In His Image: 10 Ways God Calls Us to Reflect His Character

This is the best book I’ve read in a long time. The goal of the book is to know God and allow him to make us more like Him. Wilkin gently but firmly guides the reader to know more about Gods character and challenges us to desire to reflect that character. Very practical. The application side of the book is fabulous. Wilkin has such a great way of saying it like it is but in a loving way. EVERYTHING is backed by scripture. This is not fluff. It is deep and meaty. I read it slowly so I could chew on every nugget of wisdom. My understanding of who God is has increased tremendously after reading this book. My bible reading has also gotten better with this increased understanding of who God is. Great book. I received a digital copy of this book from netgalley and he publisher in exchange for my honest review. It was so good I bought a copy!

Jen Wilkin has DONE IT AGAIN. This book and its partner were instrumental in getting me through a divorce from a dangerous and toxic relationship. They helped reorient me to the ways I was playing God and the ways I CAN be growing in Christlikeness and then the ways that I am to submit in worship to the Lord for HIS amazing qualities that aren't supposed to be mine. So great. Spoken right to the heart of today's woman (person!) - grace-filled, biblical and honest - wonderful just like Jen's teaching! Honestly, I think that if more books were required like this at seminary, we may start turning out more empathetic men who want to love well and teach practically to the hearts of God's people - instead of blanketing a bunch of seminary speak - *dismounting from my high horse*.

“Every word of God is true and good, but not only that, none of them ever grow stale. The practice of asking God for a “fresh word,” a new truth personalized for us, has grown more and more popular. I don’t think any of us would argue that we have adored and adhered to the ancient words thoroughly enough that a request for new ones could be credible. Faced with uncertainty or difficulty, or just spiritual malaise, my perception is that it would feel better if the words were meant strictly for me and my circumstance. But it is not new truths we need; we need old truths recently forgotten. It is not personal truths we need, but rather shared truth preserved and passed down from one believing generation to the next, personalized to us in our current day. That shared truth is available within the pages of God’s Word to me and to all who believe.” Super thankful for this follow up book, and it stands alone as well, and for the right theology that it calls us to believe about God and ourselves.

I am half-way through this book. Had not read the other one before, but that is not affecting my reading. The only thing that I feels it lacks is the applications for reflecting God’s characters. It just talks about “being good, being holy” and it doesn’t go into what this looks like. The Love chapter was meatier talking about agape love. Very happy overall, and will read more books by her!

I love how Jen Wilkin helped us see which 10 characteristics we are like God. It made me purchase her other book, "None Like Him" to see which 10 characteristics that we cannot be like God (which ways we rival Him). Both books were a very welcome addition to my daily quiet time.

Wish I could give a synopsis of this book to do it justice. I can't and no one in my 8 member bible study could. You're left astounded by God in the best way. Called to be better, motivated to move. I like a study that can be done in a night if I'm having a rough week and could take all week if I have the time to delve in and this was just that. Spot on book for my second of her reads.

This book is amazing! As a new christian I love this book because it's so well written, and easy to understand and fallow along with, anyone can read this and understand it. I also love that it's not just a light read though, it challenges you to think about the bible and study along with it. It's also great for those who have been christian for a long time, my mom has been a christian for years and she really enjoyed this book as well. I've been reading a lot of christian books and I have to say this would be the first one I would recommend to anyone. Also it's not just written for women, if a guy can get past the girly cover he'll be able to get just as much out of this book as anyone else.

I ordered a book. But I got a pamphlet. What is this? It is a sample chapter. Not at all what the description says.

This is an excellent book for those who have struggled to figure out God's will. It's approachable. Biblically sound. And thoughtful with great questions to help the reader go deeper at the end of the chapters. I've already recommended it to several people who have also been challenged by it -- in a good way!

This book is SO poorly written. It seems as though it was not edited as well (run on sentences, awkward sentences, etc). The subjects are very superficial. I was extemely disappointed with the lack of depth or insight. She wanders from attribute to attribute and doesn't seem to be able to just speak on the one at hand. I will not be purchasing any of her study materials.

This is the best book I’ve read in a long time. The goal of the book is to know God and allow him to make us more like Him. Wilkin gently but firmly guides the reader to know more about Gods character and challenges us to desire to reflect that character. Very practical. The application side of the book is fabulous. Wilkin has such a great way of saying it like it is but in a loving way. EVERYTHING is backed by scripture. This is not fluff. It is deep and meaty. I read it slowly so I could chew on every nugget of wisdom. My understanding of who God is has increased tremendously after reading this book. My bible reading has also gotten better with this increased understanding of who God is. Great book. I received a digital copy of this book from netgalley and he publisher in exchange for my honest review. It was so good I bought a copy!

Jen Wilkin has DONE IT AGAIN. This book and its partner were instrumental in getting me through a divorce from a dangerous and toxic relationship. They helped reorient me to the ways I was playing God and the ways I CAN be growing in Christlikeness and then the ways that I am to submit in worship to the Lord for HIS amazing qualities that aren't supposed to be mine. So great. Spoken right to the heart of today's woman (person!) - grace-filled, biblical and honest - wonderful just like Jen's teaching! Honestly, I think that if more books were required like this at seminary, we may start turning out more empathetic men who want to love well and teach practically to the hearts of God's people - instead of blanketing a bunch of seminary speak - *dismounting from my high horse*.

“Every word of God is true and good, but not only that, none of them ever grow stale. The practice of asking God for a “fresh word,” a new truth personalized for us, has grown more and more popular. I don’t think any of us would argue that we have adored and adhered to the ancient words thoroughly enough that a request for new ones could be credible. Faced with uncertainty or difficulty, or just spiritual malaise, my perception is that it would feel better if the words were meant strictly for me and my circumstance. But it is not new truths we need; we need old truths recently forgotten. It is not personal truths we need, but rather shared truth preserved and passed down from one believing generation to the next, personalized to us in our current day. That shared truth is available within the pages of God’s Word to me and to all who believe.” Super thankful for this follow up book, and it stands alone as well, and for the right theology that it calls us to believe about God and ourselves.

I am half-way through this book. Had not read the other one before, but that is not affecting my reading. The only thing that I feels it lacks is the applications for reflecting God’s characters. It just talks about “being good, being holy” and it doesn’t go into what this looks like. The Love chapter was meatier talking about agape love. Very happy overall, and will read more books by her!

I love how Jen Wilkin helped us see which 10 characteristics we are like God. It made me purchase her other book, "None Like Him" to see which 10 characteristics that we cannot be like God (which ways we rival Him). Both books were a very welcome addition to my daily quiet time.

Wish I could give a synopsis of this book to do it justice. I can't and no one in my 8 member bible study could. You're left astounded by God in the best way. Called to be better, motivated to move. I like a study that can be done in a night if I'm having a rough week and could take all week if I have the time to delve in and this was just that. Spot on book for my second of her reads.

This book is amazing! As a new christian I love this book because it's so well written, and easy to understand and fallow along with, anyone can read this and understand it. I also love that it's not just a light read though, it challenges you to think about the bible and study along with it. It's also great for those who have been christian for a long time, my mom has been a christian for years and she really enjoyed this book as well. I've been reading a lot of christian books and I have to say this would be the first one I would recommend to anyone. Also it's not just written for women, if a guy can get past the girly cover he'll be able to get just as much out of this book as anyone else.

I ordered a book. But I got a pamphlet. What is this? It is a sample chapter. Not at all what the description says.

This is an excellent book for those who have struggled to figure out God's will. It's approachable. Biblically sound. And thoughtful with great questions to help the reader go deeper at the end of the chapters. I've already recommended it to several people who have also been challenged by it -- in a good way!

This book is SO poorly written. It seems as though it was not edited as well (run on sentences, awkward sentences, etc). The subjects are very superficial. I was extemely disappointed with the lack of depth or insight. She wanders from attribute to attribute and doesn't seem to be able to just speak on the one at hand. I will not be purchasing any of her study materials.

I have really enjoyed this study book as a self-study Bible study format this winter. Her chapters and personal illustrations are well-written to help me remember the character for each chapter. I ended up reading and enjoying the entire chapter of most of her references at the end of the chapters instead of just the few verses noted in the reference, except for the long chapters in Psalms. I first found out about Jen Wilkin when she was one of the speakers of an all-day on-line Women’s Conference last year. I have recommended some of her books to other women, including this one.

When I read the first chapter, I was already hooked. I absolutely loved the scripture, stories, and quotes she gave throughout the entire book, as well as the reflection questions she includes at the end of each chapter, which really made me think. I loved it so much, I told every single person I knew about it and even bought one for a friend. The chapters are on the shorter side, which makes it perfect to do a chapter a day for devotional time! Highly highly recommend reading this book!!!

