A Life Beyond Amazing: 9 Decisions That Will Transform Your Life Today by Dr. David Jeremiah
Nine Decisions That Will Transform Your Life
This is a great book.
I have never read anything by this author, I have never heard him speak anywhere, and I know little about him. In short, my expectations for this book were not very high. So I was pleasantly surprised by Dr. David Jeremiah and A LIFE BEYOND AMAZING.
Here’s the key point: Christians need to be ACTIVE participants in achieving the fruit of the spirit. Yes, it’s indeed the Holy Spirit developing these traits in believers, but we are not supposed to be passive:
“The same Bible that describes love as a fruit of the Spirit also commands us to love one another.”
We are commanded to be “active partners in the process, and we must be diligent to do our part,” as all believers are exhorted in 2 Tim. 2: 15.
Dr. Jeremiah sets the foundation for the book with the first trait, which he calls, “Leading a Life Of Love.” The point is not so much a feeling, but an ACTION:
“Love is not about what we feel for others— it’s about what we do for others.”
Besides the very first chapter on Love, another one of my favorite chapters is the one on Generosity. I found lots of practical, inspiring ideas. The author suggests Christians should “change the way you think about money.” Make a radical shift—“turn the way we think about money on its head.”
Here’s my favorite tip of this chapter—I decided to implement this idea TODAY: “Carry some money with you specifically to give away to someone in need.” I absolutely love that idea. I’m putting extra money in my wallet.
The chapter on self-discipline was similarly stocked with great ideas. In talking about how to develop good habits, Dr. Jeremiah recalls a friend who was trying to make a habit of exercise. He started with just one thing: “He chose one small behavior, so small it felt trivial. This ensured it was easy to do. Then he did this small behavior consistently until it became routine.” Wow—great idea. I confess I never thought of this.
As you begin your journey, the author suggests five specific steps:
- Desire the Spirit
- Renounce Your Sin
- Devote Yourself To God’s Word
- Let Go Of Your Own Ambition
- Commit To The Spirit’s Direction
So all in all, I found A LIFE BEYOND AMAZING to be a solid read, with tons of useful ideas. I am already implementing several of these ideas. I thought this one sentence nicely summed up the theme of this book:
“The journey to a life beyond amazing is a journey to the highest, best, most love-filled life possible. It will not always be easy. But I promise you, it will be worth it.”
