I'll start by confessing that I am largely a John Eldredge fan. I have read many of his books, so I was looking forward to another one.

Perhaps it is the season of life that I am in or maybe there really is a disconnect, but I felt like this was a book that skimmed across the surface of three books - each of which could have been an incredible and much-needed publication, but staying at the surface level of all of them didn't really tap into my soul the way they teased that they would.

It is a book about the way that the current times (and technology and the Internet) have re-wired not just our brains, but in many ways, our souls. And that is an important conversation that we need to be having. Very important. But as soon as you start to sense that this is the conversation we're going to have and your soul starts to breathe a little bit, the book turns away from it. For several chapters, it isn't even a theme.

Instead, now, we're talking about mysticism and how to connect to God. At first, this started as a counter to the current times, but the current times dropped off pretty quick and now, we're JUST looking at mysticism. Not as an antidote to what ails us, but just as a good idea and something we should very obviously embrace. But it's all kind of surface level, talking as though the conclusion is a given, not really attempting to convince anyone or even invite them, but just to state unequivocally that this kind of mysticism is good. "Good" is such a hard sale in our current world, when you can't (or don't) show that what you're saying is good actually answers something deep in us that is crying out. Your good becomes just an option in a sea of other options that might also be good.

And then thirdly, we are talking about trauma and how to engage and pehraps navigate or heal trauma, which we all have to some degree as fallen beings in a broken creation. And this, too, is important - we are all looking for those things that put us back together, at least a little bit. But here, too, I found that the discussion was not deep enough to be meaningful. At just the point you find yourself engaging and hoping that he will say more, he circles back and he's onto the surface of one of the other two major themes of the book.

To put it simply, this book felt more like a buffet than a feast - an invitation to pick and choose rather than to dine richly, and I think that's unfortunate. Expanded and focused and intent, I would devour all three of these courses. But nibbling them simply didn't do much for me.

John Eldredge offers a passionate invitation to rediscover authentic, daily communion with Jesus amid a digitally saturated and spiritually fatigued world. Arguing that modern life has discipled us into skepticism and superficiality, Eldredge draws from the Christian mystics to remind us that deep experiences of God are meant to be normal. It’s a soulful, Christ-centered roadmap for anyone seeking more than religious information—someone hungry to actually encounter Jesus, really.

Thank you Camp NetGalley for the ebook.

John Eldredge has written a deep thoughtful book. It has challenged me to grow in my faith.

I came into this book expecting to feel more connected with Jesus or at least have more tools for connection because of spending time in these pages, which didn't end up feeling as true as I'd hoped. While some parts of the book were encouraging, like inviting Jesus to be with your younger self & experience healing there, other parts were a struggle for me. I didn't feel like this book was as much about experiencing Jesus as it was Christian mysticism and John Eldredge's personal experience. It felt contradictory to have him say that experiencing Jesus isn't about formulas, only to have him infer that these specific kind of intense morning & evening prayers are the only way to experience protection from evil. I wanted to like this one but don't know that I'd recommend it. There's some good things, but some less helpful ones too. I'd encourage someone to read Summer Gross' book, The Immanuel Promise if they want more practical tools & connection with Jesus over this one for sure.

Thanks to the great folks at NetGalley I had the chance to check in on the writings of John Eldredge, most famous for his best-selling books “Wild At Heart” and “Waking the Dead.” Eldredge’s spiritual journey focuses on prioritizing emotional authenticity and, as I learned reading this latest work, he believes in the teachings of the great Roman Catholic mystics while preaching the universality of Christian mysticism in us all. In “ Experience Jesus Really” he not only preaches the benefits of a mystic-driven life but also provides prayer templates for that spiritual life journey.
So I read this book with great interest but also great reticence: his extreme focus on the world experiential Christian life (which I am not arguing against) at the expense of a rigorous intellectual and deep Biblical understanding does not appeal to me. However, his thoughtful arguments in favor of a mystical life has caused me to consider a more balanced approach to my Christian growth.

I have SO many thoughts about this book!!

First off—I am curious as to why this book was titled “Experience Jesus Really” when a far more appropriate title would have been something like, “Reclaiming Christian Mysticism” as this is what the entirety of the book focused on.

I’ve read quite a few books written by the Christian mystics that are frequently quoted in this book (C.S. Lewis, Chesterton, George MacDonald, Brother Lawrence and others), so while I’m certainly not an expert, I do feel fairly familiar with this topic.

What I loved: I got a lot out of this book and was really convicted and encouraged by much of it. The whole concept of being a “disciple of the internet” was fascinating. I loved many of the examples given and passages shared.

What made me scratch my head: several chunks of this book felt more than mystical, they felt superstitious. It seems borderline ridiculous to suggest that if my morning and evening prayers don’t cover all the bases then I’ll be opening myself up to demonic attack. Some of the verbiage used in this book also felt ambiguous and was therefore confusing. At times this book felt solid and at other times it felt all over the place, which made me feel apprehensive.

