for the building up of the body of Christ. Craig describes… talents. I have no problem if Craig doesn’t believe supernatural gifts are normal for today, (Gene Getz has written some great stuff on that topic) but if so, he needs to tell us. Calling talents spiritual gifts is not honest to me.

He tells us God gave Moses the spiritual gift of leadership, and Nehemiah the gift of administration, and John Grisham the gift of writing and Jerry Seinfield the gift of jokes and LeBron James the gift of dunks. So then, what’s a talent? And what makes dunking a basketball spiritual? The closest I could find to a definition of spiritual gifts was, “what you are exceptionally good at” (p. 43). I wonder, were the early believers in Acts 2 exceptionally good at instantaneously learning languages and Sampson great in the gym? There was a chance to help the believer realize the unique gifts God has given after salvation here. It was missed.



I Loved

This quote on page 24 “God loves you and every else has a wonderful plan for your life.” Craig follows up at helping to set boundaries, even to the point of severing relationships.



You can link to the book through clicking on it's picture, and read the first chapter. I received this book free from Multnomah Books for review. I was (obviously) not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. Daniel Cooley danielcooley.com

[Blake Errico · Rating 5 out of 5]

An EXCELLENT tool to stir your affection for God and start discovering Godly vision for your life. I will give this review a caveat though…

The vision you discover from God may not be what you think. You may want something specific. Something profound. Something impressive. But God may want something extraordinarily simple for you. You may be at a point in your life when you don’t NEED something specific.

It is possible that God has a vision for your life that he wants to unfold in front of you as you follow him in every step. After all, if you had a map of everything God wanted you to do for the rest of your life, how would you depend on him for every step between now and the end of the path?

Go give it a read!

[James · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sometimes, I am overly critical and curmudgeony against mega-churches and their pastors but I like Craig Groeschel a lot. And I really like this book, Chazown, a lot, but I got problems with the title. So while this is generally a pretty positive review, the next paragraph is a little cranky. If you’re avoiding negativity in your life, you might want to skip it and pick up this review in paragraph three.

The title, Chazown comes from the Hebrew: חָזוֹן or ḥāzôn (Romanized according to SBL). As Craig says, it means vision and he’s right, but why he chose to spell it this way irks me. When you a quick google search of “Chazon,” “Hazon,” or Chazown, you discover that the first two spellings are in far greater usage. Most of the hits for “Chazown” seem to relate directly or indirectly to Craig’s book, a couple of online lexicons and a Youtube clip from a documentary on Cher’s son’s sexchange operation (Chaz- Own). Maybe this is a legitimate way of writing a holem vav(a pointed vav indicating an ‘o’ vowel) but it is not what I was taught, and it doesn’t seem to me to be that common. I kind of think it’s similar to me writing a book called Selah Vee from the French for “That’s life?” Why not spell it like everyone else? In the accompanying website chazown.com, Groeschel pronounces “Chazown” with a hard k (Kazone) instead of the soft guttural kh sound. Of course beyond faulty spelling and pronounciation, why name it “Chazown” anyway? The answer: marketing. Beyond a brief reference to the King James Version’s rendering of Proverbs 29:18, “Where there is no vision, the people perish (newer translations have the much more liberating, ‘cast off restraints’ instead of perishing),” there is little discussion in the book of the Hebrew concept of vision; instead Groeschel loads the term with his own understanding of what vision is. The use of the Hebrew here, is simply because if you saw another Christian/personal development/leadership book with “vision” in the title, you probably wouldn’t buy it. But you don’t know Hebrew so Chazown is exciting.

