“How desperate will your situation become before you realize your dependance?”

I had just finished reading a book about not relying on formulas for faith (Searching for God Knows What by Donald Miller), then someone gifted me with a book that centered around just that—a formula. Due to my previous reading, I approahced Kyle Idleman’s AHA with a little skepticism. However, his was not a formula meant to be followed, but rather an observation of patterns that were meaningful. According to Idle, three elements are necessary for radical change in our lives:

Awakening

Honesty

Action

Using the Prodigal Son as his main reference, Idleman outlines how radical changes in our lives are possible when we realize, accept, and act on what needs to change. In Idleman’s vocabulary, aha is a word, meaning “a sudden recognition that leads to an honest moment that brings lasting change.” Perhaps the most helpful aspect of his book is taken from his interactions as a teacher and listener. He gives numerous examples of people today who have shared their AHA moments, as well as from scripture.

Sprinkled throughout are short anecdotes and examples of moments that may catch your eye, relating you to a situation you may be in—cooking the books for a boss, plagiarizing a paper, losing your temper, showing disrespect to a spouse, viewing pornography, dating someone who discourages your faith.

One flaw of the book is that although it speaks of the importance of our actions, it does not include much about the work of God’s grace in our hearts.

Another weakness may be that his Bible-derived formula does not work in every situation. Sometimes, change happens at a slow rate, over time. Nonetheless, AHA can serve as an insightful call for Christians to wake up to the change that needs to take place in their lives, a good book worth reading for a small group or for an individual.