This was an excellent book on what holy means when God says "Be holy as I am holy." Jen Wilkin has a way of saying what you already know that makes it new. She gives insights into the holiness of God for us to be like. Our study group had interesting discussions on each chapter and the questions at the end. Wilkin speaks truth into our daily lives.

Excellent book! Her writing style is clear and interesting. The main idea is that God‘s will for our life is that we grow to be more like Jesus. Studying these 10 characteristics, you grow in your understanding of God and how you can apply these to your own life. At the end of each chapter there are Scriptures to look up, four good application questions and a place to respond in prayer. Great for personal or group study.

I have yet to read anything I don't like from Jen Wilkin. Her ability to extract truth from Scripture and bring obscure passages to life is excellent. What a challenge in this day and age (currently living through COVID-19) to ask "Who should I be?" instead of "What should I do?" What a privilege to live as image-bearers of our God. To think that He imparts and shares of Himself with us.

Fantastic, clear, and accurate. It is so practical and so far the best answers I’ve seen to ‘what is God’s will for my life’...you won’t find it if you aren’t in the Bible 🤷🏽♀️ She’s logical, succinct, and direct. The anecdotes don’t go on too long and she explains the my favorite way - idea and the supporting detail (scripture)!

Last summer, a small group of 10 ladies read and discussed this book weekly. The content was so orderly presented making the topic very easy to follow. Jen has the gift of communicating in such a way that you feel you are right there talking to her. Our group read and discussed this book after her previous book, None Like Him, which added so much to the value of that book. Keep up the good work, Jen! P.S. I love Cheetos, too!!

my friends and I are really enjoying reading and discussing this book - the author is relate able and makes the content easy to comprehend and enjoy. It's been the highlight of my week to discuss our thoughts together. I highly recommend this book.

I am half way through and can’t get enough of this book. Jen Wilkins takes the attributes of God and helps you understand who God is more clearly and how we can better glorify Him by eximplifying these attributes in our lives. I want to go through this book with my teens. It is wonderful.

If you’re not familiar with Wilkin’s previous study, None Like Him, she goes through each of the character traits of God for an expository devotional, and her encouragements to journal and apply are great! In her other book, she covers the nature of God that set Him apart. In this book, she sheds light on each facet of God’s nature that we’re to imitate.

This book really goes to the basics of the communicable attributes of God. It just wasn't what I was expecting, and would be better for someone new to those concepts. I have gone over them many times in classes and workshops so I just didn't feel like I could get much more out of it, but again, great for a new Christian.

If you want to find out more about the Lord and the potential He sees in you and gives to you...this is the book for you! Jen is an amazing Bible teacher (one of the best, in my opinion) and searches so deep in Scripture for truth to write about! She is one of those rare diamonds in the rough. Please read this!!!

Wilkin is such a blessing in the field of women authors. Full of substance and not fluff. Point us back to the Word and not feelings or self esteem.

It was excellent and I'm going to read it again. She presented a different perspective on how to look at making the right choices in life.

Jen leads her readers on a guided tour of 10 characteristics of God and what it looks like to become like Him as we strive to reflect His image. I was left amazed at the God who made me, convicted of how I fall short of His glory, and in awe of His grace as He continues to sanctify me from one degree of glory to the next.

This is an excellent book that steps on your toes and makes you think. She is a well known author who uses God's guidance. We used this as our Sunday School book and enjoyed finding out we are not alone in how we think and feel about God, friends, and family. But she points out how we should feel about each,

Great book! Each chapter spirals down into my heart deeper and deeper. The Holy Spirit is powerful in this book if you let him. Those with ears to hear and eyes to see....

I always enjoy reading books by Jen Wilken. Her insights on the bible really make me think and ask questions to learn more about the bible.

This is my favorite book of Jen’s. I’m not even finished with it yet and I wanted to hop on here to share how great it is! Pretty sure I’ve cried in every chapter. Very convicting and helpful for my walk. To Jen- I thank God for placing people like you into my life to help draw me near to Him. Thank you for your devotion to Christ and sharing your heart with the world!

Buy every book that you can by Jen Wilkin. She is a much needed voice for Bible Literacy. Don't judge a book by it's cover (or in one case, title) these aren't just for women.

Amazing book written to teach us who God tells us that we should be as His people. A wonderful help in keeping our eyes focused on who we should be instead of getting caught in what we should do.

This book is such a great book and i love how it tells us the characteristics of God. We used it as a Bible study for my women's group at church! I love it

Simple yet profound, this book is clearly organized and utterly inspiring. It is a call to holiness in its purest form: imitation of the Holy One.

This book was amazing!!! She is a great writer. You can follow along with the plan on the bible app! I highly recommend this book!

If there's one thing I love about Jen Wilkin, it's her ability to take big, deep, theological truths and translate them in a concise, understandable, and applicable way... all without sacrificing the beauty of her writing style. Love, love, love this book. This, as well as None Like Him, should take a place on every shelf!

Love Jen Wilkin and this book! She gets right to the point and learning more about God’s character is life changing. I’ve recommended it to my friends and to women at church and they’ve all loved it too.

It has been hard for me to get into this book. I’m not sure why. But she has some important ideas.

When I first started reading this book, I loved it. The author was so on point! I totally related to everything she was saying. I still need to get started reading this book again. I really need the inspiration and direction.

Good solid book on the image of God. Wasn’t super challenged but appreciated her biblical perspectives

One of my favorite books! Anyone looking to learn more about who God is would love this book.

Jen Wilkin has quickly made my favorite author list. I plan to read all of her books. They are extremely insightful and challenging but very relatable and enjoyable!

Bought as a gift an the recipient just loves it and has enjoyed it very much

Excellent book simply but richly focused on God’s character and how it should be reflected in the believer’s lives. The examples really help bring home the points!

Loved it planning on reading it again and again

Great uplifting book! The author keeps it real and makes for a refreshing study.

Excellent perspective on our understanding of our Lord

Great book recommendation to read

Granddaughter loved this book.

I enjoyed the book immensely! Stated the topic and got deep and to the point. I like that there wasn't much "fillibuster". I recommend for other book club reads.

I very much enjoyed the thought provoking and scripture guided focus on who we are called to be. Our Sunday morning small group did this and we enjoyed a lot of thoughtful sharing about the questions at the end of the chapters.

Love this book for the deep thinking the author has us do getting to know God and us in Jesus'image better.

Excellent in all ways

Goes well with “None like Him”

A life changing study. Read Tozer’s “Knowledge of the Holy” as a primer. Easy to read but overflowing with wisdom.

Good book, well written, right length, good questions for thought. I am definitely taking away a changed perspective and renewed focus on God and who he made me to be.

A biblical approach to the attributes of the God of the bible and how we in Christ are transformed and conformed to his image to reflect his love and be his image bearers.

Love Jen Wilkin and all of her books. Great, solid theology that is very to the point.

Great bible study book

My wife loves it

Enjoying the book! Surprised that it was branded for women (flowers on the cover) - the teaching is totally gender neutral. Wish it could reach a wider readership. Thanks for your detailed theological work to prepare this, Jen!

Just started reading this book & love it already came in brand spankin new & right on time too!! Great size too! I love it so far

We are using this book for a small group, women's Bible study. So far, we have had great discussions.

This is an excellent book explaining some of God's attributes. Easy to read, but powerful in its message

Arrived in not good condition - bent, scraped, and outer cover binding taped to hold together. Appears like a dog got a hold if it... should have been reduced price.

Beautifully written book that will deepen your faith.

Great book! I love her writing style. Very easy to read and ver impacting. I would recommend any of her books!

Excellent book -- challenged me to think in a different way about my relationship with God

Great book.

This book, like all of her books, has been great!

Jen Wilkins is a God send, and I mean that in its true and original sense. Christians seeking deeper roots should include her among their teachers and mentors

This is a wonderful read!

I really enjoyed this book. Especially the perspective on Jesus response to the Pharisees’ question regarding tax. Lots of truth and very insightful. But most of all pointing us to Christ and being more like Him!

My wife and daughter love the book..

J Wilkins writes a good book. Will buy more of her topics.

Enjoying this book with much delight. Well written and direct hearts to the Sovereign God. If you've read any of Jen's other books, you will not be disappointed.

Given to my daughter as a gift. Hope she's enjoying it.

Very encouraging book with reflections at the end of each chapter

Love this book! Wonderful for a personal or group Bible study!

Still reading it

Excellent Book.

Amazing read! Really love this

So so so edifying! A great read. Truly so precious to read how we mirror God and the image he created us in.

Great book. Love the examples and its very easy to follow along and understand

Great book!

This will help you grow in your understanding of who God is! A must read!