All right, rant over. This is very helpful book which is thoughtfully engaged in helping people achieve God’s ‘chazown’ for their life. Groeschel helps people cast a vision for becoming all that God made them and take steps to walk into it. He begins in part 1 to get people to envision of where they want their life to end up (writing your epitaph). In part 2, he presents three overlapping circles which point to God’s vision for your life: your core values, your spiritual gifts and your past experiences. In part 3 he talks about the convergence of these three areas and how they reveal where God may be calling you. In part 4, Groeschel presents the image of a wheel with five ‘spokes’ which hold things together and allow us to acheive our vision. It is his contention that if we are to stay on track with “God’s chazown” in our life we need to cultivate our: (1) relationship with God, (2)relationship with people, (3)integrity in our finances, (4)make healthy choices about diet and exercise, (5) and attend to meaningful work. While I have a theological objection to placing God as another spoke in the wheel of our dreams (God is the center, the axle and the wheel itself), I like how holistic Groeschel is in his approach. His image illustrates how these areas are not ‘seperate spheres’ but interrelated and necessary components which need our attention.

In part 5, Groschel talks about the need for accountability. In the end matter of the book, he gives helpful advice for picking up the pieces when we feel like we’ve failed God and ourselves.

I have read through the book and found it challenging at different points and think it has some useful tools for self discovery, attending to areas of spiritual/physical health, and discovering where God may be calling you. I have finished the book, but plan to reread sections and go back and complete several of the exercises. the book also includes questions for personal use or group discussion making it a thoughtful choice for a church small group. As someone who has worked in college ministry, I think that this would be particularly helpful in that context.

Thank you to Waterbrook Multnomah for providing me a copy of this book in exchange for this fair and honest review (albeit cranky in places).

[Edwina Cowgill · Rating 5 out of 5]

Chazown: (pronounced khaw-zone) from the Hebrew, meaning a dream, revelation or vision.”

Craig Groeschel’s Chazown is based on the verse found in Proverbs 29:18: “Where there is no vision, the people perish.” The subtitle sums up the entire book: Define Your Vision, Pursue Your Passion, Live Your Life on Purpose. Who among us does not want to know whether or not we are living God’s vision for our lives?

In a Biblically-based, reader-friendly format, Mr. Groeschel walks the readers through the necessary steps to discover God’s vision for their life and how to implement that vision.

The book is divided into five sections and within those sections, each chapter contains the wisdom and direction the reader needs to walk the journey of discovering their vision. The readers will find Key Thoughts that will motivate them to think how the truths in the preceding paragraphs might apply to them. At the end of each of the five sections are exercises designed to challenge the readers to pray and think about the questions posed by Mr. Groeschel. The readers are encouraged to participate even further by writing down what God shares with them during the exercise.

There is also a personal and/or group study guide, as well as helpful appendixes to assist the readers in developing a personal time line and clarifying their core values and spiritual gifts.

This book is revolutionary. If you don’t know the vision God has for your life, Chazown will help you to discover that vision. If you’ve ever wondered if you are following God’s vision for your life, this book will confirm that for you. And if you are positive you are following God’s vision, this book will reinforce your vision even more.

Chazown is a book that that will become a permanent part of your library because you will want to read it…and read again every year or so. It is that good.

This book was provided free of charge from Waterbrook Multnomah Press.

[Jeremy · Rating 3 out of 5]

"Getting Things Done" meets "Purpose Driven Life"...

Good if you are a young Christian (or one who has yet to focus their faith) needing a better understanding of how to weave your faith through all areas of you life. It's very much an entry level Christ-centering, vision-casting book. Nothing is wrong with that and it's much needed for many people...

But for those who are hoping to enhance your already existing life-vision, don't bother.

[Chuck Cova · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a great and fun read. Love Craig's sense of humor, and especially how he uses fun little stories to make his points.
So, are you living your Chazown, your God inspired vision for your life? If so, then Celebrate and Elevate!
No? Then this book, in its easy to read style especially has something special for you. In areas of Relationships, Physical wellness, Finances, and Work, it presents a great model for detecting and directing you toward living a life of intentional purpose.

