COMPLETE: Living an Abundant Life from the Completion of Christ invites readers to broaden their perspective of themselves and God through devotionals, scripture, and psychology. There are 12 weeks of daily readings divided into three stages (foundation, plan, and build) exploring topics of truth, growth, and identity. At the end of each day, author Keri Baskin includes a prayer, reflective questions, and a brief activity to identify the nature of God. This format makes the book both inspiring and practical, guiding the reader to deepen their faith and sense of self.
In regard to originality and repetition, the themes are continually referenced and will be found in other devotionals—but for good reason. Baskin knows it isn’t easy to unlearn patterns of thinking and behavior, and any message worth hearing is worth repeating. She has an ammo of psychological concepts behind her, such as Kendra Cherry’s strategies for increasing intrinsic purpose and Henry Ford Health’s study “How Laughter Benefits Your Heart Health.” She also has vivid visuals, including the Elephant and the Rider metaphor and a balloon of emotions, which aid in keeping the book engaging. They also help the reader understand human nature and the traps we so often fall into, such as perfectionism and despair. Against each of these pitfalls, Baskin encourages the reader to unpack their patterns and find transformation in Christ. Frequently she refers to a wonderful analogy of a caterpillar morphing into a butterfly: “[A caterpillar] must die to his old self to become something new that didn’t exist before…Miraculously, he is rebuilt into something stronger. He is now a new creation. He is no longer bound by what held him captive.”
The reader should be aware of the frequent references to food and diet. Having discovered the book’s lessons largely because of health issues she witnessed (“their physical choices stemmed from not understanding their God-given identity and what he had already completed”), Baskin makes quite a few mentions of food, including meal plans at the end of the book. While her message is sympathetic and encourages against diet culture, these references may be triggering for some readers. Otherwise, COMPLETE makes for a passionate, immersive read for anyone looking to fortify their faith or begin anew in Christ.
With warmth and confidence, Keri Baskin delivers a comprehensive guide to accepting God’s love and allowing it to transform you in COMPLETE: Living an Abundant Life from the Completion of Christ.
~ Tess McCumstie for IndieReader