#MustRead: He Did This Just for You by Max Lucado

12/9/2022

Image via AS Phillips

Seasonal spirits

I’m not in habit of publishing back-to-back book reviews, but during the holiday season, I’ve sometimes made an exception. It’s can be both the best and most difficult of seasons for millions.

Having spent last year’s holiday season in the hospital and rehab center, I encountered many folks, who, like me, couldn’t be out and about during the holidays, and were unable to spend much time with their loved ones due to health challenges.

Thankfully, I had friends and family who visited me, and even brought holiday treats to share with me. It meant a lot and I’m still appreciative of it!

On a sobering note, we should acknowledge the folks who are facing their first holidays after the loss of a loved one. And those, especially military families, who’re spending the holidays, thousands of miles apart.

Some will be in hospitals, being treated for illnesses. Some loved ones will spend much of their time in prayer, doing all they can to bolster their faith, in hopes of a healing or at least a lessening of pain. It’s often easier to endure our own pain than it is the pain of those we love.

Others will be spending it on a shoestring budget with little-to-no money for a holiday meal or gifts for their loved ones.

I know this season isn’t all about gifting, and yet, in essence, it’s exactly about that.

It’s about the gift God gave to us, the birth of Messiah Yeshua. And, like the Wise Men and shepherds gifted our newborn King, we carry on the tradition of goodwill in His honor, and it seriously should be the thought behind the gift that counts, not the monetary value.

Words are powerful

Words can make or break someone’s spirit, especially during the holidays. Words of the Creator were powerful enough to produce all that we see and feel, physically and spiritually. Through His Word, He manifested as both.

¹In the beginning, was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”
___
¹⁴The Word became flesh and lived among us...”
(John 1:1, 14 World Messianic Bible)
___
¹⁷Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom can be no variation nor turning shadow. ¹⁸Of his own will he gave birth to us by the word of truth, that we should be a kind of first fruits of his creatures.
(James 1:17-18 World Messianic Bible)

Words are why I love the gift of books! Good books, filled with words of love, encouragement and a direction to joy of the supernatural sort, the kind that comes only from the Father of lights, as experienced and written about via James, one of the Lord’s 12 apostles, who authored one of the most endearing books of the Gospel.

If ever you wondered how I maintained such a positive outlook and spirit during cancer, chemo, multiple surgeries, and lots of physical discomforts... THAT’S how.

“THIS is THAT spoken of by the prophet Joel...”

I have It/This/That, and you can too! It’ll cost you nothing but loving and inviting into your life, the One that none of us can out-love. (Acts 2:38)

If someone’s suffering with grieving the loss of a loved one, low in hope due to illness, a financial strain, missing a loved one miles and miles away, or just flat out lonely due to isolation, little or no family, or whatever reason, this week’s book is chock-full of faith-based medicine for those very afflictions of the spirit.

Max Lucado condensed his book, He Chose the Nails, into a tiny condensed book that will drench the reader in the light, love and very SPIRIT we celebrate and give thanks for, during the holidays. It’s titled, He Did This Just for You. (Click the titles to view them on Amazon.com)

The book’s available on Amazon (at least while I’m writing this) for $2.99 USD in the Kindle version, $3.99 USD for the paperback and $9.77 USD for the spiral bound edition.

My copy came as a holiday gift from Maumee Church in Johnson, Indiana. I read this week while I sipped away at my sunrise coffee and it touched me enough to leave me in tears of gratitude and awe throughout much of it.

It’s a wonderful book and will easily fit in a Christmas stocking or small gift bag, but regardless of its size, it brimming with blessings!

Hope you’ll consider getting your own copy and a few more to gift to others. They’ll make a wonderful present for any time of year.

I thank you for your visit and pray you're enjoying a safe and richly blessed holiday season!

‘Til next time,

Shalom

Comment

2 Comments

VickiW link

12/14/2022 03:15:56 pm

I loved this review, and I’m sure it would inspire a lot of readers to order it for a lovely little Christmas present. Often really good things come in small packages, and it truly is the thought behind the gift that is most important.

Thanks for your time spent in reading and reviewing. I love the way it was brought into your own challenging health experiences.

Fondest thoughts your way.

Angelia

12/14/2022 03:40:10 pm

Hi V!

Thanks so much for stopping by and especially for leaving a comment! I sincerely loved this little book and so many folks that it could benefit, came to mind while going through it.

I love that it's got soul food for anyone, regardless of their doctrine's or beliefs. It celebrates the life and sacrifice of Yeshua the Messiah, as well as how He comforts us through struggles and dark times.

It so encouraged and inspired me that I had to share it, and even pray over it to reach the folks out there it was designed to help.

Thank you again for commenting. It's much appreciated!