Religion Books

I am a mental health professional and have used this book, excerpts from this book and the analogy "empty well" since the first time I read it in 2004. Mark writes with a sincerity that is moving and with such clarity that anyone can grasp the "empty well" concept and make it their own. I recommend this book to anyone who has had less than perfect relationships with their parents, family members, significant others or anyone else from whom you may have felt rejected or let down.

If you need healing, this is your book! Honestly, this book will be in my office and will be given to clients as long as I am in practice. Take my word for it...I have seen at least 50 clients who have sought fulfillment in drugs, alcohol, sex and various other self-destructive behaviors read this book and walk away with a better understanding of what their Empty Wells have been and what they're trying so desperately to find.

Mark Leonard's book is the type of book that you can't just read one chapter....you are going to be led to read the entire book in one day. It's that good! I think that this book will explain a lot of people in your life that have "issues" - it is especially good if you have teens. You can share this book with them and they will get their self-esteem and confidence back. A great ministry tool. I loved it! I walked away understanding so much - it was inspiring and anointed.

Pam Perry, Chocoalte Pages reviewer
www.MinistryMarketingSolutions.com

When I read this book, I was moved into a place of journeying through my past life to find moments or seasons where I looked for people to acknowledge who I was as a person. The book awakened my spirit to abort all those negative memories where I looked for man's approval; replacing them with the stedfast trust in the Lord. I consider a book excellent when it is able to bring eternal healing to a wounded spirit because no money in the world can do that.

Reading Empty Well Thirsty Heart has been pivotal for me in reaching some very personal goals in my life. If you find yourself in similar cycles in relationships and in other areas of your life, I strongly suggest you take a moment and gain some incredible insight from this book. It will cause you to put a name to some of the broken areas and relationships in your life.
It will also, I believe by the the Spirit of God direct you to where the changes need to be made to bring about healing and to take you out of a barren place not just with yourself but with those you love.
Reading this book is a blessing not just because of what you will see in yourself, but you will be able to walk in wholeness and it will be a gift to everyone you come in contact with.

I have never read a book that so changed my life. "Empty well, thirsty heart." Takes you on a journey trough life's rejections and struggles, to a true place of wholeness and stability. Pastor Mark truly hits the heart of every human's struggle. We all have a God-shaped hole in our heart and we all need Him (God) to fill it. If you have not read this book I strongly recommend it for you and anyone you know regardless of their religion or faith.

Doug Moo offers a great exegetical and expositional commentary with the PNTC series offering on James. Well worth the buy, if you don't have a solid commentary on James. Nothing too crazy, and lots of compelling argumentation for his positions.

I have five critical commentaries on James (Lenski, Bruce, Woods, Martin, and now Moo). This one will more than likely be the primary source for me when I study the book in a critical fashion. He is thorough and that is what I want. If you are a preacher looking for something quick and in summary form, a smaller work might be more useful. For me, as a preacher, if I am in the circumstance where I need something quick I am already in trouble. I like the Pillar Series. Not long ago I read of one's review that was overly critical of the work on the epistles of John - I do not subscribe to that sentiment at all. It is a good series!

If you are looking for an answer to a question raised about the meaning of the book of Phillipians, you could not find a better treatment. This is a wonderful resource and fine treatment of the text. I used it in a series of sermons, and found it very easy to acess and get the gems of the book.

`The Epistle of James' by James B. Adamson, 1976, 227 pages in the series The New International Commentary on the New Testament; `The Letter of James' by Douglas J. Moo, 2000, 271 pages, a volume in the series The Pillar New Testament Commentary; and `James' by Ralph P. Martin, 1988, 240 pages, A volume in the series Word Biblical Commentary are all `full featured' and recent commentaries on the first of the short `catholic' epistles in the New Testament.

I find it amazing how different the material is in these three volumes. After 1800 years of commentary, one would expect a fair amount of uniformity in thinking about this short letter, but there is a remarkable range of differences in emphasis among the three.