Jen Wilkin has a way of teaching without being preachy using every day images to support Biblical truth! Take time to read ALL her books (even Women of the Word, if you’re a man)!

I can trust Jen to teach the truth. She is a genuine studier of God’s word and it shows.

Packed full of truths you would want to memorize about life with God,

It’s a really good read. We did a series on this in church recently.

Our Women's Bible Study group is doing this study for the summer. Wondering what God's will for your life is? This book is a great place to start.

A little repetitive but purchased the book on Kindle for a church book club.

Great condition, great book!

The book was in good shape.

I really enjoyed reading this book!! Gave me a new way of looking at God.

This book is a good easy read but also gives you a lot to think about. I love how interactive it is.

Book even smells new!

Jen Wilkin knows her Bible. And, I can tell by reading this book, she is a devoted follower of God and Christ.

Such an insightful view into some easily understandable and relatable theology.

Such an amazing insight to WHO we should be! I will be doing more of her studies for sure!

Good was like new

Truth!

Amazing study!

Amazing book

Jen Wilkens does a great job of using scripture and stories to make her point. Her writing is easy to relate to.

Just an awesome Bible Study Book. I love it it.

Loved it

Easy to read.

Convicting and empowering. Well written. Easy to read. Captivating. Makes you really think about how to grow and seek more of Him.

Love this author!

Easy to read, very real and scripturally sound.

Great book to learn to be like Him, easy to read and helpful questions at the end of each chapter to reflect

Good study

Fantastic Book. Really helps me see and understand the sovereignty of God and the ways I am able to use my life to show Him to others.

Excellent book. Timely arrival too.

I really enjoyed this book!

as described

4 Stars I really appreciate Jen Wilkin and her approach to scripture. I enjoy that this book is not of the typical self-help variety that is so often found in the Christian Non-Fiction world. Rather, it is one that constantly points us back to Christ. While Wilkin and I have a few different beliefs, she was extremely capable of helping me to see more of my sinful nature. The books opens by asserting that instead of asking God what His will is in our lives (What should I do?), we should be asking how we can become more like Christ (Who should I be?). This assertion opened my eyes to see the error in our human thinking. Throughout the book Wilkin points to 10 characteristics of God that we should be constantly trying to emulate in our lives, which we cannot do with the grace of God and the Holy Spirit. Through looking into these 10 characteristics, we can see that in by becoming more like Christ, we are shown what His will is in our lives; to reflect His image to the world. The truths that were shown in this book really resonated with me, both in Wilkin's own thoughts as well as in the scripture she provided throughout each chapter. I also found the additional scripture verses, questions, and prayers at the end of each chapter to be extremely fruitful in my own walk. It gave me a good time to reflect on what I just read, see the truth played out in the Bible, and to continuously seek God's help in transforming my heart. I would definitely recommend this book to others, as it was extremely helpful for me in determining God's will in my life as in the life of every Christian. **Many thanks to Jen Wilkin, Crossway and NetGalley for an advanced e-book in exchange for an honest review.

He placed one hand on the door frame, shifted his weight to one foot, and then placed the other small boot toe-down on the floor. Looking at his dad, he checked his hand position and then assumed the facial expression he deemed appropriate to the occasion, a conversation among “the guys.” My grandson’s imitation of his dad is endearing, but it is also instructional. If you want to be like someone, even if that Someone is God, you study their actions and do your best to imitate and replicate them. If you want to be like God, and if God has revealed Himself through inspired writing as One who values and embodies particular qualities, then you have your marching orders. In His Image: 10 Ways God Calls Us to Reflect His Character is Jen Wilkin’s affirmation that God’s character, revealed in Scripture, is the believer’s template: “How should the knowledge that God is _________________ change the way I live?” (21) Who Should I Be? A laser focus on the character and attributes of God impacts on my own character, but it also shifts my perception for decision making. When I am seeking the will of God, I have tended to ask, “What should I do?” when the better question is “Who should I be?” Wilkin expresses the tension well and from personal experience: “Perhaps you’ve known the frustration of hearing silence, or worse, of acting on a hunch or ‘leading’ only to find later that you apparently had not heard the Lord’s will. I know that process better than I’d like to admit, and I also know the shame that accompanies it–the sense that I’m tone-deaf to the Holy Spirit, that I’m terrible at discovering God’s will. . . .His will does not need discovering. It is in plain sight. To see it we need to start asking the question that deals with his primary concern. We need to ask, ‘Who should I be?'” Here’s what it boils down to: “What does it profit me to make the right choice if I’m still the wrong person? A lost person can make ‘good choices.’ But only a person indwelt by the Holy Spirit can make a good choice for the purpose of glorifying God.” So while there is no list of words, no magical set of adjectives that can fully encompass the character and nature of God, Jen Wilkin has chosen ten attributes that assist the reader in modeling a life after the character of God. For example, God’s holiness is his most frequently cited attribute in Scripture. What does His utter purity of character mean for the believer who claims a desire to be like Jesus? Practical holiness, according to Jerry Bridges, includes a “desire to be made holy.” This leads me to ask myself a number of razor-edged questions: Am I praying about the sanctification of my kids–and myself? Are my motives for right behavior results-oriented or am I seeking holiness for its own glorious sake? Asking the Better Question In His Image: 10 Ways God Calls Us to Reflect His Character has heightened my awareness of God’s attributes as a doorway to worship, and the journey actually began for me when I read Wilkin’s earlier release None Like Him: 10 Ways God Is Different from Us (and Why That’s a Good Thing). (Click here to read my review!) In our efforts to understand the nature of God and to reflect His character, it is true that we are invited by the God who is holy, loving, good, just, merciful, gracious, faithful, patient, truthful, and wise to enter into the embodiment of these virtues as part of our sanctification process. These attributes of God are communicable, and this is a list that the believer can grow into by walking in obedience to the commands of God through the power of the Spirit of God within. However, God is also infinite, incomprehensible, self-existent, self-sufficient, eternal, immutable, omnipresent, omniscient, omnipotent, and sovereign. These are His incommunicable attributes, which, by their very nature can be true only of God. When we “strive to become like God in any of these traits, we set ourselves up as his rival. Human beings created to bear the image of God aspire instead to become like God.” It is always a joy to return to the truth of the Gospel which is not self-help or advice for “better living,” but rather Good News. So, what is the Good News? It is simply this: The believer’s flawed and imperfect representation of the image of God can, by grace, be transformed. As we seek, by grace, to be “conformed to the image of Christ,” we begin by asking, “who should I be?” and then enter into the life long process of discovering who God is as we look to Him for the answers our hearts desire. Many thanks to Crossway for providing a copy of this book to facilitate my review, which, of course, is offered freely and with honesty.

In His Image Jen Wilkin's newest book, In His Image, continues the consideration of God's attributes which she began in her book None Like Him:10 Ways God Is Different from Us (and Why That's a Good Thing). The earlier book focused on characteristics of God which are unique to Him and not transferred ("communicated") to believers in Christ; attributes like omniscience, omnipresence, and self-existence fall in that category. In His Image, on the other hand, examines God's communicable attributes, characteristics like kindness and holiness which God does work into Christians through the sanctification process as we are conformed to the image of Christ (Rom. 8:29). Many books already exist on the attributes of God. A. W. Tozer's The Knowledge of the Holy and Arthur Pink's Attributes of God are notable among them, and Wilkin acknowledges her debt to previous writers. What sets Wilkin's book apart? First, her engaging, clear, contemporary writing style and knack for apt illustrations mean that here the cookies are most definitely on the bottom shelf. She communicates rich, challenging content without lofty, hard-to-understand style. Second, her decision to place the incommunicable and communicable attributes of God in separate volumes adds clarity and, I suspect, has a teaching benefit in keeping the categories clearer for readers. Third, each chapter closes with Scripture references and reflection questions. This book and its companion volume are excellently suited for use as small-group or one-on-one discipleship materials, or in a book club focused on Christian books. The general index, Scripture index, and blank pages for notes and reflection also suit such a purpose. Perhaps most distinctive, however, is Wilkin's thesis.The first chapter explains in her own words: My explicitly stated intention for this book is that we learn to identify God’s will for our lives. Our inclination is to discern God’s will by asking, “What should I do?” But God’s will concerns itself primarily with who we are, and only secondarily with what we do. By changing the question and asking, “Who should I be?” we see that God’s will is not concealed from us in his Word, but is plainly revealed. The Bible plainly answers the question “Who should I be?” with “Be like Jesus Christ, who perfectly images God in human form.” God’s will for our lives is that we conform to the image of Christ, whose incarnation shows us humanity perfectly conformed to the image of God. In this book, we will consider how we can demonstrate a resemblance to our Maker. But since the Bible’s answer to “Who should I be?” is “Be like the very image of God,” we must ask, “Who is God?” (pp. 21-22). If I have ever encountered God's attributes or the question of finding God's will expressed and organized in quite this way before, I don't recall it. The way Wilkin lays it out here, however, is so clear and consistent with Scripture that I wonder why I didn't see it before. Christians are called and enabled to be holy, loving, good, just, merciful, faithful, gracious, faithful, patient, truthful, and wise because the triune God is, and the Spirit of God dwells in us. Here are a few more quotes to whet your appetite and nourish your soul: "God’s discipline is his justice without wrath, for the purpose of training us in godliness" (64). "Abundance. Initially, grace is unasked for and undesired. God in his sovereignty extends grace to us before we can even contemplate its possibility or its worth. Eternally, grace is unearned and undeserved. We grow to recognize it for what it is, and we even become increasingly bold to ask for it in greater measure. But the moment we begin to ask out of a sense of entitlement, we contaminate grace. To demand it is to defile it." (87). "The Bible is our great Ebenezer, a memorial stone to the faithfulness of God, carefully recorded and preserved for his children. When we grow forgetful of God, or when we question whether God has forgotten us, we can turn there to gaze on his steadfast love to all generations" (100). "Every entertainment of temptation questions the goodness of God" (103). "Becoming better people is the process of reflecting with increasing clarity and fidelity the very face of God. God’s will for our lives is that we be restored to mint condition. God’s will for our lives is that we become living proof. Everything we say or do will either illuminate or obscure the character of God. Sanctification is the process of joyfully growing luminous. Through Christ and by the Spirit, we have regained access to God’s presence. And the result is the glorious reclamation of the image of God in man" (153). To sum up, I thoroughly enjoyed and highly recommend In His Image to anyone wanting to know God more, searching for God's will for her life, or looking for a substantial but not overwhelming discipleship resource. Readers already familiar with older classics on God's character will also benefit from Wilkin's clarity and emphasis on application, which is to say, the call to grow more like Christ. ******************* Crossway provided me a complimentary PDF copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. The links in this post are Amazon affiliate links.

