Happy New Year!

Hello all, happy new yeeeaar! I know it has been a while since I last visited my blog. However, as the saying goes “there is no better time than the present”. I wish you all that you wish yourself, and in 2012… all I can say is, be passionate, be inspired, be fearless, and be happy.
To kick things off is a book review. I wrote this review a while back, but I find that the beginning of a new year is always a perfect time for some inspiration. I sincerely pray that you find joy, purpose and fulfillment in all the 365 days of the year of our lord 2012. Cheers… and here is to a great year and a great life. Once again happy New Year! Happy reading, and thanks for stopping by.

Book Review: By Amenze Osaghae.
Title : If You Want To Walk On Water You've Got To Get Out Of The Boat.
Author: John Ortberg.
ISBN 978-0-310-23927-7
Binding: Paper Back.
US$11.99/CAN$14.99

I am not afraid anymore... this was the thought that kept coming to my mind as I read through the pages of John Ortberg's skillfully written book.

Human beings are no strangers to fear, as Ortberg put it "every human story, is, at least in part the struggle between fear and faith". This doesn't mean that I will never encounter any situation that may be frightening, but I now have a renewed determination to forge ahead with courage, guided by wisdom. Knowing that the consequences of an alternative action has a price too high, one which I can not nor am I willing to pay. One quote from the book sums it up like this:

"Pushing through the fear is less frightening than living with the underlying fear that comes from a feeling of hopelessness". - Susan Jeffies.

This book is full of encouraging words and a series of meaningful questions aimed at guiding the reader to potentially discover what his/her calling might be, what is holding them back from being all that God created them to be; confront these issues and consequently overcome them. It's for anyone who has a deep desire to walk closely with God and do things that are greater than themselves.

Hopefully other readers will get what I got from this book and probably even more... that life is to be lived purposefully with exorbitant joy, radiating vibrancy, and time wisely used, treasured like a priceless gift that it is. It should be lived without fear. Storms (sometimes) should be expected even though we may be in the centre of God's will... Our spiritual gifts, talents, abilities and every available resources comes from God and should be used to honor the "Giver of the gift". As John Ortberg put it "offer Him your spiritual giftedness- not to be compared to anyone else- as fully honed and developed as you can get it, identified with pristine clarity, cultivated with relentless perseverance; deployed with unstoppable vigor, submitted with sacrificial humility- and (my favorite phrase); celebrated with raucous joy".

John Ortberg is a pastor and author of several other books including: God Is Closer Than You Think and The life You Have Always Wanted. He, of course, wrote this book from a Christan perspective, done in a simple and clear manner that was easy to read and understand. This book contains a lot of life transforming truth (anchored on the Bible) with pages upon pages of profound words. Most times this caused me to reflect, other times to pray and occasionally burst out laughing. The causal way John Ortberg used humor to put his message across made this book fun to read!

As he concluded his book he asked a question, which prior to reading this book, would have made me pause for a while before giving an answer. He asked, "If your God truly is a big God and you could ask Him anything, what would it be?" Without even giving it a second thought my response was:

I want to return to Him empty! Having done all He has assigned for me to do and having fully utilized the means He made available to accomplish the task. That the journey of my life reflect the praise and glory of His holy name. I wonder what your response would be. Why don't you read the book and find out?