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Rhythms for Life: Spiritual Practices for Who God Made You to Be Paperback – September 29, 2020
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Who are you becoming? And how will you get there?
Spiritual transformation is not a one-size-fits-all journey. Each of us has a particular identity, gifts, values, roles, and purpose. Thus we each need distinct spiritual rhythms that are designed to help us live out that vocation and calling.
In this practical book Alastair Sterne shows how we can craft a life of more intentionality, becoming Christlike in ways that fit who we are. First we discover who God made us to be, in all our distinctiveness. Then we enter into spiritual practices that flow out of that particular sense of identity, with fourfold rhythms that point us upward to God, inward to self, withward in community, and outward in mission. Our vocation is our identity uniquely lived out before God, bringing our being and doing together.
You can live a life that is more aligned with who you are meant to be. Discover spiritual rhythms that move at the pace of grace, and align you with your unique identity and calling in Christ.
- Print length224 pages
- LanguageEnglish
- PublisherIVP
- Publication dateSeptember 29, 2020
- Dimensions5.5 x 0.6 x 8.5 inches
- ISBN-100830831975
- ISBN-13978-0830831975
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Since 1947, InterVarsity Press (IVP) has been publishing thoughtful Christian books that shape both the lives of readers and the cultures they inhabit. Throughout these seventy-five years, our books and authors have established a legacy of speaking boldly into important cultural moments, providing timeless tools for spiritual growth, and equipping Christians for a vibrant life of faith.
From the Publisher

Editorial Reviews
Review
"Who did God make me to be? is seldom asked. We tend to focus on our sins, weaknesses, and inabilities. And even when the question is asked, it is not easy to find true wisdom. Rhythms for Life by Alastair Sterne is a happy exception. It assists us to see the reality of who each of us is uniquely created to be and then gives a grace-filled path to get there."
-- Todd Hunter, bishop in the Anglican Church in North America, author of Christianity Beyond Belief"At once deeply personal and immensely practical, Alastair has written a powerful book that can change the way we move through the world. He inspires us to cultivate rhythms that enable us to experience deep contentment, joy, and peace in our everyday life with God."
-- Ken Shigematsu, pastor of Tenth Church, Vancouver, British Columbia, and author of Survival Guide for the Soul"As people on a faith journey, an essential ingredient to our continued development is the ability to take the intangible and make it tangible, to make the foreign and unfamiliar personal and intimate. This book provides an invitation for the intangible, foreign, perhaps vast and unfamiliar aspects of faith to have invitations in the daily, the present, and the very much 'right here' of our lives. I'm grateful that this book exists to help us know and experience what is always true: that God loves us and can be found right here in the rhythms of life."
-- Hillary McBride, therapist, author, and podcaster"I've known Alastair Sterne for over a decade now. From our initial introduction in one of my courses, he stood out as a deeply formed and committed disciple of Jesus. We connected over our shared interest in church planting and missional engagement. This book shows the 'secret sauce' that allows Alastair to remain a deeply formed and committed disciple of Jesus. Better yet, he points the way for all of us. Rhythms for Life is not simply another book on spiritual formation. There are plenty of those. This is a field manual that all God's people can follow to set themselves up for long-term growth in God's grace. Alastair writes with theological and biblical depth in a fully accessible manner for our post-Christendom contexts. He begins with the critical need to uncover our true identity in Christ and then moves to the crafting of a personal rule of life. I found the worksheets and exercises to flow seamlessly from the teaching and to be profoundly enriching. In short, Alastair introduces the great tradition of spiritual formation for a new generation. I hope this book becomes a classic with a long shelf life. I know that my soul has been warmed anew while reading this and working through the exercises."
-- Brian Russell, professor, associate provost, and dean of the Asbury Theological Seminary Orlando School of Ministry"There is only one you. God's creative design template for your life includes rhythms and relationships that express the true you in the context of your community. Alastair Sterne gently encourages his readers to pay attention to God's unique thumbprint graced upon them and embody it abundantly."
-- Stephen A. Macchia, founder and president of Leadership Transformations, author of Crafting a Rule of Life"In virtually every area of life, the condition of flourishing is supported by an unwavering commitment to practices. Flourishing athletes work out and eat well, flourishing musicians repeat their scales, flourishing students abide by rigorous study schedules, and flourishing family members engage attentively, to name a few. Likewise, the flourishing that comes from being formed into the likeness of Jesus Christ doesn't just happen to us as we sit passively 'letting go and letting God.' Rather, it happens as we respond to God through active participation in long-standing, proven practices that support the flourishing of our entire selves. In Rhythms for Life, Alastair Sterne has provided an excellent road map for this very purpose."
