The Sacred Year by Michael Yankoski

The Sacred Year by Michael Yankoski is a book about the author's decision to change his spiritual life during the course of the year.  His life is ok.  He works as an inspirational speaker in the Christian forum but he feels a lacking in his own spirit's life.  He no longer or maybe never felt the closness to God that he desires in his life.  The whole year starts with a startling revelation watching another inspirational speaker faking his spiritual life to the crowd of believers and looks into his own life and finds that he is also lacking in ways that needed improvement.  The author starts making time for his spirit to grow closer to God the creator.  He starts slow.  He spends time in a local monastery getting advise from Father Solomon.  Oh he doesn't spend the whole year there, just now and then touches base with the Father and gleans advise from him as needs arise.  First he is advised to become more attentive and responsive to God and his gifts
and surroundings.  Once again Michael started small--with an apple.  He really tasted and enjoyed his apple---for an hour.  Michael goes on to think and digest various concepts of life--death, illness, the poor, human justice in the world and finds that life is not fair.  We say that all the time but the author goes on to digest that concept and attempt to in his own little corner of the world to make a difference.

I have got to admit I have read and met the author, though I am sure that he remembers me not and so I was glad to read this book of his.  I had read his book, Under the Overpass and enjoyed that book of his year living life as a homeless man.  This book however is deeper and at first starts slow.  Don't give up on it.  I think that when we American go to make a big change such as this in our life we tend to want the changes to happen quickly and I think that quite possibly Michael was much the same in the beginning of his year.  Michael at the end of the year was a changed man with different life practices and because he took the time to discover his own reasons for the different changes he took I believe that he will continue with these practices and make improvements in his life and the lives of those around him.  Michael as all young people are was immature in Under the Overpass but wanting to do good.  This more mature Michael will change the world.
  The reader cannot read this book as a blueprint on which to model their own life--each must take the time to discover the changes necessary for their own life.  God has a plan for each of us and we must be quiet to hear that still small voice that will tell each of us what that plan is.  This is a good book to read for any who want to make a difference in the world and in their life.
I recieved this book from Booklook for this review.