Overall, I enjoyed most of this book and think others will too. I do recommend taking this book with a grain of salt. If you are interested in learning about Christian Mysticism I’d recommend reading some classics from C.S. Lewis instead.

Huge thanks to NetGalley for this Camp NetGalley read!!

Eldredge has great insight in this book. He really spoke to my spiritual needs. I have long tried to understand why I didn't sense God. I longed to experience communion with God, to have a very real sense of His presence. Some time ago I thought the answer was a charismatic experience. That did not produce a lasting sense of nearness to God, however.

I feel Eldredge identified the issue. I live in an age of instant results and I was expecting the same in my spiritual life. Eldredge writes of Christian mystics and the long lasting practices they did resulting in an experiential relationship with God. He gives many practical steps to hide myself in the shelter of God, to have God be my refuge in chaotic times.

I'm on my second reading of the book because this process takes time and repeated effort. But Eldredge provides sample prayers and statements to set myself on the right path. I may have to go through this book time after time to get my inner being to the path Eldredge suggests.

I highly recommend this book to Christians who really want to know about the life of a Christian mystic and how to be on that journey to really experiencing God's presence.

There is a lot in this book to process. I will try to be brief in my critique.

Overall Eldridge uses the term mystic to describe (from what I can tell) all believers and distinguishes them by ordinary and mature with the goal to be a mature mystic. He spends way too much time on the word mystic and making it paramount in this journey, when he really summarizes it as "the regular experience of the one true God as revealed in Jesus Christ," but continues to reference the word as scary or initimidating for readers. This honestly just sounds like he is trying to mystify God, which is unnecessary because God is outside of humanity so we don't need to harp on the word mystic.

Eldridge also writes with a level of arrogance that is very off-putting. He assumes that all his readers are skeptics who lack faith so it's difficult for me personally to relate as someone with the faith gifting. He shares many basic details of Christianity that make it hard to identify his audience, whether it is new believers, or maybe the lukewarm, or those unsure of how to pursue God...

In the middle Eldridge starts to get into the meat of the book sharing prayers and practical ways to experience Jesus. This middle section goes into some very interesting, but maybe not Biblical, practices to apply to life. Readers are called upon to invoke the Blood of Jesus and River of Life among other practices like healing your younger self of trauma through a conversation with another person speaking for Jesus.

Eldridge continues to use this mystic language that I find bothersome and unnecessary (more about the pomp and circumstance than the gospel) like the term 'benevolent detachment' which I just understand to be surrendering to God.

The most beneficial, practical, and sustainable thing mentioned in the book is the practice of morning and evening prayer. Eldridge shares lots of the prayers he specifically prays including long and short versions of morning and evening prayers. I absolutely applaud his understanding of the importance of prayer and lack of it in the believers' life. Now, I wouldn't suggest you verbatim use his exact prayers, but they can be helpful to seek God in different circumstances and when you aren't sure what or how to pray.

The last chapter is the best by far and if you were to only read one chapter please make it the last! There are some truth bombs and real gems of wisdom explained in the most clear manner. The final point is to choose Jesus. Then choose Jesus. Again choose Jesus. Keep choosing Jesus and you will establish Him as your refuge each day.

This was another interesting and insightful read by John Eldredge. In it he discusses our need for instant information as “Disciples of the Internet” and how that has negatively impacted our spirituality. He then explores modern day mysticism as a means of restoring our wonder and awe of the God and to draw closer to him. He offers guidance with prayer, worship and working through trauma as a way for readers to grow spiritually.

In true John Eldredge fashion he holds the reader’s interest by interweaving stories, insights and scripture to help illustrate various topics and enhance understanding. While I enjoyed the book, it is significantly different from John’s earlier writings and offers a deep dive into modern mysticism which can be a little hard to grasp at times.

Special thanks to Nelson Books and Netgalley for a complimentary e-copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

I did enjoy this book. And I think it has a good message. But there are certain view points I disagree with. I also didn’t like a lot of the comparison John was making of Jesus. I get what he was trying to do but I don’t like Jesus should be compared to anything. Jesus is the example we are to look to. Not the examples he was giving. It just felt wrong to me. I also do not like during his prayer at the end, he was using words like “I command” I think we need to be mindful of the words we speak. We cannot command Jesus to do anything. I understand the point of the book and I do still think it has a good message but I do not agree with everything.

I was really excited to read a book about how to Wally get to know Jesus like the mystics and saints.
I went into this book expecting more mystical experiences and stories and tips how to achieve a more mystical experience in my faith. Instead mystic was replaced with amphibian! Um okay.

So let's call mystics amphibians so not to offend those who find the word mystic scary or offensive. I get that, I really do and I understand the explanation for using that word, but it was a buzz kill!

I honestly didn't find anything in this book that I would consider mystical, other than a few stories about Jesus's disciples in the Bible.
Another issue I had was the author quoted the Message version of the Bible throughout the book and as majority of Christians know, the Message is not a reliable version.

