A Million Miles in a Thousand Years: What I Learned While Editing My Life (vuoden 2009 painos)

My favorite book from Donald Miller so far, although I am sad there were no sexy carrots in this one. ( )

Miller turns his comedy and wisdom to the theme of living a good story. He has a valuable thesis: in order to make the most of your life, you need direction and purpose and gumption. But I’m not so sure about the way he goes about proving it. The examples he uses from his own life to demonstrate creating a worthy story - cycling across the country, hiking to Machu Picchu, kayaking through the night in Canada, starting a huge mentoring program for boys, writing a book that gets made into a movie - seem to indicate that in order to live a good story, you have to do wild or extraordinary things. That may not be what he meant to say - in fact, I don’t think it is - but he might have been a little more balanced with his examples to avoid sending that unintentional message. (Or, I don’t know, maybe it was intentional.)

This is the kind of book that could cause people to seek what I’ve heard described as a geographical solution to a spiritual problem, to attempt to fill a void by changing their situation rather than their perspective. Sometimes putting yourself way out of your comfort zone can indeed change your perspective...but so can slow, steady, unsexy disciplines.

I did laugh, though. Miller’s a very funny man. ( )

I'm one of the gazillion folks who read Blue Like Jazz years ago and loved it. I loved Searching for God Knows What even more. I've read the others as well, but for whatever reason A Million Miles wasn't an urgent read.

I saw the audiobook at the local library though, so I listened to it on my commute to and from work the last week or so. It starts a bit slow, but once we get into the met of the story - what kind of story am I living in my own life? How am I finding meaning in the way I spend my time? - I was totally hooked. More than once I teared up listening to various bits nearing the end.

I wish I would have read this as soon as it came out. As it is, I've ordered a paperback copy and will go through that - and may re-listen to the audio version again on next week's commute before I have to return this. It's a good message.

It pairs well with [b:Overrated: Are We More in Love with the Idea of Changing the World Than Actually Changing the World|21996226|Overrated Are We More in Love with the Idea of Changing the World Than Actually Changing the World|Eugene Cho|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1405864746s/21996226.jpg|36716994], which is also challenging us into living a life with meaning by serving others. ( )

Donald Miller's memoirs cast a helpful glance at the importance of understanding and learning from one's story and journey in their relationship with Jesus. Great book for someone in there 20's or 30's wondering what it looks like to follow Christ through the twists and turns of life. ( )

I liked Blue like Jazz but I remember very little about it. Best Donald Miller book I read was To Own a Dragon (now called something else). This books format was intriquing in that it has Miller reflecting on editing his life for the Blue like Jazz movie, reflecting on storycraft and its implications for wanting to live a life that is a good story (i.e. meaningful goals, sacrifice, etc.). I found it thought provoking and worthwhile. I listened to this one on audio. ( )