[Damon · Rating 2 out of 5]

I'm a fairly big Craig Groeschel fan, but this book just didn't do it for me. The basic idea of finding direction and doing things purposefully is great. However, I found the circles and spokes to be a lot more common sense than Biblical. Maybe I'm just too jaded by all the self-help gurus, but there didn't seem to be a lot of meat here.

[Linda · Rating 1 out of 5]

If "different" means un-Biblical, and you are OK with that, then by all means, read it! This guy has taken 1/2 of a Bible verse, mis-interpreted it/taken it out of context, and has turned it into a cash cow. His net worth is approx $450 MILLION. All Christians serious about their spiritual health should avoid this book.

[Katie Casey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Helps You Find Your Passion

Really found this book to be helpful and motivating! Craig Groeschel is a great writer and speaker, and he has created a great study to guide you into becoming the best you can be for God.

[Jill · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Chazown" is a Hebrew word meaning "dream" and also means "revelation", or "vision". The teachings in this book go through five different spokes of chazown; the spokes include: relationship with God, relationships with people, finances, health and fitness, and work. It contains a lot of different subjects, such as one teaches that God speaks to people in different ways and gives examples of different ways that he spoke to people in the Bible. An example of another teaching is that you may have received a dream, vision, or revelation from God but he often puts people through a time of training. It also contains a discussion study guide and appendix for deeper teachings on the subject of chazown. The chapters within the sections were usually very short, which gives people time to think and journal about what they just read.

I learned that chazown are the God-given passions and dreams he created inside of people. The teachings in this book helped me to want to strive for them more by finding ways to get them started. Another important thing it taught me is to try harder to keep my mouth shut during some tough situations that I need to stay quiet about.

The teachings on finances were kind of hard for me to take in because I have been in a place in my life where I have had financial loans for cars and other things and also a time when I was able to pay for some big purchases in full. To me, financial loans can make financial payments more bearable for some people if they don't have a huge lump sum of money to pay for something; in that way I think they can be a blessing for people that are not able to pay in full for vehicles, homes, etc. I personally don't believe it is always considered bondage when we have to get a financial loan. I do understand what the author was explaining though that we can get in too deep when we keep charging and financing everything we buy though.

I like how I was encouraged to journal certain things as I read this book and I did so. I will probably use that journal just for the teachings I learned in this book. I plan to go deeper into the book with the study questions and the exercises in the Appendix.

Since I have been learning how to write and speak Hebrew it was a huge blessing to read a book that explains a Hebrew word about dreams and visions deeper. It helped me to understand more that the meanings of Hebrew words can have more than one meaning.

(Please note this is a revised and updated version of this book)

My review= 4.5 out of 5 stars

I received this book free for the purpose of reviewing it.

[Abigail Escobar · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Todas las personas terminan en algún lugar. Pero solo algunas personas terminan en algún lugar a propósito."

He leído diversos libros sobre llamado/propósito de vida, sin duda este es el mejor en cuanto a este tema, si bien he tardado casi un año en terminarlo creo que esta fue la temporada adecuada para hacerlo, el libro es muy dinámico yo sabia que debía dedicarle un tiempo en especifico así que cuando lo empece estaba demasiado ocupada con el trabajo por lo tanto lo deje en pausa temporal, ahora que estoy libre un día simplemente lo vi en mi librero , me dije ¿por que no?, la mejor decisión en definitiva fue retomarlo.
Nosotros, yo, tu no somos un accidente, Dios nos planifico y nos trajo a la tierra por algo, cuando este en aquella cama justo para morir no quiero encontrarme arrepintiéndome por mis decisiones o lo peor , por lo que nunca hice, eso siempre lo he tenido claro, este tema es demasiado importante ya que por años en mi mundo cristiano he escuchado "Vive tu propósito, dones, por lo que estas en este planeta en este preciso momento ¿en que eres útil?" y yo por años he pensado dentro de mi ¿como lo hago? así que en la iglesia , en los congresos siempre te responden que en comunión con Jesús, aveces esperamos una respuestas clara y precisa que nos hable y de instrucciones especificas, por lo menos este era mi caso puede hasta convertirse en crisis , en mi caso Jesús me ha ido inclinando a áreas pero siempre esta la duda ¿y si esto no es? un dilema, el llamado es una oración constante en mi vida pese ha que ya trabajo en áreas en mi iglesia local nunca ha sido tan claro como cuando leí "Chazown", el libro maneja las 5 áreas importantes en la vida: Dios, trabajo, finanzas, salud, personas todo enfocado en el propósito , explorando tus dones, identificando tus enseñanzas del pasado, tus valores para finalmente ponerlo en practica , "Chazown" es oportuno para mis 24 años, se que aun lo sera si ya has atravesado tu juventud y aun estas en busca de ese propósito, y bueno si eres mucho mas joven que yo es mas que útil.

