Recovered (review)

In recent years, the name Robby Gallaty has shown up on my radar. He was discipled by David Platt—that must've been pretty intense! He is the founder and face of Replicate Ministries, an organization devoted to taking discipleship seriously at the personal, small group, and local church level. 

I had no idea how crazy his story was! I know he's a towering figure, well over six feet tall. I know he's a pastor committed to faithful exposition of Scripture. I know he's a godly brother and author seeking to point the world to Christ. But I never really read his biography, and I didn't know how far God had brought him.

Recovered is Robby's retelling of his story. 

He walks readers through God's providence in the midst of a car accident, pill addiction, money-chasing, stealing from his parents, cocaine addiction, the death of friends, and the struggles to put sin to death even after his soul was made new. Gallaty doesn't sugarcoat things, but he also doesn't glamorize the sinfulness that he partook in.

The beauty of Recovered is that the hero of the story isn't Robby Gallaty. Too often, we often try to be the hero of our own story. There is very real temptation to make our testimony sound crazier and our conversion more dramatic to make much of ourselves. That's not the case here. Robby makes it clear that God, in His Providence, is the center of his story:

"I needed more than detox. I needed the Son of God, Jesus Christ, to set me free. And now, he had." (p. 129)

Even after his conversion, Gallaty gives credit to God for providing discipleship, calling him into the ministry, and giving him guidance and gifting to do all that God had called him to. In everything, God is sovereign, and that's what Gallaty wants readers to know and grasp as they read his story.

One awesome feature of Recovered is the final chapter which has notes for recovering addicts. If you have battled addiction or know someone who has, Gallaty's story is more than just a bit of encouragement. It is a means of spreading the name and fame of Jesus Christ—the Lamb who takes away the sin of the world.

I received a free copy of this book. I was not required to leave a positive review.