About the book:
God is calling you to something greater than good.
So many of us feel as if we do not do enough and, in fact, are not enough. We try hard to be good--a good friend, mom, wife, Christian, employee, or ministry leader--hoping for that "atta-girl" from God, some heavenly assertion that we matter. In the process, we find ourselves living by a lesser gospel: the gospel of goodness. It's a gospel without grace, and in the end, it's good for nothing.
With compelling illustrations from her own life and from Scripture, Christine Hoover helps you start asking, "What does God want for me?" before asking, "What does God want from me?" You'll find yourself breathing a sigh of relief at this powerful message of freedom and hope. Rather than serving God out of obligation or duty, you'll be compelled to love and serve God with great joy.
My review:
This was an amazing book! It really showed how women in particular feel like they need to be perfect and have it all together and keep doing more. However, doing good works for the wrong reasons just leads to burnout and resentment, among other things. She points out how we can recognize if we are trying to live by the goodness gospel instead of the gospel of grace. It's like we think we can earn our salvation or become a better Christian on our own. I liked how she used a lot of examples in her own struggle with the goodness gospel to show that it's not easy to change our thinking. She's still struggling with it and that made her feel very approachable. We need the Holy Spirit's help to change and to know God better. He is the one who helps us live in grace and love. When we really accept His love and grace, it overflows from us onto others. It also takes the burden off of ourselves to make things happen. I marked so many spots in this book to go back to and reread. There's a discussion guide included. Even though it's geared a little more towards women, I think men could get a lot out of it, as well. This is a book I think a lot of Christians need to read!
There were a few songs I heard on the radio while reading this book that I thought were exactly what I needed to hear and went really well with the message of the book:
Who I Am by Blanca http://myktis.com/songs/who-i-am/
Drops in the Ocean by Hawk Nelson http://myktis.com/songs/drops-in-the-ocean/
Oceans by United http://myktis.com/songs/oceans/
I received a free copy of this book from Baker Books in exchange for an honest review.
The Author
-
Christine Hoover
Christine Hoover is a pastor's wife, mom, speaker, and the author of The Church Planting Wife. She has written for The Gospel Coalition, Desiring God, and Christianity Today. Blogging at www.GraceCoversMe.com, she enjoys encouraging ministry wives and...
Continue reading about Christine Hoover
No comments:
Post a Comment