-- Scott Sauls, senior pastor of Christ Presbyterian Church in Nashville, Tennessee, and author of Jesus Outside the Lines"Rhythms for Life is a practical guide to spiritual formation within Christian community for missional engagement where you live, right now. And it's written by a pastor who understands how people work and how the Holy Spirit changes hearts. Work through this book with friends or family―or your whole congregation―and you will be enriched."
-- Brandon J. O'Brien, director of content development and distribution for Redeemer City to City"All theology should be applied theology, at least that was the argument of one of the best teachers I know, and the insight is ancient. As Jesus said to Nicodemus, the teacher of Israel, 'The reason you don't understand is that you don't do the truth.' That disconnect is a perennial problem, even when we yearn for more integrity. Alastair Sterne has written a book for all of us, but specially so for those who want to understand the integral relationship of what they believe with the way that they live. In Rhythms for Life he has woven together theology and experience with a rare wisdom born of his years of loving people who long for more flourishing in their lives for the sake of their cities."
-- Steven Garber, author of The Seamless Life and professor of marketplace theology at Regent College"A big part of following Jesus is knowing who you are and how he created you to be, so you can use your unique gifts to glorify his kingdom. This book will guide you through the process of discerning just that and establishing rhythms to live out your vocation. It is a must-read for any season and rhythm of life."
-- Albert Tate, cofounder and lead pastor of Fellowship Church, Monrovia, California"It seems to me that the healthiest Christians are the most ordinary people―but they did not arrive there by accident. They have had the painstaking struggle of knowing themselves, being faithful in the small things, not ignoring the gifts of their community, appreciating the discipline of Scripture, and . . . voila! An ordinary, faithful Christian. God give us more of them! Thankfully Alastair provides a clear path for churches who desire to be a breeding ground for Christians like this."
-- Julie Canlis, lecturer for Whitworth's graduate studies in theology program, author of Calvin's Ladder and A Theology of the OrdinaryReview
"It seems to me that the healthiest Christians are the most ordinary people―but they did not arrive there by accident. They have had the painstaking struggle of knowing themselves, being faithful in the small things, not ignoring the gifts of their community, appreciating the discipline of Scripture, and . . . voila! An ordinary, faithful Christian. God give us more of them! Thankfully Alastair provides a clear path for churches who desire to be a breeding ground for Christians like this."
-- Julie Canlis, lecturer for Whitworth's graduate studies in theology program, author of Calvin's Ladder and A Theology of the OrdinaryAbout the Author
Alastair Sterne (DIS, Fuller Theological Seminary) is a creative director turned pastor. He serves as the associate pastor at Coastline Church in Victoria, British Columbia. He previously partnered with Redeemer City to City and founded St. Peter's Fireside, a creative liturgical church in Vancouver. He is the author of Rhythms for Life: Spiritual Practices for Who God Made You to Be. Alastair and his wife, Julia, write and podcast together at ordinarymatters.org and collect joy with their daughters.
Product details
- Publisher : IVP
- Publication date : September 29, 2020
- Language : English
- Print length : 224 pages
- ISBN-10 : 0830831975
- ISBN-13 : 978-0830831975
- Item Weight : 2.31 pounds
- Dimensions : 5.5 x 0.6 x 8.5 inches
- Best Sellers Rank: #1,383,999 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #7,633 in Christian Self Help
- #9,896 in Christian Personal Growth
- #16,466 in Christian Spiritual Growth (Books)
- Customer Reviews:
About the author

Alastair Sterne (DIS, Fuller Theological Seminary) is a creative director turned pastor. He serves as the associate pastor at Coastline Church in Victoria, British Columbia. He previously partnered with Redeemer City to City and founded St. Peter's Fireside, a creative liturgical church in Vancouver. He is the author of Longing for Joy: An Invitation into the Goodness and Beauty of Life and Rhythms for Life: Spiritual Practices for Who God Made You to Be.
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Encouraging, Practical and Wise
Top reviews from the United States
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- Reviewed in the United States on November 15, 2020Most books like this make you want to crawl in a hole after assessing how arhythmic your life is. This author instead meets you in your pit and makes crawling out seem desirable and doable.
Part of his genius is he comes in the side door, starting with foundational concepts like identity, roles and vocation. I mean, who doesn’t want to learn more about who they are and why they do what they do? The rhythms become a means to an end of discovering and living more fully into who God has made you to be.
I appreciate how the author speaks as a fellow traveler. He leads from a place of vulnerability both acknowledging his successes but also naming his ongoing struggles. He talks to you, not at you, as one who’s not yet arrived but is still eager to get there and bring you along with him.