PLEASE READ.

"Cuando Dios te da una visión. Él también te da la capacidad de llevarla a cabo. Cuando vives la visión de Dios para tu vida, te levantas de la cama con entusiasmo.

[Beth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Chazown Discover and Pursue God’s Purpose for Your Life has been released in a revised an updated version. Author and pastor Craig Groeschel is a name you may have encountered before if not this is a great place to start.

“Chazown is the Hebrew word for the dream, revelation, or vision God was thinking about when he made you. You’re one of a kind, placed on earth with a plan that’s your’s alone to carry out. God isn’t hiding it. He wants you to know and embrace it!”

At first review, this book might seem as if it repeats much of what other self-help classified books state. God has a plan for you! You were created for something special! Having read several of those books I was ready to glean a few new insights and move along.

Chazown is so much more than just a self-help book. It’s more than a book casting vision as well. Broken into 76 chapters this book is just over 200 pages and filled with steps and processes to take towards discerning and achieving God’s best life for you.

This isn’t a book that you can sit down and simply read. There are action steps that build on each other and likely will require some reflection and prayer. Unlike other books, I’ve read Chazown isn’t just about figuring out your passions or spiritual gifts. This book is about taking all the steps needed in every area of your life to allow for the present and future to include God’s plan for your life to be fulfilled in totality.

Groeschel reminds us of several things throughout the pages. Reflecting on past experiences, spiritual gifts, and talents combine to create patterns in our lives. God is not hiding his will for our lives. I found the steps to be thorough in relation to the totality of the processes outlined.

I believe that anyone who takes the time to go through all the processes outlined in this book will not only discover God’s calling on their lives, but will create an action plan to fulfill their calling and identify any hurdles that may be in the way.

[Ginny Muse · Rating 4 out of 5]

* reread

I originally read this when it first came out and so many aspects of it really resonated with me. Much of the main focus about finding one’s purpose in Christ while examining strengths and interests fit right in line with some of my key spiritual formation interests.

Groeschel says the focus of Chazown is “helping people to catch a glimpse of the unique vision God has for their lives and then to take steps to live it out.”
A key verse for the heart if the book is:
“Where there is no vision, the people perish” (Proverbs 29:18, KJV ).
(The word vision comes from the Hebrew word chazown.)

I love this main encouragement:
“Remember, you were created by God for His glory and purpose. He could have placed you at any moment in history. But He chose for you to live today. Why? Because today is the best time in the existence of the world for you to make a difference.”

There is a lot packed into this book. Some big theological threads are throughout each section, as well as physical, emotional, psychological, and other spiritual aspects. It’s a great guide for helping point to a vision and purpose for each person.

Sometimes I love Groeschel’s direct and practical approach in the Christian life. Sometimes I feel like it is oversimplified and he presents his ways as the best ways. Personal stories are great examples, but I don’t always resonate with his take on situations.
But overall I think there’s a lot of good in this book.
It can be a great tool in a Christian’s search for finding their path in life. I’m glad that I revisited it in this season of life.






