Overview:
I love the question posed by Eugene Cho on the front cover of this book, "Are we more in love with the idea of changing the world, that actually changing the world?" This book was a surprise read for me, but it definitely fits into what God has been showing me for 2015! This book will slap you into a reality check that you've never had before... and it's definitely needed. With the ideas being slammed into young people's heads upon graduating college that they will be "world changers" and "impacters for the world", and yet when reality hits and plans don't go as they thought or for some reason life just brings a different picture and they don't understand why... the dreams begin to die.
But that is OK, there is life in death of dreams! Eugene Cho shares how he was successful in so many things and then God birthed an idea into his heart about ACTUALLY changing the world that created the organization called "One Day's Wages". Never did he realize that this God-inspired idea would lead him to bankruptcy, living in places he never knew where they would be, having no job, etc. Yet, it's with this one quote from his book that makes you realize that what God has in store for us goes beyond our thinking and our ways... "The truth is that every significant plan, event, or project I've tackled has taken longer to carry out that I originally planned. The event or project has almost always been delayed. Translation? My plans and timing versus God's plans and timing are often different." But Cho stated that every delay was a blessing in disguise. See, the act of waiting on God is super hard for us as people because we want to be in control, we want to "make" it happen... but we have to step back and realize we are VESSELS for God to USE and let Him make the things happen, so that we can't have the glory for it, all the glory goes to God!
There were so many points in this book that really stressed the importance of what God was showing me about the Year 2015. See, the number 15 means "Rest" and as I have pointed out in other blog posts, rest does not mean laying around on the couch in a nice warm blanket sipping on hot chocolate! Instead rest is defined as waiting on God, listening to God, abiding in God... pretty much I sum it up in one verse, "Be still in the presence of the Lord and wait patiently for Him to act." (Psalm 37:7a) See when we act, God waits, but when we wait, God acts! Eugene Cho pointed out in his book about Mother Teresa and how she couldn't even go 30 minutes of doing her work without praying and waiting on God! Now that is discipline! How disciplined are you in your prayer life? How about in your patience? It's truly a challenge for me, but one that I'm accepting for this year in 2015 because God is getting ready to birth something amazing for us as a family and I can't wait to see what it is.
Each one of us has a destiny as Jeremiah 29:11 promises us and it will take the gospel to the four corners of the earth and it will make you a world changer, but are you overrated?! Do you concentrate more on the HYPE of changing world than actually taking the steps to get there? Eugene Cho decided he didn't want to be overrated and his family went through a Joseph Pit for a time period, but in the end God brought them out on top! I love this quote from the book, "Let's not be so quick to curse the storms and abandon our ships. Let's not be so quick to change course when we encounter difficulties and setbacks. Sometimes we can learn our best lessons when we endure storms." Your pit experience in life will most likely be different from everyone else's but that is what makes it a testimony of "yours" to share with the world! Embrace your testings and trials in life, they will not last forever. God isn't trying to change everyone else, but is looking into your heart and seeking to change you through the process! Ever noticed how many missionaries go on their journey seeking to make a change, but when they come back the stories they share are about how it changed them in the process?! Yes, God moved, God acted while they were there and many "Praise the Lords" were shared, but their personal story that impacted them changed them! That is what God wants for us. He's wanting to change us - take out all those things that the world has told us or the world has influenced us in and make us radically changed from the inside out that we are these gigantic lighthouses for the entire world! That is when we become world changers.
"There's a cost to pursuing your dreams, visions, and convictions. And there's a cost to following Jesus. This is discipleship." (~Eugene Cho) If anyone ever tells you that Christianity is picture perfect, it's a fallacy. The Bible even points out how hard the road can be... it's narrow, only few will travel it... handing over everything to invisible God can be the hardest thing you ever do. Getting rid of the control demon within you, can be the hardest thing you ever do. But the promises and rewards that come with submitting to God are AMAZING and I wouldn't change it for the world.
I want to make an impact on the world. I want to take the gospel to all the corners of the earth. I want God to change me. I want God to use me. And God is showing me this verse for this year, "Unless the Lord builds a house, the work of the builders is wasted. Unless the Lord protects the city, guarding it with sentries will do no good. It is useless for you to work so hard from early morning until late at night, anxiously working for food to eat; for God gives REST to His loved ones." (~Psalm 127:1-3 NLT) This is my verse for the year and fits perfectly with what Cho is pointing out in his book.
If you've ever asked the question, "why does bad things happen to good people?" I just want you to take a look at every person that God used throughout the Bible and see that bad things happened to them too. We are not promised a picture perfect life here on earth, that comes when we get to heaven - our goal in life! We will have hard times. We will have to overcome things. That is why God has promised to help us, to uplift us, and to protect us. I have come to learn that sometimes my "idea" of those things are not "His" ideas, and that is a learning curve all in itself. Cho and his family had many learning curves, but the reality of each challenge came into perspective one evening while his family had moved into a room in a friend's house and all were on the floor and decided to play a game of scrabble together and it was in that moment that God spoke to Cho as said to him "see how I've blessed you" and Cho realized in that moment the simplicities of life are far better than stuff, even though he loves his stuff, he was far more blessed and it was through their trial they all learned just what it meant to be blessed!
Giveaway
Family Christian provided me with this book to review and I am convinced if you read it, you would have an eye-opening experience and God would speak to you about what He wants to do with you. I am hosting a giveaway for a FREE copy of this book, just enter the Rafflecopter below (it may take a few minutes to load). This giveaway will end on Friday, February 6, 2015. If you don't want to wait for the giveaway, purchase a copy straight from Family Christian HERE or go to their store and pick up a copy for ONLY $15.99 and if you sign up for the newsletters on their website you can get a 20% OFF coupon, or go on President's Day and use the 40% off coupon!
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Blessings to All!
~Bekah (#FCBlogger)
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