Publishers Weekly
11/13/2023
Fadling (A Year of Slowing Down), president of Unhurried Living, a spiritual and leadership coaching consultancy, and self-described “master of anxiety,” traces in this stirring outing his search for peace through faith. Plagued since childhood by the “dark insinuations” of anxiety, the author has realized that while fear can’t be eradicated, “the ways in which I have let malform me can be reformed” through the knowledge that “my very body is a temple of the Holy Spirit... that Spirit bears the fruit of peace.” Weaving in scriptural passages that have brought him comfort (including Paul’s entreaty in Colossians to “live your life in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith”), the author explores how anxiety distances believers from God (in that it displaces “trust from a reliable God to own unreliable ideas”); the value of turning attention outward (“When we pray for others... we are bringing others into the presence of God—with us”); and the ways in which anxiety shrinks one’s world (anxiety “is usually aimed at surviving,” while “grace invites us to thrive”). While Fadling’s observations are thought-provoking and eloquently conveyed, readers will find most comfort in his promise that anxiety can coexist with faith and his admission that he too is a work in progress: “I’m not claiming to have arrived in a place where I never feel... worried anymore.” Stressed-out believers will find succor. (Feb.)Correction: An earlier version of this review mistakenly described the author as a pastor.
Barbara L. Peacock
"The holy and unhurried spiritual journey will deeply touch hungry souls longing to pull away from the clamoring vicissitudes of life. While mainstream society focuses on busyness and accomplishments, Alan Fadling calls disciples to detach from such overcommitted, narcissistic lifestyles. A Non-Anxious Life offers a multiplicity of spiritual practices and paradigms that provide genuine transformation. This book makes a clarion call for the beloved to abide in God's presence. Having a relationship with Jesus, the Prince of Peace, is the essential foundation for spiritual maturation and living an unhurried life."
Tom Nelson
"Alan Fadling is a seasoned and wise guide who gently points the longing and unsatisfied heart in a different direction than to the frenetic pace and seductive siren songs of our noisy and anxious culture. Each carefully chosen word reflects a gifted artist of the soul whose insights from Holy Scripture along with contemplative voices from the past, as well as his own transparent spiritual journey, bring renewed peace and hope to any weary soul. I highly recommend this book."
Jay Kim
"Alan Fadling reminds us that 'the peace of Jesus doesn't depend on a stress-free setting. . . . The peace of Jesus is deep-rooted.' This book was a mirror, reminding me of what I need so consistently but am so often too busy to recognize—the abiding peace of Christ and the liberating power it can have. A Non-Anxious Life is a rich, inspiring, and practically helpful book that any and all who wrestle with the frenetic pace of modern life must read."
Curt Thompson
"To be human is to be anxious. It is not a question of if, but in what way are we anxious and how we respond to it. Never before have we been more acquainted with all that is true about this; never before have we been more worried about our worry. But thanks be to God, for our good fortune, into our moment comes A Non-Anxious Life, Alan Fadling's superlative offering on what it means to live in the world, practicing becoming the people that Jesus imagines us to become. Vulnerable, accessible, and practical, this volume is timely and filled with great wisdom. Read it and learn to become anxious for nothing, on the way to becoming an outpost of peace in all your life's endeavors."
Jen Pollock Michel
"I don't often admit the constancy of anxiety in my life—but with Alan Fadling, I think I could risk the honesty. The wisdom of his deeply personal book A Non-Anxious Life has been gained through gracious movement toward the trustworthy friendship of Jesus. As Fadling reminds us through Scripture and story, in the company of Christ—and with a vision of his sufficiency and care—we need never be afraid. What simple, freeing news that readers will benefit to learn—and practice."
