That’s when my friend said I should read Gary Smalley’s book, Change your Heart, Change your Life. He went on to tell me that it was a book about just what the Franklin Covey guys illustrated and was, in part, a personal testimony of this life-change technique in Smalley’s life.

So, I picked up the eBook for my iPhone and started reading it, but I didn’t read it alone. I invited a friend to read it with me (HINT: accountability technique was just disclosed). In the very first chapter, I was hooked. If the rest of the book delivered on just half of what Smalley claimed to do, I would be a better man for it.

In essence, the book walks you through how to both identify the beliefs that shape negative behavior and how to replace them with Scriptural Truth and in essence transform your life into one that is described as “abundant” by Jesus.

In just a few short weeks, I was indeed thinking and believing things differently as was my reading buddy. We both saw how those new beliefs had an internal and external impact on our lives. I highly recommend this great little book that can help unlock the potential for the life God desires for us all.

In fact, I’ll go so far as to say that this book contains the techniques and principles needed to kick that nagging behavior that is stealing life from you over and over. It is a must for men and certainly won’t be a waste of time for women.

From the very beginning, the author’s pedigree is what intrigued me. He was mentored by Dallas Willard and Richard J. Foster, among others, and routinely hung out with Rich Mullins. Those credentials alone made me want to pick it up, but it was what I found in the author’s reason for writing that made me buy the hard cover AND the eBook as well.

This book is the first in a three-part series called The Apprentice Series and is born out of a discipleship curriculum that he has personally seen change lives. This book focuses on helping the reader understand the major characteristics of God by contrasting some common misconceptions (called “false narratives”) about God with what Scripture reveals as the Truth (called “Jesus’ narrative”).

The book is easy to read and the author has a great style that keeps your attention through the relatively short chapters. Each chapter also includes an application section called “Soul Training” that helps are exercises to incorporate into your life that help to reinforce the concepts just presented.

Finally, the book is organized with an eye toward small group discussion. Like I said before, the chapters are short and easy to read and the material is easy to discuss – even if someone didn’t read (that never happens though). Be warned – the discussions can get pretty deep pretty quick. So, if your goal is to have a superficial discussion so you can tell your pastor that you are reading a book, pick another book – this one won’t do. But, if your goal is to gain some Truth presented in a fun and, sometimes unique perspective that will change you from the inside out – this one is at the top of the list for me.

The second book just came out and is called The Good and Beautiful Life: Putting on the Character of Christ and the third installment is entitled The Good and Beautiful Community: Following the Spirit, Extending Grace, Demonstrating Love. I have loved not only reading the book, but discussing it with my friends and I’m sure you will too.