Beauty in the Stone

How God Sculpts You
Into the Image of Christ

By Dan Montgomery, Ph.D.

Foreword by Dr. Charlie Shedd

Thomas Nelson Publishers, $18.99
ISBN 0-7852-7745-5

Are you too giving? Volunteering? Neglectful of yourself? Or are you angry a lot? Irritable? Argumentative?

What about others you know? Do some seem weak and helpless? Do others seem too strong and overbearing?

Chances are, you or someone you know can answer yes to at least one of these questions. But what makes us act -- and react -- in these ways?

In Beauty in the Stone, Dr. Dan Montgomery explains why some people get stuck in such personality patterns. More important, he shows how God works as a master stone carver to release beauty from the rough stone of personality and transform us into happy, joyful people living in the image of Christ -- if we yield unto Him.

Using humor and razor-sharp perception, Montgomery describes how Jesus perfectly modeled for us the LAWS of God's psychology -- Love, Assertion, Weakness, and Strength -- drawing on each at just the right time. Montgomery sees these four LAWS as poles on a compass, the self compass. Ideally, we are able to draw on each of the four poles as Jesus did. However, many of us are stuck on one pole, living with what Dr. Montgomery calls "partial" personalities.

Beauty in the Stone is an inspiring guide for breaking through these self-defeating personality patterns and enjoying the full life God intended. The book includes practical growth exercises for moving out of unhealthy personality patterns into Christlike holiness.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Dan Montgomery, Ph.D., is a licensed clinical psychologist with advanced degrees in psychology and philosophy. He has twenty-five hours of counseling experience. In addition to his work in private practice, he has taught in four universities.

As an internationally known conference speaker, Dr. Montgomery is committed to an extensive speaking schedule and is available for a variety of organizations. He has a worldwide magazine readership of over 30 million people. He has been widely published in Guideposts, Power in Living, Home Life, Christian Parenting Today, and thirty other Christian magazines.

He lives in Foster City, Calilfornia, with his wife, Katie.