The Way of Rest

November 7, 2016
Inspired by his own suffering, Foster (Falling in Love with Where You Are) has pooled together a collection of personal teachings designed to offer peace to a troubled soul. Foster describes himself as someone who once wanted to die, but who later fell in love with his imperfect life and set out to offer hope to others. The book is separated into 13 parts, each representing a different theme related to contentedness and rest; examples include “Rest in Imperfection,” “Rest in Not Knowing,” and “Rest in Silence.” Compared to other titles that offer simple daily inspiration, such as The Secret Daily Teachings by Rhonda Byrne and Daily Joy: 365 Days of Inspiration by National Geographic, Foster’s teachings are far less straightforward. They’re written in songlike prose, and readers might struggle to understand the author’s intended meaning as they absorb the poetry of his observations. Though some of the entries effectively provide inspiration, others resemble a stream of consciousness and trend more toward the abstract than the enlightening. Though not every entry will fit the tastes of all readers, there is plenty of insight here, and Foster succeeds in showing his audience his many ways for pushing through life’s greatest challenges.