book review: GOING ALL THE WAY

From time to time a book is placed in your hand and you have questions about what you should do with it (this is not one of those because I was told that I had to post a blog about it....I am happy about that).

I was attending the Catalyst Conference with my brother in October when he showed me his pastor's new book. Thumbed through it. Caught a couple good quotes. Moved on.

A couple weeks later came an offer from the author, Craig Groeschel, to read, review and post on my blog some thoughts about his book. Thanks, Craig. This is big for me and a real blessing!

I sat to read the book and it took a hold on me (few books do this). So much of a hold that I took it to our small group Bible study in December where we poured through about 4 chapters before Christmas. It was awesome.

Before a little review, here is my challenge....change what I use for premarital counseling. This is the new standard and book and gift to those couples. That is going to be a great plus to the couples who cross my path as God prepares them for His kind of marriage.

The book not only rips away the preconceived Christian rights of love and marriage but digs into real life dating and marriage and our expectations of both. Craig gets real as he shared his own life experience which always adds the effectiveness of any part of communication.

Chapters such as "Finding the One", "How to Hit the Breaks" and "Pure Intimacy" open us to see what God thinks about relationships. He created them, as the Bible says and this book certifies, and God will tweak our relationships to work well and to benefit all involved.

I am most excited about the way this book and the way God gets to our hearts in what we really want. It asks us to really look at what we want, why we want it and how we go about getting it. We are challenged to seek the heart of God and to let God lead relationships.

Truth be known for me and most Christians, we honestly want to be all God made us to be. Here is another book and a challenge to take our relationships to God's level rather than drag them to the degrading level our world calls the norm.

Need a challenge before marriage, in your marriage or something to pick you up after marriage? Then Going All the Way is a book worth picking up.

I was challenged will continue that walk as 2008 is a reality right before us.