The Diamond Soul

5 Stepping Stones to Christlike Character

Non-Fiction - Self Help
292 Pages
Reviewed on 08/31/2020
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Author Biography

George Vasilca writes on topics related to self-help, moral character improvement, and leadership. His audience is Christian men and women interested in continuous personal development and spiritual growth.

George is a retired professional engineer and business executive with over forty-five years of experience in business leadership, project management, and technology development. He has a multi-cultural background and international business experience. He has been a facilitator of technical collaboration and technology transfer programs, and business partnerships. For many years, George has been mentoring young leaders with a particular focus on developing a solid moral character, enhancing the effectiveness of human relations, and refining the principles of leadership and management.
George received his Master of Science degree in Electrical Engineering from the University Politechnica in Bucharest, Romania. After working for a few years in his native country, George moved to West Germany, then immigrated to Canada in 1974.

In 1991, George moved to the US to become a founding director and executive officer of the Casmyn Vector Group of Sparks, NV. From the mid-nineties until his retirement, George provided consulting engineering and project management services to Hershey Corporation of Hershey, PA.

George is a licensed Professional Engineer (ret) in the US and Canada, a retired member of several professional organizations, and a life member of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers.

George lives with his wife Mara, also a writer, in Hershey, PA. He has two grown-up sons and one grandson. He writes regularly for his blog located at www.georgevasilca.org

    Book Review

Reviewed by Gobi Jane for Readers' Favorite

The Diamond Soul: 5 Stepping Stones to Christlike Character by George Vasilca is a self-help, inspirational book with a strong appeal to Christian readers, a book that uncovers the secrets to growing more and more into the image and personality of Christ. The book focuses on building a strong moral character and it illustrates the role that the Holy Spirit plays in the journey. In this book, readers will discover the core values that have guided great leaders, including Jesus, and how to cultivate them, the character traits that are fundamental in creating good and strong personalities and people of positive influence, and a step-by-step guide to build on the values that eventually transform us into Christlike persons.

I thought this was going to be some kind of a preachy little book, but it turned out to be one of the best books I have read on personal development, moral character, and spiritual growth. And while this book is written primarily for Christian readers, it contains wisdom that will speak to the heart of anyone who wants to make a positive difference in theirs and others’ lives. The author skillfully combines the science of positive psychology, faith, and reason to create a path that allows readers to transform themselves and grow to their full stature. As one reads through George Vasilca’s book, one begins to get a clearer and stronger idea of their purpose; of living life fully, and the true meaning of personal growth. The Diamond Soul: 5 Stepping Stones to Christlike Character is a gift of love and faith, an insightful book that will bring value to anyone’s life. Written in a clear and compelling voice, it invites us to travel the path of personal transformation with courage, guided by the spirit.

Tammy Ruggles

If you're a Christian, The Diamond Soul: 5 Stepping Stones to Christlike Character by George Vasilca can refine your faith-walk with Christ. The book starts off by defining the concept of the Diamond Soul--one shaped by the Holy Spirit, which can render believers into more Christlike characters. The method of reaching the Diamond Soul uses the author's second concept--five stepping stones. Further, once your Diamond Soul is crafted, you can discover your God-given destiny. Christ is perfect and we as humans can't be perfect, but we can strive to strengthen our moral character and faith by using His example. Other themes covered by the author include learning how to be proactive instead of reactive, improving your leadership skills, planning long-term goals and how to reach them, sharpening your self-discipline, rejuvenating yourself each day, finding joy in serving others, and becoming a Warrior in Christ.

Vasilca has crafted an easy-to-follow self-help guide for Christians who seek to gain a more fully-focused direction and purpose in their lives by following Christ's example more closely and recognizing that, like a diamond, your soul is precious and can be fashioned into a stronger one. The author takes complex ideas and simplifies them in a way that readers can understand, using psychology, science, and the analogies of the diamond and stepping stones. The idea of virtues, vices, and destiny may not occur to Christians, but this book explains these concepts and more, and in a way that makes sense. The notion that a Christlike character doesn't come easy, and must be consciously worked for step by step--(you can't get to the diamond without climbing the mountain)--can be helpful. The author's personal experiences make his ideas sound reasonable and do-able, and I like his enthusiasm and commitment. The Diamond Soul: 5 Stepping Stones to Christlike Character by George Vasilca is the perfect way to discover who you are in Christ and how you can become more like Him.