Jen Wilkin begins her new book In His Image with this statement: “If you’ve ever said, ‘I just wanted to know God’s will for my life,’ this book is for you.” Wilkin isn’t defining God’s will as what helps us in our decision making, as this is often what people really want to know. Should I buy this car or that one? Should I take this new job or remain at my current one? Instead of asking all of these “what should I do?” questions, Wilkin presents a better question to ask first. That question is “Who should I be?” When we ask this question first we are driven to know more about who God is, how he has related to us in Christ, and how we should live as his people. In His Image guides believers down the “narrow path” of Christlikeness as we image him through the power of the Holy Spirit. In her first book None Like Him, Wilkin explored the incommunicable attributes of God. These are the attributes that theologians have typically categorized as ones that God does not share with his creation. The over-arching focus of that book was how unique and utterly different God is from us, and why that is a good thing. In His Image turns the focus to the communicable attributes of God. These are the attributes that God shares with man. Granted, in one sense he is still utterly different than us. For example, divine love is far greater than any human expression of love can ever be. Yet, unlike his incommunicable attributes, we are still able to love like him, albeit an imperfect reflection of his love. Any discussion of “who should I be?” as it relates to Christians being re-imaged by God must begin with a proper understanding of who God is. Wilkin begins every chapter by presenting God as the perfect source from which all his attributes flow. For us to be holy, loving, good, just, merciful, gracious, faithful, patient, truthful or wise we must first see these attributes coming from our perfect God. If we are to reflect his character then our study must begin with him and not our own actions. This book is well written and is one that will bless any who read it. As Christians we ought to desire to know who our God is and how we can "image" his attributes to the world around us. I received a digital copy of this book from Crossway in exchange for an honest review.

In the book "In His Image", Jen Wilkin discusses 10 attributes of God: holy, loving, good, just, merciful, gracious, faithful, patient, truthful, and wise.. The central message of this book is that we should be seeking to reflect our God, even though we will never be able to be perfect as He is. The chapter that resonated the most with me was the chapter that talked about God's love. I found it enlightening to hear about the different types of love mentioned in the Bible (philia - brother/sisterly love between peers, eros - romantic love, storge - parent's love for a child, and agape - the love of God). I also found it very interesting that agape occurs 259 times in the New Testament, while philia is used 54 times, and storge and eros do not occur at all. That chapter really taught me a lot about applying agape love into my own life in order to mirror the love of God. Unfortunately, I did find the book to be a bit redundant at times, and there were times that it failed to keep my interest. I would recommend this book to a friend because it does have some valuable and interesting points, and the author is very knowledgeable. But overall, it was just okay for me - 3.5 stars. I was provided a copy of this book from the publisher, Crossway, through Net Galley.

We are to be Christlike but what does that mean? Wilkin helps readers understand that this goes beyond the “What should I do?” to “Who should I be?” She reminds us that we can know God's will for our character and godly character will produce godly action. I like that Wilkin distinguishes the character traits God alone can have, such as his omnipresence and omniscience. What she writes about in this book are the traits we are to exhibit. We are to bear the image of God, not become God. (Loc 139/1557) She explores that God is holy, loving, just, good, merciful, gracious, faithful, truthful, patient, and wise. My favorite chapter was on justice and on how we are to secure justice for the oppressed. Or maybe it was the chapter on patience. I like how Wilkin related patience and anger. After all, we are to wait upon the Lord. That helped me understand why some people are so angry with God. I also liked her teaching on the abundant life as a life lived in humility. The chapter that challenged me the most was the one on truth. “Truth is anything that conforms to reality,” she writes. (Loc 1217/1557) Acknowledging that God is truthful is affirming that God defines all objective reality, she says. I am still thinking about all of that. Included at the end of each chapter are Scripture verses for further meditation, questions for discussion or journaling, and a prayer prompt. I recommend this book to any Christian desiring to understand what it means to become more Christlike. You'll find good teaching and additional material to help you on your way. I received a complimentary egalley of this book from the publisher. My comments are an independent and honest review.

In His Image is the companion/sequel book to Jen Wilkin’s None Like Him, one of my favorite reads last year. While None Like Him covered the attributes of God that are solely His (and applying them to ourselves results in sin), In His Image is all about His communicable characteristics: holy, loving, good, just, merciful, gracious, faithful, patient, truthful and wise. These are the traits we are to pursue after. As expected, Ms. Wilkin did not disappoint. From the beginning, she engages both my mind and heart as she lays out why we need to study who God is. Yes, because He is God and desires us to know Him. But even more precise, He formed us in His image and the more we are like Him, the more we glorify Him. But how are we to become more like Him if we don’t know what He’s like? Ms. Wilkin presents both the biblical/theological basis and practical applications from knowing God’s character. From the beginning, the author gives an insightful application to the pursuit of these godly characters. Theology, or the study of God, is not just a heady topic, but as explained by this book, could be and should be manifested in our everyday life. One example is through our decision-making, something even the seasoned believers often struggle with. We have all been guilty of treating God’s will as something elusive and a mystery to be solved. Ms Wlkins has a clearer solution (which is also Dr. John MacArthur’s point in his book, Found: God’s Will), “For the believer wanting to know God’s will for her life, the first question to pose is not ‘What should I do?’ but ‘Who should I be?’...What does it profit me to make the right choice if I’m still the wrong person?...The hope of the Gospel in our sanctification is not simply that we would make better choices, but that we would become better people....What is God’s will for your life? Put simply, that you would be like Christ.” Each chapter covers an attribute and comes with a list of Bible verses for mediation, questions to ponder and a prayer suggestion. My favorite chapter is perhaps the one on God being truthful. It’s a great resource for both personal and group study. I received a free copy of this book from the publisher to review, but will buy copies of it to give away to my friends and family. I plan to study the book with my daughters, who enjoyed going through None Like Him with me. *I received an advanced copy from the publisher through #netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

According to Jen Wilkin, we should not ask what is God’s will for us, but rather how should we live for God? We should look at how to live our lives as God intended. Be like Christ is His will for us. We should follow the example of Christ and discern how to live to be more like God. We are, after all, made in His image. Each chapter takes an attribute of God (ten total) as discerned through Scripture and relates how God fulfills each attribute and then details how we can as well. Wilkin’s discussions are simple and straight forward. We are able to see how we could do what needs to be done (and see the potential hardships that will result in taking up this cross). She then ends each chapter with verses for meditation and questions for reflection. She also requests that you create a prayer to God to assist you in taking on each attribute. There is also a notes section and Scripture index at the end of the book. I thought this text was wonderful at helping to realize things I never thought about before (God is Holy, and this is the most important attribute as evidenced by the triple use of the word holy when describing God in Scripture). She is honest that becoming selfless and focusing our behavior and thoughts on God, even when we could be reviled is necessary to know as you take on a revolutionary lifestyle. I like her regular employment of anecdotes. The use of real life people fulfilling God’s will for us is heartening to hear. The book is slim and easy to read. You can read the book in one short sitting. But this book is profound in its ideas and in its intention for your life, so it is best to read and reread often to really think about each point and how you will need to change to fulfill God’s will for you. I highly recommend this book.

