Fresh Air by Chris Hodges - REVIEWED

About the Book: (from Tyndale House)
We’ve all gone through times in our lives when we feel like we need a fresh breeze to breathe new life into us. But what is that energy-giving, life-breathing force that inspires and empowers us? How do we put the wind in our sails again, so we can get unstuck, reset our compass, and redirect our course? 

In Fresh Air, New York Times bestselling author Chris Hodges reveals how breath—the breath of God—is the essence of life as it’s meant to be. Fueled by the breath of God, we are not only refreshed in spirit ourselves; we have the power to create a life-giving environment of freedom and joyful purpose around us. 

Bold and encouraging, Fresh Air offers “breathing lessons” for those who long for a cool breeze to resuscitate their spirit, bring them closer to God, and make them enthusiastic, contagious life-breathers to those around them.

My Thoughts:

“Keeping your eyes on eternity will change the way you see everything.”  (p. 66)

This is a sentence the captures the essence of what Pastor Chris Hodges is trying to share with folks who read his book, Fresh Air.  Pastor Chris wants believers’ lives to be renewed by the Fresh Air of God’s Spirit moving in and transforming their lives by moving and transforming the way they build and nurture their relationship with God through Jesus Christ.  He addresses issues/topics that, when written down, comprise a list that all believers are familiar with: prayer, bible reading, worship, church membership, tithing, resting.  Nothing unusual about that, huh?  Well, sometimes, sometimes a lot of the time, we become complacent in one or all of those areas and we need a breath of fresh air blown across our hearts to revive our love of the Savior and the way we give our lives to Him.

Pastor Chris’ book will help you discover this desperately needed Fresh Air!  Using Scripture, personal antidotes and very straightforward, personal language, he unpacks all of these topics in a  - yes, Fresh – way.  This is a breath of Fresh Air he has experienced in his own faith journey and it invigorates him and his ministry in a contagious way!

I feel compelled to tell you that my youngest son became a member of Pastor Chris’ satellite campus in Auburn a year ago, and the transformation in his life has been phenomenal! At 17 turning 18 his love for Christ became a palpable presence in his life – one he wanted to share with everyone! Including his mother.  I have listened to Pastor Chris preach many times over the past year, and each time I am fed and encouraged. For the past month, I have called Church of the Highlands home, and I can tell you that the words in the book, Fresh Air are lived out within that church family.  God’s presence is vibrant when you walk in the door.  Based on Biblical principles alone, Pastor Chris faithfully obeys Christ’s leadership and shares his vision with enthusiasm!

I highly recommend Fresh Air.  Fall in love with your Savior and serve Him with abandon! 

About the Author:

Chris Hodges is the senior pastor of Church of the Highlands in Birmingham, Alabama. Under his leadership, Church of the Highlands has grown to become one of the largest churches in the nation, offering multiple services each weekend at a variety of sites. Chris has a deep passion for developing leaders and planting life-giving churches. He co-founded the Association of Related Churches (ARC) in 2001, which has planted hundreds of churches all across the US, and he serves on the board of directors of EQUIP, a nonprofit ministry founded by John Maxwell. Chris and his wife, Tammy, have five children. Fresh Air is his first book.