Fresh Air: Trading Stale Spiritual Obligation for a Life-Altering, Energizing, Experience-It-Everyday Relationship with God

by Chris Hodges

We've all gone through times in our lives when we feel like we need a fresh breeze to breathe new life into us--in our work, in our marriages, with our kids, in our friendships, and maybe at church. We've all been drawn to people who exude a kind of positive, life-giving spirit. We've also seen the difference between environments that exude a fresh air-like atmosphere and those that don't. But what is it? What is that energy-giving, life-breathing force that draws you, inspires you, and empowers you to be all God made you to be? And how do we get it? How do we put the wind in our sails again, so we can get unstuck, reclaim our compass, and redirect our course? In "Fresh Air," Chris Hodges, founder and senior pastor of Church of the Highlands in Birmingham, Alabama, reveals how breath--the breath of God--is the essence of life as it's meant to be. Fueled by the breath of God, we are not only refreshed in spirit ourselves; we have the power to create a life-giving environment of freedom and joyful purpose around us. Both practical and inspiring, "Fresh Air" offers "breathing lessons" for those who long for a cool breeze to resuscitate their spirit, bring them closer to God, and move them toward becoming the people He made them to be.

Genres: Christian, Nonfiction, Faith, Christianity, Christian Living, Religion, Self Help

240 pages, Hardcover

First published September 4, 2012

About the author

Chris Hodges is the founding and senior pastor of Church of the Highlands. Since it began in 2001, Highlands has grown to have campuses across the state of Alabama, known for its life-giving culture and focus on leading people to an intimate relationship with God.

Pastor Chris has a deep passion for developing leaders and planting life-giving churches. He co-founded ARC (Association of Related Churches) in 2001, which has launched hundreds of churches across the United States. He also founded Grow, specializing in training and resourcing pastors and churches to help them break barriers and reach their growth potential. Chris is also the founder and Chancellor of Highlands College, a ministry training school that trains and launches students into full-time ministry careers.

Chris and his wife Tammy have five children and live in Birmingham, Alabama, where Church of the Highlands began. He speaks at conferences worldwide and is the author of Fresh Air, Four Cups, The Daniel Dilemma, and What’s Next?.

Reviews

[Brian · Rating 1 out of 5]

The premise of pastor Hodges’s book is simple: all Christians go through the doldrums, and the solution is to tap into the power of God via the Holy Spirit to reinvigorate your spiritual life for good. First, what he gets right: many churchgoers find themselves going through the motions and outward conformity to God’s law is not Christianity. Our faith does sometimes feel flimsy and appears unable to address what is going on in our lives. He discusses his own depression and doldrums, and this book is, in part, how he overcame them.

Unfortunately, the answers he found are almost entirely centered on man. According to the author, “the Good News that Jesus brought is about a transformation of the inner person” (14). The focus in the entire book is going inward. Although he writes (and I agree), “Heaven knows, we don’t need another motivational, inspirational, feel-good self-help book” (14) he goes on to tell us to “pursue God,” (15) gives us seven life-giving principles (25), assures us “these principles and applications” work (78), and concludes that “God provides us with these principles from his Word to give us his abundant life” (169). The argument can be boiled down this way: this isn’t about principles but about feeling God’s presence. How do I do that? Following these life-giving principles. When I read a passage like “the best day of your life is today,” (73) and adjust your attitude and look for the positive in every situation (79), it sure sounds like motivational self-help to me.

There is heavy emphasis throughout on our personal experience (with no mention of the atoning work of Christ’s life, death, and resurrection in history) and on the victorious Christian life. According to the book, God provided Jesus as “a continual power source, best friend, trail guide, and direct link to him.” And by defeating death, “Jesus gave us a gift, an ongoing breath of fresh air in our lives” (182). So no prophet, priest, and king here. This is the atonement as a means to victorious Christian living.

What about the doctrine of sin? Does sin pollute our hearts? No, “unresolved issues” do (74). Our baggage and issues weigh us down (132) and not our sinfulness. He tries to force the fresh air analogy onto Adam and Eve: “would they choose the fresh air of relationship with their Creator? Or the performance-only trap of external dead works?” (38) He describes the Fall as “the chain reaction is set off for all mankind” but never says what that is. Of the post-Fall world, he writes, “just like us, they had their issues after making their fateful choice to bite the apple.” He never countenances the basis of our need for an alien righteousness to approach a holy and just God.

