Review: “The Man in the Mirror” by Patrick Morley

“The first step to knowing God’s plan for our lives is the commitment to see ourselves as we really are.” Taking that commitment prompted Patrick Morley to pen those words twenty five years ago in his best-selling book, The Man in the Mirror: Solving the 24 Problems Men Face.

Since its initial publication, Man in the Mirror has sold over 3 million copies, and today Zondervan is releasing the 25th anniversary updated edition.

For good reason. It is an honest reflection on the twenty-four challenges men face from a man who looked in his own mirror and didn’t like what he saw.

 

The Man in the Mirror

Back in the early ’80s Patrick Morley was at the top of his game and the future looked bright. Or at least he thought so. Moving from one commercial real-estate success to the next and growing in prominence as a leader in the Orlando area, things were humming along nicely for Pat. That was until the Congress passed the Tax Reform act of 1986. Suddenly, property valuations plummeted and Pat found himself struggling to keep his business afloat.

It was then that Pat stopped to take a serious look in the mirror. He discovered a disease. Success sickness had taken root. (Listen to him tell the story on the Reinventure Me podcast.) His inner examination would eventually lead to penning his ground-breaking first book and a transition from the corporate world into full-time ministry and the founding of Man in the Mirror, a disciple making resource and equipping ministry to men.

I have had the privilege to work alongside Patrick as part of the National Coalition of Ministries to Men, a ministry he conceived and cofounded in 1996. His writings over the years—now over 20 books—have deeply influenced me. But even more so, he has become a mentor and friend and a man I deeply respect. So, I was honored when he asked me to write this endorsement for the 25th anniversary edition of that seminal work:

Pat Morley is arguably the world’s expert on what makes men tick. Few others have helped so many men. Now he can help you too. When a man looks in a mirror and asks the tough questions, it helps to have a friend standing with him. Pat can be that friend. In “The Man in the Mirror” he will help you answer those tough questions.

Those tough questions involve our identity, our relationships with others, our perspectives on money, our use of time, our temperament, and our integrity. In each of these areas, Pat doesn’t hold back. He deals directly with these challenges we all face.

As you read this book, you’ll not only discover insights about yourself, but also meet a friend—my friend—who’s there to walk with you in the commitment you make to see yourself as you really are and to know the plan God has for you.

If you read the original “Man in the Mirror” book, what were your impressions?

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