The Life God Blesses: Weathering the Storms of Life That Threaten the Soul

On September 11, 2001, The World Trade Towers were attacked and I had been sent home early from my Seminary studies in Nyack, NY. Deeply troubled and disheartened by the events that had taken place that morning, I picked up The Life God Blesses and started reading it for the course to which it was assigned. How appropriate and meaningful! MacDonald's blend of story-telling and applicational approach of fleshing out Scripture in one's life proved to be the balm my heart needed that day. I appreciated his practical and realistic thoughts on dealing with a less than perfect world. Throughout the book and with gentle but wise penmenship MacDonald proves that what lies beneath the surface is the source of faith, not the outward fixtures and tasks that many so often focus on. If you are looking for a step by step "how to" book, this is not it. But if you are the type who sees lessons from God in the world about you, enjoys time alone with Him and wants a deeper, richer faith, this book may speak to your heart as it did to mine.

The Life God Blesses is a must read. I have been continually challenged to be proactive. I find myself watching for warning signs and making every effort to be prepared for the sudden changes life brings. I have weathered a recent storm that shattered my emotional foundation. The loss of loved one to leukemia was unexpected and sudden. Having read and understood the importance of anchoring down in the midst of adversity kept me from completely backing out of life. I believe this book creates an awareness for those who seem to have things come easy to them. It did for me. I never wanted for much, yet during the storm I found myself needing a new perspective. This book provided that for me. I use many of the teaching principles when speaking in casual conversation. It is an everyday easy read for anyone looking to be prepared before the storm. The question is never will a storm come my way, but when is the storm going to hit. And to the latter, one never knows. It is true that an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.

Gordon MacDonald had accomplished in this book a well-written and easily understood guide to building internal strength. Most of us know people who face life changing or perhaps life shattering events with such strength and courage that it puts us to shame. That type of strength does not come automatically. This book points the way to obtaining that type of internal strength that carries us through our "storms of life.". It is encouraging and challenging. I highly recommend it!

McDaniel does an excellent job in reminding one on what is important in life, encourages one to think through who you want to become, and inspires one to develop a misson statement. This book was instrumental in preparing me for the "real world" when I was a senior in college, and I have recommended and still recomend the book to anyone who wants to move mountains in life to read it.

It is no secret that Gordon MacDonald is my favorite author because his books challenge me to grow in mature in my walk with the Lord. This book is among the best that he has written - for he shares how to focus on the inner life - so that we can survive the storms in our outer life! Throughout the book, MacDonald uses the analogy of a ship to show how we can "ride the waves" of the storms of life. He insightfully compares the keel of the ship with the cabin of the ship - and shows us how in our lives we have a "keel" and a "cabin" also. He helps us to understand what it is that we need to focus on - the keel that others may not see but keeps us afloat! The keel of the ship doesn't show most of the time. However, as Gordon points out - if you lose the keel from a ship it will sink during a storm. Unfortunately, many first-time boat owners may be tempted to focus on the interior decoration of the cabin - and neglect to make sure that the keel is in good order. MacDonald's book is designed to help us do two things: a. recognize the "keel" in our life - the soul issues we need to deal with b. focusing on the "keel" in our life - by recognizing true spirituality, strengthening our convictions and identifying our life's mission. If ou feel like the circumstances of life are storms that are buffeting you daily - read this book. You too will learn how to have a keel that will help you to weather the storms of life!