The Method of Belonging: Reimagining Who We Are and How We Relate

Powerful, Tender, Timely Read
Sarah lives what she shares in this tender and wise book that is EXCEPTIONALLY timely in times like these. The Way of Belonging touched me so deeply that I chose it for a book club with TheWayBack2Ourselves.com. It has blessed us all with her beautiful prose and gentle invitation to be more human, more rooted, more connected, more alive. Thank you, Sarah. You belong. ♥️

Honest and Thoughtful
Sarah does a great job of vulnerably sharing her own experiences while pointing toward true hope and belonging in Christ. A good reminder for all of us who are “in progress” in our relationship with God and others.

Thoughtful and Reflective
This reflective, personal book explores the theme of belonging, with each chapter addressing different topics about identity and community. Sarah E. Westfall writes in a vulnerable way about her struggles to feel like she belongs, and she shares stories from her past and present to illustrate her personal journey and share important life lessons. She also includes Bible verses throughout, exploring how we can understand loneliness and belonging in the context of the Christian faith.The first part of the book focuses on who we are, and she explores themes about belonging and disconnection through the creation and fall narrative from Genesis, and through Jesus’s parable about the prodigal son. She writes about how important it is to receive the belonging that God offers us, grounding ourselves in our identity in Him so that we can be at peace even in the midst of loneliness, and so that we can extend His welcome to others.In the second part of the book, she explores different themes about how we relate to others, and she encourages her readers to focus on the goodness of their longing for community, rather than just focusing on what they lack. She also writes about the importance of naming your desires to better understand them, writes about moving beyond an “us versus them” mentality, and explores themes about connecting over personal stories, accepting uncertainty and risk, deepening relationships and managing different circles of closeness, embracing questions, pursuing a life of creativity, and practicing celebration. Each chapter concludes with a reflection exercise and suggestions of small ways to put these ideas into practice. There is also a guide at the end for reading groups.”The Way of Belonging” is beautifully written, heartfelt, and honest. This is clearly a very personal book to the author, and her vulnerability can encourage other people who struggle with loneliness and insecurities in relationship. I ended up not connecting with this as much as I had hoped, however, and I can’t fully put my finger on why. Maybe it’s just because I’ve already thought so much about this topic myself, or perhaps it’s because I wanted more practical ideas, or more detail in some of the stories. I’m not sure, but even though I didn’t get as much out of this book as I had expected, I enjoyed it and found it thought-provoking, and others readers may find that it speaks more deeply to them.I received a free copy of this book from the publisher, and am leaving an honest review voluntarily.

Amazing Read!
The Way of Belonging is incredibly thoughtful and insightful. It invites the reader into a new way of seeing God, others and ourselves under the lens of belonging.“Belonging is a welcome we carry with us, setting us free to become people who are held and who hold.”Highly recommend!