What about the Law? “Stop trying to please him and simply love him. Stop doing things out of obligation. Only do the things that enhance your relationship with him, the things that please you because they delight him” (44). At one point, he reduces all of Scripture to that of the Law (“put it into practice. Live it. Do it” (94)) and says that once we cultivate a relationship with God, it is “no big deal to obey his commands” (47). It strikes me that a good subtitle to the book would have been How To Effectively Date Your Creator. He correctly identifies the problem in rote evangelicalism but the solution he offers is more Law wrapped in therapeutic language.

[Jeff Noble · Rating 1 out of 5]

If you're a pastor and you write a book, please don't tell the rest of us that your church is one of the fastest-growing churches in the country. It doesn't mean anything other than revealing that you really wanted to tell us that.

I put the book down after the third chapter became yet another telling us why he was writing the book.

[Lexi · Rating 5 out of 5]

I truly believe that I read this book at the most perfect time. I struggle so much with my faith and most of that stems from not knowing what it’s supposed to look like and constantly wondering if I’m doing it right or wrong. The fear and anxiety of not being the “right” or “good enough Christian” to the point it gives me panic attacks. When I first started this book I was like okay I’m not connecting with this which was really discouraging cause I love PC and highlands is my home church. I was just reading the words almost mindlessly. But then as the book went on things truly started to speak to me and spark. I had been so distant from God lately and this book even prompted me in the middle of it to put it down and just listen to God’s word and worship. It helped literally give me a breathe of fresh air when it felt like I’d been drowning. If you’ve been around highlands you know some of the stories in this book and have heard them. But some spoke volumes and some of it well you’ve probably heard it said about 100 times haha. But because of what this book did in my life is what was so exciting for me. It definitely is a great book to start understanding what a relationship with God looks like.

[Josiah Huffman · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is good for anyone, especially in the ministry, who feels they can get stuck in a rut. It helps you to realize that we need the Holy Spirit and his breath of fresh air to keep us fresh and excited about what he can do. We never have to feel that we reached, our full potential and that God has so much more for us than we even realized. We needed to let him take full control and trust him to help us overcome every obstacle. This book is very encouraging and relatable to many in the Christian walk as well.

[Andy Febrico Bintoro · Rating 4 out of 5]

Basically this book talk about holistic growth, many themes in a single book. But the viewpoint is that we need to break for a moment, then breath, and we would find something different and awesome in our life.

[Jackson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great book, took me 11 months to complete after flying through the first half of it very quickly. To be fair I studied through the whole year and I read this in the breaks. I enjoyed the imagery in the beginning of the ‘Doldrums’ and related to when I first read it. Great book I would recommend to most people.

[James · Rating 3 out of 5]

Have you every experienced seasons of your spiritual life that were . . .not so fresh? Where you are going through the motions of the Christian life but inside you is cesspool of destructive emotions: anxiety, self-doubt, anger, distrust.

Chris Hodges, the senior pastor of Church of the Highlands in Birmingham Alabama has written a book to help bring a ‘breath of fresh air’ into your life. He aims to help us steer a course out of ‘the doldrums’– that lifeless and dull slump where there is no wind in our sails to propel us forward–so we catch the breeze and go to all the exiting places God has in store for us.

How do you beat the doldrums? [SPOILER ALERT: God is Involved]. Hodges wants you to cultivate a relationship with God, and his people, which will help you live an exciting, connected and not-at-all-dull life. He urges us to allow fresh air into all areas of life but especially the following areas:

Live with Eternity in mind: focus on heaven and invest your life in what has lasting significance.
Adjust your attitude by focusing on ‘the positive’ and going to God with all your worries.
Read your Bible with an eye to where it propels your life forward.
Have a prayer life which focuses on building a loving and trusting relationship with God.
Worship God expressively.
Become involved in a supportive community of faith (i.e. church).
Trust God in the areas of our finances.
And develop rhythms of rest (Sabbath) in the midst of your work and vocation.
But Hodges ultimately says making room for ‘fresh air’ is about making room for the wind of the Holy Spirit to blow in our lives. It is the Spirit of God who leads us into all truth, commissions us and empowers us for witness and the exciting life God wants for us.

