Faithfully Present

Ray Ortlund

Something inside us longs to be God-like. To be fully freed and self-defining is the existence we ‘post-everything’ people are reaching for. But our pursuit is exhausting. What if we admit that God alone is God-like? What if we accept the good limitations of how he created us? That’s what Faithfully Present helps us to see, as Adam Ramsey guides us into those green pastures and beside those still waters.

Jared C. Wilson

In Faithfully Present, Adam Ramsey proves to be a reliable, insightful, and frequently playful guide who helps us navigate the changing seasons of our lives. This book is a heartfelt magnification of the unchanging God, who is faithful and with us through them all.

“Being Limitless Might Not Be All It's Cracked Up to Be...”

I feel the constant pressure of needing to do more, be more, and do better. The week is never long enough to do all I want or enjoy all the distractions I can! And yet, Adam Ramsey shows us that maybe this is a good thing. Maybe God didn't make us to be people who had limitless time and energy and never stopped. Maybe it's good to acknowledge that we have limits to focus us on the place and time we're in, for God's glory. Maybe it's good that God has given us the ability to be content by faithfully being present in the lives we have now. This is a great read, especially if you're like me and feel the constant pull to do more. Would definitely recommend it!

“Reminding us to trust God with our time and limitedness”

The premise of Adam Ramsey’s book “Faithfully Present” is that we must remember our limits and finiteness as human beings. These limits are placed on us by our all-knowing, ever-faithful God because of His love for us. Such limits and guidelines are actually for our good.

The book’s chapters are organized into two parts: Time and Place, helping us to learn to embrace and be at peace with the limits of the “when” (time) and “where” (place) of our lives.

Ramsey reminds us we can trust God with our time because He is outside of time and He alone has this perspective of time.

“Time need not haunt you, when you know it does not hold you. For the one who holds time holds your life.”

About place, Ramsey reminds us, we “can only faithfully exist in one place at one time,” and that we are called to bless the place and people where we are, and this “deeply matters to God.”

I appreciated the idea to “punctuate the day ahead with brief moments of selah.” Likewise, the chapter highlighting nostalgia and regrets from our past was very moving!

Some quotes I highlighted:

“As far as God is concerned, your earthly body, made of physical matter, matters. And one day, it will be renewed in Christ's likeness.”

“God is not behind schedule in your life because your life is happening on his schedule.”

“Like Esau trading his birthright for a bowl of stew, we exchange faithful presence for perpetual busyness.”

“I am not unlimited, so I need to prioritise rest. I am not omnipotent, so I need to prioritise prayer. I am not omniscient, so I need to learn to listen. I am not omnipresent, so I need to stop trying to be everywhere for everyone...”

Thank you to The Good Book Company for sending this book for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

“Timely Reminder”

“The more we counted the seconds, the more we tried to squeeze into them. The more we put ourselves under the eye of time, the more power we gave to it. We forgot that Chronos is a taker and insatiably greedy.” - Adam Ramsey, Faithfully Present: Embracing the Limits of When and Where God Has You

Thank you Adam for this gentle yet firm reminder to be present and also to sit without racing toward the next thing.

This book was such a great reminder for me, as a young mum who spends *a lot* of time working. To not wish away the struggles of being a toddler mum, and to also be faithful with the time that I do have. To put down the phone and put away the laptop. To admit that I can’t do it all even if I desperately want to, and, most importantly, to be ok with that.

This will be something I read regularly - because I’m a sinner, and need constant reminder of the good rest that I can find in Jesus and that the little moments are the most important.

“Faithfully Excellent”

Faithfully Present is an excellent book. It is weighty, humbling and at times funny. I found myself laughing out loud on a number of occasions and then needing to pause and reflect as I was smacked by some weighty perspective.
Adam does a great job of reminding us of who we are: flawed, limited and clearly not God. He outlines that we are created to exist in the time and moments in front of us. Despite our longing to join in the chaos of this fast-paced world, this hopeful book leads us to rest in the kind, sovereign Father who is leading all things to his will, at his pace.
Do yourself a favour, lock some time away, grab this book and let it lead you to the antidote of your restless heart: Jesus.

“Refreshing Read”

Ramsey writes a refreshingly honest account about the truth of time and how we can be faithfully present in the season we are in. The limitations of our humanity is rightly amplified, but the hope and sovereignty of God is overrides this.

In this fast-paced, attention-seeking world we live in this book reminds us that we can stop, be present and trust God in the season we face.

“Practical and Insightful”

I loved this book by Adam Ramsey.

It's easy to read, practical, and deep theologically. In this book, Adam paints a picture of how to live and flourish with Jesus. I love his humor, observations about life, and most importantly, his teachings about Jesus and the Bible.

Discipleship with Jesus is about worshiping and living for Jesus within the limits you have, and I have loved how Adam humbled us and encouraged us to see our limits as gifts to be embraced and enjoyed.

“A must read”

I struggled to read this much needed book as it was a reminder to me to live in the present even when it is full of disappointment and grief. I tend to live in my world of make believe and day dreams but Adam’s book convicted me through the Holy Spirt of my sin and reminded me to find contentment and joy in the now. My favourite quote was “we live the given life not the planned life.” I’m sure like many people out there you’re life has turned out nothing like you planned, but Adam’s book reminds us of the Sovereignty and goodness of God. It reminds us time moves by far too quickly and I know, as I’m heading into the winter of my life. It is a fantastic read. It reminds us to rejoice in the day because that is what Jesus calls us to do to walk faithfully present through each day He gives us. Thanks Adam for such a timely reminder.

“A truly relevant book for whatever season of life you are in!”

Whatever season of life you find yourself in, Faithfully Present has something to refresh the way you view your time. Adam has the gift of being able to put an understandable explanation on life situations that we unnecessarily complicate. Faithfully Present is a great book to read alone but would also be great for groups to read and reflect on together. A real treasure in a crazy world.

“⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️”

✨Book Review✨

‘Faithfully Present’ by @adamramsey_ 📚

“How do we live faithfully when life keeps changing? When life moves slowly? When life is coming at us fast? When life comes to an end?” (p18).

These are just some of the questions Adam endeavours to answer in his new book, “Faithfully Present.” By learning to live where we are – the life given to us, not planned by us – we find freedom. As we embrace the declaration, “I am not God”, we can think more deeply and biblically about the genuine limitations of time and place which mark us as creatures and not the creator!

Adam directs us to move forward in life while staying faithfully and fully present, right where we are. The book is sectioned into two parts;

Part One: Time
• Time is a precious commodity that is limited to us all.
• There are two types of time: Chronos and Kairos.
• Time flows through seasons of change and stability.
• Time can seem to pause during seasons of waiting, can rush by us in a hurry, or provide rest.
• Time can be in the past (memory), or in the future (our imminent death).

Part Two: Place
• We inhabit earthly places with our limited human bodies.
• We have relational spaces with others.
• Our hope is in our eternal resting place – Heaven.

One of my favourite quotes from the book is:
“You are not that big a deal, and you are going to die soon.” (p24)

Of course this quote is meant to shock us (and Adam follows it up with appropriate context and encouragement in regards to our value as image bearers of God), but I truly enjoyed his gentle sarcasm and unique Australian humour all throughout the book.