Those of you who are familiar with the world of biblical commentary will recognize that all three are part of major series of commentaries. Adamson and Moo belong to series dedicated to the New Testament, while Martin's volume is an offering of a larger series on both Old and New Testaments. And, each volume is organized in a way to match the editorial style of their series. This is most clearly seen in Martin's volume, as his work is organized in virtually the same way as the much larger work on Paul's Epistle to the Romans by the distinguished scholar, James D. G. Dunn. This is no surprise, as Martin is the New Testament editor for his series, the Word Biblical Commentary.

Ranked by scholarly detail, Martin has the most and Adamson has the least, with Moo somewhere in between; but don't take from this that Martin is heavy on the Greek and Adamson has no original Greek. All three are specifically written for the scholar and assume that the reader either knows classical Greek or is willing to slog through all the Greek words and expressions. The irony here is that while Martin is the most heavily scholarly, it may also be the most accessible to the lay or strictly pastoral user, since this series divides scholarly observations into the `Comments' on each paragraph, while more general thoughts are spelled out in straight English in the `Form/Structure/Setting' section and later in the `Explanation' section following the `Comments'. Adamson organizes all his `special' or more technical topics in `Excursus' sections following his main commentary. I found this just a tad distracting, especially when I discovered some mistakes in references to these Excursus sections in the main text.

All three authors give us their own translations of the text, and all three agree on where the difficult phrases are to be found. If I were to pick a volume purely on the basis of their translation, I would prefer Adamson, as he seems to give translations that best resolve these difficult sections. But, in all three cases, the authors agree on where the difficulties lie and, in general, the nature of the difficulties.

In the three authors' introductory chapter on the author, themes, and canonical status of the letter, all three agree on the major points. They uniformly agree, for example on the belief that the letter does, in fact, represent the thoughts or writings of James, the brother of Jesus, who was head of the Christian Jews in Jerusalem up to about 62 CE. They also agree that the final form of the letter was rewritten and polished sometime in the early 2nd century, CE. The authors are also uniform in their citing Martin Luther's misunderstanding of James; however, I would give Luther credit for seeing scriptural support of many Roman Catholic doctrines, even if any sound reading of `James' shows that this support is probably stretching James points just a little too far.

On the major themes of the letter, I generally prefer Martin's emphasis on the three topics of `Wisdom', `Perfection', and `The Piety of the Poor' to the other authors' interest in theology and the law. James is clearly spending less times on these typically Pauline topics than he is on lessons for a Christian life.

Among all the other differences, it is most remarkable to see all the differences between how the three authors structure an outline of the short letter. If you didn't know better, you may think they were talking about two different writings. This is just a symptom of the fact that `James' is much less a theological argument a la `Romans' and much more a collection of lessons on prayer, right Christian behavior, and the implications of faith. This is consistent with the fact that the letter has much in common with the Gospels, especially the Gospel of Matthew (See Martin).

One last difference I detect between the three is the fact that Martin makes more connections to modern theology of, for example Dietrich Bonhoffer, while Moo and Adamson have more citations to the great reformers, Calvin and Luther.

If I had to pick only one of these, I would go with Martin's volume in the Word Biblical Commentary series. If I were interested only in pastoral interpretation, I would go with Moo or the article `The Letter of James' by Luke Timothy Johnson in `The New Interpreter's Bible', since both refer heavily to the standard NIV and NRSV translations. If your interest is in a scholarly study of the letter, you will probably want all three.

