Reset, while not a book targeted for me as a reader (it is written for men, especially pastors), was still a nice read. I enjoyed some sections more than others and found the part on sleep vey interesting.

All in all, Reset was a good read.

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I requested this book based on the title. I mean, who doesn't need to reset after being overworked. Well, it's a book for men. But had good tips and would be fine for women to read along with their husbands. That way you can be encouraging and helpful when he tries to make changes.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for allowing me to read and review this book.

I will begin by telling you what I wish I had known before I requested it to review: this is a book for men. Throughout the book, he stresses that it is for men again and again. He hints that a book for women, I believe written by his wife, will be written and eventually published. But this book is FOR MEN. It has manly-man metaphors throughout.

The premise of this one is that Christian men burnout easily and most--if not all--need to be RESET. He argues that there is often a huge disconnect between a man's theology and doctrine and his daily practice. Christian men may believe in the five solas of the reformation, but they live by the five deficits.

Murray promises in the first few pages not to waste anyone's time. He promises that the book from cover to cover will be practical and relevant. The first few chapters are more of an inventory and invitation to reflect and analyze…to self-diagnos. The remaining chapters take you into the garage to fix what's wrong in your life.

One of my favorite chapters--perhaps my only favorite chapter--is on sleep.

Few things are as theological as sleep. Show me your sleep pattern and I’ll show you your theology, because we all preach a sermon in and by our sleep.
Question: Which of the Ten Commandments can you keep in your sleep? Answer: The sixth commandment, because, as the following statistics demonstrate, getting enough sleep is an act of loving your neighbor.
If our schools substituted sleepology for algebra, our society would be much healthier, safer, and brighter. Despite sleep taking up a quarter to a third of our lives and having such an influence on the remainder, most of us leave school in total ignorance of the why and the how of sleep.
We need to ask God to help us see this as a life priority, as a matter of obedience, and as a way of pleasing our Father and Creator. Let’s plead with him to give us the strength to do what we know we must do.
By sleeping, we are relinquishing control and reminding ourselves—at least for a few hours—that God actually doesn’t need us. When we close our eyes each night, we are saying, “I don’t run the world, or the church, or even my own little life.”
When and how long we sleep makes a huge statement about who we are and what we believe about ourselves and God.
Ultimately, sleep, like everything else, should lead us to the gospel and the Savior. First, it prompts us to think about death, that we shall all close our eyes as in sleep, and wake up in another world (1 Thess. 4:14). It also teaches about our Savior. The fact that Jesus slept (Mark 4:38) is as profound as “Jesus wept” (John 11:35). It reminds us of Christ’s full humanity, that the Son of God became so frail, so weak, so human that he needed to sleep. What humility! What love! What an example! What a comfort! What a sleeping pill! It illustrates salvation. How much are we doing when we sleep? Nothing! That’s why Jesus used rest as an illustration of his salvation. “Come to me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (Matt. 11:28). It points us toward heaven. There remains a rest for the people of God (Heb. 4:9). That doesn’t mean heaven is going to be one long lie-in. It means it will be a place of renewal, refreshment, comfort, and perfect peace.

Another chapter that gave some good insights was on the importance of relaxation and having hobbies. This chapter talked about the joys and benefits of reading:
There is something about reading, however, especially reading real paper books, that can be especially health-giving. In “How Changing Your Reading Habits Can Transform Your Health,” Michael Grothaus says, “Reading doesn’t just improve your knowledge, it can help fight depression, make you more confident, empathetic, and a better decision-maker.”
Reading for pleasure can help prevent conditions such as stress, depression, and dementia. People who read books regularly are on average more satisfied with life, happier, and more likely to feel that the things they do in life are worthwhile. In a survey of fifteen hundred adult readers, 76 percent said that reading improves their lives and helps to make them feel good.
His book covers most of the basics of life: eating and drinking, exercise, sleeping, working, playing, etc. He recommends an amended to do list:
1. Definite do. These are our most important God-given responsibilities and commitments. 2. Desire to do. These are activities we hope to do, and will do some of them after the “Definite-do’s” are done. 3. Delay do. These are worthy activities that we would love to do someday, but which we have to postpone until we have space and time in our schedules. 4. Don’t do. These are the things we either commit to stop doing or to say “no” to in the future.

