ECPA Top Shelf Cover Award 2019
We all know blind spots are dangerous when we're changing lanes at 70 mph on an interstate highway. But just as critical are the blind spots that block us from seeing the truth about ourselves and others. No one is immune to either kind.
Blind spots are, by definition, invisible to us. No matter how often we're reminded to "check our blind spots," we can't—at least on our own. Our only hope is for God and others to come alongside us and help point them out. Once identified we can start becoming our best and most authentic self.
Coauthors Tim Riddle and Fil Anderson help us learn how to recognize and avoid blind spots to become more like Jesus, remembering the Holy Spirit is the revealer and healer. By drawing on stories in Scripture and personal experience, the coauthors invite us to engage in an approachable, logical conversation about what blind spots are, why they exist, how to identify and remove them, how to keep them from returning, and how to point them out in others.
In this practical resource full of biblical wisdom, Riddle and Anderson aim to lovingly guide readers toward spiritual growth to live fully and freely as Gods dearly loved, completely forgiven, and forever free daughters and sons.
Blind Spots helps us find concrete, biblical solutions to the problem of these shortcomings, cultivating a desire for godliness and a greater appreciation for the Spirit's work in our own lives.
"One of the greatest gifts God has given to humans is the capacity for self-knowledge. We can navel-gaze into our own being like no animal ever dreamed. The capacity for self-awareness is both a blessing and a curse. If we are open to our blind spots, it is a blessing. If we deceive ourselves regarding who we are, it is a curse. Tim and Fil are working from the blessing side. Go with them."
Dan Boone, President, Trevecca Nazarene University
"It will take courage to read this book. It's uncomfortable to consider weakness. I'd much rather live in denial. In Blind Spots, Tim and Fil offer groundbreaking insights and help in not only identifying what you cannot see—but also finding freedom to move toward the person you want to be."
Tim Stevens, Vice President of Consulting, Vanderbloemen; author of Marked by Love: A Dare to Walk Away from Judgment and Hypocrisy
"Reading Tim and Fil's book feels like a conversation with a trusted friend. You can hear the tones of their caring voices in the stories they tell because they're stories they've lived. You can sense their profound wisdom as they bring Scripture to life because they have been transformed by God's Word. And somehow, while revealing the ugly realities of our blind spots, and telling us the truth that is hard to hear, their words make their readers feel known and loved. Read it and be changed."
Drew Hill, Pastor; author of Alongside: Loving Teenagers with the Gospel
"Jesus says that when we can see things clearly, our whole life will be full of light. That's precisely where Fil Anderson and Tim Riddle plunge into our smudged existence to help. With hard-won insight, they bring focus and clarity to critical matters that our hurry, self-deception, and pure thoughtlessness often turn to a muddled blur. In helping us attend to what we often miss, Blind Spots offers a gift as precious as sight."
Jedd Medefind, President, Christian Alliance for Orphans
"Only the most brazen and foolish presume they are fully self-aware. Most mere mortals know there are countless ways we fail to see what we need to know about ourselves. But how do you know what you can't see? Blind spots are a problem that leave us knowing we are significantly near or farsighted without the glasses to correct our vision. Tim Riddle and Fil Anderson have written a compelling and honest book that offers light to fill the spaces we can't see. What we can't see can kill us or our jobs, marriages, and friendships; but when we learn to see, it opens our eyes to wonder about how Jesus pursues us even in the midst of our refusal to see. Blind Spots is a brilliant gift to anyone who longs to let the truth set them free."
Dan B. Allender, Christian therapist; author; speaker focusing on sexual abuse and trauma recovery; professor of counseling psychology; founding president of The Seattle School of Theology and Psychology
"Blind Spots is a short and wonderfully narrative take on our pervasive lack of self-clarity. Practical and personal stories provide a lens to open our eyes to things others see about us that we miss. I think of how Jesus told his disciples at the Last Supper, 'I have many things to say to you that you cannot yet bear. But when the Spirit of Truth comes, he will lead you into all truth.' I am so grateful that this book gives the opportunity to bear more truth and see ourselves anew. Reading Blind Spots was Jesus's invitation to address blind spots that sabotage my relationships. It gave efficient ways to participate with God's Spirit in responding to truth about myself."
