How High Will You Climb?

How High Will You Climb? by John Maxwell is all about attitude. The right attitude can make the difference between a successful leader and someone who is stuck in neutral. The book begins by talking about what attitude is. Maxwell defines attitude as "an inward feeling expressed by behavior." (10) The idea is that we can express our attitudes even without speaking. When we let our inner feelings take control of us, we will demonstrate them by our expressions and mannerisms, not just our actions. He reminds us the heart is the most important part of our attitude, because how we feel and think will lead to how we act. He also discusses the importance of an obedient attitude, particularly in our spiritual growth. Sometimes our circumstances and our emotions do not seem to put us in the right place to have a positive attitude, but we can overcome those by being obedient despite them. Maxwell insists our attitudes can be controlled, and our attitudes affect many things: our approach to life, what we expect from life, our relationships with other people, whether we find success or failure, the outcome of a task, and even whether our problems become blessings or not. The second part of the book discusses ways to construct a positive attitude, all of which have a biblical basis. When we are young, our environment plays a large role in the development of our attitude. As we get older, we begin to have more control over what we allow in our environment, and therefore, have more control over our own attitudes. He encourages us to see ourselves as loved children of God, because we can never perform in a way we cannot see ourselves. Our self image is extremely important in developing our attitude. We cannot let fear or the opinions of others damage our self esteem or cause us to shrink back. We need to find ways to squash negativity when it enters our lives. We can prepare a plan ahead of time to be ready for attacks to our attitude. Overall, this book has a lot of practical pointers, and it includes a study guide, as well as questions and scripture to help guide readers. It is easy to understand and well organized, so the reader can return to sections of the book for inspiration as needed. The questions help the reader apply the principles Maxwell discusses throughout the book. Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their BookSneeze.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Thrive: Digging Deep, Reaching Out

Thrive: Digging Deep, Reaching Out by Mark Hall and Tim Luke arrived at a perfect time for me. I had been reading and studying the Scriptures for years, and was ready to dig deeper and learn how to use the information I was receiving from The Word. But sometimes it is difficult to know where to begin. Mark Hall has a way of helping me understand how to dig deep into God's Word; not just to gather information, but to see how the Word applies to me and how my life should look as I read the Word. Hall begins by explaining how life seems to work for the majority of people: we go from task to task, hoping for things to get better, rushing through things looking for the elusive thing that will satisfy us. We tend to gaze fondly into the future, as if life will be better when we get there. However, we are missing the present. God meant for us to enjoy life every day, not just when things are working out the way we want them to. Hall explains a drawing he created of a tree, with its branches reaching high into the sky, and its roots digging deep into the ground. In order for us to thrive daily, we need to dig deep. Our roots need to be in our relationship with God and Jesus. We need to understand who God is, and who we are in Him. Then we use this root system to allow us to reach out to others, to make God known to the world. Every moment matters. In our daily lives, we need to glorify God. We do this by spending time with God, in His Word, in prayer, in reflection. And then taking the things He speaks into our lives and sharing them with others. We are commissioned to share Jesus with the world. If we only have roots, but no reach, we are out of balance. The spiritual disciplines of worship, prayer, and the study of Scripture are essential, but on their own, they are missing balance. We also need community. We are to share our lives with other believers. And then we are to glorify God by knowing Him and making Him known to others. This book offers personal stories and practical ways to apply this knowledge. Hall writes as if he is writing a letter to a friend. He wants his readers to know the joy of a relationship with God, and how to thrive in this life by living for Him. Overall, the book offers great insight and is a tool to return to over and over as we read Scripture and apply it to our lives. I would recommend this book to anyone feeling a need to dig deeper or unsure of how to reach out to others. Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their BookSneeze.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”