This is Moo's second commentary on the epistle of James. He wrote his first one in 1985 as part of the Tyndale series. This commentary is the result of fifteen years of reflection on that work. The content of this commentary makes it evident that this is the mature thought of a noted scholar on the letter of James. Those fifteen years left him more convinced "that the heart of the letter is a call to wholehearted commitment to Christ" (x).
Moo provides a lengthy introduction to this epistle (46 pages worth). This introduction includes the history of James in the church, nature and genre, authorship, theology, occasion and date, and structure of James. Concerning authorship, Moo holds that James, the bother of Christ, is the author. He presents arguments against this traditional view and then answers them. The section on the theology of the book is a feature more commentaries would do well to include. He dates the writing of the letter around the middle of the 40s AD. This is important because the date of writing has great implication on the relationship of the letter to Paul's teachings. Moo does not place a ridge structure on the letter. Instead, he finds "several key motifs" which "are often mixed together with other themes in paragraphs that cannot be labeled as neatly as we might like" (45). Denying the assertion of some commentators that the letter has no unifying purpose, Moo argues that the central concern of the letter is spiritual wholeness of the readers (47).
Moo's analysis of the text is insightful. His word studies are well done. He presents a wide range of possible meanings but uses the context to determine which meaning is James's meaning. Moo also does a good job in showing James's relationship with Paul. James is not writing against Paul. James means something different by faith than does Paul. They are addressing different problems.
The format of the commentary is user friendly for the most part. One helpful aspect is that Moo's introductory notes precede the verse by verse exposition of major points and most sub-points. Moo transliterates Greek words making the commentary usable to those who do not have the advantage of knowing Greek. One slight critique concerns the chapter divisions. The chapter divisions of the commentary are based on the chapters of James. This is fine, but the table of contents is broken down by his outline. One would whish the editors would choose a method of division and stay with it. The only other criticism is that Moo's writing style can be difficult at times. These two minor criticisms in no way change the fact that this is a masterpiece. It is short at only 251 pages not counting indexes. Anyone from a layperson to a scholar will benefit from this commentary. This reviewer would recommend it without hesitation (something he does not do often).

This book is excellent guidance on how to communcate effectively with your son, yet also applicable to other family members. John's brillantly grounded approach works. He provides tools to break the cycle of frustrating circular arguments and reoccuring confrontations, which quite frankly, works with anyone. I've circulated the book amongst friends here in England, France and the States and the feedback has been the same, "can I keep this copy for future reference?".

I was hooked right away reading John's descriptions of boys who were so similar to our son. I was so encouraged that someone could see our problems and provide a reasonable plan to help us reconnect.

John identifies 6 ways that we parents repel our sons - Reacting, Micromanaging, Lecturing, Moralizing, Reiterating and Threatening - and then outlines what to do instead.

He provides a couple of invaluable tools: 1. Speaking to your son in a 90 second window, and 2. Using shoulder-to-shoulder communication. Both of these tools maintain connection and avoid your son's withdrawal.

John says at the end of every chapter, "And then the chase is on." It's chokes me up each time I read it and realize that all of the time, effort and resources spent are all worth it for the sake of my son.

Miraculously John Davis came into our lives during our son's and our family's power struggles in high school.
We learned and grew because of John's strength, wisdom and love. We are forever grateful and recommend ANYONE who knows a teenage boy to read this book and follow it.
There you will find your heart and your son can be the man he strives to be...noble, tender, worthy.
Mandy Vogel
Baltimore, MD.

As a single mother of a teenage boy, I was deeply moved by the empowerment of this incredible book. Author John Davis reveals the struggles and adversity his young clients have faced and the victory each of them have worked so hard to achieve! His vision and dedication to working with young men is inspiring. This book provides essential tools for every parent dedicated to developing the character of their sons (even daughters!) as well as guiding you through the process of overcoming the "very real" challenges our sons face in today's society (drugs, alcohol, sex, anger, peer pressure). John Davis is an authentic writer ~ his book is poignant, emotional, uplifting, raw, and very direct in teaching parents what to look for when there is a breakdown, either physically, emotionally or in communicating with your son. After reading this book, I have a clearer understanding in knowing how to "reach" the heart of my son and the best way to respond when challenges arise! John Davis has given all of us an incredible resource!! I have no doubt "Extreme Pursuit: Winning the Race for the Heart of Your Son" will be the marker in which all other parenting / relational books will be compared!

