What does it take to live a life of faith in a world of extreme relativism? What is God’s ultimate plan for humankind and how can anyone – anyone indeed – answer to His call to remain faithful in His love with consistency? Such are the questions that are brilliantly answered in Andy Daugherty’s Before God’s Face: The Discipline of Coram Deo. Daugherty weaves a beautiful message for all Christians by exploring the messages from the Bible and reflecting on the lives of men of faith like Noah, Abraham, Moses, David, and Jesus of Nazareth. In the heart of his message is the beautiful truth that humankind was created for ultimate union with God, hence the call to allow God’s eternal presence to encounter the day-to-day human experience of living and to transform it. In the Foreword to this beautiful book, Paul Leslie states: “A life that is pleasing to God is one that is truly lived in the presence of God… Living with a constant awareness of the presence of God brings victory in faithful living,” and this book shows how to do it.

Before God’s Face: The Discipline of Coram Deo by Andy Daugherty will come across to readers as a “vade me cum”, a companion to helping them increase their awareness of God’s presence in their lives and the call to respond to God’s generous love. It’s a call to a life of faith. Daugherty writes with unwonted simplicity, drawing inspiration from a deep Biblical knowledge and from his personal encounter with God. This is a book for those who want their experience of God to move from passive churchgoer into a phase of utter commitment and inspiring faith. The use of chapters, tables, and references make the book easy to read. It can be an invaluable reference tool for ministers of the word and Bible study groups. I highly recommend this book for anyone seeking a deepened experience of faith.

In Before God's Face: The Discipline of Coram Deo, the new work of Christian devotion and study by debut author Andy Daugherty, Christian readers have been provided with a true gift. "Coram Deo" roughly translates to "in the presence of God," and to this reader, it seems likely that is just where Andy Daugherty was when working on this masterful piece. A guide grounded in realism, this book will help readers to lead a life of effective faith; fruitful, good and honest. Not at all "preach-y" or high handed, the author has written in such a way that any Christian, whether learned or not, will be able to find useful advice, guidance and much to meditate on in their attempts to make positive changes in their own lives.

This is a wonderful piece of Christian literature. Any person, either already steeped in the Christian faith or striving to grow, should pick up Before God's Face: The Discipline of Coram Deo as soon as possible and should devote time to reading and studying it. Sharing it with loved ones would also be a wonderful exercise, and much would be gained in the discussion of the book. Author Andy Daugherty has done a beautiful job in writing this lovely, faith-filled book, and I recommend it highly. It's obvious that the author has a true love of God and the Christian faith, and I hope he is already writing his second inspirational work. This book has the potential to create positive changes in the lives of its readers.