So thankful for Jen Wilkin writing meaty and theologically sound material for us to learn from! Just finished doing this as a women’s Bible study. It’s a great book for studying God and His Word together and spurs lots of good conversation. It’s a book you need that you may not even realize yet. Seeking to address the question- ‘What is God’s will for my life?’ Wilkin responds by posing a different question. Instead of trying to figure out what we should DO, we need to ask ‘Who should I BE?’ “our sanctification is not simply that we would make better choices, but that we would become better people. And the way we do that is by looking at who God calls us to be in His image. This is somewhat of a companion book to her book “None Like Him” (that I haven’t read yet) that explores how God is different than us. “In His Image” explores the characteristics of God that we can reflect: holiness, love, goodness, justice, mercy, grace, faithfulness, patience, truth, and wisdom. When we seek God’s will, it’s not a process of behavior modification and earning our faith by making the ‘right’ choices, but it’s a process of being transformed from the inside out to reflect God’s character. And it is a process. In our discussions of each chapter every week we touched on how we fall short in each of these areas- we will never perfect our character this side of heaven- but that through his spirit, God enables us and grows us little by little. Wilkin will challenge you and encourage you and remind you of the freedom we have in Christ. You’ll come back to this one when you’ve forgotten what it means that we were created in his image. As she points out, when Jesus is asked about paying taxes and he responds by asking them whose image is on the coin, “He says, in effect, ‘The coin is engraved with the image of a ‘god,’ marking what belongs to him. You, on the other hand, are engraved with the image of God himself, marking what belongs to him. Will you concern yourself with earthly obligations to the neglect of the heavenly ones required by the image engraved in you? You bear the very marks of the Creator. Render unto God what is God’s.’” The questions of what should I do, where should I go, etc are not meaningless and unimportant, but God’s will is that we are transformed in his image, bringing glory to his name, and when we are seeking to be more like Him, it’s not so much what we do and where we go as much as who we are when we’re doing it that

The first sentence in this book is, "If you've ever said, "I just want to know God's will for my life," this book is for you. It then proceeds to answer this question beyond any doubt. We tend to focus on the wrong things and ask the wrong questions. Our focus is on what we are to do for a career, or who were are to marry, or where we should live and in what kind of house? When faced with two or more choices, which one do I take? The author points out that while these are not bad questions, at least we are seeking to honor God, all of them are ultimately missing the point. God's will for our lives is for us to become conformed to His image. This is what God is most concerned about. He created us to be in fellowship with Him. God created us in His image and He wants us to be conformed, or to grow into, that image. The correct question is "Who should I be?". By asking God to conform us to His image, we will become better people and will draw closer and closer to Him. This is the ultimate message of the Bible. Once this point is made, the author then devotes ten chapters to ten aspects of God's character that He wants us to emulate. His holiness, His loving nature, His goodness, His desire for justice, His mercy, His graciousness, His faithfulness, His patience, His truthfulness, and His wisdom. As I go through this book and compare my nature with that of God in these characteristics, I am appalled how haw far I have to go! Many Bible study books ask the discussion question, "How do you "feel" about this?" With this book and with each of the characteristics, my answer is "Convicted!" Each chapter is written in a clear, light, almost chatty style, belying the serious nature of its message. It's possible to read it quickly, but then, that would be missing the point, wouldn't it? Conforming to God's image in each of these areas is not something that will happen quickly, but rather, it will take time. Actually, a lifetime. A good way to approach this book might be to read through the entire book first. Then go back and spend time meditating on and studying each characteristic of God and asking God to help you to conform to that aspect of His character. A great deal of time! Simple, but not easy. We should never stop going through this process over and over. This would be a great study book for a Bible study group. The way it is structured would make a good 10 or 12-week study. At the end of each chapter are several verses for meditation, and questions for reflection to help guide the student in this process. However, the Bible student should realize that this is just the beginning of a life long process. Getting to the end of the book is like the high school or college "commencement"! It is just the beginning! The title of the last chapter of this book is "Engraved with His image". God's perfect will for us is to become a flawless impression of Him and thus to fulfill the role He created us for. Highly recommended for personal and group study.

Wilken's book came at such a needed time in my life, when I was questioning His will for various aspects of my life. Wilken rightly points out the way to know this is by knowing Him and pursing God's communicable attributes in our lives. "Without meaning to, we can begin to regard our relationship with God primarily as a means toward better decision-making. We can slip into a conception of God as a Dear Abby, a benevolent advice columnist who fields our toughest questions about relationships and circumstances. Because we do not trust our judgment, we ask him who we should marry or which job we should take. We ask him where to spend our money or which neighborhood to move into." "For the believer wanting to know God's will for her life, the first question to pose is not "What should I do?" but "Who should I be?" I highlighted so much of this book, because there were so many gems that pointed me to Scripture. I treated Wilken's book as a daily devotional. At the end of each chapter, she has Scripture for consideration and questions and guided prayer prompts. I've been convicted of areas of my life that need to be committed to Christ. It's given me perspective on avenues that help me answer the question she poses, "Who should I be?" I've also been able to use what I've learned to encourage a friend. Highly recommend. I received this book as an advanced review copy from NetGalley. The thoughts and opinions listed above are my own.

I’ve heard a lot about Jen Wilkin and her books on social media, so I was really excited when I saw this book was available on Crossway’s blogger program for review! (I received a copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.) This book is short— less than 200 pages— but it’s packed full of deep scriptural insight. You will learn so much. Jen Wilkin is straight forward and easy to understand. She doesn’t water down anything or tickle ears, she tells you the truth. Each chapter covers an attribute of God… Holy, loving, good, just, merciful, gracious, faithful, patient, truthful, and wise. At the end of every chapter are a few questions and a prayer. This book would be great for individual study as a devotional, or small group study. I highly recommend it. “Growing in holiness means growing in our hatred for sin. But reflecting the character of God involves more than just casting off the garment of our old ways. It entails putting on the garment of our new inheritance. Growing in holiness means growing into being loving, just, good, merciful, gracious, faithful, truthful, patient, and wise. It means learning to think, speak, and act like Christ every hour of every day that God grants us to walk this earth as the redeemed.”

Jen Wilkin is such an amazing author! Her books have helped countless women realize that they can study theology and that they don't have to be satisfied with fluff Bible studies aimed at making women feel good about themselves. In His Image, along with None Like Him and Women of the Word, is a game changer. There are a lot of great thoughts in here; so much could be underlined or highlighted! "Sometimes we ask What is God’s will for my life? when we should really be asking Who should I be? The Bible has an answer: Be like the very image of God." In "In His Image" Wilkin explores ten characteristics of who God is, He is holy, loving, just, good, merciful, gracious, faithful, patient, truthful, and wise. And through her book we can understand who God intends for us to be. Through Christ, we discover how God’s attributes impact how we live Following His will and being conformed to His image will lead us to find freedom and purpose. I did initially receive a copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for my honest review. (I then bought a copy of it for myself)

In His Image digs deep into some of the major the characteristics of God and how we can and should be reflections of Him to the world. The book looks at God Most Holy, Loving, Good, Just, Merciful, Gracious, Faithful, Patient, Truthful, and Wise. Hopefully this doesn’t come as a shock to you, that even though we are created in His image, we are not (nor will we be) perfectly like Him. As sinners, we are in need of a Savior. While Jesus comes in and changes our hearts, we will still wrestle with sin in our life. That doesn’t mean we should embrace it or brush it under the rug as nothing, but it should be active in our minds to turn from our sins and strive to be more Christ-like. Jen uses practical, real-life stories to explain deep, theological principles. Just as Jesus spoke in parables, we can begin to understand complex truths we don’t fully understand, when they are explained using stories we do. She also used plenty of scriptures to back up what she was saying. She gave God’s Word the ultimate authority and not merely our life understandings. One piece that stuck out to me in the book was when Jen talked about our desire for God’s will in our life. How often do we go to God and ask Him “What should I do?” Not saying we should never pray that, but she poses that we should ask the question “Who should I be?” Our desire for God’s will in our lives should be more than just knowing what to physically do in this life, but about transforming our hearts to be more like Christ. She says “without meaning to, we can begin to regard our relationship with God primarily as a means toward decision making.” I appreciate how the book was written to not only teach, but encourage and correct. First she shares about how God is each of the characteristics for the chapters. Then she shares both how we should and how we shouldn’t live, to be a better image-bearer of Him. She doesn’t pretend to be perfect herself, but instead shares her own flaws and need for Jesus. She also doesn’t shy away from sharing things we probably need to be actively convicted on to change in our lives (ex: patience). God doesn’t expect us to be perfect, but if Jesus has truly changed our hearts, it should change how we act and think in this life. Instead of living for ourselves, our eyes should be focused on God. I highly recommend this study, and hope that it can be a blessing and encouragement to you as well 🙂 *I received a complimentary copy of this book from NetGalley and the author in hopes of an honest review. I was not obligated to give a positive review. Thoughts and opinions expressed are mine alone.