I'm a 23 year old student at Seattle Pacific University, I'm healthy, active, emotionally intelligent, and I have a wonderful relationship with my parents. I'm not bragging, I promise, it's just that I didn't always have these skills. This is a sincere thanks to John Davis for being a key player in my life when I was at vulnerable ages and places. You see, I'm a graduate of John's 2Xtreme counseling program. What this means is that much of who I am and many of the skills I've acquired, came directly from my relationship with John Davis. When I was struggling with finding healthy ways to connect with my family as a teenager, John and I were hammering out concrete ways for me to talk with my mom and dad. When I started making bad decisions in high school, John and I went to work on those issues. I was blessed with a friend who walked through the pain with me, and mentored me back to a place where I could start making positive changes in my life. This is the most concise testimony I can make about John's work. There's so much more that is needed to do the man justice, so here's my email address: aldrin@spu.edu I feel so strongly about furthering the message of John's work that I will gladly return questions from parents.
While reading Extreme Pursuit I was taken back to the office where we used to do our sessions. I was taken back to the literal cliffs that we rappelled from together. I was taken back to the Andes that John and I actually climbed together in the summer of 2003. I was taken back to the times when John and I had nothing else to say, so we just cried instead. And I'm not ashamed to say it. I'm also not ashamed to say that when I saw my name in John's book, I was giddy like a school girl. I'm seriously passionate about this message because it's a manual full of tools and advice that literally changed my life, and in no small measure. Know that this book is not a quick fix for you and your son. It never is with kids like us. This is an opportunity for you parents to crawl down into the adventurous and sometimes painful adolescent years that are so poignant in a boy's life. Trust me, your son wants to be your friend. He wants to make you proud of the young man he's becoming. The wealth of knowledge I find in Extreme Pursuit can help foster the relationships that are most important to you, and to your son.

This book is great. It is well laid out and clearly written. Our family uses this to start talking and thinking about what virtues are and how to consciously use them in our lives. I highly recommend it.

I bought a copy of this wonderful book from a grocery store, of all places. My daughters and I use this book every day as a devotional guide. The virtues are explained in terms simple enough for my 6yo to understand without being "simplistic". The authors also manage to respect and incorporate the faith teachings of major world religions without leaning toward sectarianism, preachiness, or political correctness.

I find my parenting muscles being stretched whenever we pick this guide up for our daily readings.

This book has taught us how to brake the cycle of shame & blame and then shown us a loving/just way to work with kids to change behavior. It has worked on myself just as much as my daughter and she loves to read or do the virtues picks. I can't express how much this has helped us! We all love the book.Have an open mind and do it for a month you will see results right away.

This book is absolutely wonderful ~ just what Baha'u'llah encourages us to be, and the virtues are beautifully explained and great examples are given!! Very clear to understand & practice. Every family should have this book, hands down. Of course, there are more than 52 virtues we all should learn & practice, but in this format, we can read and practice one virtue per week for a year. We make it a game & share our experiences throughout the week. :) It's been incredibly helpful not only to my daughter in giving her the tools to be a kind, loving, compassionate & confident individual, but also successful in any situation life will throw at her. NOT to mention ~ it's been invaluable to me, showing and teaching me virtues I needed to work on so I can be a better example for my daughter as well. Being a parent, there is no greater responsibility than talking the talk, and *walking the walk*!! LOVE IT!!

I got this book because of a recommendation from a friend. She taught pre school, and when she applied "the virtues" to her class, she said that it was like a miracle.

Personally, my children are older, 10,11,12. I have also had awesome results so far! I have learned to see many situations differently, and it has worked! Each time I have had an opportunity to call my kids to a virtue, calmness reigns. When we argue, calling them to the particular virtue that is needed at that time makes sense to children. It also allows them to be in control of the results. I believe that I will be using this book until they are grown.

It is an amazing look at the cohesiveness of the Old Testament and the New Testament. Well-written, and scholarly, yet easy to read.

This book was recommended by Beth Moore in several of her Women's Bible
studies. It gives detailed information about Jewish celebrations which
lend a rich perspective to one's understanding of the Bible.

This book is one of my favorites, as far as learning more about customs of the people in the Old Testament. When you are done reading this book you will have more understanding of the people and of scripture. If you are a pastor or sunday school teacher or a homechurch, get this book.This is one book you will go back to a hundred times.

This book is foundational to the Christian faith and really should be soomething every pastor should be teaching on. It gives clear and Biblical descriptions of the feasts of the Lord, which is God's calendar, and why he set up the calendar and chose these particular feasts to be celebrated. It also explains awesome little details of Jewish customs at the time of Christ that make things like the Passover so interesting. You get to see how all the pieces of the puzzle come together. The best part is how it describes Jesus as the fulfillment of thress of the feasts and that those feasts that are yet unfulfilled will be completed in the future......very cool!

This book is one of my absolute favorites! Not only is the information within EXTREMELY well written, there are many photographs and the artwork is among the best I've ever seen.

