The Power of a Whisper - Bill Hybels

With the sub-title of "Hearing God, having the guts to respond", this is a great book for leaders. Bill Hybels runs a mega church just outside of Chicago, and this book is his life's journey in listening to the Lord from the time he was a young lad to today.  

Hearing God's voice, discerning it and then responding to it.  

Whether you are a mom, a pastor, or a business person, this book has practical guidelines to hearing the voice of God, with countless stories of encouragement.  I would highly recommend this book to anyone, it's an easy read and very encouraging to those wondering if God speaks and how you know it's truly God.  I gave a copy to every person in the company at Christmas and we have bought a copy for every teacher at our kids' school.  Hybels summarizes most of his life's journey in this book and it's very encouraging to anyone wanting to hear the voice of God.

Reviewer - Michael D Gianni
Publisher: Zondervan Publishing House (1 Aug 2010)
ISBN-10: 0310520193
ISBN-13: 978-0310520191

The Glory Returns to the Workplace - Richard Fleming

Having regard to the monumental importance that work, career, calling and destiny are to all Christians fronting up as they do each day in the normal world of commerce (to say nothing of health, education, civil service and other careers outside so-called “full-time ministry”), it continues to stagger how few books there are dealing straightforwardly with the subject. This is one which attacks head-on the three crucial questions:

(a)   How to find your way to your God-given work place destiny
(b)  How to function once you’re there
c)   Why it all matters.

Richard Fleming has written the best book, I have yet read on this subject, with content which is rich, deeply soaked in Biblical teaching and profoundly challenging. Richard’s core idea is that we must expect the pursuit of our destiny to be, like the pearl of great price, something for which we must be prepared to offer God everything.

If our life’s goal is to be Christian enough to get the benefits of God’s love and protection but not so Christian that we may have to look beyond working for “necessary” comfort and security in the first instance and being able to give from the surplus, once children are educated, retirement paid for and holidays taken, then this book will be an uncomfortable read. Rather Richard tells story after story of people he has known (and, as we find out at the end, Richard and his own family are not excepted) who were prepared to undergo significant hardship and uncertainty as they were specifically lead by the Lord towards the real purpose of their working lives.

What an inspiring message! So timely in these days where the world cries out for people so surrendered that they are prepared to apply their passion, skills and  experience to wherever God makes clear they may be most optimally used.

Reviewer - Tim Russell
Publisher: Destiny Image Europe (1 Feb 2005)
ISBN-10: 888912704X
ISBN-13: 978-8889127049