With All Your Heart by A. Craig Troxel Review
I don't review a lot of modern books, mostly because I don't read a lot of them. But at university I'm required to read many books I wouldn't otherwise read. Some I'm very impressed with, others not so much. This one, which I read last year and reread this past week, was truly a joy.
The book and the author
It's 196 pages, 220 with the general and Scripture indexes, a typical paperback with a rough, recycled-feeling paper.
I had trouble finding information on Troxel, so a lot of this comes from the book itself. He was born on August 1, 1949, in Lansdale, Pennsylvania, the son of Jonas and Leona Troxel. He studied at Anderson University, Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary and Westminster Theological Seminary in Pennsylvania. He has pastored several OPC churches, including Bethel OPC in Wheaton, Illinois, and Calvary OPC in Glenside, Pennsylvania, and now teaches practical theology (pastoral theology, Reformed spirituality and worship) at Westminster Seminary California. He's a husband of 36 years and father of four.
What sets it apart
So often with modern books I have to read the introduction multiple times just to understand what the author is saying: vague, yet randomly specific about something that doesn't matter much, with big words that don't really mean anything. Troxel isn't like that. In the introduction it was immediately clear he knew what he was talking about and where he was going, and that it was true and it mattered.
He's extremely well read. There are dozens and dozens of quotations, all in the footnotes (no bibliography, which I always like, but so many references). He quotes the usual theologians, but also Lewis's Chronicles of Narnia, Tolkien's Lord of the Rings, even secular songs, and uses them for God's glory. And he constantly quotes J. C. Ryle, my favorite theologian, in a positive light, so my respect for the book went up immediately!
Remember the advice in Kelly Kapic's little book: begin with the index and see how a theology book engages with Scripture. Troxel's Scripture index has ten pages of Old Testament references and another eight of New Testament.
What's in it
Troxel's definition: the heart is the governing center of a person. Scripture presents it as a unity, but also as a "trinity" of functions: the mind (what we know), the desires (what we love), and the will (what we choose).
- Part 1, The Mind of Your Heart: knowing the sins of your heart's mind; the prophet of your heart's mind.
- Part 2, The Desires of Your Heart: the iniquities of your heart's desires (perverted love); the priest of your heart's desires (purified love).
- Part 3, The Will of Your Heart: the transgressions of your heart's will (rebellious choices); the king of your heart's will (obedient choices).
- Part 4, The Keeping of Your Heart: preserve and protect; the gatekeepers of your heart (eyes and ears); the ambassador of your heart (the mouth); the keeper of your heart.
Each chapter is 10 to 15 pages, readable in a sitting.
Are there better books on this topic?
No. It's a very specific topic: that our thinking, our desires, our will, our intellect and emotions all stem from the heart. If there's another book on it, I'm not aware of it.
Would I buy it?
Absolutely. It's truly thought-provoking. The way it's written made me want to meet the author and spend time learning from him.
A few things I marked
Troxel has a way with words, with short, witty, quotable lines that play on sounds and rhymes:
- "The heart that reasons is a heart that listens to reason" (p. 32).
- "A deviant heart is a devious heart" (p. 93).
- "Godliness outshines goddiness" (p. 175).
- The more we resist sin, the better we get to know it (p. 40).
- Self-consciousness of sin never ends; true spirituality lives in repentance (p. 118).
- Like driving, the Christian life demands both restraint and direction (p. 147).
- The heart is like a musical instrument that quickly falls out of tune (p. 156). As a musician I can tell you instruments fall out of tune very quickly. The temperature, the airflow, anything can do it. We need the Spirit and Christ to keep us in tune.
And some longer passages:
- On movies (p. 171). Keeping the heart may be as simple as not watching certain movies. Troxel grants that prohibiting movies outright is legalism, and that we must respect each other's convictions without judging (Romans 14:3). But we are all equally required to guard our hearts from what corrupts us. I've been accused of legalism over this. Reject what corrupts and guard yourself.
- On discipline (p. 148). Discipline of the will doesn't come naturally. It comes through regular training in the means of grace: Scripture, prayer, public worship, the sacraments, preaching and fellowship. Without them, our discipline gets easily fatigued.
- On Christ's kingship (p. 135). Maybe my favorite section. The early church's confession "Christ is Lord" recognized His full divinity and rightful place as King. His death was the first triumph of His kingdom, vindicated in His resurrection and ascension. He presides over His church not as a distant commander, but draws near and rules and defends the hearts of His people by His Word and Spirit. Amen. It amazes me how many deny that Christ is reigning now. A few weeks ago someone was asked whether Christ is reigning now and shook his head no. Yes, of course He is!
- On desire (p. 89). The chief problem with desire isn't its object, but where it's conceived (James 1:14–15). We blame the world, but the world is simply tapping into what's already in our hearts.
- On renewal (p. 57). Like an instrument that needs retuning or a child who needs reminding, our attitudes and goals need constant recalibrating.
And the book closes by reminding us that Christ is able to keep our hearts to the end, because we belong to Him who alone is Lord of our heart. To that I say amen.
Soli Deo Gloria!
Buy With All Your Heart: Orienting Your Mind, Desires, and Will toward Christ by A. Craig Troxel →