Adele Calhoun, Pastor of Spiritual Formation, Highrock Covenant Church; author; spiritual director; retreat leader; pilgrimage leader; certified Enneagram instructor
"The very thought that there is something unseen in me that hinders my intimacy with Jesus, or deters my true self from emerging, is what compels me to read Blind Spots. The insight, challenge, and practical help offered, combined with the Holy Spirit's work within, revealed several of my personal 'blind spots' to keep exploring. Thank you, Fil and Tim."
Ty Saltzgiver, Author of My First 30 Quiet Times and numerous other titles; husband; father; speaker; mentor
"Did you know there is a difference between looking and seeing? So many of us spend lots of time looking without ever really seeing. In Blind Spots, Tim and Fil take an honest and profoundly authentic look at some of the places that keep us blind, groping in the dark. Bringing light to dark places, Tim and Fil not only expose our blind spots but help us move toward truth, freedom, boldness, and strength. A must-read!"
John Wagner, Young Life SVP Global Cities; author of Perfect: Sacred Stories from the Heart of a Dad
"It's often said that 'seeing is believing.' However, in Blind Spots, I learned just the opposite—that believing is seeing. That regarding the things we can't see about ourselves, we only develop twenty-twenty vision when we've been lovingly seen by a chosen few and by the One whose gaze of affection and acceptance sets us free. After reading this treasure of a book written by Tim Riddle and Fil Anderson, I finally understand why St. Paul asked God to 'open the eyes of our hearts.'"
Michael John Cusick, Author of Surfing for God; CEO at Restoring the Soul
"In these pages, you'll find the authors diligently and honestly trying to uncover and address a crucial topic. In so doing, they successfully offer a helpful start to the lifelong and freeing practice of journeying with God to discover, reveal, and attend to reality. Many will find this book to be a great help. Your loved ones will be glad you read it."
Nathan Foster, Director of Community Life, Renovaré; author of The Making of an Ordinary Saint
"Blind Spots is so much more than just a book. It is a mirror through which we can see our souls. With truth and grace, the authors hold up this mirror for us to take a deep look at what needs to be addressed in our own lives. I wish I had read this book decades ago. I'd be a better man, and now I have that invitation to become a better version of myself and you do too! Sometimes the truth can be too hard to accept. But in this book, we find that the truth sets us free. By first knowing our blind spots, then having them brought to the light, we can see our way more clearly to walk with confidence into the future to experience all God has for us."
Stephen W. Smith, President and Spiritual Director of Potter's Inn; author of The Lazarus Life and Soul Custody
"In my forty years of being a pastor, it would have been so instructive and helpful to have this book. As it has been said, 'Sin blinds, it binds, and it grinds.' We all need a different set of eyes to see what we are missing. This book helps leaders to pay attention to the necessary internal work they need to do to serve and love their communities faithfully. Tim and Fil illustrate a critical topic for healthy, wholehearted leadership and share their stories with insight and wisdom."
Clyde L. Godwin, Director for The Barnabas Center Triad
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Blind spots are anything that stands in the way of being all that God has intended for our lives. This short book by two authors, who do a lot of leadership and counselling and are well respected by their peers, contains no exercises, no unusual bibliography but was a challenging read. One of their first questions was to have you identify your blind spots, or course you said I don’t have any. If you ask friends for comments, they give them and look what happens, we become defensive. We all have some blind spots, some caused by culture or upbringing but we all could be much better than we are and have a much deeper relationship with our Lord. These 9 essays are like listening to sermon notes, they can be read alone or grouped as a series. The quotes and stories were equally from the Bible and the world at large, I loved the cover and though it was very eye catching, black with a hole in it revealing red which was part of a large pictures, a true blind spot. Most of us rather like ourselves the way we are and only occasionally do we consider that we might need to change and with change we would have a deeper personal relationship with God. One interesting though came from Australia, “Life doesn’t change unless you shift gears now and then” and in the words of Henry Ford “If you always do what your always done, you will get what you always got.” That thought along gave me pause for self-examination. I do want to have a deeper relationship and I know I could change a few things, maybe even quite a few. I think the book could have been helped with some pointed questions and exercises. I was not strongly moved by it but mildly challenged
Blind Spots by Tim Riddle and Fil Anderson is a great read! I found it to be insightful and encouraging - it forced me out of my comfort zone to do some much-needed reflection and introspection. The writing is down to earth and relatable and the vulnerability of the authors allows us all to see ourselves in their stories. I will definitely read it again to see what I missed (in my blind spot) the first time.