We know that God is merciful and gracious but we typically try to separate the two, instead of as Jen puts it, seeing them as sisters. We separate God’s mercy and grace from His justice when in fact all three are connected. Know God: In His Image is an invitation to learn more about the character of God. As children of God, we should hunger for a connection with Him. That connection will deepen as we spend time getting to know who He is. Know yourself: As we learn more about who God is, a stark contrast emerges. God is so much greater than us. Who we are is tied up in who He is. At then end of each section Jen gives some verses for reflection and questions to ponder. These questions ask you to think about the impact of God’s attributes on your life. They also encourage you to examine yourself in relation to God’s attributes – what do you need to change to better reflect the image of God. Run your race: Each chapter ends with a prayer, or rather the guidelines to write a prayer. This is your chance to apply the lessons of the book. My prayer will be different from yours because my experiences are different. My interpretation of how the concepts expressed in the book apply to me will vary from another person’s.

Jen Wilkins is a well-known leader in women’s ministry who has written several Bible study books and other helps for women of faith. This slim book, IN HIS IMAGE, discusses ten attributes Christians see in God and how we can reflect on these attributes and be more like Him. This work is clearly written for the use of laypeople (why is it exclusively for women?) with Bible references and thought questions at the end of each chapter. Wilkins uses anecdotes from her own life and from her parenting experiences to support what she says, making her more credible and down to earth. She encourages reading this book (as do I, absolutely!) with a favorite version of the Bible and perhaps a small “marbled” type composition book for writing down one’s reflections about what s/he has read. (Yes, I do include the men here; I don’t see why not!) With this work in ten chapters plus an introduction and conclusion, I would recommend it without reservations for a ten-week Bible study unit or for a church library.

This book nails the premise of seeking God’s will. The very fact that we are currently able to breathe in and out means that we are recipients of His mercy. I love how she spoke on justice, mercy, and grace. She said that justice is getting what we deserve. Mercy is not getting what we deserve. Grace is getting what we do not deserve. She called mercy and grace sisters. She talks about God and all His amazing attributes and HOW, we as His children, are to walk in the light of these truths about Him and us as we are made in His Image. I highly recommend this read and look forward to reading more from her in the future. I received a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

I have done a few of Wilkin's Bible studies and have great respect and appreciation for her high view of God and the study of His Word. I'm reading/studying my way through her most recent book, In His Image, and I can tell you it is NOT one to miss out on. "All of God's attributes are defined by His holiness and should not be emphasized above or apart from His holiness." Wilkin's writing is robust in its content but as inviting as a chat with a friend. Her desire for the reader to know and love God and then adjust one's life accordingly comes through strong. Each chapter covers a characteristic of God that we as believers are to adopt and live out. Wilkin speaks to practical ways we can do this. Included at the end of each chapter is a list of Scriptures for further study/reflection of the characteristic covered and questions for further discussion. The book is great for personal/devotional reading but would also be an awesome resource for small group studies. I can not recommend In His Image highly enough! *I was provided a complimentary digital copy of the book by the publisher. All opinions here are my own.

`In His Image` 10 Ways God Calls us to Reflect His Character by author Jen Wilkin is a Spiritual growth book for believers. Jen says most Christians are asking the wrong question, `What Should I Do`, instead they should ask, `Who Should I Be`? She says, `If we focus on our actions without addressing our hearts, we may end up merely as better behaved lovers of self.` (see introduction) In describing the four kinds of love the author mentions characters in a movie she has seen, without giving the title of the movie. Further reading mentions more about the characters but since I am not familiar with the character, or the movie, it does me little good. Jen reminds the reader that no one is righteous, that is why Jesus had to die on the cross. God is a just God and He cannot look upon sin. Jesus was the only just human who walked on earth. If it weren't for Him no mere mortal could be saved. The author does a great job of explaining God's attributes and explaining why Christ had to die and rise again for all mankind. This book would make a great Bible study with verses for meditation, questions to ponder, and a prayer prompt at the end of every chapter. Disclaimer: "I was provided a free copy of this ebook. All opinions are my own."

This is the third Jen Wilkin study I have done with my small group bible study. I have come to truly love her teaching and perspectives. Everything she states is backed up with multiple passages from the bible and she acknowledges when thoughtful people have different opinions on certain scripture. The first two studies I did were a workbook and video series. This one is different as there is no video and the book isn't really a workbook. At the end of each chapter, there are relevant verses to look up and questions for contemplation, but it is much more geared toward reading the chapter (typically 12 - 14 pages long) and then reflecting on what has been read. This makes it an easier study since there isn't as much work associated with it and we are using it during the summer months when people seem to have less time to devote to it. As is to be expected from this writer, by page 3 she has us rethinking how we typically view searching for God's will in our lives. She challenges the reader to as the question "Who should I be"? rather than the one usually asked of "What should I do"? She states it's appropriate to ask both questions, but the order in which we ask them matters. A beautiful and deep study of the bible which guides the reader through what the bible really says and how that relates to believers. Solid and profound.

I have not read personally anything from Jen Wilkin, other than her tweets and a few postings on TGC. My wife has benefitted greatly from her books, as have other ladies in our church as she seems to have a solid grasp on the Word of God and theological application. This book verified all that for me. Subtitled “10 Ways that God Calls us to Reflect His Character” you knew right away that we were headed into a survey of God’s attributes. What was helpful about this book was how Wilkin weaves his character into our quest to “know God’s will” for our lives. One of the top Christian cliches and misunderstandings that American Churchianity has every produced. Wilkin poses the better question in response to “What should I do?” – “Who should I be?” [13]. And as you can probably see what’s coming – who we are as Christians has everything to do with who Christ is, as we are united with Him. This speaks to our fallen natures – the sin, selfishness, weakness that resides in us all – and thus there is only one answer to that: the gospel. “The gospel transforms us to who we should have been. It re-images us.” [14]. “What is God’s will for your life? Put simply, that you would be more like Christ.” [16] AMEN. Thank you, Jen Wilkin. Not that we finally answer our true calling and find our purpose by unlocking some secret plan for our destiny with a new job, or new mission. Rather that we live out our highest calling – to be conformed to the image of Jesus Christ. Wilkin then walks through 10 aspects of God’s character that we should be: - Holy. God is holy, so we are to be holy. [1 Peter 1:14-16] “Holiness permeates the entire Christian calling. It lies at the very center of the gospel. We are not merely saved from depravity; we are saved to holiness. Creation entails consecration.” [25] - Loving. Modeled after “agape” love – “a selfless, purposeful, outgoing attitude that desires us to do good to the one loved.” [34] It’s worth noting that everything rolls up under #1 – so as Wilkin rightly points out “if I seek to be holy without agape, I addd nothing, I am nothing, I gain nothing.” [1 Corinthians13:1-3; 37]. The ultimate example of love is what God did for us by giving us His Son, Jesus on the cross. - Good. “As those who are the recipients of the good and perfect gifts of God, goodness toward others means generosity. It means were recognize that God gives us good things no so that they might terminate on us, but so. that we might seared them on behalf of others.” [51]. “Be the person who seeks the welfare o others. Be the person tho ives without counting the cost. Be the person who serves joyfully with no expectations of thanks for recognition. Be good employees, good next-door neighbors, good parents, good children…” [52] - Just. Stop score-keeping. Stop attempting to self-justify. There is only one who knows all things and has acted perfectly to right all wrongs. Jesus is both just and the justifier. [Romans 3:21-26] “Be just as he is just, delighting in his law, extol his good government, do justice daily as children of your Heavenly Father.” [69] - Merciful. “Justice is getting what we deserve. Mercy is not getting what we deserve. Grace is getting what we do not deserve.” [72]. I like the way Wilkin writes…clearly and powerfully…”the fact that you are currently inhaling and exhaling at this very moment means that you are a recipient of mercy.” [73]. God expresses his mercy towards us in Jesus, so we ought to be merciful. - Gracious. God’s grace is everything. Without it, we are only left with his just wrath for sin. Even after conversion, his grace empowers us to grow in Christlikeness. “Those who enjoy such abundance can afford to deal abundantly with others.” [93] - Faithful. “God is incapable of infidelity at any level.” [99] We are not, yet God like faithfulness should be a life goal. Being faithful is an intentional chasing to be like God, and not the sinful desires of our hearts. Talk about God’s will for our lives, it doesn’t get much more practical and nitty gritty than choosing to follow his way in the 1.78 trillion thoughts, words, and actions every single day. - Patient. I’m not a patient person. God is perfectly patient. Any questions? But seriously, to make it worse – God is all-knowing and perfectly patient. I know only a microscopic slice of my life and I’m impatient. That means we have to trust him with our lives because he knows best. - Truthful. We have to remember that any of these things we know because they are comparison items. We know what is good, because we compare it to something known to be good, etc. However, God is the very definition of these characteristics. He is truth. He created truth. He is truth personified in Jesus. This flies in the face of our current “what’s true for you is cool” moral relativism culture. I love that Wilkin goes all worldview by pointing out there are actually answers to the big questions of “Where did we come from?” “Why am I here?” “What’s wrong?” and “What fixes it?” [125cf]. This world, in all it’s blessings, is a false reality. The truth is God and we know him thru the Word of God. Wise. So many times we pray for wisdom in a situation. I wonder how much of that would be informed if we diligently, honestly, and humbly pursued #1-9? In order to know God’s wisdom, we need to know God. We need to spend time with him in prayer, in his Word, and following it. the Bible is very clear the road to wisdom, sometimes it’s a lack of desire and submission on our part. Wilkin rolls all of this up into what we were created to do – worship. “The motive of sanctification is joy…fullness of joy results when we seek to reflect our Maker. It’s what we were created to do. it is the very will of God for our lives.” [148] May we focus more on being like God himself this year and less of our own “mission quest” – let the world see God in you. “God’s will for our lives is to become living proof.” [153] Thanks Jen Wilkin.