Hodges says a lot which I think is helpful and I love that he uses relational language to talk about God (and not formulaic techniques). I also appreciate that in the end, his answer to what brings spiritual vitality is not what we do, but the Spirit’s work. This is fundamentally correct and well worth noting. Nevertheless while reading this book I had several problems which give me pause:

Hodges tells people in the ‘doldrums’ to choose to have a better attitude. This is good advice for a lot of people, but not for people who suffer from clinical depression who despite not wanting to be as anxious, self-abasing and down-in-the-dumps as they are, cannot ‘choose’ to focus on the positive without some sort of medical intervention. If this is you, thank God for chemistry and good counseling and please avail yourself to it. There are certain parts of this book, which made me wonder if they would hurt people in a particular mental state.
While Hodges ultimately sees Christian witness as the outflow of life in the Spirit, there is little emphasis through out this book on the mission of God. Honestly, my big advice to people who sit in a smelly room looking bored is find out what God is doing in your neighborhood and community and get involved. If true religion involves care for widows and orphans, find out who they are around you and find ways to love them in risky ways. This might not make you happy, but you won’t be bored. For Hodges, we get involved with God’s Mission when we spend time with him and are changed into the sort of witness who overflows with the love of God. I don’t disagree with him, but I would add that as we take risks to become part of God’s mission in the world, God changes us as we step out. The way is made by walking and I wish this book took a more missional focus.
Lastly I wonder a little bit about the ‘self-help’ tone of this book. No doubt I want a satisfying spiritual life myself, but the focus here seems highly individualistic. Even in his description of community, Hodges talks about how we need supportive people to experience fresh air in your life. I agree, living in community makes me better and I love the wisdom, encouragement and challenge I have received from others. What I also love, but don’t often appreciate is how life and community means I have to die. Other people in the church do not exist to aid my journey of self actualization. They are there for me to love, and sometimes love sacrificially.
With these concerns, I am not so much disagreeing with anything Hodges has said, but wishing for fuller picture of the Fresh Air life he describes. He says good stuff here, but some of it seems too safe for me. I would give this book a 3/5 and certainly believe that it can be read fruitfully and will likely encourage a lot of people. There is a discussion guide available online, making it an appropriate choice for a church small group.


Thank you to Tyndale House Publishers for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for this review.

[Angela Blount · Rating 4 out of 5]

Conversational, but far from fluffy. A pragmatic guide to a more fulfilling life in Christ—not unlike The Purpose Driven Life, but with more relational emphasis.

Full Disclosure: While I don't exactly “know” the author of this book, I feel as though I do. My husband and I attended Church of the Highlands (COTH) in Birmingham for well over 5 years before moving several hours away and having to start over. We began attending when the church was still portable (meeting in a local high school) had right around 1,000 members--watching it bloom into what could now be termed a “mega-church” under the leadership of Chris Hodges. I retain a certain paternal sense in regards to the man, and a deep respect for his responsible financial practices. None the less, I'll attempt to be as objective as possible in my review of Fresh Air.

If any readers have attended COTH services or watched Chris Hodges sermons online, you will quickly find familiarity in this book. Hodges writes with the same approachable, practical manner in which he speaks. At least half of the content is composed of personal stories and well-composed messages he's directly delivered to his congregation at one time or another. His target audience seems to be worn-out, disillusioned Christians and ministry workers alike. While not a theological giant, his consistent insights into the Greek and Hebrew meanings of various words adds a comprehensible depth to his teaching methods.

One of the things this reader appreciates most about Hodges is his perspective on having a personal relationship with God, as opposed to a religious one. At the same time, he sheds light on why obedience can be such a continual stumbling issue.

*“Here's the real secret: you can fulfill the commands of the Bible better by falling in love with God than by trying to obey him. It's not that your obedience isn't significant or relevant; it's simply not the center of the wheel. No, the hub of your life is your relationship with God. Your behavior and obedience radiate like spokes from the center of your life and allow you to roll forward. When you try to make your eternal behavior the hub on which you turn, you get stuck. Forward motion must be fueled by love.”

