The wonderful people over at Thomas Nelson Inc. sent me Max Lucado’s new book Fearless to read and review. The book is available to the public today and I would encourage everyone to buy it and read it…it was that good!
I’ve never read anything by Max Lucado, although I’ve heard a lot about him. He is the minister of writing and teaching for a church in Texas, and he has written a number of books. So I was very excited to get this opportunity to read one of his books, especially since I never seem to have time to read anything.
Fearless talks about how our life can be seriously hindered by fear. And how as Christians, we should never have fear (except the fear of God, which is a good fear) because fear corrodes our confidence in God’s goodness (1). We should remember that all fear should be placed with Christ, and with him, there is nothing to fear. Max Lucado discusses 13 fears in great detail, and how to relinquish those fears and live a fearless life. The 13 fears he talks about are: 1.) The fear of not mattering; 2.) the fear of disappointing God; 3.) the fear of running out; 4.) the fear of not protecting my kids; 5.) the fear of overwhelming challenges; 6.) the fear of worst-case scenarios; 7.) the fear of violence; 8.) the fear of the coming winter; 9.) the fear of life’s final moments; 10.) the fear of what’s next; 11.) the fear that God is not real; 12.) the fear of global calamity; and 13.) the fear of God getting out of my box. If you wrestle with any of these fears, read the book.
In the Fear of Running Out, Max points out a wonderful analogy that can be used with any worry – P-E-A-C-E-F-U-L (Pray first, Easy now, Act on it, Compile a worry list, Evaluate your worry categories, Focus on today, Unleash a worry army, and Let God be enough (2).
I was able to put the concepts I learned in this book to good use last Thursday when John and I went to Cedar Point. I’m afraid of heights, but I love roller coasters. I HATE the ride up the big hill…the fact that you are so high up, and with all that time riding up to the top, my mind starts thinking about what a horrible death it would be if I were to fall out of my car…I really get myself worked up both waiting in line and riding up that first hill. But last week I remember the book, and I remember various different points including the fact that when it’s my time to go, God will take me, and I shouldn’t be afraid because I would be going to a much better place. Now I know this is a little deep for a day at an amusement park, but I felt so much better, and by the third time I was looking out and enjoying the beautiful scenery going up that gigantic first hill. I couldn’t believe what I had been missing all those times I was so scared and never looked out. I realized that life as a whole is that way…how much are you missing because you have fear?
There are so many other points in this book that really got to me…too many to list out here. Trust me, if you have fear, read this book. And I mean really read it…soak it in and meditate on it. It’s amazing how much more free you feel when you really are fearless.
(1) Fearless, page 9
(2) Fearless, page 51
I’ve never read anything by Max Lucado, although I’ve heard a lot about him. He is the minister of writing and teaching for a church in Texas, and he has written a number of books. So I was very excited to get this opportunity to read one of his books, especially since I never seem to have time to read anything.
Fearless talks about how our life can be seriously hindered by fear. And how as Christians, we should never have fear (except the fear of God, which is a good fear) because fear corrodes our confidence in God’s goodness (1). We should remember that all fear should be placed with Christ, and with him, there is nothing to fear. Max Lucado discusses 13 fears in great detail, and how to relinquish those fears and live a fearless life. The 13 fears he talks about are: 1.) The fear of not mattering; 2.) the fear of disappointing God; 3.) the fear of running out; 4.) the fear of not protecting my kids; 5.) the fear of overwhelming challenges; 6.) the fear of worst-case scenarios; 7.) the fear of violence; 8.) the fear of the coming winter; 9.) the fear of life’s final moments; 10.) the fear of what’s next; 11.) the fear that God is not real; 12.) the fear of global calamity; and 13.) the fear of God getting out of my box. If you wrestle with any of these fears, read the book.
In the Fear of Running Out, Max points out a wonderful analogy that can be used with any worry – P-E-A-C-E-F-U-L (Pray first, Easy now, Act on it, Compile a worry list, Evaluate your worry categories, Focus on today, Unleash a worry army, and Let God be enough (2).
I was able to put the concepts I learned in this book to good use last Thursday when John and I went to Cedar Point. I’m afraid of heights, but I love roller coasters. I HATE the ride up the big hill…the fact that you are so high up, and with all that time riding up to the top, my mind starts thinking about what a horrible death it would be if I were to fall out of my car…I really get myself worked up both waiting in line and riding up that first hill. But last week I remember the book, and I remember various different points including the fact that when it’s my time to go, God will take me, and I shouldn’t be afraid because I would be going to a much better place. Now I know this is a little deep for a day at an amusement park, but I felt so much better, and by the third time I was looking out and enjoying the beautiful scenery going up that gigantic first hill. I couldn’t believe what I had been missing all those times I was so scared and never looked out. I realized that life as a whole is that way…how much are you missing because you have fear?
There are so many other points in this book that really got to me…too many to list out here. Trust me, if you have fear, read this book. And I mean really read it…soak it in and meditate on it. It’s amazing how much more free you feel when you really are fearless.
(1) Fearless, page 9
(2) Fearless, page 51
1 comment:
It's good when you can actually put into use something that you have read isn't it? We all know God doesn't give us any more than we can handle, but I know I never think to break down that concept. I don't think of it daily, sad to say, only when things seems impossible then it enters my heat and heart. Fear is something I have in many areas of life, and never realized it's the same concept. Thanks for sharing and I will be reading the book!!!
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