There are overviews of the Spring Feasts and the Fall Feasts and an explanation of Jewish Time, broken down into the Jewish Day,Week and Month. There are chapters on The Feasts Of Leviticus 23 (the 7 feasts) as well as Additional Observances.

Each of the Feasts are covered in DETAIL, with wonderful illustrations, charts and artwork.

Even if you never read a word of this book (which would be a shame, because it is so very informative) you will be blown away by the artwork and the photography. There is a two page spread on The Passover Table which shows each item with an explanation, which is worth the price of the book alone!

Each Feast is covered with THE BIBLICAL OBSERVANCE and also the MODERN OBSERVANCE, and each ceremony is explained in interesting, never boring detail. The illustrations and photographs draw you in and you really start to "get it."

I am so thankful I purchased this book. It is one of my favorites and one which I refer to often. It is well worth the price and you won't regret your purchase.

Great intro to the concept of home education with a heavy emphasis on the Charlotte Mason method. I re-read this little treasure regularly to keep myself on track. Loving books as much as I do tempts me to compile quite a list of Books We Must Have for School. The CM way of thinking ensures I stick only with the best, the essentials. I highly recommend it!

I first read this book because it was written by Susan, one of Francis and Edith Schaeffer's daughters. Little did I know that it would become the foundational book to becoming a homeschool parent when I decided to take my youngest child out of the public schools.

One doesn't need to be homeschooling their children to appreciate this book. Susan writes in the same warm and friendly way as her mother. However, if one is homeschooling and using the Charlotte Mason "method", this book is an essential volume to have in your library.

If you're a Charlotte Mason fan, you can't pass this one up. It is my favorite book on Charlotte Mason & is full of wonderful parenting advice. Really, all parents are teachers, not just homeschooling parents. This book offers great insight for all who spend time caring for children.

As one preparing to homeschool, this book was this kind of thing that has been spurring me on to ponder, philosophize and dream about both the general approach I will take, and the beginnings of many specific ideas.

For those who are disenchanted with the high pressure standardized-testing mentality prevalent in classrooms today, this book explains the educational philosphy of Charlotte Mason. It is God-focused (Susan is the daughter of Christian apologtic Francis Shaeffer), natural, and relaxed. It is a must-read for any classroom teacher, homeschool parent, or school administrator.

Incredible book! If you have any interest in ministry on a college campus this book is an absolute must have. I have read it several times and each time it motivates me and teaches me.

This book is fantastic for college students, campus staff, or anyone who wants to lead a missional life! It is perfect for a small group!

If you are looking to get stirred up for, and getting some great practicals for implimenting a effective college ministry on your campus or in your town read this book. You will go through past leaders of mission movements, what their lives looked like, and what was the defining elements that set them apart in ministry.

This is one of the only books I have seen relating solely to the changing of a college campus for Christ. Steve does an excellent job describing his experiences working with and reaching college students, all the while giving practical examples of how any college student can find a strategic group to strive towards reaching for the Lord. I recommend this book to anyone who wants a "how to manual" to reaching the lost on his college campus.

This book is as hard to put down as it is life changing. Shadrach does a great job weaving practical ministry advice into interesting real life stories. This is a must read for every college minister, every college aged Christian, and anyone serious about building God's kingdom on the college campus. Thanks Steve Shadrach!!!

This is a great resource for those that are in the church leadership who want to find key ways to growing your congregation by numbers as well as by commitment level. Written in a plain, straightforward way, this book allows for those reading to start implementing the steps right away. Gives templates and guides on how to be the most effective in your community.

I needed to some accurate information about developing strong relationships that would benefit average people in church. Very helpful reading.

This is a great book to help your church implement a great guest welcoming program (hospitality). It is very practical and useful. You may not agree with everything, but you don't need to, to implement the program! This is uptodate and top notch.

Searcy and Henson have done a great job of putting together a very practical and readable guide to church growth. The basic premise is assimilating guests into engaged members by practicing an intentional hospitality and a structured follow-up strategy. The methodology makes perfect sense, and it is the same approach that Searcy used to grow his "from scratch" church in NYC. It is targeted toward a younger audience but could be adapted to different segments. There are also templates and other tools included in an appendix which make this a very implementable system. Searcy also shows that the motivation behind church growth is found in Bible verse. More information about Searcy can be found at www.ChurchLeaderInsights.com.

