JESUS + SELTZER

Life coach Umidi offers a Christian perspective on staying sober in this debut motivational work.

Sobriety happens one day at a time…sometimes even one minute at a time. That’s the philosophy behind the author’s collection of Christian anecdotes, meditations, and inspirational pick-me-ups, each of which takes only a minute to read. “Free from the compulsion to drink and use has allowed me to approach the God of my understanding with gratitude and humility,” writes Umidi, a recovering addict, in his preface. “With no regrets or fear of the future, I’ve settled in for the here and now. To be present in the moment has allowed me to benefit from all the gifts of my sobriety.” The text is divided into ninety brief paragraphs, each preceded by an inspirational quote from figures including Rumi, Victor Hugo, Mother Teresa, and in a few cases, the author himself. (Whether Umidi can credibly claim credit for coining the phrase “Show up and do the work” is open for debate.) The paragraphs generally expand on the themes of the accompanying quote. The paragraphs incorporate relevant quotes from the Bible, such as a passage from John 10:10 supporting the idea of working to access one’s authentic self: “I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.” The book is meant for Christian readers, and the author comes across as sincere in his calls to look to God and scripture for strength in maintaining sobriety. However, Umidi’s writing is platitudinous and vague; the entries originally appeared on the author’s blog, and they have the dashed-off, thematically incoherent quality of diary entries. Their brevity works against them, as the author is unable to dig deeply into any one idea. Sober Christians may see themselves in these micro-essays, but given how much other thoughtful writing exists on this subject, this work feels underbaked.

A sincere but unimpressive collection of Christian affirmations for sober readers.