This is an encouraging, inspiring, and convictIng study on the attributes of God. This book was refreshing. It’s not a Christian “self-help” book, but one that is grounded in Scripture. Jen Wilken writes with conviction and purpose. She includes examples from her own life and the lives of others as practical application, but the heart of this book comes directly from the Scripture she uses to introduce and teach each attribute. The first chapter on God’s holiness is worth the cost of the book. As you read through the chapters describing 10 of the attributes of God and how these apply to our lives, you are invited into a closer walk with Him. At the end of each chapter, there are questions and scripture references for further thought. This book would be great for a weekly study with a group, as well as for individual study. I highlighted quite a few passages in this book, and I’ll be going back through this again for a slower, thoughtful study. I received a copy of this book from the publisher. All opinions are my own.

In His Image is a companion to Jen Wilkin’s book None Like Him. I would recommend reading None Like Him first. Both books are excellent, but I preferred the teaching in None Like Him better because the focus of the book is God, whereas the focus of the second book is more on our own behavior. I understand we don’t want to look in a mirror, then forget what we saw when we walk away, but I also don’t want to take my eyes off of God and focus on myself, because that’s when my vision gets fuzzy. At the end of each chapter, she lists verses pertaining to the chapter, and questions for reflection. Sometimes I found her verses lacking, for instance, chapter 6, God Most Gracious, has no readings from the book of Romans. How can you talk about grace without Paul’s letter to the Romans? I often used the verses listed as a jumping off point, rather than an exhaustive list, as I felt they emphasized her personal theology. I also took exception to a particular question she repeats at the end of almost every chapter. “How should a desire to grow in (holiness, love, goodness, mercy, grace, faithfulness, truthfulness, wisdom) impact my relationship with God positively?” This question is backwards! It is when I revere Him as holy that I am led to a desire to be holy. It is when I truly understand that I am the agapetos of God that I desire to live in love. It is when I remember that He has made me good, and that He is good, that I desire to do good. The more I remember God’s mercy towards me, the more my heart is changed and I become merciful to others. I do not grow in faith by striving after faith, but by resting in the Faithful One. The real question is, “How does a desire to walk closely with God impact my growth in (holiness, love, goodness, etc)” I believe I grow in these character traits, not by cultivating a desire to grow in these traits (that is works righteousness) but rather, I grow in these traits by cultivating a relationship with God! If you are considering using this for a small group Bible study, I highly recommend. Our group has really enjoyed both books.

I had the joy of reading "In His Image" by Jen Wilkin (available in paperback May 31st, available on Kindle now). Just a short commendation on the author: I would describe her writing as rich, simple, straight-forward, appropriately fun, relevant, relatable, not fluffy, and not watered-down. She has the gift of getting heavy, deep, important truths across in a way that won't make your brain explode. She organizes her thoughts and communicates in a way that makes her books very readable. This book is great for individuals, small-groups, as well as one-on-one discipleship. Each chapter is followed up by verses for meditation, self-examination questions and some direction for praying through the truths presented in chapter. "In His Image" is a follow-up to her previous book "None Like Him" which was about God's incommunicable attributes, which we cannot possess and should not try to possess (e.g. omniscience, omnipotence). This book is about those characteristics of God that believers in Christ can and should reflect. Each chapter goes through a communicable attribute of God (holy, loving, good, just, merciful, gracious, faithful, patient, truthful, wise) and expounds it using Scripture. She then examines how we as fallen humans lack those things and shows how we can endeavor to reflect those qualities. As Wilkin says, this book is about what the will of God is in our life, so if you've ever asked that uniquely Christian question, this book is for you! This book certainly is not geared at moms, but I highly recommend it to you based on the richness, simplicity and shorter chapters. . "When we apprehend his holiness, we are changed by the revelation. The knowledge of God and the knowledge of self always go hand in hand. We see ourselves differently because we have seen God as he is... Simply put, God's will for your life is that you be holy. That you live a life of set-apartness... Every story of every figure in every corner of every book of the Bible is chanting this call. Be holy, for he is holy." . I received a free copy of this book from Crossway in exchange for an honest review.

“In His Image” is a sequel to Jen Wilkin’s (The Village Church) “None Like Him”, which explored the attributes of God that distinguishes us from Him. I haven’t read that book, I’ve only seen a quote which made me go “wow that’s good”. I can confirm that “In His Image” contains just as much gems and is very worth the read. While “None Like Him” is focused on the attributes that sets us apart from God (and therefore we cannot emulate them), “In His Image” focuses on the attributes that we can and should focus on. This includes God’s holiness, wisdom, patience, love, kindness…Wilkin lists 10. And of course, Jen does a good job looking at each attribute, weaving in anecdotes, stories and clever observations about each attribute and why we should aspire for each of them. But the real gem is in why we should be paying closer attention to these attributes. Wilkin correctly and insightfully claims that one of the biggest mistakes Christians make is asking God what they should do. Instead, we need to be asking what God wants them to be. Orienting themselves towards what they should be reveals much clearer answers in the Bible, as we see that God explicitly commands us to be like Jesus. How? Because we are made in the image of God, as His image bearers we need to bear the attributes that He has commanded us to follow. This is important, because it now focuses on what God wants for us, not what we want from God. And I think this focus is what really drives the book forward and making it such an insightful read. This is a short book, and contains reflection questions after each attribute chapter. I think this would be a good book to consider as a devotional, but I am a bit hesitant to base a Bible study on it. There’s nothing wrong with the content, but I think it might be more beneficial to see a larger body of work with more specific detail. That would probably be the subject and purpose of a very different work Wilkin had in mind, but for its purpose, I think this is a solid work. I would recommend “In His Image” to any new believer, or anybody who is starting to read the more Calvinistic books like Sproul and Piper. The language and terminology is not difficult, but it deals with relevant issues that do require some thought. While not reformed reading per se, this is excellent material to go through to gain a primer on basic theology proper, while also considering the application and how we should respond on a day-to-day basis. Jen Wilkin’s books also might seem to be targeting the female demographic, but I didn’t feel any specific tones or language in this book, so I didn’t regard that to be the case here. If you don’t feel confident enough to wade into some of the more difficult books, this is an excellent place to get your feet wet. Also consider this as a gift to your new believer friends! I was provided with this complimentary copy of In His Image as part of the Crossway Blog Review Program to review. Feel free to check them out to learn more!

This is a straightforward discussion of God's attributes and what it means for Christians to become more and more godly. For example, God is holy and calls us to be holy. For another example, God is loving, and we're called to love others. Wilkin talks about ten different (communicable) attributes of God and applies them to the Christian life. This book is written from a conservative evangelical point of view, so the book echoes many biblical truths about God and the Christian life. At the end of each chapter is a short list of verses for meditation, some study questions, and a prayer. I appreciate this book because it is pretty simple and basic (in a good way!) and there's not long rabbit trails or tons of fluff. It would be good to use in a church book club or a woman's group (although men will benefit from it as well!). It won't intimidate readers because the language is not technical and it's only around 150 pages. It's worth reading!

