Discernment. That’s not a word that is used very often these days – or at least it’s not one that is put into practice as often as it could and should be. A new book from Moody Publishers, written by Hannah Anderson, helps readers to change this trend, and instead begin asking questions like “How can we, imperfect as we are, develop an instinct for recognizing and embracing the good?” and “How does discernment equip us to navigate a broken, complicated world with confidence and joy?” In “All That’s Good: Recovering the Lost Art of Discernment”, these questions are just the starting point on an exciting journey of new insights and challenging discussions, helping us to truly live out Philippians 4:8 which instructs us to seek truth, honor, justice, purity, loveliness, and things that are praiseworthy.

I love how “All That’s Good” challenges us to pause and take a look at our perspectives and the things we pursue in our lives and with our choices each day. For example, let me share a snippet of one of my favorite sections of the book… In chapter 4, Whatever is True, Hannah shares about her love for mystery books, which has kept her awake until late at night since her childhood (I can certainly relate to this!). But then, she honestly queries, is it right to enjoy stories about deception and even murder? Is it right to take pleasure in reading about such things? (I can also relate to these questions, having asked them myself). Hannah’s conclusion? “We pick up detective stories because, if only for a few hours, they allow us to escape the confusion of our real lives for a controlled, carefully crafted world where we can be confident that right will prevail. . . they offer us something that is more elusive in our real lives: certainty, resolution, and truth.” There is much more to this discussion, of course, but I hope this gives you a brief snapshot of “All That’s Good”, and the thought-provoking topics you will uncover as you journey through it.

If recovering the lost art of discernment sounds the least bit intriguing to you, I definitely encourage you to read “All That’s Good”. It was a pleasure to walk alongside Hannah Anderson as she journeys toward wisdom, embracing the power of discernment and helping us to be part of God’s work of redemption in the world.

I received this book courtesy of Moody Publishers in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.