I read Nelson's book this morning, handed it to my Assimilation Director this afternoon, and sent Nelson a note tonight, congratulating him on a fine piece of work. New Song has been doing many of the things Nelson suggests for a long time, but his is a systematic approach that thinks through and closes the gap on each potential point where a newcomer might fall through the cracks.

I doubt if any of the pieces of Nelson's assimilation system are new. He's probably borrowed alot from Saddleback and a little from others. What Nelson has done is thought through, written down, and explained what to do, so that no one ever has to start from scratch again. This is a church assimilation primer! The surprising thing is that no one has written this book before. The laudable thing is, Nelson has now done it for us.

Smaller churches, if you want to think like a larger church, this is a very good place to start. As you grow, you'll need to adopt this type of system for welcoming newcomers, along with equally comprehensive systems for Small Groups, children's ministry, youth ministry, visitor attraction, branding your signature event in the community, and every other subministry of the church.

Larger churches may not need this - if they're already doing as much or more for visitors. Personally, I'm going to huddle with my team and use it as a reference guide and checklist to make sure we've closed as many gaps in our welcoming process as possible.

Great job Nelson! Keep them coming!

Hal Seed
New Song Community Church
Oceanside, CA

A good read for anyone interested in knowing more about the teaching of Jesus, and the spiritual side of Christianity that is not typically discussed at standard sermons.

This book may or may not augment one's devotions. Its thrust lies not in devotion but in hard core practice: this is a man who speaks from what he has grokked, not that about which he has opined. One is stunned by the Light.

If you're serious about your search, grab this book. If you're looking to make your devotions prettier, surely there are a lot of little pamphlets out there that will do that job.

Do you want pretty? Go elsewhere. Do you want real? Grab.

Oh. Do you want canonical? Fuggadabboudit!

Wow!

There is something about this book that is saying far more than the scholars and modern academia is saying. Not only is it stylistically more interesting to read, it's practically and directly spiritual!

I'd been looking for a way to find SPIRITUALITY in the West, rather than stale dogmas, and real methods to feel connected with God, Divine Spirit, or whatever you want to call it in a practical and meaningful way. This book addresses those needs quite directly, unlike the scholars writing about Gnosticism who, at best, address those issues indirectly. I used to look up to the Eastern systems of metaphysics because they had a rich tradition of meditation and spiritual contemplation that I always felt I needed, but couldn't really connect with. But this author is coming to show me that such a spiritual richness and depth may also exist in the West!

The best part about the book is its practical use! The chapters are direct responses to each line of the Gospel of St. Thomas. There is a contemplation following each of St. Thomas' 114 sayings. This allows me to read in order, out of order, re-read sections in a nice, relaxing way as it fits into my busy schedule. Plus, each contemplation is good spiritual food for thought, so that I can read a contemplation, look back on Thomas' line and contemplate it myself to glean a little more on my own. It's the perfect book for anyone that has been looking for something more directly spiritual about Gnosticism, and more practically useful as good, solid food for one's truly spiritual considerations.

To quote Stephen Davies: "It all depends on what you mean by Gnostic. If you mean by Gnostic the belief that people have a divine capacity within themselves and that they can come to understand that the Kingdom of God is already upon the earth if they can come to perceive the world that way then Thomas is Gnostic.

"But if you mean by Gnostic the religion upon which the Nag Hammadi texts are based, a religion that differentiates the god of this world (who is the Jewish god) from a higher more abstract God, a religion that regards this world as the creation of a series of evil archons/powers who wish to keep the human soul trapped in an evil physical body then no, Thomas is not Gnostic.

"This differentiation is very important, because some scholars reason that if Thomas is Gnostic (in the first sense) then it is Gnostic (in the second sense) and, as they believe,Gnosticism (in the second sense) is a second or third century heresy, they conclude that the Gospel of Thomas is heretical, late in date, and without very much historical value in regard to Jesus of Nazareth."