This is the type of book that is likely to speak to different people at different points in their life—some times on a chapter-by-chapter basis. At this particular season in this reader's life, the section touching on pain that others have caused us was enough to shake me up and realize, 'Oh, I think I let a number of incidents change me for the worse. I need to take a good hard look at that.'

“We usually expect too much from people. Often we judge them based on their actions even as we judge ourselves based on our intentions.”

Ouch. Yeah... **raises hand hesitantly**

The memoir-ish sampling scattered throughout provide a personal touch, while guiding his points in a relateable way. All in all, a good read for established Christians who may be caught in the “doldrums” of life and seeking ways to find a little more wind in their sails.

[Beth Peninger]

Originally I gave this title 2 stars. I am revising my stars to zero.

The reason I am doing so is that since reading this title, several things about my faith journey and expression have changed and I no longer subscribe to evangelical ideologies.
--------------------------------

Eh. I am underwhelmed at best. Hodges makes a loose claim that his book isn't like others that have been read before. I beg to differ. It is pretty much just like every other book just like it. It is from a typical mega church Pastor. That may sound harsh but it's true.
Hodges has some good truths to share with his audience but he does it in such a typical way that I was bored and not really all that enlightened. One review I read said his book was "theologically sound". I'm not sure that is exactly accurate. I think he needs to review his theology on the Sabbath. That chapter was given in the perspective of the typical modern NT church that has decided the OT is outdated or antiquated. That is disappointing.
But the biggest problem I had with the book was I was bored by it. I found it to be so much like others that there wasn't much in it to hold my attention.

[Lindsay · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've read a bunch of spiritual living books in my lifetime. Maybe it's just the season I'm in but I'm so encouraged and inspired by this book to go deeper with the Lord and really pursue a level of relationship with Him that I know is available to me and that the Lord desires me to have with Him! I finished this book feeling uplifted and truly like a breath of fresh air (cliche I know) was just given to me. I highly recommend.

[Scott Stevens · Rating 2 out of 5]

Book reads like Pastor Chris' sermons. Some of the individual stories are good but the flow of the book is choppy and doesn't really make an overall point. Would love to see it tie things back into our dier dependency on Christ instead if things we can manufacture ourselves.

[Harold Cameron · Rating 5 out of 5]

“ We've all gone through times in our lives when we feel like we need a fresh breeze to breathe new life into us—in our work, in our marriages, with our kids, in our friendships, and maybe at church. We've all been drawn to people who exude a kind of positive, life-giving spirit. We’ve also seen the difference between environments that exude a fresh air-like atmosphere and those that don’t. But what is it? What is that energy-giving, life-breathing force that draws you, inspires you, and empowers you to be all God made you to be? And how do we get it? How do we put the wind in our sails again, so we can get unstuck, reclaim our compass, and redirect our course? In Fresh Air, Chris Hodges, founder and senior pastor of Church of the Highlands in Birmingham, Alabama, reveals how breath—the breath of God—is the essence of life as it’s meant to be. Fueled by the breath of God, we are not only refreshed in spirit ourselves; we have the power to create a life-giving environment of freedom and joyful purpose around us. Both practical and inspiring, Fresh Air offers “breathing lessons” for those who long for a cool breeze to resuscitate their spirit, bring them closer to God, and move them toward becoming the people He made them to be.” (From the Tyndale House Website)

About the Author: Chris Hodges is the senior pastor of Church of the Highlands in Birmingham, Alabama. Under his leadership, Church of the Highlands has grown to become one of the largest churches in the nation, offering multiple services each weekend at a variety of sites. Chris has a deep passion for developing leaders and planting life-giving churches. He co-founded the Association of Related Churches (ARC) in 2001, which has planted hundreds of churches all across the US, and he serves on the board of directors of EQUIP, a nonprofit ministry founded by John Maxwell. Chris and his wife, Tammy, have five children. Fresh Air is his first book.