Reset: Living a Grace-Paced Life in a Burnout Culture is one of the most helpful Christian living books I’ve read in a long time. David Murray has experienced burnout in his pastoral life to the point of affecting his health. He brings a wealth of wisdom to the subject. This book isn’t just for pastors. It’s valuable for all Christians who feel worn down and exhausted by life.

Murray structures the book around the concept of taking your car to the garage. Each chapter is a “repair bay.” Murray quotes Brady Boyd from Addicted to Busy , “Ultimately, every problem I see in every person I know is a problem of moving too fast for too long in too many aspects of life.” Murray is not calling for Christians to drop out of service and kick their feet up. He is calling for them to take care of themselves, so that they can serve well.

Murray says that many people’s fundamental and foundational error is we forget a fundamental and foundational truth—God is our Creator. He writes:

Lots of people call God Creator, but live like evolutionists. It’s as if life is about the survival of the fittest rather than about living like a dependent creature—trusting or Creator rather than ourselves—and according to our Maker’s instructions.

Reset: Living a Grace-Paced Life in a Burnout Culture is well researched. Murray pulls valuable insight from a variety of sources, but frames it all with scripture and God’s instruction for how we are to take care of ourselves. I highly recommend this book and look forward to follow-up he is writing with his wife.

My first David Murray book was amazing, but since then, I just haven't been able to connect with him. This book is a great resource to those who need a dose of what grace looks like in the midst of being stressed out. For me, it just wasn't there. As always though, I am tremendously blessed to be able read these resources.

Who needs to read a book on burning out?! Isn’t burned out just another word for depressed, grumpy, stressed, or lazy?! Won’t God miraculously give Christians the ability to go 110% 25 hours a day, 8 days a week? I used to think the same thing!

The first time I heard about burnout was in a coffee shop in Knoxville. My former pastor was explaining the life-altering moment when he woke up and couldn’t get out of bed. Since then, I attended a seminar on burnout in which he and some other ministers discussed the importance of guarding the spiritual, mental, emotional, and physical aspects of our lives in order to best serve God’s people with the greatest task ever given to mankind—preaching the gospel. In the years following those conversations, I’ve noticed that I’m more prone to living a burnout lifestyle with high stress, little sleep, poor diet, much caffeine, and negligible rest—all in the name of being a go-getter. David Murray’s Reset: Living a Grace-Paced Life in a Burnout Culture was a timely reminder that burnout lurks in the shadows of the American culture.

Murray makes it clear that this book is geared toward pastors and ministers, but he doesn’t limit his message to that audience—nor should he— because all Christians can find themselves in the midst of a major burnout episode. Murray’s Reset plan has 10 repair bays: Reality Check (What’s going on?!), Review (How did I get here?!), Rest (If you’re tired, don’t just pray about, get some sleep!), Re-create (Loosen up, exercise, and have some fun!), Relax (Put your phone down, read a good book, and take some deep breaths!), Re-think (Who are you and what will you do about it?!), Reduce (Stop doing so much, and focus on your priorities!), Refuel (Eat healthy and take care of your brain!), Relate (Nourish your most important relationships.. They’re vital!), and Resurrection (You life will be utterly changed by this reset; this is a small taste of our future resurrection!).

Murray is a witty, engaging, and practical author. The vivid illustrations, explicit applications, precise language, theological foundation, and well-placed theoretical data make Reset a perfect primer for readers impacted by burnout. As a biblical counselor, I appreciate Murray’s consideration of the life impacts and treatments for mental illness. Though I do not agree with every nuance or conclusion he comes to in that section of this book, I will still use Reset for counselees who are battling and dealing with burnout and need a reset. I highly recommend this book for discipleship and accountability for ministers and those who struggle with living a burnout lifestyle.

I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.