The package arrived in the afternoon. Not recognizing the return address, I hastily tore into the parcel, like a schoolboy on Christmas Eve. My misguided enthusiasm led to a ripped front cover of a new book. My first thought: Disgust and discontent. My second thought was one of conviction as I read the title of the book by my friend, David Kaywood - A Call to Contentment: Pursuing Godly Satisfaction in a Restless World.

The title of Pastor Kaywood’s book shot like a bullet through my heart. Here I sat, sulking at the prospect of a complementary book I received from a friend. Yet, all I could think about was frustration because the front cover was torn.

I taped the front cover, leaving a permanent reminder of the experience. With that, I dug into David’s book. After reading the first chapter, I knew I was in for a treat!

A Call to Contentment is a book written for Christians of all ages and maturity levels. The author defines contentment as “the freedom from dependence on desired circumstances that comes from God’s empowering grace to enduring everything with rejoicing.”

The book confronts various symptoms of the heart that resists contentment: coveting, grumbling, unrighteousness anger, and worry - to name a few.

The force of Kaywood’s work is a blend of conviction and encouragement. The book is packed with convicting challenges, but the author never leaves the reader hanging. The author presents the gospel as the answer to meet the needs of the unsatisfied soul throughout the book. Over and over, one can hear the faint whisper of Augustine, “Oh, Lord Thou has created us for thyself and our hearts are restless until we find our rest in Thee.”

The most enduring feature of A Call to Contentment's relentless commitment to Scripture. Kaywood never deviates from the text. He never compromises with worldly solutions. Rather, he consistently points readers to find their satisfaction in the Lord Jesus Christ, as revealed in sacred Scripture.

I trust that A Call to Contentment will receive a wide reading and that many people will be compelled by the biblical wisdom in this excellent book.