Relentless Pursuit by Ken Gire

Gire says the Bible, from start to finish, is about God's pursuit of the outsider. God doesn't stop the pursuit when he brings us into the fold. He continues to watch over us to see when a part of us wanders from him.

“This book is about the heart of God and the lengths to which his heart goes to find ours, to bundle it up in his arms and to carry it home.” (11) Gire reminds us that there is no place to hide.

He writes of the stages of God's pursuit, the capture then creation.

He gives a few examples of others being pursued by God, such as Francis Thompson, creator of the poem The Hound of Heaven. He also includes biblical stories. The majority of the book, however, is his own story. He writes about shame, being an outsider, having ADD, and Jesus' mission to the outsider. In addition to reminiscing about his life, he includes lots of his musings about his own life.

Gire, by his own words, is a highly sensitive person. Gire has used writing as a way to understand and express himself. Much of this book consists of his thoughts about his own experiences. He speaks of having been in counseling for some time and I think he has written this book as an exercise in his personal growth process.

I am not as pensive as Gire is and I had a hard time identifying with the material in this book. This book is very much about Gire, how God has pursued him, and his reminiscing about his life. Perhaps another highly sensitive person would be able to identify with Gire's experience.

I am not sure who would enjoy reading this book and profit from it. I suppose someone who would is interested in writing for self revelation and healing would find this book an example of that.

I would not recommend this book for someone seeking to know God. Gire's book is too full of his own life to make this title attractive to a nonbeliever.

Ken Gire is the author of twenty-four books. He has won two ECPA Gold Medallion Awards and two of his titles were selected as C. S. Lewis Honor Books. Ken teaches weekend seminars on writing throughout the country. He lives in Baltimore, Maryland. You can find out more about him at www.kengire.com.

Bethany House Publishers, 176 pages.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Bethany House for the purpose of this review.