Unfortunately I did not connect with this book and I DNF'd it. Not because it was poorly written, it wasn't. This book is very well written and does have some really wonderful and inspiring stories, it just wasn't what I personally was looking for and I would most definitely recommend it to friends. Unfortunately, for me I was just expecting different.

Unfortunately, this one just didn’t work for me. I was really intrigued by the premise of finding deeper intimacy with Jesus and exploring the idea of being an “ordinary mystic,” but I found myself struggling to stay engaged. A lot of the language and topics went over my head, and I had a hard time connecting with the concepts on a personal level.

There’s no doubt that this book will resonate with many readers who are in a different season or mindset. I’m sure John Eldredge’s message will speak deeply to others—it just wasn’t the right fit for me right now.

If you’ve read it, I’d love to hear your thoughts—maybe I’ll pick it back up someday when it clicks better!

This isn’t just a book...it’s an invitation back to the Garden, back to a life where Jesus is not a concept, but a living presence. In Experience Jesus. Really, John Eldredge speaks to the aching soul, the weary heart, the one who feels distant from God but longs for more. Through powerful reflections, ancient practices, and honest prayers, Eldredge shows us how to rediscover the nearness of Jesus in the everyday...how to hear Him, feel Him, walk with Him.

It’s a book that stirs something deep: a hunger for wonder, a craving for connection, a desperate need for refuge. If your faith feels dry, if your heart feels numb, this book is a lifeline. Raw, real, and full of hope...it reminds us we were never meant to live disconnected. Jesus is near. Really.

Experience Jesus. Really. Is truly an eye-opening and thought-provoking radical change to our way of thinking and seeing our life in light of our relationship with our Savior. There is nothing more fundamental or basic than our relationship with Jesus. From that core relationship springs forth our perspective and methods of how we deal with life each and every day. If we have nothing anchoring our soul and connecting it to our Heavenly power source, our life becomes hollow and, we have no way to counter the anxiety and fear we face in our life.

The most effective way to counter act the devastating influence of the world around us is to plug into our. Lord and Savior. Delving deeper into a relationship with Him is the purpose of this book, and it will encourage and uplift your heart and mind. We can walk in victory and hope and love by turning towards Jesus and seeking Him as our shelter and refuge. He is the only one that can heal our troubled minds, remake our hearts, and adjust our perception of what really matters the most in life.

I highly recommend this incredibly uplifting and soul recharging book to anyone and everyone who needs to plug into the true source of life, take a deep breath of fresh air, and learn how to live an empowered and connected life to the Creator of the Universe who loves us beyond human comprehension.

This book was great. I loved the practicality, time for reflection built into the chapters, and the history of the Christian mythic.

This book will help you see your relationship with Father, Son and Holy Spirit in a whole new way. I have always felt like my relationship with the trinity was passive but this book has helped me to see it as an active. The in depth review of Psalm 91 provided the insight and guidance to accelerate my relationship with the trinity and how to combat evil on a daily basis. One line really struck me: “Being safe and feeling safe are not the same thing.” That hit hard. I felt so convicted… and then relieved… and then empowered to take action. The deep dive into Psalm 91 gave me insight I didn’t know I needed. The morning and evening prayers became a lifeline. If you’re walking through a hard season and wondering where God is in it read this. It gave me the boldness to pray like I actually believe He’s near. Because He is.

Fantastic read and perspective to reflect on my daily life and outlook. This book reframed how I think about my approach and look at the world.

An insightful read. It was very interesting to read someone else’s thoughts and opinions on religion and our relationship with God. Feel like it created more questions for me but I think the fact that it was thought provoking was probably the point!

This book offers a fresh and thoughtful look at deepening your relationship with Jesus. John Eldredge writes in a way that’s both honest and encouraging, with practical ideas to help you connect with God in everyday life.

I especially loved the pause pages, they gave me space to slow down and actually sit with what I was reading. One verse that kept echoing in my heart while reading was: “The Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge, my stronghold.” (Psalm 18:2). That kind of steady, unshakable refuge is exactly what this book reminds us to return to.

There was a small formatting glitch on my Kindle, but it worked fine on my computer.

Some parts felt a bit slow or heavy, but overall, it’s a meaningful read that helped me pause and refocus on what really matters spiritually.

Definitely worth picking up if you’re looking for a guide to deepen your faith.

This book was incredibly helpful and encouraging. I am ordering a physical copy to reference daily. We live in a world where our 24x7 access to information has turned us into Disciples of the Internet. (Ooof. But so true.) The author gently speaks truth and shines a light on our hearts, and encourages us to anchor our gaze on Christ and God, calling on the power of the Holy Spirit through prayer. He teaches us how to commune with Jesus through prayer and seeking God. The example prayers sprinkled through out the book helped calm my thoughts and mind.

Outstanding book that I will be gifting to my community and friends. Thank you to #NetGalley, the author and publisher for the opportunity to review an ARC.