In our current season where very few things are normal and predictable I found this book stabilizing and freeing as I ponder who and Whose I am and how I live this life I’ve been given.
Here are some quotes I found helpful.
“The goal is to focus on the essential practices that respect your current season of life and help you become the person God has made you to be.”
“We are loved by Christ and everything we do flows from here. There is nothing we need to do to be accepted by him. And whatever we may do for him - whatever discipline or habit we embrace - we do because we are already loved and accepted. Rather than completing a checklist of spiritual tasks, we are spurred onward and upward by the delight of God’s presence. This new motivation can become the heartbeat of all our spiritual practices.”
“The goal isn’t discipline for discipline’s sake. It is rather to cultivate our union with Christ and to anchor ourselves in the freedom of the gospel.”
- Reviewed in the United States on January 29, 2024We got this for our son's baptism, and it's so practical AND helps teens with spiritual practices. We're going to buy it for others' baptism gifts too.
- Reviewed in the United States on December 13, 2020This book provides a fresh, challenging look at spiritual disciplines and practices but through the lens of our spiritual identity in Christ. What I liked is that the chapters weren't loaded down with heavy academic or theological vocabulary, or religious Christian-speak. They were easy to read and digest, but still had a lot of depth and great ideas to think through. I also really appreciated how each chapter ended with strong, soul searching questions, designed to make you really chew on the presented ideas and apply them to your own life. Because it's easy to get a book like this, read it, and walk away basically unchanged. But if you sit down and take the time to work through the closing questions, I think this book has the potential to really shake you up in the best way.
- Reviewed in the United States on October 27, 2020Great overview. Tons of very easy to understand and apply information. I love how it’s divided into inward, outward, upward, with ward. It makes it much easier to understand and separate each practice. It also shows the need to practice in each way (in, out, up, with) for a balanced life rhythm. I love how this is a spring board towards more in-depth study. It introduces the reader and gives them a taste of each rhythm. Then they can go and dive deeper at their own pace. I love the practicality of sharing his rhythms as well as another persons rhythm. Love the inclusion of the persons vocation/life stage too. Helps me get a good picture of what each might look like for me. Great book. Easy to read. A lot of personal stories make this book really relatable and encouraging.
I received a digital copy of this book from netgalley. I was in no way required to write a positive review. All thoughts are my own.
- Reviewed in the United States on March 11, 2021I am a trained spiritual director and have read numerous books on the broad subject of spiritual formation and the tighter subject of crafting a rule of life. This book is one of the best! I am also a leader of Christian missionaries. I plan to use this book in our organizational spiritual formation process. If you are wanting to learn how crafting a rule of life can be helpful in your spiritual formation, start with this book!
- Reviewed in the United States on December 7, 2020Absolutely loved this book. I’ve always struggled with spiritual disciplines, like many people I know. What I really appreciated about this book is that instead of the typical one size fits all approach to spiritual disciplines, Rhythms for Life helps you explore how you most naturally connect with God. It’s practical and encouraging, and most of all full of wisdom. I am so grateful for this book!
5.0 out of 5 starsAbsolutely loved this book. I’ve always struggled with spiritual disciplines, like many people I know. What I really appreciated about this book is that instead of the typical one size fits all approach to spiritual disciplines, Rhythms for Life helps you explore how you most naturally connect with God. It’s practical and encouraging, and most of all full of wisdom. I am so grateful for this book!Encouraging, Practical and Wise
Reviewed in the United States on December 7, 2020
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- Reviewed in the United States on October 22, 2020Alastair writes with ease as he discusses what can be complicated topics concerning spiritual discipline, vocation and calling. Rhythms for Life is a book or more accurately, a life tool that you can use to map out practical steps in your relationships with others and God. In a time of chaos, this book helps to ground you and define what is really important in life.
- Reviewed in the United States on December 7, 2020This book is a gift. It has helped me understand who I am, first and foremost in relation to God, and how I'm specifically called to live as God's own - at this very moment in my life.
As someone who has been a Christian since my early years, I deeply appreciated a way forward in spiritual growth that doesn't fall into the trap of self-help pseudo-spirituality or do-it-yourself tactics. There is a deep well of grace here that points me in the right direction -- forward, towards Jesus, and helps me make actual changes in my life to do so. All the while insisting that I'm defined by my adoption in God's family.
Dallas Willard's words sums up this book. "grace is not opposed to effort, it is opposed to earning." Read this book and you'll be invited deeper into the spiritual life with Jesus. It will require effort - everything good does! But this effort is the door to the freedom of the gospel. The freedom to be fully alive in Jesus Christ, as the woman or man he has called you to be.
