"Many of us are illiterate when it comes to reading anything other than a book. Joe follows Scripture's example by teaching us how to read the world, the creation, and the gifts of God under the authority of the word of God. This is an important book and I hope you'll read it." --Abigail Dodds,author, (A)Typical Woman: Free, Whole, and Called in Christ "God's passion for his glory and our ache to be truly happy are not at odds but rather one life-changing pursuit. And so too with God himself and the world he made--not at odds but rather God means for us to enjoy him in everything, and everything in him. It sounds so simple, but in our finitude and fallenness, we are so prone to get tripped up over this. For years, Joe Rigney has handled this dilemma as well as anyone I'm aware of, and now he does it with even more focus and accessibility. I've eagerly awaited this short book with its life-changing vision, and I could hardly be more excited that it's finally here.
" --David Mathis, Senior Teacher and Executive Editor, desiringGod.org; Pastor, Cities Church, Saint Paul, Minnesota; author, Habits of Grace: Enjoying Jesus through the Spiritual Disciplines "Since Constantine entered Rome in October of AD 312 and ended Christian persecution, the faithful have struggled with their embrace of God and their love for the world. Instead of gladiator games, it's UFC. Instead of pagan celebrations, it's Netflix binging and secularized holidays. How can Christians in the twenty-first century enjoy the world without sacrificing their primary obligation to love the Lord? Joe Rigney provides remarkably timely advice on enjoying God's creation, while still putting God above his creation." --Erick-Woods Erickson,Editor, The Resurgent "The path to wisdom and joy involves asking the right questions in the right way, with help from reliable sherpas when the going gets tough. My friend Joe Rigney is one such sherpa, who asks questions like, How does the single-minded pursuit of God's glory fit with a sincere enjoyment of created things? And then he humbly writes books, big and small, as an answer. Rigney's Bible-saturated imagination and down-to-earth wit, along with his ridiculously good prose, make Strangely Bright a special created thing that leads us deeper into the heart of the Creator.
" --Jonathan Parnell,Lead Pastor, Cities Church, Saint Paul, Minnesota; author, Mercy for Todayand Never Settle for Normal.