(Not the type of book I always put on my goodreads; but it does fit a reading challenge prompt for me. I don’t always like to ‘rate’ my spiritual reading.)

[Shauna · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have been attending Groeschel's church off and on for about 20 years and this is the first time I've actually read one of his books. It had been sitting on my shelf for a long time but as I approach a milestone birthday this year, I've been doing a little more self-reflection and thinking about my future. It seemed like a good time to dive into finding my "chazown". I used it during my morning devotional time and felt like that worked well for me. I would read a little bit and then journal with the questions that were at the end of each main section. I had also found some study worksheets online with a google search and used them as well. I think taking time to reflect on each section rather than reading chapter to chapter helped really drive the points home. It did become clear to me where I need to make some changes. As with his weekly messages, I like his clear way of communicating and how the book was broken down. I don't think I would call it life-changing but I found it helpful and enjoyed gaining the insight into my own life.

[Steph Clayton · Rating 3 out of 5]

Did this as a bible study with my best friend. I liked it a lot. I'm coming off of a hard time in my life, where I was trying to get things focused again and this book definitely helped me along the way. There are some theological things that I disagree with throughout the book, and the author does tend to take it to the extremes -- either everything is hunky dory or everything is a disaster and you're at the bottom of the barrel -- but I think if you can find where you're at in that range and answer the questions honestly, then this book is truly helpful and can give you some direction in your life.

[pat morgan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Didn't care for it. It's a "How To" book on finding a vision for serving God. I think you could spend a couple years to work thru all the book suggests and still have no idea, and maybe a lot more anxiety because you haven't found it. I like what Henri Nouwen said, "We were sent into the world by God, just as Jesus was. Once we start living our lives with that conviction, we will soon know what we were sent to do." Although Groeschel says salvation is thru grace, not works (I agree) I see a lot of works going on here.

[Lilly McSweeney · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fabulous book on finding and pursuing your God-given purpose. I highly recommend to anyone who's facing a big life decision, searching for their calling in life, or just looking for some direction. Not the be-all-end-all of books, obviously it's written by a human with their own opinions, but this book came to me at a really crucial time and it helped set me on a path in life when I really needed one.

[Andrea · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book for our church-wide spiritual campaign, and loved it! It was all about discovering your purpose for life, what God created you for. I have done other purpose-led studies before, and this one was more hands-on and definitive about discovering your purpose. I would recommend this to anyone who is open to finding their God-given purpose, especially if you're prone to navel-gazing and self-reflection.

[Auriette · Rating 4 out of 5]

Have you ever paused on the journey through life and wondered if you’re doing what you’re meant to be doing, living the life you’re supposed to live? I most certainly have. I’ve often looked back at the meandering path my life’s taken, wondered at the unexpected joys I’ve experienced around one turn, speculated on what might have been if I’d traveled a different route.

Looking back is one thing. Look ahead, especially as the years pile up, and you may begin to question your choices and direction.

* Have I left my mark in the world?
* What should I or could I have done differently?
* If I had made different choices at certain points in my life, would I have missed some of the really wonderful things that have happened?

If you are dissatisfied, it’s not too late to accomplish some of your goals or achieve a few of your youthful dreams. You just have to take action NOW, before it is too late.

A few weeks ago, I read a book called Chazown by Craig Groeschel. The title is pronounced khaw-ZONE; it’s the Hebrew word for vision. Groeschel is a Christian minister, Waterbrook Multnomah is a Christian book division of Random House, and the book’s focus is on finding God’s purpose for your life.

I’m not a very religious person; I have beliefs, but I don’t go to church, and I’m not much for God talk. However, the kind folks at Waterbrook Multnomah invited me to join their “Blogging for Books” program, and who am I to turn down the opportunity for a free book to read? That said, if you’re a deeply spiritual person, you will find this book to be a detailed guide on figuring out what you should do next in your life. If you’re not deeply spiritual, or if you are a deeply spiritual follower of a non-Christian religion, if you are able to get past the God talk, you will find good advice on finding purpose to drive you through the rest of your life.

