About the Book
What I liked
When you give to a charity or another organization, it’s a good choice. But it’s still a withdrawal from your bank account. If you endlessly gave without replacing those funds, you’d end up banrupt. You wouldn’t be able to to give to the charity any longer or cover the needs in your life. That’s a lot like how our hearts work too. Even Jesus took time away to be renewed. It’s not selfish to make a deposit in your emotional bank account. It’s an investment that you’ll be able to use to bless someone later.
What I Didn’t Like So Much
The title. It sounds very self-esteem focused and self-help-y. But in the book, Holley makes it clear that we’re not amazing in and of ourselves:
We’re amazing not because of who we are but because of who lives within us (pg. 127).
You’re already amazing because God made you, formed you , and lives within you. You’re amazing because you belong to him, because he has a plan for your life, because with him there’s nothing you can’t do (pg. 192).
I think the title could put off some people, and that’s unfortunate. I wish the subtitle said something like, “You’re Already Amazing- But It’s Not You, It’s Him,” or something to that effect.
In chapter 8, Holley talks about the law and grace. Her overall points are good, but I felt like she took some liberties by claiming that the expectations we feel are the same as the OT law. And when she decided to study scripture to see what God required of her, “I pulled out my journal again, ready for a long list, But a quick look at my concordance and trip over to Micah 6:8 stunned me with it’s simplicity: “The Lord has told you what is good, and this is what he requires of you: to do what is right, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God.” Period. End of story. No long list of rules. No endless expectations. It’s all there in one verse. And it’s all about relationships.”
Well, while using a concordance to search for the exact phrase “what God requires of you” will take you to one verse, Micah 6:8, that’s really not very accurate. While it’s nice to say that the Old Testament is full of laws, and now we’re not under the old law but under grace so all we have to do is love, there are actually a lot of commands in the New Testament. Yes, there are still rules. And it is a pretty long list, somewhere between 613 and 1,500, depending on who you quote. It’s true that many of those commands deal with relationships and HOW to love others, but nevertheless, God definitely still holds his people to a standard.
My Verdict
Would I recommend this book? Yes, I would. I don’t know that I would recommend it to my highschooler girls or a new believer, but I think mature believers, especially women in the ministry, will really benefit from it. The issues I had were really minor compared to the blessing I received from reading the book.
Want to find out more? Read the reviews over at the incourage deals page.
And just so you know, the book is on sale for $9.00 (regularly $13.99) from DaySpring. While you’re there, check out the rest of Holley’s collection. As added incentive: 25% off Holley Gerth Collection with code HOLLEYG25!
