My favorite kind of soul-improvement books are those that offer fresh insights into familiar issues. The sort that provides a new lens through which to really see solutions which have always been right there. Alexandra Kuykendall’s Loving My Actual Neighbor : 7 Practices to Treasure the People Right in Front of You does exactly this, using 2 Peter 1 as a unique roadmap to personal and spiritual growth.

Because I am and always will be a story girl, the surest way to connect with my heart and soul is through storytelling. Alex does this aplenty, offering chiefly her own stories in which she makes herself vulnerable as she gives unvarnished glimpses into her own journey toward loving her actual neighbors.

Its friendly tone and succinct chapters make Loving My Actual Neighbor a quick read, easily consumed in two weeks or less. It also contains plenty of outside-the-box thinking; Alex is especially good that way. If you’re like me and want to love your neighbors better but aren’t quite sure where or how to begin, let this book show you the way.

Thanks to Baker Books for providing me this book free of charge. All opinions are mine.

From the back cover:

As Christians, we know we are called to love our neighbor. We may even grasp that “neighbor” encompasses more than just the people living next door or down the street. But what we too often don’t know is how to begin. How do we love our neighbor? Where do we start? What does this look like in our increasingly isolated world?

Following practices outlined in the first chapter of 2 Peter, Alexandra Kuykendall lays out the framework for where to begin. From practicing humility to listening with understanding to being generous in our relationships, Loving My Actual Neighbor offers practical, start-now steps readers can take to love their neighbors. With her approachable, friendly tone and down-to-earth advice, Kuykendall has carved out for herself a place in the hearts of readers, who will be thrilled to extend her commonsense approach into this sphere of their lives.

Genre: Non-fiction | Christian | Spiritual Growth

Publication date: April 2019

About the author:

Alexandra Kuykendall is the author of Loving My Actual Life, Loving My Actual Christmas, and The Artist’s Daughter and the cohost of The Open Door Sisterhood podcast. A popular writer and speaker for moms around the country. Alexandra has been featured on Good Morning America and Focus on the Family‘s daily broadcast. She lives in Denver, Colorado, with her husband, Derek, and their four daughters.

Connect with Alex: Website | Instagram | Twitter | Facebook

Buy the book here.