Limping with God: Jacob & the Old Testament Guide to Messy Discipleship

Wonderful, wonderful book…one of the best I’ve read in years. I love the way this Hebrew scholar expresses profound spiritual truths in such relatable, down-to-earth terms. It seems to me that there are many Christians who seem to see little correlation between the Old Testament and the New…(even discounting the Old as less important at times). This author makes those connections, and I’m thinking, “Yes!” with every turn of the page. Order arrived in great condition, I ordered more for gifts.

What's so exciting about the patriarch Jacob? How interesting could an extended Bible study about Jacob really be?!? Well... a whole lot more interesting, inspirational, relevant, and even fascinating than I ever imagined!!! This book "Limping with God: Jacob & the Old Testament to Messy Discipleship" is now officially my FAVORITE Chad Bird book; and more, it is in my TOP 10 Theological/Inspirational books ever!!! The short chapters at first seemed too short and choppy to me; but having the discussion questions for each chapter right at the end of the chapter rather than jammed in a end-of-book section made the questions so much more important and easy to use and in fact helped me to see how utterly relevant each little chapter was and pregnant with ponderable thoughts and insights!! I now love each of these little chapters and think that all of my future hearing/reading about Jacob will bring one or more of these chapters and insights to mind!! I never would have imagined that such little chapters would facilitate such a deep dive into the life of a Biblical character such as Jacob!! But this is in fact a deep dive with deep insights and practical application to our lives today and yet is absolutely accessible to the non-clergy/non seminary-trained lay person who can read and understand this great book!! Yet I imagine that most pastors and biblical scholars will also learn quite a bit by this book if they will!! I also seemed to have forgotten how very much of Jacob's life is told in so much of the book of Genesis; and I certainly had overlooked some very significant verses with huge implications in what is recorded about Jacob in Genesis!! Chad Bird did a masterful job not only indicating and explaining the context of all these verses and chapters but was totally outstanding at connecting the dots of Jacob's life/significance to our life and faith today -- certainly a parallel "messy discipleship" indeed!! In fact, I would say this books deserves a place in the seminary curriculum as a model for future pastors to connect God's Word to the lives of God's people. And in that light I certainly hope Chad Bird will write a whole series of books with similar scope on other OT lives, like Moses, Isaiah, Esther, etc.

One of the best books I have read in a very long time. Jacob's issues are relevant to today's struggles and conflicts.

I bought this book during a very difficult season of my life. Chad Bird’s book showed me Gods grace to Jacob even in the mess that Jacob himself created. I intentionally read it slowly so that I could appreciate it more. This book is SO helpful and comforting. I highly recommend it for Christians in all stages of life.

So compelling, his honesty, and open heart pulls you in. This study opened my eyes to the story of Jacob and how he is a fellow travler. I have read two other books by Chad and this was my favorite. You will not go wrong with this book, enjoy!

The book arrived bent, but the content is fantastic!

Thank you Chad Bird for teaching me more about Jacob, more about discipleship, and so much more about our God. He takes each of us on a journey that reveals who we real are. And better yet, who He always is. The God of grace and mercy.

I initially downloaded “Limping With God” for personal reading based on how much I enjoy Chad Bird’s social media posts and video lessons. I found it so get-provoking and beneficial to my personal spiritual walk that I ordered a hard copy for a friend.

Great read very hard to put down once you start.

Great book.. a lifetime read.. I am week but He is strong.. May I give upI’m trying to live divinely and simply be a human and let God be divine in and through me: