The Familiar Stranger: (Re)Introducing the Holy Spirit to Those in Search of an Experiential Spirituality

Staton is obviously writing for an audience of people who are born-again but unsure about the whole “Holy Spirit thing”. He does a great job, but that means that he spends several chapters mostly establishing from the scriptures what he’s going to really dig into later. After that, it’s a great, well-rounded book. If you’re comfortable with the working and presence of the Holy Spirit in your life, you might want to skim the first few chapters. It will be worth it to read this book even if (and perhaps especially) if you come out of a Pentecostal/Charismatic background. Staton comes out of the evangelical tradition, so his views are fresh-sounding and well balanced. I didn’t agree with every little thing he said, but I rarely agree with everything anyone says. The bottom line is that it’s a well written book that comes out of deep study and personal experience.

One of my new favorite books. Tyler takes us on a journey through the spiritual gifts with beautiful and heart breaking stories. It is well balanced, providing answers and clarity while holding the tension of the mystery of God and his ultimate desire for relationship with us. I will re-read this again and again.

Tyler digs deep into questions about the Holy Spirit. With personal applications and great wisdom, he explains who the Holy Spirit is and how we get to know Him better. I really like Tyler's heart!

I can't say enough about this book! I've been in the Lord for 45 years. Recently the Lord directed me to go deeper in my understanding of Holy Spirit and my relationship with him. Folks, there's always more. You will find more in this book. I also recommend John Bevere's book "Holy Spirit, an Introduction". The title sounds like it's just for beginners, but it's NOT.

Book Review Rating: 8/10This Book Is:- About the Holy Spirit.- For those seeking deeper and richer experiences of spirituality.- A good balance of information and compelling stories.- A practical guide including sample practices to try.This Book Is Not:- Biased towards overvaluing or undervaluing the gifts of the Spirit.My Takeaways:- Redemptive Suffering: My top takeaway is the idea that the Holy Spirit is just as active in our suffering as in our triumphs. It can be easy to think that healing occurs when the Spirit is active, and healing doesn't occur when the Spirit does not act.Suffering is a part of the human condition. We know that suffering grieves God. It is not how he created the world to be. We have the opportunity to choose what suffering does to us. It is an opportunity to be like Jesus. When we experience suffering, we are able to be compassionate towards others in a deeper way. We have the promise of new life and know that suffering won't have the last word.Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book.

This book has been such a gift. Articulately and humbly expressed, Pastor Tyler shares the ways in which we can interact with the Person of The Holy Spirit. It has been a blessing to be actively seeking The Holy Spirit’s “still, small whisper” in my wife and my daily walks and better practicing discernment.

If you’re interested in the Holy Spirit, John Mark is the guy to read! The format was a little confusing, but the book was great!

Tyler Staton has such a gift for weaving in scripture, interpretation, practical applications and storytelling. I loved this book so much and found it so helpful and overall lovely to read.