Captured by Grace

(This book was provided by Thomas Nelson in exchange for an unbiased review)

Book:  Captured by Grace

Author:  Dr. David Jeremiah

207 pages

Until you have been broken beyond belief & need a miracle for your soul...
Until you have betrayed a loved one & cannot bring him back...
Until you have befriended eveyr darkness & are desperate for the light...
That's when God's relentless, amazing, very personalized grace finds you.
It reached a slave trader onboard a ship raiding Africa's coast in March 1748.  He later gave the world its most beloved hymn.
It struck the Christian church's most treacherous enemy on a Damasuc road in AD 45 & he became the gospel's greatest messenger.
And it can free you too... of any shameful memory, open wound, unthinking mistake, or willfull choice.
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I love any book that talks about grace...

And this book surprised me.  It wasnt what I expected.  I thought it would be more of a "Self Help" kinda book... which it was - but BETTER.  I'm not a self-help kinda gal - those books bore me.  But this book had back stories on John Newton & the Apostle Paul that was just so interesting.  Two men from different times... but the same grace... the same grace that hits us & makes their stories make sense to us in our lives today.

I especially loved this book because it broke things down... like the verses from Amazing Grace... line by line & gave an example, or a story, or just "real talk"...

They also would do that with verses in the Bible - & a big part of it came from Romans - which is my favorite book of the Bible... so this was just awesome for me.

I sat with my highlighter, marking up all the things that stood out to me.  I always love looking back & seeing what I marked - so many good things... here are just a few examples:

*It (Grace) is the gift unsought, unmerited, unlimited.  For no matter what we have done, no matter the depth of our transgression, the darkness of our hearts - grace overrules them all.

*If we edit the sin out of our awareness, then grace no longer has any beauty or power for us.  In due time, we wonder why we need a Savior at all.

*Is there any such thing as an "unanswered prayer"?  Or would it be wiser to call them "unwanted answers"?

*It's as if God is saying to us - "I wont give you what you want, but I'll give you what you need.  If I took away the trail, you would grow no stronger - in face, you would be just a little weaker & more helpless, like a pampered child.  But if I allow the trial & help you endure it, you will be stronger, wiser & more useful to Me."

Oh mercy - I coulda highlighted the whole book really... such good stuff in there.  And an easy read.  Its broke down in sections that are quick & have you wanting to just keep reading.

I'm so thankful for this book... this will be one I go back & will read over & over again in the future...

My rating:  4 skeins