We all have blind Spots in our lives and this book is a great help in identifying those blind spots and aiding us in not only identifying them but working through them. We are given the tools to expose them from their secret place and to prevent them from developing again. There is a lot of scripture and historical facts that gives us the visual aid we need to truly see these "Blind Spots."
I love how this book not only points out blind spots, but how to identify and remove them. Its so easy to be busy and overlook obvious because of my own desires or intentions. I love how it defines the damage blind spots cause and how to biblically correct or eliminate them. This book is helping me to stop looking and truly start seeing. By seeing deeper and clearer into what God is leading me to do, I am able to show more love to His people. Great read!!
Where are your blind spots? The areas that lead you into sin, but that you ignore, deny or aren’t even aware of? How would you even know? The authors help the reader to see areas in their lives that might be blind spots and then how to deal with them, they consider biblical evidence and use a lot of illustrations along the way. Each chapter finished with a “Be Encouraged” and a “Get Engaged” section. The first helpfully summarises the chapter and the second prompts ways to think actively about the material, whether it be self-analysis, prayer or talking with others. Those who engage in these will obviously get much more out of the book. The truths of the gospel were scattered throughout the book. Much of the language is about coming back to God and his love, but there wasn’t as much about the grace of God extended to us despite our sin. There is more emphasis on Jesus as a wise teacher who pointed out his hearers’ blind spots, than the amazing sacrifice Jesus paid to die for our sin and our blind spots. So, at times the emphasis could have been different, but it was a helpful look at sin and sanctification.
We are taught to watch for blind spots when we are driving but what about those blind spots we have as we journey through life? Anderson and Riddle want readers to be able to be aware of their blind spots and deal with them. They define a blind spot as “anything that stands in the way of being all that God has intended for our lives.” (245/2082) They may be willful sins but they may also be caused by ignorance or immaturity. The authors share their own stories of blind spots then get down to helping us with ours. They take us through the reasons we have them and how they are formed. They explain God uses His Word, His Spirit and His people to show us things about ourselves we can't or don't want to see. They emphasize that we must choose awareness. We must be willing to ask ourselves hard questions, including the ones they provide. They even walk us through some of the feelings we might have when our blind spots are pointed out by trusted friends. This is a good book. It is one of those every Christian would benefit from reading. The authors' writing style makes reading this book a pleasure, even though it is a hard topic. I like that the authors have provided a section at the end of each chapter to help readers apply what they have read to their lives. If you want to know yourself better and truly become aware of your blind spots, this is the book for you. I received a complimentary egalley of this book from the publisher. My comments are an independent and honest review.
What a great read - short and to the point! Having said that, it's not a "quick fix", formulaic approach. Chapter 4 starts with a quote form Dag Hammarskjold, "The longest journey is the journey inwards." The solution to blind spots is a longer road. With Scripture and practical examples of our blind spots, I am much more aware of the blindness that is in me. The section about Nathanael is eye opening, where Jesus sees him and describes him as a "genuine son of Israel - a man of complete integrity". He was an authentic person, who is real and self-aware. This book will give you a good measure of hope and encouragement, along with a healthy dose of reality. It is well worth reading.
Really insightful read. It is well-written and will help readers identify their own blind spots. Highly recommended.
So often, a book on personal and spiritual growth can make the reader feel as if they are listening to a lecture, given by a self-proclaimed expert standing aloof on a distant stage. In delightful contrast, Blind Spots feels more like a candid conversation with two trusted friends, who willingly make themselves vulnerable as they share their own struggles. Indeed, blind spots are something we all suffer from, and Riddle and Anderson, using sound biblical scholarship and engaging personal anecdotes, offer us a plethora of helpful tips and guidelines to enable us to move toward identifying and removing them from our vision so that we can become more fully the people God created us to be. More specifically, they stress the importance of developing an honest self-awareness, living in Christian community, practicing spiritual disciplines, and a complete and total dependence on the work of the Holy Spirit. Finally, Riddle and Anderson help their readers move beyond the theoretical to the practical by concluding each chapter with suggestions for application. A group discussion guide would be a great addition for a future revision.