Jamie Michele

The Diamond Soul: 5 Stepping Stones to Christlike Character by George Vasilca is a Christian non-fiction self-help book that outlines techniques Vasilca has himself employed to attain a standard of living worthy of Christ's own teachings. The book tackles scepticism by making it clear that scripture and science are not mutually exclusive, that neither is an all-or-nothing viewpoint, and employs a fact-based application of psychology in connecting deeply rooted human behavior and mental processing to a strong core of spirituality. Over the course of nineteen comprehensive chapters, Vasilca draws out the incremental stages, or stones as they're called here, in the pursuit of Christlike character through its pillars: You are a Christian, You are a Fighter, Your Godly Way, You are Disciplined, and Polishing your Character.

George Vasilca delivers a practical and intelligent guide to modeling Godly behavior with The Diamond Soul. The analogy of a clear and internally unblemished gem that has been formed from coal connects the soul of a flawed human to its potential to shine in the eyes of God. Vasilca writes with a tight and easily understandable narrative, acknowledging the everyday pitfalls that keep us from our personal best. For those who have ever taken a course in psychology or been in the office of a marriage counsellor, they will recognize the application of science with sections such as the Relationship Bank Account, which work in tandem with the fundamentals of Christianity, such as fellowship and service. I enjoyed reading this book and, if I'm being totally honest, dog-eared so many pages that it looks like a terrible attempt at origami. If you're looking for a place to start your transformation to Christlike character, this is it.

Lesley Jones

Do you ever wish you could live an extraordinary life, a life more than mere existence and survival? During 1993, George Vasilca was facing financial hardship in his business. He believed only a miracle could save his business and the lives of those people who depended on him. When his prayers for a solution came, it set George upon a journey that would reconnect him with God. Throughout this guide, The Diamond Soul: 5 Stepping Stones to Christlike Character, you will discover how to build a Diamond Soul character, with the values and virtues God requires from you. What are the behavior patterns, characteristics, and beliefs that are preventing you from living an authentic life? By following the stepping stones towards building your Diamond Soul, your patience, perseverance, and dedication will increase. Your characteristics will imitate those of Jesus Christ, bringing you unlimited joy and personal gratification whilst increasing the joys in others' lives. It is time to reach for the stars and build a blueprint for a much more fulfilling life.

The Diamond Soul: 5 Stepping Stones to Christlike Character by George Vasilca is filled with the most uplifting and inspiring lessons to improve your character. The author outlines many aspects of the human character and explains every technique in such simple terms. I found his analysis of how thoughts and feelings affect your behavior very interesting. The differences between character and personality as well as virtues and vices were extremely compelling. You will find many 'Eureka' moments throughout this book and will become much more self-aware. The moments of reflection at the end of each chapter were superb and a great springboard to your daily meditation. The section of living a Purpose Driven Life, learning how to prioritize those actions that are most beneficial and improving your personal management were my absolute favorite sections. I recommend this book to anyone who seems to have lost direction in their lives. There are many uplifting quotes throughout the guide but this poem from Robert Frost, titled The Road Not Taken, summed up the contents of this book perfectly: "Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—I took the one less traveled by, and that has made all the difference.”

Jose Cornelio

The Diamond Soul: 5 Stepping Stones to Christlike Character by George Vasilca is a self-help book that woke me up — and brutally —and that challenged me to take my personal development a bit more seriously. But there is more to the book than that: it shows readers the steps they need to take to deepen their growth and to create a moral character that resembles that of Jesus. This is a book for readers who want to grow to their full stature and who crave authenticity and humanity. The author uses Christian foundations to define a moral character and then, combining psychological principles and rationality, crafts a path that anyone can use to transform both their character and personality to become someone of positive influence. The role that the Holy Spirit plays in a personal transformation journey is interesting.

The Diamond Soul is not only suitable for people who want to be leaders, for are not all called to first lead meaningful and authentic lives? Anyone will discover wisdom in this book and I loved the way the author explores the concept of moral character, creates the link between faith and reason, identifies the actionable steps to achieve what he proposes in the book. The writing is focused and compelling, and the compassionate tone reaches right to the heart of the reader. This author is not just a good writer, but an expert teacher who communicates complex things in a language that is accessible and a tone that is irresistible. George Vasilca’s voice is one that we badly need in a world where moral character is almost non-existent and where core values that defined our humanity are being slowly eroded by a materialistic and egoistic culture that strips us of our humanity. It is a must-read.