Outlive Your Life

I had every intention of entitling this blog "Intentional Living," primarily because intentional living has been heavily on my mind and I EXPECTED that reviewing a book called Outlive Your Life would fit in nicely with that theme. And it does--to a point. But once I finished the book, intentional living--in the way I intended to use it--was too self-centered of a theme. So, back we are with the title of Max Lucado's latest book (which anyone who has had KLOVE on this month will already know).

Can I just say God is preparing to do something MAJOR? Never in my life (though only a short 34 years) have I heard so many messages lining up to the same theme. It was just a year and a half ago when I turned on the radio and heard The Motions in answer to a prayer...only to discover that I'd interpreted incorrectly (but that's another story, another day).

Mercy.

And everything since then has been one more confirmation that this life is a whole lot more than ME and MY desires. Culminating (at this point, anyway) with Do Hard Things for adults. Actually, that is an oversimplification, but I called it that this morning when talking with my sister, and it was a good opportunity to remind you of another world changer book out there.

We have one life to live. We can live it for ourselves. We can live it for others. We can live it for God. And if we live it for God, we will live it caring for others. And I'm pretty sure our overall satisfaction in our own lives will be better than it would in a hedonistic style of living.

Half of that was Max Lucado. Half of that was my interpretation of Mr. Lucado.

With the use of true life vignettes tied into first century church leaders and drawing from the whole of the Bible, Max Lucado gives you the desire and the tools to Outlive Your Life.

Certainly this book is heavy on evangelism, and frankly, life without Jesus is pointless, but he isn't just preaching door to door evangelism. He's really preaching intentional living. He tells us to find our passion, the thing that makes us weep, and buckle down and do something about it. Build an orphanage, start a soup kitchen, join a prison ministry, sponsor a child, but don't forget the "bread." Service without meaning is just service. Those hurting people need Jesus. Use your passion to lead those people to eternal things. Look at the hurting people, Pray about situations as a first resort, practice hospitality, remember Who is in charge (practice humility), serve, serve, serve, and believe no one is too far gone to love (or be saved)...among other things. 

Excellent, excellent book.

Of course, it's still only a book unless those of us who read it respond. For "None of us can help everyone. But all of us can help someone. And when we help them, we serve Jesus. Who would want to miss a chance to do that?"