Book Review: Outlive Your Life

Title: Outlive Your Life: You Were Made to Make a Difference
Author: Max Lucado
Publisher: Thomas Nelson
Pub Date: 2010
ISBN: 978-0-8499-2069-1
Pages: 208
Genre: Religion/Christian Life
I was given a free copy of this book from Thomas Nelson Publishers to give my honest opinion in a review.

I loved the blurb that was included on the inside flap of the cover of this book and have to share it:
We are common folk. We sit in the bleachers, eat at diners, change diapers, and wear our favorite team's ball cap. Fans don't wave when we pass. Servants don't scurry when we come home. Chauffeurs don't drive our cars; butlers don't open our doors or draw our baths. Doormen don't greet us, and security doesn't protect us. We are regular folk.

And we wonder: Does God use people like us?

He did. God stampeded the first-century society with swaybacks, not thoroughbreds. Before Jesus came along, the disciples were loading trucks, coaching soccer, and selling Slurpee drinks at the convenience store. Their collars were blue, and their hands were calloused, and there is no evidence that Jesus chose them because they were smarter or nicer than the guy next door. The one thing they had going for them was a willingness to take a step when Jesus said, "Follow me."

Are you more dinghy than cruise ship? More stand-in than movie star? More blue jeans than blue blood? Congratulations. God changes the world with folks like you.

Dear Friend,
May I share a story that is very dear to my heart? It's a story of hillbillies and simple folk, net casters and tax collectors. A story of a movement that exploded like a just opened fire hydrant out of Jerusalem and spilled into the ends of the earth: into the streets of Paris, the districts of Rome, and the ports of Athens, Istanbul, Shanghai, and Buenos Aires. A story so mighty, controverial, head spinning, and life changing that two millennia later we wonder: Might it happen again?

Heaven knows we hope so. These are devastating times: 1.75 billion people are desperately poor, on billion are hungry. Lonely hearts indwell our neighborhoods and attend our schools. In the midst of it all, here we stand: you, me, and our one-of-a-kind lives. We are given a choice...an opportunity to make a difference during a difficult time. What if we did? What if we rocked the world with hope? Worth a try, don't you think?

About the Author:
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 his site at www.maxlucado.com


My review:
The book is organized in very short chapters that are essentially a short story that relates an uplifting message or describes a situation where the power of God can and has made a difference. It makes you wonder about your own life, your place in the world and what kind of a difference you can make. Often, I think I am just one little person in this world and how could one small gesture make a difference. In this book, Lucado inspires and shows how one little person in this world can make an impact. He leads you to imagine what kind of place our world could become if we all make the effort of one small gesture.

I particularly like the Discussion and Action Guide that is included at the end of the book. It gives discussion questions for each chapter and contains ideas for action on how you can make a difference in the world. This book is a fantastic tool to be used by an individual or in a group setting.

I urge you to get a copy of this book and see what a difference you can make in your life and in our world. 100% of the author's royalties from this book will benefit children and families through World Vision and other ministries of faith based compassion.