What’s Your God Language?

The biggest insight I gained from this book is that it is both biblical and practical for people to connect with God differently, and that information is now guiding my worship and personal relationship with the Lord. I come from a church background that is both traditional and enthusiastic. However, I have felt for a long time uncomfortable with the loud and celebratory worship style. Moreover, I have, at times, tried to force my preference onto others as a spiritual discipline. I now understand that I can embrace and grow in my relationship with God through other modes of worship. It was very freeing.

What’s Your God Language? showed me that there was a significant disconnect between my God-given temperament and my spiritual practices at the time when I took the inventory—my top 3 practices were ALL rated as “low” in my inventory of spiritual temperaments, which is fascinating, right? The practices were heavily influenced by surrounding church community and the ways I’ve been taught to connect with God: Bible study, intellect, tradition. And I do love those things! Yet I found a new ease and affirmation in saying that actually, it’s caring for others and being contemplative that nurture my soul and require less effort from me. I found I could openly THANK God for creating me that way, and celebrate it.

My name is Cindy. I read your book early this summer, and was able to share it by taking 30 copies to the wives of MAF pilots and mechanics in Papua New Guinea

This book is awesome! It’s just what I have been waiting for in terms of identifying and celebrating unique characteristics of myself and others. When I read this book, I realized I had not readily been choosing to till the garden of my spirituality and had also failed to appreciate the unique value of others. But exploring the nine temperaments gave my heart permission and direction in coming alongside others and enjoying the benefits of being uniquely and purposefully created. This book helped me to more truly gauge the preferences and interests of others and myself. Further, as I delight in these God-given tendencies, I am better prepared to affirm the temperaments of others, honoring that each of us are unique according to God’s creative touch. Life is richer. The dance within the church has come alive.

What's Your God Language? has helped me gain the perspective of the areas in which I should devote a majority of my time and energy. I am better able to say “no” or “not so much” to certain practices that don’t resonate with my soul and to know what to say “yes” to. I realize that I need to have exposure to all of the “God Languages” but at least I know the areas I should focus on because they tend to be most effective in drawing me closest to God.

 The main thing I’ve learned through What’s Your God Language? is that I should not judge others who might relate to God and lead their spiritual lives in a different way than I do.

God created us uniquely, and the manner in which we commune with God is also unique. This book is indeed a great tool, especially for those who struggle with their spiritual connection with God. I tend to be pretty skeptical about self-help-types of books, but this book really hit home for me and helped me understand and improve my spiritual life.

I've read your book and find it fascinating!! It's so in harmony with the work I do as a spiritual director in Bethlehem, PA. I congratulate you on your contribution. I've told my directees and others about it and referred them to your book. I hope I am able to increase this effort to "spread the word."

This past week, I taught a spiritual retreat in Scotland using What’s Your God Language? as the centerpiece. People really connected with God’s invitation to be different, and they experienced passion for God as we discussed how He created us uniquely for a purpose! The group wrestled with what it means to “grow up together” (Eph. 4:1-16) in Christ, in light of our differing spiritual temperaments . . . how they help us to love God together. And as we talked through what happens when we don’t embrace our oneness in diversity, everyone could relate to the issues that came up. At the end of the day, they really loved exploring the interactive exercises at the end of the book.

I have loved using your book in my church here in Phoenix. I just took a group through a spiritual retreat using the spiritual temperaments, with exercises for each temperament included throughout the day. It was very effective. Thank you for this wonderful resource.

I read your book early this summer and was able to share it by taking 30 copies to the wives of MAF pilots and mechanics in Papua, Indonesia. You’ve written such a wonderfully helpful book. Thank you so much. Just wanted to give you some positive feedback that you are making a difference in your world. There are several things I greatly appreciate about your book. It was encouraging to me to take the inventories and be reminded of how I best connect with the Lord. Then to be a little shocked at how I have neglected those languages that are my strengths! I have loved going back to connecting with the Lord in nature and through spiritually helpful and challenging books. I especially enjoyed the chapter you wrote on appreciating the ways others connect with the Lord. This was one reason I chose to take it to Papua. There are so many different nationalities and denominations represented on the MAF team there. They do a remarkably wonderful job of appreciating each other’s different approaches to the Lord, but I felt they could use the encouragement you give in that area. I took an hour and a half with the gals, had them take both inventories, and then summarized chapter 5. They briefly shared their strongest languages, and I think many conversations continued during the time of the conference. They were hooked. It is the only book I have taken where I got feedback from their husbands, several of whom had looked at it during the week we shared together. I also had three men request it for their wives who were out of the country during their conference, so I sent copies for them after we returned to the States. Knowing that community, they will also share their copies with other expats in the greater mission community. Thanks so much for writing this book.

 What’s Your God Language? has helped me to draw better boundaries between where I will most likely flourish and where others will—and that there isn’t one cookie-cutter way to formation that is better than another. It has helped me be more understanding of the differences in others and not to judge when they don’t pursue God the way I do. I also hope in my ministry that I will be able to share these concepts with people who are struggling in areas of spiritual satisfaction. I hope that helping them see that perhaps their natural “God Languages” are most likely not in alignment with the types of spiritual activities in which they are participating.

 What’s Your God Language? helped relieve the angst I’ve felt over sensing that God was speaking to me through nature. I hadn’t ever felt affirmed in that, especially since I grew up surrounded by mostly intellectually driven friends. I also have drawn closer to God since reading the book as I have tried to practice some of the suggested exercises.