Book Review: The Principle of the Path

I just finished reading the book The Principle of the Path: How to Get from Where You Are to Where You Want to Bewritten by Andy Stanley, published by Thomas Nelson publishers.

I like reading books that challenge me to think, and this one did so. Andy Stanley takes the idea of a road, which always leads you somewhere, and applies it to our lives.

The main premise of the path principle is that direction, not intentions, is the key to where we end up in life. While we all desire certain outcomes in our relationships, careers and finances, we have to make decisions today that will lead us to those ends. He delves into the emotions that tend to distract us and our tendency to give attention to things that don’t coincide with the path we should be taking. The author also encourages readers to seek wisdom from others who have traveled the path before them.

The book contains many current cultural references and personal stories and is written in an easy-to-read style. I am only slightly familiar with the author and doubt that I would agree with him on all issues, but feel that I can nearly always learn something from others.

There were two thoughts that most resonated with me. The first was the admonition that we never accomplish the will of God by violating the principles of God. Secondly, near the conclusion of the book, he asks what story you would like to tell with your life. What a great reminder, that every day we are adding pages to the volume that we will look back on one day as the story of our life.

When I first began the book, I wondered how Andy Stanley could possibly write an entire book on such a simple principle. I think he did a fine job of explaining and developing the principle of the path.