Chazown - Craig Groeschel

 Chazown

Define Your Vision. Pursue Your Passion. Live Your Life on Purpose.

Written by Craig Groeschel

Chazown (pronounced khaw-ZONE)
from the Hebrew, meaning
a dream, revelation, or vision.

You were born with your own Chazown.
Do you know what it is?
 You’re invited on a most unusual odyssey—to find, name, and live out your personal Chazown. It’s a journey you’ll never forget because it’s impossible to return unchanged.

Practical, fresh, and biblically sound, Chazown is a one-of-a-kind life planning experience. Perhaps for the first time, you’ll clearly understand what you’ve always suspected:

I have been created and put on earth for a unique and important purpose.
And God intends for me to know it and live it with passion and fulfillment for His glory.

Craig Groeschel will help you get under the surface of your life to discover your life purpose in three often overlooked areas: your core values, your spiritual gifts, and your past experiences. He’ll help you turn it into a highly motivating credo—complete with short-term goals, action steps, and a supportive network to make your big dream a reality.

And then Craig will show you how to apply your own chazown to five critical areas of your life: your relationship with God, your relationships with people, your finances, your health and fitness, and your work.

Are you living someone else’s dream for your life, or no dream at all? Get ready for Chazown.

For resources, visit The Chazown Experience at www.chazown.com
 
Praise for Chazown“It is depressing to consider how many people will go to bed tonight never having thought of how God wanted them to spend the day. As Craig points out, this is a deadly cycle that quickly culminates in a wasted life. Chazown reminds us of the brilliance of our God who carefully created us and empowered us for a life of purpose. I pray it rescues many from an eternity of regret and leads them toward the satisfying and meaningful life God intended.”
—FRANCIS CHAN, best-selling author of Crazy Love

My thoughts:
I appear to have a recurring theme with the books I am choosing to review. They are all about how to make my life mean something and how to make a difference. Just looking at the title of the book lets me know I'm on the right path (for reading). This book helps set you on the right path for knowing your purpose. I love this quote from the book,

I have been created and put on earth for a unique and important purpose.
And God intends for me to know it and live it with passion and fulfillment for His glory.

Yes!


You can purchase this book from Amazon or any other retailer which sells Christian non-fiction books.


Thank you Waterbrook for providing me with a complimentary copy of this book to review.

Outlive Your Life You Were Made to Make a Difference by Max Lucado

Outlive Your Life You Were Made to Make a Difference

By Max Lucado 

These are difficult days in our world's history. 1.75 billion people are desperately poor, natural disasters are gouging entire nations, and economic uncertainty still reigns across the globe. But you and I have been given an opportunity to make a big difference. What if we did? What if we rocked the world with hope? Infiltrated all corners with God's love and life? We are created by a great God to do great works. He invites us to outlive our lives, not just in heaven, but here on earth. Let's live our lives in such a way that the world will be glad we did.

Authors:

Max Lucado is a minister who writes and a writer who preaches. He and his wife, Denalyn, serve the Oak Hills Church in San Antonio, Texas. They have three grown daughters, Jenna, Andrea, and Sara; one son-in-law, Brett; and one sweet but lazy golden retriever, Molly.

Visit the official Max Lucado web site

My thoughts:

I always enjoy reading books written by Max Lucado. He has an easy to read and understand writing style. In this book, he writes about how we were each made to make a difference locally and globally. It helped open my eyes to different options I had not considered.  and the steps we can take. The profits are donated to WorldVision.

You can purchase this book (and the one for teens) at Amazon or from Max Lucado's site.

Thank you Thomas Nelson for providing me with a complimentary copy of Outlive Your Life to review.

You Were Made to Make a Difference ~ Max Lucado and Jenna Lucado Bishop

You Were Made to Make a Difference

By Max Lucado and Jenna Lucado Bishop

Want to change the world? Did you know You Were Made to Make a Difference?

This adaptation of Outlive Your Life for teens offers practical tips youth can take out into their community to make a difference, plus real-life stories about those who have done just that. Teens learn that God can use them to make a difference right now. He wants to use them today, without waiting for them to be older, stronger, richer, or even more “together.” God can use their minds, their spirits, and their hands and feet to make permanent change for His kingdom.

Also included are valuable resources, interesting facts about the needy in the world and how little it takes to make a big difference, and other interactive elements such as journaling opportunities for writing personal ideas and service goals.

