Yawning at Tigers, by Drew Dyck

Drew Dyck’s new book, Yawning at Tigers is a very challenging and helpful read for believers in Christ. In an age where men attempt to create a God that makes sense for them it is good to be reminded that God is God and He is not tame nor is He to be trifled with. I was not sure how to rate this book. It was just the book I needed at this moment in my life and yet it was slow at first and hard to get into. Drew rightly points out that we try to tame God, that we try to have a God that is all about love and forget His other attributes. On page 64 the author quotes a gospel presentation that he was once presented with, “Being a Christian isn’t hard. You won’t lose your friends or be unpopular at school. Nothing will change. Your life will be the same, just better.” Not only is this a lie but the students this was presented to were unmoved. Who wants a God that doesn’t change their lives or offer a grand purpose? God is all loving but He is also Holy, just and righteous. He transforms us and the notion that He would leave us the same and tolerate our willful narcissism is ridiculous at best. The book is powerful and I fear that many won’t be able to get past the beginning to get to the heart of it. Often we try to tame the holiness of God as Dyck points out but we also try to put limit on his love and grace which are inexhaustible. Dyck uses the story of Hosea to remind us of God’s great love for us and the length He will go to win us. By the end of the book I felt renewed in my faith and challenged to pursue God with all that I have. Yawning at Tigers is a book that will challenge you to see God as He really is instead of the watered down domesticated cat that this culture finds increasingly popular. The book made me uneasy about my assumptions of God which was just what I needed. It is a book worth buying and reading. I give this book 4 out of 5 stars for a great read. 

The Passion movement is made up of 18-25 year olds pursuing the fame and renown of Jesus Christ. This is a compilation of  messages from many who have spoke at the conference such as  John Piper, Francis Chan, Beth Moore, Christine Caine, Judah Smith, to name a few. This book is more of an overview of how Passion first came into existence and where God has taken it from that start. Each chapter is a different message from one of the above speakers.  This makes it somewhat difficult to review as some parts were much better than others.

 I found myself super excited and wanting everyone to read some portions of the book while in others I could easily put it down. But there were definitely highlights. One definite highlight for me was found on page 54 and was written by Beth Moore. “We will never be able to simply maintain what we have now. We either move toward more of Christ or more of the flesh.”  She goes on to state that we are “capable of living victoriously.”  I loved the illustration of grace by Francis Chan. His daughter fails a test and he takes her out on a daddy-daughter date. Think of how that could play out in our own lives. Who doesn’t like to be met with grace and kindness?

One of the things I loved about the book was the mixture of ministries. While the writers are all Christian leaders, they each have different perspectives. John Piper showed us how to look at the supremacy of Christ and deep theology. Beth Moore and Francis Chan have this amazing ability to communicate. Christine Caine inspired me to put action to statistics.  

This book inspired me to expect more from myself and my walk with Christ. It was thought provoking and full of truth I needed to hear. I encourage anyone to read this book.

I received this book free from the publisher through the BookLook Bloggers book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

Powerful Devotional

Jesus Calling, by Sarah Young, is one of the finest devotionals I have ever had the privilege to read. The entries are both powerful and compelling, but succinct enough to easily fit into a before work schedule. It is so nice to begin my day with this book. It feels as if God is talking to me personally. Many times it has served to calm my anxious thoughts and point me in a right direction. 

Here is one example of how this book re-aligns my thinking ;  "Rest in My Presence, allowing Me to take charge of this day. Do not bolt into the day like a racehorse suddenly released. Instead, walk purposefully with Me, letting Me direct your course one step at a time." So often I get hurried and miss being attentive to Jesus.

I am so thankful to Book Sneeze for allowing me a copy of this book to review. I have much enjoyed reading it and hope to be able to read often in the years to come.