I love how a single study can encompass so much. For me, the concepts and principles found in In His Image encompass truths I have known for years. So, I was able to read quickly through this book and work easily through the questions. And yet, I also found myself forced to remember and forced to re-engage with concepts that haven't been at the forefront of my mind for a long time. As I read, I also realized just how helpful this book would be as the foundation for a group experience across a wide range of spiritual maturity. It's one of those resources that will initiate conversation to exhort the young in the faith and yet also nourish and nudge the more mature. For the first time in a long time, I'm excited to have found a book that I would love to work through with alongside a group of fellow believers. Jen Wilkin is sound and solid biblically, and the opportunities abound with this resource.

This is my third 5-star read by Jen Wilkin and once again she delivered! I have now read all her books and had the opportunity to see her speak. She challenges and inspires me on so many levels. One of her trademark teachings is the idea that so many inspirational and devotional books geared for women are intended to engage them on an emotional level. She says we must be connect with God's Word on an intellectual level because he says we are to love Him with all our heart, soul and MIND. And that is exactly what this book does. It challenged my brain to think and dig deeper. It didn't just pull out a few random verses and create a little devotional to fit them. No, she uses his Word, to show us how we need to reflect His character everyday. I would encourage everyone to pick up this book, as well as her 2 previous works. You won't be disappointed!! * I received this book from the author/publisher in exchange for an honest review *

This book is a nice encouragement, and one I'll most likely try to read through again, but more slowly in the future. It can be a pretty quick read, since the pages are on the shorter side, but it's a nice book to spend time in. This time around, I read through it quickly. There were times I didn't overly connect with it, but I do think it would have helped if I'd read it slower. At the end of each chapter, there are extra verses to study, along with discussion/journal questions and a sample prayer. Note: I love to read Crossway books, because I know I'll get a great, meaty read. That said, I don't share the same theology as the authors. I don't use the label "Reformed" for myself. Sometimes Crossway books don't contain specifics that I disagree with, but this one does. I didn't agree with everything in here, but I still got encouragement from it.

This is one solid, Biblically based book that every Christian should read! It’s my first Jen Wilkin book and she’s definitely become one of my new favorite authors now! This book focuses on the question “what is God’s will for my life?” and answers it by digging deeper into 10 attributes of God that we are to be reflecting in our sanctification process. I wouldn’t label this as a “light read” because it’s certainly not fluff, but it is easy to understand and very easy to draw applications from. Each chapter finishes with reflection questions and prayer prompts which were both very useful and practical. I appreciated the many times Jen uses personal examples and stories that make the book even more relatable...like her confession of finding herself caught in a lie while in the midst of writing the chapter about truthfulness! I would highly recommend this book to anyone! *I received a free digital copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Another informative and biblically based book on the characteristics of God, a loving, holy, faithful, patient, and merciful Father. What struck me the most is His holiness…if we could just understand what this really means and strive to be holy. This is a big part of Christianity the church is missing. Too often we become too worldly and grieve His heart which should break our hearts. Jen understands how to write the words in a way that is understandable and definitely makes you stop and think about your life. I truly enjoyed this book. I received a copy of this book free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Jen Wilkin begins by urging readers to ask a different question: not "What does God want me to do?" but, "Who does God want me to be?" and has written a great Bible study on growing in God's image by describing ten of His attributes. Her ideas are backed by scripture. Her writing is clear, her points vivid, and her chapters concise. Each chapter concludes with a few questions that encourage the reader to apply the ideas to our lives; keeping a journal is suggested, and I found it very helpful. I intend to use it for review and further study. The application of the attributes of God focuses not just on self, but also on how we treat others. I got a lot out of this book, and I recommend it for personal and group study.

This is the sequel to her 1st book on the attributes of God (None Like Him). The aim is to explain the incommunicable attributes (those attributes of God that we can share – love, patience, wisdom, etc.). Her 1st book is a “must read” for Christians; this book I would say falls short of that standard. If the aim is to show us God’s communicable attributes, why wouldn’t she spend more time showing us how to apply these attributes to our lives? Even though she ends each chapter with discussion questions, I don’t believe she was as helpful in showing us the relevance of these attributes to our lives. I didn’t discover any areas of disagreements, but I didn’t enjoy the compelling to know God more as I did in her 1st book.

Jen Wilkin has written a very useful book showing ten attributes and how we’re called to live those attributes to be more like God. She suggests that instead of asking the question, “What should I do?” Ask the better question, “What should I be?” And the answer, of course, is be more like Him. She begins with the attribute of holiness, then goes on to Love, Goodness, Just, etc. I like Wilkin’s writing style. She is personable and invites the reader in to discover all ten Godly attributes we can implement in our lives. This would be a good book for a small Bible study. I found it informative, educational and engaging, and would definitely recommend it.

Many of us have asked: What is God’s will for my life? What should I do? In her book, Jen Wilkin turns these questions around and asks: Who should I be? Using ten attributes of God, she shows how the Bible is actually very clear about the will of God for our lives. We should look more and more like the One who made us and formed us into His image. One of the highlights of this book is the reflection section at the end of each chapter. It includes scripture passages and thought provoking questions to help the truths of the book stick. I highly recommend In His Image! (I received an advanced copy of this book from Crossway through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.)

Jen Wilkin is one of my favorite female Bible study teachers. Her book, Women of the Word, was deeply impactful in my life. I was excited to read In His Image in which Jen explores ten characteristics of who God is―holy, loving, just, good, merciful, gracious, faithful, patient, truthful, and wise - and how those attributes impact our lives. This is a meaty book, but easy to digest. I would definitely recommend it!

These words, in the last pages of Jen’s book, speak how I feel towards God. “We seek to be holy as God is holy as a joyful act of gratitude. We never seek holiness as a means to earn God’s favor or to avoid his displeasure. We have his favor, and his pleasure rests upon us. The motive of sanctification is joy.” I believe Jen said it perfectly. Because, isn’t that part of the love we as human’s search for in our lives. The holiness of joy. I can say, this book was a joy to read.

Informational and interesting, true to The Word, but a little difficult to read. I found words used in places could be exchanged for easier to understand words. The author is speaking to a well-educated audience that is knowledgeable to the Christian faith. I think the book may be a challenge to the unfamiliar or beginning Christian.

It's so refreshing to take the focus off ourselves and instead receive practical discussion about the attributes of God and how we can serve him faithfully. Jen doesn't beat around the bush, nor does she complicate things for the reader. I highly recommend reading In His Image if you're wanting to go deeper in your relationship with Christ and see what it means to lay down your life because you belong to him and were made in his image!

This is my first exposure to Jen Wilkins, although I've heard a lot about her. She is a solid Bible teacher. Some real life examples, but a lot of exegeting from Scripture. I'd especially recommend this book to a new believer who was wanting to make sure her doctrinal understanding was sound.

This is a marvelous Christian book which I would guess is especially aimed at women since the author is a noted leader of women's study groups. However, it is very good reading for us guys too. There's a lot of humor here although the main thrust is indeed serious. I found it quite inspirirational and enjoyable and recommend it to all Christians and to all drawn to it.

This is a great, quick study. It is very accessible for new Christians, but still has some great gems in here for more mature Christians as well. It is Biblically founded with some great passages that tie into Jen's points about how and why we're made in God's image. She does a great job at explaining what makes this so important and what that means for us in our relationship with God, but also in how we carry ourselves in our lives. Overall, I very much enjoyed it.

"In His Image" is a Bible study on ten attributes of God that Christians are called to reflect. She talked about: holy, loving, good, just, merciful, gracious, faithful, patient, truthful, and wise. The author explored what it means to be holy, loving, etc., in a biblical sense--how God displays this attribute and how we can reflect this in our own lives. At the end of each chapter, she provided several Bible verses for meditation, questions for reflection, and a prayer prompt. This book worked well as a devotional and could work well as a group Bible study, though it's not specifically made for this. Overall, I'd highly recommend this excellent book.

Jen's books are all amazing resources to encourage spiritual growth, because they humbly point you to the Word itself! They all really challenge the reader to not just read the Word with a different mindset but to also apply it with a different and forever changedheart! !

Jens sense of humor and her “real-ness” makes you hunger for more if Jesus!! She makes reading the Word enjoyable and possible...

So many good points with solid, memorable illustrations to help sink the truths into our hearts and minds. Very well done!

Was recommended this book, it was worth the read!

Great read!

Well written, insightful and just what I needed to read. I am very happy to have found this book and I will be reading it again.

It’s deep. Wonderfully written. Will absolutely read more by her