Teens will learn that their role in life is bigger than themselves, and that they’re not too young to make a difference for God.

Authors:

Max Lucado is a minister who writes and a writer who preaches. He and his wife, Denalyn, serve the Oak Hills Church in San Antonio, Texas. They have three grown daughters, Jenna, Andrea, and Sara; one son-in-law, Brett; and one sweet but lazy golden retriever, Molly.

Visit the official Max Lucado web site

If Jenna Lucado is sure of anything, she is sure of this, “I have a deep calling on my life to give hope to teenage girls.” What started out as a heart to encourage teen girls has now blossomed into a ministry. Daughter of best-selling Christian author Max Lucado, Jenna has realized that she has inherited a passion for writing and speaking just like her dad. She is currently a part of the Revolve Tour, an event for teen girls that includes a line-up of Christian artists like Natalie Grant, as well as speaker and author, Chad Eastham and many more. In September 2009 the release of her debut book, Redefining Beautiful, will hit bookstore shelves. Jenna has also narrated part of Thomas Nelson’s Word of Promise: Next Generation. Through all the piling projects, Jenna is driven by the thought of one more girl hearing about the love of Jesus.

MY THOUGHTS:
I enjoyed this book. I thought it was a well written resource for teens. It was set out so they can work through the various topics at their own speed and either on their own or with a group. There was plenty of space to write down thoughts or questions. If you're looking for a book for a teen to help him/her grow in relationship with Christ and know his/her place in Him, then you've found the right book!

To purchase the book, you can go to Amazon.

Thank you Thomas Nelson for providing me with a complimentary copy of this book to review.

Mercy Rising by Amber Robinson

Mercy Rising: Simple Ways to Practice Justice and Compassion

About This Book:

The needs are real: Children are dying from lack of access to basic nutrition and health care. Human slaves are trafficked in our home cities and around the world. Racial injustice continues to fester in America.

It s not that I don't care, I just don't know what to do, is the heart cry of many American women. Daily life threatens to send us on emotional overload. Can I care for social justice when I feel broken and am in debt? Is it even possible for a middle-class, exhausted family to do anything meaningful for others?


About the Author:

AMBER ROBINSON is an ordinary woman seeking to bridge the gap between the needs for justice and balancing family, work, and service. Her life’s passion is to write and advocate for children with Compassion International. She speaks to groups who want to incorporate justice pursuits in simple, practical ways. She is an imperfect Christ follower and reluctantly optimistic.


Amber began this journey when chronic illness forced her to reevaluate her priorities and learn to serve with limitations in everyday life. She networks with leaders in the justice movement as well as everyday women with various limitations in time, resources, and energy but long to serve in simple, practical ways. What can we do at home, shopping, in business, or with family and friends? Not everything, but we can find our “one thing”.

What Others Are Saying:

In Mercy Rising, author Amber Robinson offers the tools women need to make the impact their hearts desire to make. Filled with helpful hints, stories of real women making a difference, and solid biblical wisdom, this organized resource makes finding your compassionate feet easily accessible.

With clever charm and earnest exploration, Amber will help even the busiest of women find their one way to help.

In Mercy Rising, Amber Robinson presents the issues of justice through personal and powerful stories, encouraging women of all ages to actively live out their faith in a hurting world --Dr. Wess Stafford, President and CEO Compassion International

Amber strikes the perfect balance of kindness and conviction as she encourages young women to step outside of their comfort zones and be their faith in the world - one act of love and compassion at a time --Joan Ball, author of Flirting with Faith: My Spiritual Journey from Atheism to a Faith-Filled Life

Amber Robinson s Mercy Rising is a quick and powerful read. She doesn't avoid the difficult questions surrounding poverty and testifies to facing her own fears and obstacles. Packed with practical information and inspiring stories this read is a must for anyone diving into changing the lives of the least of these. --Craig Hilton Dyer, President, Bright Hope International 

What I Say:

I am missions minded and I really appreciated all the resources which are available in this book. There are great ideas on how to make a change, one step at a time, from your computer to you where you shop and how to research the places you frequent. Also included there are stories about real people making a real difference. If you are interested in making a difference in your home or across the globe, this is a great book to help get you started.

To purchase this book, go to Amazon.com. Also, check out Amber's website for a variety of resources.


Thank you Beacon Hill Press for providing me with a complimentary review copy of this book.