What Difference Do It Make?: Stories of Hope and Healing

I read this book without first reading Same Kind of Difference As Me (by the same authors). However, I still gained a lot of insights into life from the view of a homeless black man, a woman who befriended him, and her husband who had reservations about getting too close to homeless people. What Difference Do It Make? is a follow up to Same Kind of Difference As Me and it contains stories from people impacted by it and also a brief history of how the book came to be written. The chapters are written by both Ron Hall and Denver Moore in their own words and from their hearts. Some of it is raw. The theme of forgiveness plays throughout. You'll find letters and stories from people who were touched by the book and had a life changed as a result. Another fascinating aspect of the story is how this book traveled through various circles of friends, impacting people in far away places. Book distribution can be somewhat random, and book publishers and distributors are always trying to figure it out. But great books move about on their own by word of mouth and recommendations. This book is no exception. Want to read some great books? Try Thomas Nelson's Book Review Bloggers program.

A few sentences cannot begin to describe the people that you encounter or places that you visit as you journey through the lives of Ron Hall and Denver Moore. Simply put, this is a story about a friendship between a somewhat cynical well-to-do man and the homeless person that he reluctantly becomes acquainted with at a Fort Worth, TX shelter. You will travel through their lives and see how two people with entirely different backgrounds are not really all that different and how you can find hope in even the most hopeless of situations. I found it to an honor to have the opportunity to journey with these men through their lives as I turned the pages. I laughed and cried and could relate to several incidences in this well written chronicle of hope. I would recommend this book to even the most calloused of heart as an example of how God works in even the worst of circumstances. I am planning to read the first book, Some Kind of Different as Me, to experience some of the things that I may have missed.

So I got this book to review & I have to say from the get go... I was FLOORED with how good it is! Apparently this book has a book that went along with it - this is a follow up, but its not necessary to have read the first. Although now, I WANT to read it so badly, I'm dying! This book is about a relationship between two friends - Ron & Denver. Denver was a homeless man that lived a life like no other. And I say that because the insight he came away with is so touching & amazing. Ron's wife, Deborah, had a passion for homelessness & befriended Denver & it was lives changed for all of them. Deborah has since passed from cancer but left a legacy that has grown into touching so many's lives. Whether it be inspiring others to work with homelessness or just changing the way they see things in their own lives - or the way they see others - its truly the work of God's hand on a life that was dedicated to Him. This story continues with the lives of Ron & Denver. Ron's story is so touching as it deals with his relationship with his father & how sometimes, the way you deal & look at your own family can be difficult, but it takes the same love & forgiveness you have to offer everyone. Denver's words are just powerful - no other way to put it... Also, included are stories from people who read the first book & how it changed their lives. If you think God cant use a story.... check this out & see how it already had changed lives & how this book will change lives. I know it will change the way I look at homelessness - or people in general

For I was hungry, and you gave Me something to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave Me something to drink; I was a stranger, and you invited Me in; naked, and you clothed Me; I was sick, and you visited Me; I was in prison, and you came to Me. The King will answer and say to them, "Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it to one of these brothers of Mine, even the least of them, you did it to Me." ~ quoted from Matthew 20. My most recent book that I have just finished reading literally in a matter of hours was a great true story called, "What difference do it make?" Yes, I did not make a typing error, that is the correct title for the book. It is written by Ron Hall, Denver Moore and Lynn Vincent from Thomas Nelson publishers. The book is based on a true story of Ron and Deborah Hall, along with a wonderful man named Denver Moore, who was a homeless man that Ron and Deborah befriended in their mission to do more than just walk by the homeless people they saw day after day. Deborah has since passed away from cancer in 2001, and her husband Ron and Denver Moore have been fortunate enough to witness the seeds that she had planted so long ago to help the homeless begin to bear more than enough fruit from her simple example of just making a difference. Since then millions of people are personally taking up Deborah's challenge to make a difference and those stories are all contained in this book. The book is designed to share their personal stories from beginning to end of how their lives were completely changed by God in learning to serve the needs of the homeless. Since their first book was published it has begun to change the lives of other in prompting the need for us to get involved with helping the homeless. Most of us see them on the street, see them holding the sign asking for help or donations or even a free meal. How many times do we pretend not to see them and go about our business? What we need to be doing is blessing these people not just with our money but how we can go about helping them with the unconditional love that Jesus gave all of us. We also need to stop judging these people about how they got there, what are they really doing with the money, and just bless them with whatever help we can provide them, and leave the rest up to God. You never know whose eyes God is watching you through. It might not be your teacher, your preacher, or your Sunday school teacher. More likely it's going to be that bum on the street. This is a definite recommended book to read, especially if you are looking for that purpose in life so many of us seem to be missing. Once you read this book, you will want to be out there making a difference in someones life.

I was lucky enough to receive an advance copy of Ron Hall and Denver Moore's new book. I read it in one sitting and turned the last page full of hope and promise. In these days of demonizing politics, angry mobs, shouting congressmen and rising racial tension, "What Difference Do It Make?" offers an oasis of peace and good will. Although Hall told me this book seemed more difficult to write than "Same Kind of Different as Me," the struggle was not in vain. You needn't have read "Same Kind of Different as Me" to appreciate "What Difference Do It Make?" Hall and Moore use back stories, share updates of their lives, while retaining the format used in SKoDaM - allowing each man to speak in his own voice and style. Hall details the journey of his relationship with his alcoholic father. Moore delights readers with his keen recollections of his visit to White House, a kiss from former First Lady Barbara Bush and his meeting with President George W. Bush. Hall told me the two men have raised over $32 million dollars for homeless projects, telling their story over 500 times in 200 cities during the past three years. They also witnessed the completion of the expansion project of the Union Gospel Mission in Fort Worth, where their incredible story began after Hall's late wife, Debbie, had a vision of the future - a future than included the forever friendship between the millionaire couple and the homeless man who would bring a great message of hope and healing to their city. Woven between the updates are inspirational stories of people who are making a difference in their communities. Sorting through the thousands of e-mails from SKoDaM readers must have been a chore for the book's editors, but they did a good job in selecting moving stories that make the reader want to get up off the couch, roll up their sleeves and get to work making a difference themselves. Hopefully, "What Difference Do It Make" will touch the lives of a whole new group of readers, sell a million copies, stay on the New York Times Bestseller list for 75 consecutive weeks like its predecessor and help advocates for the homeless to raise another $30 million across the country. The world needs more stories of courage, determination and the true meaning of unconditional love. Well done, Ron and Denver, our good and faithful servants.