The Sacred Romance: Drawing Closer to the Heart of God by Brent Curtis, John Eldredge

The Sacred Romance: Drawing Closer To The Heart Of God by Brent Curtis is a book of spiritual contemplation and exploration, intended to help its readers foster an intimate relationship with God and explore the nature of their spirituality. Throughout the book, Curtis speaks from his personal experiences with the divine, gracefully interweaving both stories and beautiful prose to encourage readers to delve more deeply into their individual faiths.

The Sacred Romance begins by introducing readers to the metaphor of a sacred dance, positioning ourselves as the “pilgrim” and God as the “Beloved.” Curtis wants readers to consider how it might feel to see their lives as a profoundly personal journey of discovery towards a better, truer understanding of the divine. He goes on to explain the importance of allowing ourselves to be challenged and shaped by our spiritual practices -- to move out of our comfort zones in order to forge new paths for our spiritual development.

From there, Curtis turns his attention to self-awareness, noting that in order to achieve a more intimate relationship with God, we must first take time to pause, observe and reflect on our innermost thoughts and feelings. He explains that engaging in honest, alone time with ourselves is essential in order to challenge any negative thought patterns or false beliefs we might have about our relationship with God. Curtis argues that the best way to do this is through meditation and visualization techniques, which encourage stillness and allow us to truly see and contemplate our relationship with the divine.

In the second half of the book, Curtis dives deeper into the notion of discernment, using stories to illustrate how important it is to cultivate spiritual wisdom as we strive to become ever closer to the heart of God. He explains that in order to practice discernment, we must be willing to open ourselves up to the “true, honest, naked light of God” which can often be intimidating. Curtis notes that discernment is an ongoing process, requiring us to make clear choices, accept personal responsibility and remain humble and honest even as we encounter challenging and difficult situation.

Curtis also speaks of cultivating hope as we aim to achieve a more intimate connection with God. He notes that hope is necessary in order to maintain a positive and contented outlook on our spiritual journey, regardless of what struggles may arise. He encourages readers to embrace their fears and pain, allowing them to move closer to the heart of God.

Finally, Curtis draws his readers to a close by expressing his firm conviction that a deep and meaningful relationship with God is not only possible, but something to be actively pursued. He emphasizes the importance of surrender and trust, as well as the power of quiet contemplation, as necessary components of achieving a healthy and satisfying spiritual life.

The Sacred Romance: Drawing Closer To The Heart Of God by Brent Curtis is a unique book offering an insightfully exploring into God and our individual relationships with him. Through stories, inspiring writing, and thoughtful consideration, Curtis encourages readers to consider how they can better connect with the divine in a deeply meaningful way. By the end of the book, readers will come away feeling inspired and empowered to enter into a more intimate and fulfilling relationship with the divine.