Great Day Every Day. Navigating Life’s Challenges with Promise and Purpose.
Max Lucado
Thomas Nelson
2012
176 pages
Previously published as Every Day Deserves A Chance, Max Lucado shares stories, scripture, and insights that minister to us, to keep God as our focus every day.
The book is divided into three parts: book, study guide, and devotion. Following the ten chapters is a discussion guide for each of the chapters. The end of the book includes “Change Your Day, Change Your Life: A Thirty-Day Journey”. I am still reading through the devotion; I think it’s the best part of this book.
Chapter One, “Every Day Deserves A Chance”, ends with the formula (grace, oversight, direction) for upgrading our days to “blue-ribbon status”. This formula is the basis for the following chapters. The short chapters are easily read in a few minutes and can be used with the discussion questions for group or individual thought. I felt that the sentences were sometimes a bit on the choppy side in this book. It also bordered on being too much of a gladness book and not so much of a book to strengthen our attitudes. I personally found the two following excerpts to benefit me and I’d like to share them in this review.
Chapter Three – “Gratitude For Ungrateful Days”
Two types of voices command your attention today. Negative ones fill your mind with doubt, bitterness, and fear. Positive ones purvey hope and strength. Which ones will you choose to heed? You have a choice, you know. “We take every thought captive so that it is obedient to Christ”. -2 Corinthians 10:5
Do you let anyone who knocks on your door enter your house? Don’t let every thought that surfaces dwell in your mind. Take it captive…make it obey Jesus. If it refuses, don’t think it.
Negative thoughts never strengthen you. How many times have you cleared a traffic jam with your grumbles? Does groaning about bills make them disappear? Why moan about aches and pains, problems and tasks?
“Be careful what you think, because your thoughts run your life.” Proverbs 4:23
Chapter Six – “Hope For Catastrophic Days”
Over a hundred years ago in England, the borough of West Stanley endured a great tragedy. A mine collapsed, trapping and killing many of the workers inside. The bishop of Durham, Dr. Handley Moule, was asked to bring a word of comfort to the mourners. Standing at the mouth of the mine, he said, “It is very difficult for us to understand why God should let such an awful disaster happen, but we know Him and trust Him, and all will be right. I have at home,” he continued, “an old bookmark given to me by my mother. It is worked in silk, and, when I examine the wrong side of it, I see nothing but a tangle of threads, crossed and re-crossed. It looks like a big mistake. One would think that someone had done it who did not know what she was doing. But when I turn it over and look at the right side, I see there, beautiful embroidered, the letters GOD IS LOVE. “We are looking at this today,” he counseled, “from the wrong side. Someday we shall see it from another standpoint, and shall understand.”
Book Recommendation: Lord, Change My Attitude Before It’s Too Late. James MacDonald.
Disclosure of Material Connection: This book was provided, by Booksneeze, in exchange for an honest opinion. No other compensation was received.
