Book Review of God Is Able by Priscilla Shirer AND Giveaway!

Do you believe that?

I mean, really believe that God is able?

This book might challenge what you know and believe about God's ability in your life.

God Is Able, Priscilla Shirer

Got an IMPOSSIBLE situation? IMPOSSIBLE. IMPENETRABLE. UNCHANGEABLE. Maybe so . . . until God gets involved. No matter the details of your circumstance, His raw power potential and immeasurable ability refuse to cower in the face of any challenge. Nothing is impossible with God. Nothing. Not even that thing. This is the uplifting, well-reasoned answer from New York Times best-selling author Priscilla Shirer—not a denial of life’s adversities and troubles, but a biblical reminder that God is always up to great things, even when His great things are greater then instant remedies and visible change. He is a God who cares . . . and a God who CAN. Believe it. Experience it. God Is Able.

This book was a pleasant surprise for me. Priscilla takes one verse and dissects it every possible way to help us understand the fullness and the vastness of God's ability. The verse is Ephesians 3:20-21. A verse that many are familiar with but likely have never had it broken down quite like this. Each chapter takes a word or section of words from the verse and kneads it through until there is no mistaking what the intentions of those words are, and the power intended behind them.

Now don't go judging this as "I've heard all about that verse before." Because Priscilla has an amazing gift of peeling back YOUR layers and digging deep into YOUR heart to tell an new story about this verse.  You won't be disappointed.

The book has a very easy flow and is easy to digest in small parts. It also is short enough to read over a couple of days. Her light-hearted but get-to-the-point style of engaging the reader is refreshing and perfectly suited for this topic of opening our hearts to the greatest that God is able to do in and through us.

An excellent read and an excellent gift for someone you love who is struggling through that impossible situation.

Order your own or comment below to win a free copy courtesy of B&H Publishing Group and Priscilla Shirer.

In case you are curious, I have blogged about a previous book by Priscilla Shirer in January 2012.

Thanks to B&H Publishing for my free copy to review. The above comments are my honest opinion. Also thanks to B&H for the additional free copy to be given away as a prize.

Comment below to be entered into a draw for a free copy of God is Able. Be sure to leave me your spam-free email address so I can contact the winner. (Ex: jodi(dot)janz(at)gmail(dot)com)

GIVEAWAY EXTENDED!!! DEC 31st. Start your New Year out right with a new book!

Trust me ... I failed.

Did you make any New Year's resolutions?

If you did I must ask the question no one wants to answer.  Have you broken any yet?

You can shy away from the computer now, or click the now glaringly large X in the top corner of your screen ... or you can hear me say I have failed my only resolution ALREADY.

It is only the 8th day into the New Year.  That is only 192 hours I have lived in 2013.  How could I have failed it already?  Well for starters, I knew I would.  But I decided not to let that stop me from making it my new mission.

Last year at the beginning of 2012 I told you about adopting a word  instead of a bunch of resolution statements.  I did that last year. I chose ETERNAL. (You can read about it here.)  That's a good word, a well chosen word to challenge me and stretch me. However I discovered something along the way that is very telling about my own life and spiritual journey.

It is almost impossible to let the eternal mindset rule in your mind and heart when you don't trust what that eternity is.

There I said it.  Big sigh.  I have been a Christian for over twenty years, a Pastor's wife since 2001 and I had no idea that I never believed "it" in the areas that counted.  There are a lot of things I know and believe, such as:

Wanted dead or alive

I spent my morning writing an email message to a dear friend. She is currently overwhelmed with discouragement. So,  I pray and I try to speak words of encouragement but they all seem to fall short.  Why is that?

Today in my devotional book that I have been working through I received the answer.  Because it is God's job to rebuild, restore and rejuvenate souls ... not mine.

Our great and glorious God is in the business of rebuilding.  It is His finest work afterall.  Look what He did for His own Son.  It is not a difficult work for Him.  It is a great joy to Him.  It is us that have a problem with the whole process.  We want it now.  Or we want it to come in a different format.  Or we forget to even turn to Him for it in the first place.

The hardest part is ours ... trust.  We need to rest in a place of trusting God to finish what he started, bringing  us to completion and perfection.  Only it will take a long time. I know that hurts to hear.  Especially when you are struggling, barely surviving, and overwhelmed beneath the weight our of your circumstances. But may I offer this bit of encouragement to you today.  The Lord is faithful.  The Lord is continuously working on your behalf (and mine).  The Lord will not rest until it is complete.

Do you feel better now?