Top reviews from other countries
- MichaelReviewed in Canada on October 27, 2020
5.0 out of 5 stars A wise and practical book on spiritual growth based on who you actually are
I’ve been thinking about rhythms a lot in 2020. Given all the disruption and challenges of this year, I’m sure all of our rhythms were thrown for a loop. And it made me realize that my old rhythms weren’t working as well as I thought anyways. That’s why I’m so grateful for this timely and accessible book by Alastair Sterne. It does a deep dive first on our identity, before guiding us into rhythms for life––rhythms that can lead to greater flourishing and thriving and wholeness.
As a pastor I read a lot of books on "spiritual formation" (the process of being made into the image of Jesus for the sake of others). Alastair's book is easily one of the best ones, in particular for his emphasis on discovering your identity first and then identifying spiritual practices that best align with that. Far too many books around this topic dive right into the spiritual practices without giving you space to explore who you actually are. That can result in ill-fitting spiritual practices or recommendations. And so like an expert tailor, Alastair guides you into finding spiritual practices that are well-fitting for you and make you want to try them on regularly.
This book is also eminently practical: each chapter you are given space to reflect and engage with the content. And the content builds upon each chapter so that you are guided along in a way that makes sense and is fruitful.
All in all this book is filled with wisdom and warmth. Alastair invites us to read the book slowly and with others. I'm benefitting from engaging with the book that way. And I think you'll benefit too by taking up the invitation.
- ChristineReviewed in Canada on November 6, 2020
5.0 out of 5 stars Get clarity on who God made you to be - with practical worksheets!
Sterne’s writing is deeply pastoral, and it will inspire and urge you to actually take action to grow in becoming more like Jesus and impacting the world.
Do you know what your spiritual gifts are? Have you ever reflected on your talents and values? What about your vocation? These are big questions, and Rhythms for Life helps you gain clarity on the details of who God made you to be - your personality, talents, spiritual gifts, vocation, etc. When you complete the thoughtful worksheets in the book, you will have tailor-made, intentional spiritual practices that fit YOUR personality and season of life.
This is one of my favourite quotes from the book: “The issue for many people is not whether they can discipline themselves in an area. The issue is whether their vision is big enough to be worthy of sacrifice. If we lack discipline when it comes to spiritual practices, sometimes it’s because our vision of God is too small.” (p. 113)
- John MacDonaldReviewed in Canada on January 18, 2021
5.0 out of 5 stars For a more intentional life
This is a great read; particularly, if you take the time to reflect and note your thoughts at the end of each chapter, you will find this to be an inspiring, challenging and rewarding book. It will encourage you to reflect on your current relationship with God, your family, friends and your work. It asks some very challenging questions about how you are spending your time and whether or not you are investing your time, talents and energy in a way that is reflective of what you say your values and beliefs are. It was a great encouragement for me, as it gave me an opportunity to refocus on the year ahead.
- Mike StewartReviewed in Canada on December 7, 2020
5.0 out of 5 stars This book is a God given guide for our life's journey.
Alastair and the Church community of St. Peter's Fireside in Vancouver have given us all a great gift in 'Rhythms for Life.' With loving wisdom, insight, and compassion, we are invited to look deeply at our lives and how we may grow into the particular life that God has planned for us in all its riches and graces. The ancient Church image for living by 'a Rule' is that of a Tressel that enables the vine to grow in the right direction. Living in our complex and disconnected age presents many challenges when it comes to determining how to live. Let this book become your companion and guide along your life's journey, helping you grow in the right direction and in community with others who are seeking to live fully and freely the life that God had ordained for them. This is what Jesus calls, 'Life in all its fullness.'
- Jess CluettReviewed in Canada on September 30, 2020
5.0 out of 5 stars Necessary in 21st Century Western Culture
Alastair writes with wisdom and compassion as he shows readers how they relate to God. Alastair writes on the topics of identity, personality, and values—to name a few—and demonstrates how these topics are influential to the rhythm that humanity moves through life with. Throughout the book, Alastair not only writes to us but with us as he prompts self-reflection and guiding questions allowing readers to establish a rhythm tailored to their own life. 'Rhythms for Life' is a necessary read in 21st Century Western Culture as it dismantles sociocultural-acclaimed ideas of hustling, self-sufficiency, individualism, anti- and post-social behaviour, speed, and 'instant culture.' It is a refreshing and nourishing read for women and men of all ages and backgrounds. In short, buy it. Read it. Share it.