The cover of Chazown, in addition to the title and author, features three short sentences:

* Define Your Vision.
* Pursue Your Passion.
* Live Your Life on Purpose.

The book begins by asking you to write your obituary. If you died today, what would people say about you? What have you accomplished? Have you changed the world around you? Have you been a positive influence on the lives of your friends, family or total strangers?

See, that’s one of the things I’ve been thinking about the past few years. As I mentioned, I’m 45, and the day when my obituary will be published is rushing towards me. Yikes! If I want it to be a good one, I’d better get cracking.

But where to begin?

Craig Groeschel says you should start at the end. Write the obituary you want. Do you want your loved ones to remember you for the time you spent working late at the office, the hours you spent posting photos on Facebook, the mundane cell phone conversations (“What are you doing?”). Or do you want to be the person who taught children self respect and responsibility by coaching a ball team or volunteering at your local school? Do you want to be remembered for raising money for your favorite charity? Collecting coats for the homeless? Giving your time and talents to renovate a community center?

See, you can’t just say, “I want to be remembered for helping people.” That’s too vague. You need a specific goal, and then you know what you have to do to achieve that goal.

In his book, Groeschel helps you create a specific plan so that instead of living life each day as it comes, you live it with a purpose. Each short, easy-to-read chapter helps you narrow down the choices and focus your vision.

* First, you’ll define your core values (examples: loyalty to family, passion for justice), identify your spiritual gifts (giving, teaching, service), and realize how your past experiences (a menial job, an oops moment) have prepared you for the road ahead.
* The next step is to identify where those three areas overlap, identify your Chazown, and set down a focused description in a few words.
* Next, the book helps you analyze five key areas in your life now: your relationship with God, relationships with people, financial situation, your health, and your work; and helps you relate them to the accomplishment of your Chazown.

Along the way, Groeschel shares stories from his own life, examples from his parishioners and friends, that show you how these esoteric ideas apply in real life. Key thoughts are set apart from the rest of the text so they’re easy to identify. Each section is summarized with review questions, kind of like in a textbook, to help you think through and retain what you’ve just read. The book also contains an appendix of worksheets, and throughout the book, you’re referred to extra support materials on The Chazown Experience website.

This book will help you look at your life with a critical eye and guide you towards living with meaning and purpose. Maybe you’re just starting out in life, or you’re coming through a bad period and need to make positive changes, or perhaps you’re frustrated and unsatisfied with your accomplishments. If you read this book with thoughtfulness and intent, you will learn about yourself and find ways to lead a more fulfilling life.

I received a review copy of Chazown through Waterbrook Multnomah’s “Blogging for Books” program. The opinions expressed in this review are my own.

[Andy Febrico Bintoro · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good framework to find your personal calling, creating your life vision. The appendix also have a more detailed part on how to used the framework. Though there would be many cases that the calling would be differ entirely from what we experienced and what we good at, but this framework was a better option than nothing.

[Keeyahna Sheard · Rating 5 out of 5]

Inspirational and creative

I recommend this book to anyone unmotivated and not sure which path to take. I recommend doing the journaling and exercises in the book to set goals, find your spiritual gifts, and reflect on the past.

[JON BLUME · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love this. It has helped my Chazown grow

Love this. It has helped my Chazown grow. Craig is a great author and has inspired many people. Thank you

[Evangeline · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another challenging book by Craig Groeschel.

[Steve Lee · Rating 3 out of 5]

East to read but not 10 out 10 but a good Christian book

[Alyse · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved the first half. Second half was helpful but mostly repeated the same concept of developing a life plan and goals.

[Elaine Lucky · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great study guide to find true purpose. Biblical sound & a great resource & accountability

[Jake Calhoun · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good book but a lot of work-booky stuff inbit