My Thoughts About the Book: From the title of the book if you did not know any better you might think the book was written by an environmentalist about somehow cleaning up the air in our environment. Your first thought might not be that it is a book about a different kind of “fresh air” that is far more important to our lives than our having “fresh air” to breathe. Oh, don’t get me wrong…clean and fresh air to breathe so we can live is vitally important but how much more so is the clean and fresh air/breeze of the Holy Spirit vital to our lives and total well-being. And that is exactly where pastor Chris Hodges takes us with his first book…to God and to the person of the Holy Spirit to learn how we can let God breathe into our lives newness, freshness…a new and better way of life than we could ever imagine.

Pastor Hodge’s book consists of 3 Parts: “Searching for a Breath of Fresh Air,” “Bringing Fresh Air Into Your Life,” and finally “Finding the Source of Breath.” It is in Chapter 1, “The Doldrums,” author Hodges makes his case as to what the problem is…he states the problem for most of us who are Christians is that we have this feeling that “there has to be more.” And the good news of the book is the revelation that there is more…so MUCH more that could be ours if only we would allow God and his Holy Spirit to “breathe fresh air” into our everyday lives.

This book is not another “self help” do a bunch of external stuff and your life will be all better type of book. Rather this book provides wisdom and understanding about how to God who is in us to live his life through us as we surrender to him and his will. It’s not about doing but rather about being…being in fellowship with God and connected with him personally and intimately through the person of the Holy Spirit. In his book Pastor Hodges addresses the issue of our “love life,” that is our love life with our God and His Son. In Chapter 5 titled “Attitude Adjustment” he writes about the fact that we all need a major attitude overhaul focusing on gratitude and being positive in our thinking and living and thus making an impact for Christ in our circles of influence.

In Chapter 7 we learn about prayer and the impact that praying will have in our lives. He has a section in the Chapter titled, “Prayer 101” in which he shares with us how Jesus taught his disciples to pray with “The Lord’s Prayer being an outline for our communication with God.” We tend to complicate prayer and spiritual living when so many times Jesus emphasized it was simple – difficult, challenging, but yet simple and doable by our allowing His Person, His Power, His Spirit to work in us and through us to will and to do of His good pleasure. In Chapter 10 he addresses the difficult issue of money and how we think about and handle our money reflects where we are at spiritually. With a play on words of sort he titled the Chapter, “Money Matters,” and money does matter but so do the matters or issues that impact what we do with our money. He writes, “It’s not wrong to have things; it’s only wrong when things have us.”

In the final 3 Chapters of his book pastor Hodges “hit’s it out of the ballpark” as it is said, pointing us to the source of the fresh air/breath we all so desperately need and want. He writes, “Many of us need to relearn how to slow down and come to a complete soul standstill;” referring to it as a “rest stop” stating that “Real rest comes when our souls are connected to God’s power.” And the source of God’s power is the Holy Spirit. I like what he writes in Chapter 12 regarding the Spirit, “While the Spirit can’t be seen, he can be felt, experienced, and observed in action.” AMEN!

In Chapter 13, “A Friend Like No Other,” Pastor Hodges invites and encourages us to get to know the person of the Holy Spirit – to get intimate with Him and allow Him to get intimate with you and be free to unleash his power and God’s blessing in your life. In the final Chapter of his book, he writes about taking a “Deep Breath” and “not holding anything back” in our relationship with God, but rather, “of going all in.” And he is right. We should hold nothing back. We should go all out and all in for God so that God through the mighty power of his Holy Spirit can work in us and through us to use us and bless for for God’s great glory and our good.

One final thing about the book – and it is something I like. After each chapter there is what Pastor Hodges refers to as “Breathing Lessons” where we get to interact with and respond to what we have just read in the chapter. So, if you are in the spiritual doldrums, and your spiritual get up and go has got up and went, maybe you need some “Fresh Air” breathed into your spiritual lungs to bring you back to life and energize you for the glory of God.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received the book at no cost from the Tyndale House Publishing Company for review purposes. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

[Travis Shearin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Such a great book by Pastor Hodges! This is not my first book and encounter with Pastor Hodges and both times I have read one of his books I have been challenged, convicted, and encouraged with his words. He does such a great job of conveying his points in a loving and tactful way! This book is a very good reminder of how we can be a breath of fresh air to a world that is desperately in need of a breath of air. We can be a difference and make a difference in someone's life just the way that we love and serve one another. I would highly encourage this book to anyone that may be struggling with burn out or not being able to feel peace in this world. This book would be a great reminder to you about how to help with those things and point you back to God!

