Becoming Us: Using the Enneagram to Create a Gospel-Centered Marriage by Beth McCord and Jeff McCord

If you're curious about the Enneagram, are looking for new material on the Enneagram, or have never heard of the Enneagram and just want to help grow your marriage, Becoming Us is just the book you're looking for!  Enneagram coach Beth McCord and her husband Pastor Jeff McCord have put together a wonderful, easy to use resource for anyone who wants practical steps and tools to better understand themselves, their spouse, or really anyone they have a relationship with (friends, parents, children, co-workers, etc).

The book is in two sections.  The first section details Beth and Jeff's own story and how the Enneagram helped their marriage.  They also share examples from friends whose lives and marriages have grown through learning about the Enneagram. The second section is what the authors call "an Enneagram Roadmap". It is a detailed guide of each Enneagram type (there are 9 total) that teaches the reader how to better understand him or herself and also how to better understand his or her spouse.

The first section gives a summary of the nine Enneagram types and what the core fear, desire, weakness, and longing of each is.   It describes each type in detail, working from the core belief that each type equally reflects God's glory and creativity when it is emotionally and spiritually healthy and living in alignment with the Gospel.  This section also discusses the layers of the Enneagram, including triads and wings.  Don't worry about all these terms, they are thoroughly explained in the book.

The second section, the Enneagram Roadmap,  is divided into two parts: Understanding Me and Understanding Them.  It teaches how to understand your spouse (or other person you are in relationship with) better, how to recognize their behavior tendencies, their core motivations, and their communication and conflict styles.  The main focus of this section is how you can best understand and love each other.

Beth and Jeff''s desire is for every marriage and every relationship to be thriving and Gospel-centered.  Their mission is "for people to see themselves with astonishing clarity so they can break free from self-condemnation, fear and shame by knowing and experiencing the unconditional love, forgiveness, and freedom in Christ."

I am most impressed with the McCords and the work they put into this highly researched, well laid out book and I highly recommend it!

Jesus in Me: Experiencing the Holy Spirit as a Constant Companion by Anne Graham Lotz

Jesus in Me is a rich, full read.  I found that I needed time to read it and space to process it.  It is deep and profound, a true treasure for any Christian who wants to learn more about how to tap into the power of the Holy Spirit.

I knew of the author, Anne Graham Lotz, Billy Graham's daughter, but had not read much of her writing previously.  She is indeed a talented author.  Anne herself admits that she is not highly educated, but God has certainly bestowed her with a gift to communicate Biblical teaching effectively.  Her theology is deep, yet it is easily understood.  Mrs. Lotz simply shares what she herself has learned through intensive study of Scripture and the revelation of God in her own life about the person, character and work of the Holy Spirit.  And she does it very well.

My favorite part of Jesus in Me is all the personal stories Anne tells to illustrate how the Holy Spirit has worked and is working in her own life.  She is not afraid or ashamed to share her own struggles and trials and how the Spirit helped her through them. Anne Graham Lotz writes of the death of her beloved parents and husband.  The pain of infertility and her battle with breast cancer. I love an author who is authentic and transparent, and Graham Lotz is both.

I have been a believer for many years, yet I found much new and relevant content within this book.  Whether you too have followed Jesus for a long time or whether you are a brand new Christian, Anne will open your eyes to all that the Holy Spirit is and does.  As she writes in the book's introduction: "He is Jesus without skin.  Just as Jesus is the exact representation of God the Father, the Spirit is the exact representation of Jesus' mind, will, and emotions.  He is the invisible Jesus.  The Holy Spirit is...Jesus in me!"

I received an uncorrected proof of this book from the publisher in exchange for my honest review.