I was recently in a “discount” bookstore and picked up a copy of Chazown by Craig Groeschel.  I listen to the Lifechurch.tv podcasts every week and really enjoy Craig and his teaching.  I also learn a lot from his blog posts every day.  I didn’t really know what the book was about, but I knew I liked the author so I picked it up. I generally take a couple of weeks to read a book, especially when it is over 200 pages because I can never seem to get a whole lot of time in one sitting to get too far through a book.  But I read Chazown in a few hours.  I just couldn’t put it down.  I was captivated.

Chazown is a Hebrew word for “a dream, revelation or vision” and it is based on the scripture in Proverbs 29: 18, “where there is no vision, the people perish.”  That “vision” in Proverbs 29: 18 is the Chazown.  I am constantly reading and looking for books about passion, vision, and calling.  I guess it is because I want to try to make sure I am doing what I am supposed to be doing in my work life, home life, spiritual life, etc.  I have read several books on this topic and it seems like I am just thirsty for this information.  These books are just really easy reads and this book was no exception.

One thing that really struck me was that it was heartfelt, honest and comes from experience.  Craig truly knows God’s call on his life and wants everyone else not to have to look back on their life and realize that it was wasted.  That is probably my greatest fear - that my life would be wasted.  I have drifted some and wandered trying to get to my true calling and I have taken spiritual gift and personality tests to see what I would be good at, but I could never seem to come up with what my true calling or vision was for my life.

Chazown is one of those books that gives you the theory and the background, but it goes one step further in that is gives you practical advice on where to learn the required information about yourself.  It also gives you a strategy for analyzing what you learn about yourself based on your core values, spiritual gifts/passions, and past experience to determine God’s chazown that is for YOU.

Finally, Chazown shows you have to get your entire life aligned around your chazown.  You may be required to make some difficult decisions, you will definitely have to prioritize and cut out some of the “worthy” things you spend your time on in order to focus on your chazown.  Chazown focuses in on five aspects of your life that must be in alignment in order for you to truly fulfill your chazown: your relationship with God, your relationship with others, your personal finances, your physical health, and your work life.  There are some helpful questions to help you judge how well you are doing in each area and some great tips on how to get started on matching up how you actually live with your chazown and getting closer to God’s true calling for your life.

I would definitely recommend this book to everyone.  Whether you think you have it all figured out or not, you will learn from this book and you will learn how to get closer to your true calling or chazown.  But it takes action and putting the principles to work - not just reading the book.