Friday, February 3, 2012

{Book Review + GIVEAWAY!} The One Year Uncommon Life Daily Challenge

I'm always on the hunt for a good devotional. There's all kinds of them out there. Ones where they want you journaling your thoughts and prayers. Ones that you do together with your spouse, sister, child....small groups. I've tried them all. First of all, if you haven't figured it out from my previous post, that I'm not a good journaler, you'll know now. I plain stink at it. It's just not how I process things. I always promise to give them a shot, but ultimately never follow through with using them daily, weekly...or monthly for that matter.


So, when I open up The One Year Uncommon Life Daily Challenge by Tony Dungy and Nathan Whitaker, I expected just these sorts of things. I expected them to ask me to do what's "uncommon" to me. In actuality, it's like most conventional devotionals. You have a small devotion for each day of the year with a small question or thought (uncommon key) to follow through on for the day. What I haven't gotten from previous devotions, I have gotten from this one. Thought provoking questions that have me put to action biblical teaching and personal convictions.

Not a football fan like I am? That's okay....seriously. Tony Dungy may talk about team dynamics or use sports analogies, but he gets down to the core issues and is easy to understand. Tony is someone I have admired for years for his bold faith. I think he's just as bold about it in this book.

What I'm finding and reminded of daily is God's timing of when I need to hear things.  It seems like each day I moved onto was written just for me. If you don't know me already, I've been put into this sort of holding place in my life right now. I think God is really trying to teach me and my little family patience. And patience isn't always the most fun place to be. I'm learning that I can't do it all, I've got to let Him be a part of it. So the verse that's always in my head is Jeremiah 29:11  

"For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."
 Six days into this devotional, I was met with this same verse. Here's what this day's devotion had to say, "How would you live differently if you really believed that God had intentionally designed you to impact others? What steps of faith would you take if you knew He already planned them? What would you attempt if you were fully convinced He was backing you? Would you set out to accomplish big things in your community? would you walk into local schools with a sense of mission? What impossible problems would suddenly seem possible to deal with? The fact is that when you believe you were designed for a purpose, you will live with a purpose." This shook me to the core. How was I living my life? Was I truly living a live of purpose or taking steps of faith? Or was I too scared and lacking faith? Question after question began pouring out of me. I knew I seriously had some thinking to do, that was going to require a change in how I chose to live my life. That I was going to have to be "uncommon." All from a devotional that took me literally two minutes...maybe, to read.


To say that I would recommend this devotional is an understatement. It's one a few great ones I've seen out there. So, here's the exciting news! Tyndale House Publishers has been kind enough to give me one to giveaway to one lucky reader! Tell me what makes you "uncommon" and you just might be my lucky winner. Deadline to enter: February 12th. Winner will be announced on Valentine's Day.
If you don't see The Uncommon Giveaway box below, please click read more.

www.coachdungy.com | www.tyndale.com  
Tyndale House Publishers has provided me with a complimentary copy of this book or ARC.
 
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2 comments:

  1. Hmmm....what makes me uncommon? Maybe somebody else should answer that for me :) I guess I would say that I'm very non emotional for a girl :)

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    1. If only that was what was what make me uncommon. I really look like fool when I cry over being happy for someone on a tv show. Happy tears, sad tears, they both come just a little too easy for me.

      P.S. To have your answer count toward winning the book, enter into the box. :D

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