The Road We Must Travel - A Personal Guide for Your Journey is composed of eighteen chapters covering topics such as "The Need for Honest Self-Assessment," Reading the Bible Spiritually" and "The Art of Managing Conflict." The authors of this book are well known and respected pastors and authors such as Francis Chan, Bill Hybels and Eugene Peterson.
The short chapters in this book make it an easy read. However, they are packed with years of experience and counsel. One of the chapters I especially appreciated was The Art of Managing Conflict, by Gordon Macdonald. He explains that managing conflict is a five-step process.\
1. Accept that conflict - the collision of two or more perspectives is a necessary ingredient of any human relationship.
2. Recognize that each of us brings "Baggage" from past experiences into present dealings.
3. Remember that conflict need not be - should not be - about winning or losing.
4. Decide to limit any kind of disagreement to the issue.
5. Reach the terminal point in a conflict where adult versions of "sorrys" are said and solutions found.
As someone who dislikes conflict and would like to avoid it at all costs, I have learned that it is necessary in almost every relationship. However, these five steps have given me confidence that I can deal with conflict in healthy ways and even strengthen already existing relationships.
This book would be great for someone just graduating and starting out in their adult lives. It also would be great reading for anyone in any stage of life. I have enjoyed reading it and will probably read some of my favorite chapters again.
This book was provided to me in exchange for a fair, honest review. I am not obligated to give it a positive review.
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