Book Review of inSignificant: Why You Matter in the Surprising Way God is Changing the World by Chris Travis

I wasn't sure what to expect when I chose to review the book inSignificant: Why You Matter in the Surprising Way God is Changing the World by Chris Travis.  What caught my eye in the description on the back of the book was actually the first two sentences--"If you're looking for a life of meaning, take hope.  God wants to use you in his surprising plan to change the world."

Being a Christian myself, I have always known that God wants to use me in his plan, but after reading this book, I gained more insight into how God can (and does) use us to change the world when we feel like what we are doing is insignificant.  Chris Travis includes his own personal stories about teaching for two years in one of the most dangerous public schools in New York.

Travis talks about how he began to use the Lord's Prayer as a guideline for praying and that once he began to focus his prayers on God and on others he saw some real power moving through him (pg.93)  He also tells us he began to pray less often for what he wanted and more often that God would give him what he needed to accomplish His will and to serve others well.

There is so much more that this book has to offer.  If you are looking for inspiration, this is definitely a book that you should read!

*I received this book from Bethany House Publishers in exchange for an honest review.*

Book Review of The Reason by William Sirls

The book The Reason by William Sirls is a story of believing and having faith in what you cannot see.  When lightning strikes the cross and St. Thomas Church and splits it in two, the minister, James Lindy, wonders how they will repair it without the necessary funds.  He hears the words "only believe."  This is not the last time that the characters in this book will be asked to "only believe."  

We will meet several characters along the way.  Macey Lewis is a young oncologist who will be challenged to believe in a higher power (God) rather than what she knows and has always put her faith in--modern medicine.  The mysterious Kenneth is a carpenter/construction worker who offers to try to help fix the broken cross and ends up giving everyone so much more.  Alex's mom, Brooke, is asked to believe that God will heal her son.  The cross brings together all of these people.

I found the first half of the book a bit slow moving, and it was hard for me to get involved in the story line.  Once I got further into the story, it began to move more quickly for me and found myself wanting to know what was going to happen next.  Overall, the book was just okay for me.  I think that it would have been better if this book had been part of a series (with books about each character coming first).

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze®.com <http://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 <http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_03/16cfr255_03.html> : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”