[Esther · Rating 4 out of 5]

My son gave me this book a few years ago and it sat on my bookshelf. I am sorry I waited so long!

I grew up in a more conservative church where the Holy Spirit wasn't discussed much. Over the years I have developed my understanding of the Holy Spirit's role in my life. This book helps me put some of those thoughts into words.

I was also doing a ladies' Bible study about Christian disciplines while I was reading this and they almost matched chapter by chapter. It was a great reinforcement for what I was studying at the time.

[Divya Pawar · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think I’ve been picking up and dropping this book since 2018 and was truly determined to finish it this year. It’s marvellous how god uses books and their message exactly when I need them. I found a lot of my experiences highlighted in these chapters and encouragement to chase spiritual refreshment and direction that really does bring the wind back into my sails. Lots of highlights, lots of pointing back to the work of the Holy Spirit.

[Joe Oaster · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this at a point in my life where I needed some fresh air injected. I was really encouraged by Pastor Chris in this book. Allowed me each morning as I read a chapter to just slow down and take life in. If you need a breath of fresh air in your spiritual walk, take some time and read this book.

[Deb · Rating 2 out of 5]

He made some good points and I agree with some of it. It’s definitely about our relationship with God rather than working but in the end there really isn’t anything said to fix your “doldrums” that I haven’t heard or read before. I don’t feel any closer to knowing how to make my relationship with God any better after listening to this book.

[Ryan Brink · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 stars for the last couple of chapters. I found the first bulk of the book good, but generally a bit repetitive and not all that impactful for me personally, but the last couple of chapters was an extremely refreshing reminder of the Holy Spirit's role in our lives. Really recommend this one.

[Leanne Storey · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found this book to be exactly as advertised "a breath of fresh air". Fresh perspective on the topics of enjoying prayer and attitude adjustment, just to name a couple, were extremely helpful. A reference book I will find myself reading over again to remind myself of my priorities.

[Lott · Rating 5 out of 5]

one of the best, most inspirational books I've ever read.

[Hannah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really enjoyed this. Very practical!

[Jessica Lynn · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have had the pleasure of seeing Pastor Chris Hodges, senior pastor of the Church of the Highlands, preach a few times when he visited my church. I like his style and his easy to understand messages, so I bought Fresh Air the last time he preached at my church.

Any Christian understands the concept of seasons. Sometimes you experience a season of prosperity and sometimes you experience a season of hardship. Sometimes you experience a season of prosperity in one area of your life, but a season of hardship in another area simultaneously. In the book, Fresh Air, Pastor Chris Hodges, addresses several areas where you might experience what he refers to as the “doldrums,” or times of struggle or stagnation. He then goes on to provide practical steps to take to bring “fresh air” into that area of your life.

Pastor Hodges offers a free online study guide through his website, which I would encourage you to download if you read this book. I found the guided questions (there were about 2-3 for each chapter) to be thought provoking and good for reflection. Overall, I found the book to be encouraging and I came away with some new insights and tools to use in my own spiritual life.

2016 Reading Challenge: A self-improvement book

[Pathway Midland · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sometimes we just need a breath of fresh air. Life can get you down, and you may find yourself stuck in the doldrums. Fresh Air by Chris Hodges is the perfect book to get you back on track. Every chapter includes a Breathing Lesson that sums up what you just read and calls you to action. This book will energize your faith and renew your relationship with the Lord. The cover says "trading stale spiritual obligation for a life-altering, experience-it-everyday relationship with God" and that is honestly the best way to sum up this book. Even though this is the first book Hodges has ever written, it is very well written and is honestly one of the best books I've ever read. This isn't a self help book that gives you a list of steps and preaches that if you don't follow the steps, you will fail. Instead, he encourages you and breathes fresh air into your walk with Christ. The title is very appropriate for this book, and even though I didn't think I had a stale spiritual life, I realized many ways in which I can improve in my relationship with the Lord. This book can be a breath of fresh air to any reader, especially to anyone who finds themselves in the doldrums.

[Elizabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found Fresh Air to be a good read. Chris Hodges is a talented writer who is able to take some pretty hard to understand concepts, such as the Holy Spirit, and explain them in an easy to comprehend manner. His teachings are thought provoking and make you really analyze where you stand in your Christian walk with the Lord. When I read this book, I could only read a few chapters at time because I wanted to really digest what it was I was reading. I found this book to be very enlightening and if you let it, a book like this can really help improve your relationship with God. Now that I have read this book, I wonder what his sermons are like and I hope that he continues to write more books. This book is a must-read for anyone that is tired of the mundane Christian life. Fresh Air is a great book for those who are looking to live a Spirit-Filled Life to its fullest. I recommend this book for all Christians,especially those who are looking for more in their Christian walk.

[Lyndi · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think I have read too many self help books this summer and this one and the last are starting to blur together. While both are good and give some tips on how to be not just a better person, but the person God wants and chooses you to be. I found it rather like the Confident Faith book, and would have loved the two authors to just write one book together and save me from reading too separate books. But that is me being lazy and not wanting to fix my issues! Let's face it, we all, as Christians go through dry spells where we just go through the motions and just read the Bible or whatever just to say we did it and got it done. This book gives you hints on how to get out of the desert and get back into the personal relationship that God wishes to have with you. He is always there and wanting that, YOU are the one who has to do the work though to get yourself out of that slump.

[Dwayne · Rating 4 out of 5]

The target audience of this book is very obvious based on the title. I like the simplicity of this book and how can someone able to easily relates himself/herself to its pages. The book speaks to me chapter-by-chapter in a very personal level.

I like how Hodges putting emphasis on personal relationship with God.Also his perspective about that parable of the sower. Environment(soil) plays a bigger role in growth (personal and spiritual).

“We usually expect too much from people. Often we judge them based on their actions even as we judge ourselves based on our intentions.”

I like this part! hahahahhaha no explanation needed.


Overall, this book guides us how to get out of the duldrums and breathe fresh air all over again. I like how this book ends and empowers you to strengthen your Faith.

[Che Cowan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Started a little slow but Pastor Chris Hodges does a great job of looking at spiritual disciplines from a relational and refreshing point of view. The focus is not so much on the discipline or even the growth as many people do. The focus is on the relationship with God and how to make those disciplines simple and effective therefore giving your spiritual walk a breath of "fresh air"

Also loved how he focused on the person of the Holy Spirit in the last few chapters, a subject so many modern, mega-church pastors seem to avoid.

Overall, a great book especially for people looking for a freshness to their relationship with God or an understanding of spiritual disciplines and how they weren't meant to be burdensome but fresh, alive and powerful.

[ArrowBreaker · Rating 5 out of 5]

I got this book as a gift at C3 America's conference. If you know me, you know the way to my heart is with a good book and wow! This is a good book!

Hodges talks about his experience of going through the 'doldrums' of life. His stories and feelings were EXACTLY what I have been experiencing in my life for the past few years.

You want something more. You're bored. Depressed. Lethargic with your relationship with God, but you don't know what to do or how to communicate this to someone else who seems to be having the time of their life.

I'm already looking forward to going through this book and rereading it. This book is literally a breath of fresh air in my walk with God and I am thankful for it!

[Amanda Friedman · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this book! Pastor Chris explains how to "get out of the doldrums" and bring fresh air into your life. He succeeds in explaining habits and lifestyle choices you can make to brighter up your life. One of the best things about this book is his innerweaving of Scripture. Time and time again, he backs up his advice with Bible verses. This impressed me because it shows he is not making it up. This book is invaluable, and I absolutely recommend it. Although I must admit I am biased because I attend his leadership college. But it is a good thing for a student to approve of their leader's work!

[Katie Axelson · Rating 4 out of 5]

In his new book Fresh Air, Chris Hodges writes to Christians who are stuck in the doldrums of life, the area of perpetual stagnance. Through practical tips and an in-depth look at some basic elements of Christian life and some deeper ones too, Hodges coaches readers with “breathing exercises” at the end of each chapter. Full review: http://www.katieaxelson.com/book-revi...

(I received a complementary copy of Fresh Air for the purpose of online reviews. All opinions are entirely my own.)