Love Where You Live

This book thoughtfully and practically tackles the concept of place and God's purpose for the places we find ourselves. It serves as a guide to viewing, belonging in, and impacting the places we live, and includes the author's own story of moving from a small Southern town to a Midwest suburb to San Francisco! There are 6 sections to this book: the concept of “staying”; welcome and belonging; the “essentials” (attitudes, actions, and equipment); living a strategic lifestyle; our purpose as dwellers; and what it all leads to.

There was a lot to like about this book. The writing style was very conversational, which worked well with the message of the book, and it was very easy and enjoyable to read. I appreciated Mrs. Pilgreen's transparency about her personal stories and her journey to her new home in the city, learning to love San Francisco and its people. My favorite section of the book was how to conceptually and strategically map out your city/town into your hub, your circles, and your quadrants (you'll have to read the book to find out what I'm talking about). There were lots of practical tips to incorporate into daily living. And I loved the emphasis and discussion on the importance of family, as well as your church being your extended family.

The drawback for me was I felt like it was written mostly for extroverts. The tips were practical and helpful, but not all were universal. Different people with different personalities interact with society in different ways, and that's okay. God calls us all to the places He sends us, but we bring ourselves as we are, as we're wired. The church needs all the different gifts to function properly. I believe the author understood that, however, and would not want a message of guilt or pressure to be perfect to come across at all, only a little inspiration and a lot of grace.

Overall, what I got from this book was a good reminder that God always goes before us and with us, and even little actions can make a big difference.

I received a copy of Love Where You Live from the publisher in exchange for my honest review.