Why are there so many authors who claim The Gospel of Thomas is Gnostic? It isn't......it is another denomination of Christianity that was suppressed 1800 years ago.

One of the Nag Hammadi manuscripts, the Gospel of St. Thomas is non-canonical gospel. In this gospel, Jesus is a mystical teacher--never as a savior. No miracles here, just an emphasis on his words as teaching. It professes the achievement of enlightenment through realization of self, a most Eastern twist on things. The text itself is mainly in the form of, "Jesus said xxx." Interestingly enough, very much like the set of "Confucius Said"'s from the Analects. It is generally rejected by mainstream Christians but it is a most interesting read for sure. This particular copy that I read has commentary and expansion on each of the versus of the gospel. I would give it four stars.

God In My Corner: A Spiritual Memoir

I am so blessed by reading this book (I am not a reader). I find George Forman's experience so compelling that I cannot express how reading this book makes me feel. I would love to talk to him in person and hear his experience from his own lips. I would love to hear him preach in his Church, but that is not going to happen so I shall continue to cling to his words in this book.

I would recommend this book to anyone who does not believe dreams come true with a little hard work and a lot of faith. George Foreman came from nothing and look at him now. In spite of all of his wealth, he is committed to helping others. He is truly a rich man...in his heart and sould...not in his wallet. This book gives the reader an in-depth look at George Foreman the man...not the boxer. He has family values and morals that we don't find frequently in today's society.

Read this book!!!

George Foreman's personality, style and charisma make this perhaps my favorite book of all time. Why? Because George gives us a detailed look at his personal journey to finding spirituality and happiness in life and how he has shared that lesson with others in an attempt to improve their lives.

I liked George Foreman before reading this book but afterward, I achieved a higher sense of respect for a selfless man who gave up his boxing career to preach and follow the path to God. He even started the George Foreman Youth and Community Center in 1984 with retirement money that he had "tucked" away during his 8-year retirement from boxing. His goal was not to indoctrinate local kids but to give them a place to come and follow a productive direction.

Though George "un-retired" from boxing several times, he continued as a minister in his own local church and spreading the word of God in many ways. In fact, George illustrates that money, wealth and power do not necessarily create a sense of fulfillment; it's the spirituality that brings joy and contentment. George lays the advice out for his readers, plain and simple:

"I am convinced that God gives us all a chance to know Him. He gives us the opportunity and if we say "yes" to Him, He will choose us. But He won't force Himself on anyone".

"God is merciful and will always give us a new beginning if we are willing to change."

Clearly, this advice comes from a man who was transformed in that locker room in 1976.

Despite being a Christian myself, I am often a bit skeptical when athletes claim they have found the good Lord (as that claim is easy to say, not so easy to live). However, after reading this spiritual memoir by George Foreman, I am convinced that he truly has turned his life over to God, and that transformation is as fascinating as it gets.

Fans of classic boxing will remember Big George as one of the meanest, most ferocious heavyweight champions of all time. Yet, at nearly the height of his boxing fame, George (in the book) recounts a near-death experience sent to him by God that changed his life forever. Instead of letting his anger control him, George learned (though not without many trials) to trust in the Lord and serve the higher power. As a result, he believes, the Lord led him to make a comeback to boxing in his 40s and become the oldest heavyweight champion in the sport's long history.

Not only is Foreman's story interesting, but its principles can also be applied to the lives of every living human being. At the end of each chapter, George recaps the key points in easily-understood language, enough so that it can reach born-again Christians or those skeptical of religion altogether.

Overall, this book is very useful in serving two purposes: First, for more "advanced" Christians, it shows that, despite being difficult, the Christian battle can be won. Perhaps most importantly, though, it shows non-Christians how completely a life can be turned around for the better, as Foreman went from essentially a street thug to a servant of the Lord.

So, if you are waning in your faith and need a pick-me-up, or want to see the results of living a Godly life, George's cheerful attitude is just what you have been looking for!

Fight The Good FightForeman writes a great book about his life. I thoroughly enjoyed it. I would recommend it to anyone. I loved the Big Bass analogy for success. A lake was stocked with many Bass at the same time. Several months later some of them were much bigger than the others. Foreman's explanation as relates to success also. The bigger ones were more hungry. Wow! What an analogy.