Book Review: The Map by David Murrow

Quite a few weeks ago, I received the book, The Map by David Murrow to review. The first thing I must note is that this book is intended for Men and I wasn't quite aware of this when I chose it for review. No matter, there are many good words and inspirations in books meant for men, so I dug right in.
The book account leads right into a mysterious and exciting journey the author is almost thrown into by chance. Secret meetings, dark sedans, mysterious deaths...very intriguing! However, I was never quite sure if the story was a "real" story, which would be implausible, but possible, or if the story was just a fictional account trying to get across a point. I spent a lot of my reading time wondering if the author was passing this story off as true, or not..a bit of a distraction. I won't answer that question here.

The theme of the book lies within the opinion that the men of today's church are somewhat too "feminine." Not the leaders they were meant to be. Not using their masculinity (but still being submissive to Christ) to forge new paths, fight the good fight and so on. That church is boring our men to tears! The author details a "path" or a lost "map" if you will that directs men to take the path that Jesus did. From submission to a more dominating...back to submission and the final "male" side of ultimate sacrifice of life. That is a very simplified breakdown, but that is what the book covers in detail, and a teaching on how to achieve the balance that men so desperately need. Not to lose themselves to their submissive side, or overdo it with aggression and dominance..but to challenge themselves to find the perfect Christ-like balance.

Unfortunately, this book did not resonate with me at all. As a matter of fact there were times I found it hard to continue and the book often lost my attention. Perhaps it is wise indeed to leave this one to the men and hope they get more out of it than I think a woman would. I know the idea behind this book is to try to get men to bust out of their passive, quiet roles in church and family. Perhaps the mysterious story in the beginning will grab male readers, but I'm not sure a back and forth "journey" on this map's path will hold the attention of our fearless men. I'd have to say I would not recommend this book for women, but would encourage men to give it a try. The premise is good, but you've got to stick with it!!


Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from BookSneeze. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”