Book Review: The Purpose Driven Life Expanded Edition by Rick Warren

Nov 232012

About 9 years ago my sister in law gave me her copy of ‘The Purpose Driven Life’ by Rick Warren. I have to admit that I read the first few chapters (days) and then it sat on my bookshelf and it is still there today. So when I was given the chance to receive a copy and to give an honest review I was very interested. I was interested for two reasons. One was because I wanted to see what all the hype was about and two was because my sister in law really wanted me to read this book. So that is how I came to post this review of The Purpose Driven Life.

The Purpose Driven Life, What On Earth Am I Here For, New Expanded Edition by Rick Warren is celebrating its 10th year anniversary. In this anniversary edition there are 2 new chapters, The Envy Trap & The People Pleaser Trap, online video teaching by Rick Warren as well as an online community to discuss the book with.

In the back of the book there is an Appendix of Discussion Questions and Resources, notes with the book and verse of the bible that they were taken from. This anniversary edition represents a new approach for a new generation incorporating a new understanding of barriers that keep people from finding their purpose.

I am sure that if you read The Purpose Driven Life years ago that you already know what the book is about. The book is broke up into 42 days of lessons and at the end of each day there is points and verses to ponder. You can study the book alone or as a group. Mr Warren offers a packet that includes DVD’s, the book, training materials and online resources. This book is supposed to help people that are Christians become better christian and ones striving to find there purpose in life.

The book is set up to answer the questions:

1. Why am I alive?

2. Does my life matter?

3. What on earth am I here for?

In this book there are 5 concepts to help you discover your purpose and live far beyond just surviving day to day life.

1. It will explain the meaning of your life.

2. It will simplify your life.

3. It will focus your life.

4. It will increase your motivation.

5. It will prepare you for eternity.

My Thoughts

The Pros

I have only been reading this book for about 2 weeks now, so these are my opinions and views of the book so far. Right off the bat you notice that each day is easy to read and Mr Warren uses simple language that anyone can understand. The book is arranged by 42 days and the teaching for each day is short and gives you many verses from the bible that match the topic being discussed.

I liked the fact that each day has an online video chapter summery for that day, and if you have any questions or just want to talk about the book you can go to the online community. There is a message to be heard video by Rick Warren that is a little over 40 minutes long, but to me in has really nothing to do with the day you are on.

I like the fact that one of the themes throughout the book is that we were made ‘for Gods pleasure’. That God made us for a reason and not to just exist and to survive day to day life. If you are at all like me, there are days that I feel like I may know what my purpose is and days that I have no clue.

Many feel that the bible is a mystery, but I don’t think so. Even though I have days that I question everything in my life, I know that we were created by God and for a purpose. When I was younger I would say, “I wish God would just come down here and tell me what to do”! One day it hit me, He did give me that answers on how to live and answer many of my questions, in the Bible.

There are some points in the book so far that have got me to thinking, like What is the driving force in your life? He also brought up a good point, some of us want more material things to make us happy, more important and more secure. In truth the happiness that we feel in material things only last a short while and fade and then we need more to give us that happy feeling again. In truth acquiring more possessions and power can cause us unnecessary stress, to feel unfulfilled, empty and exhausted and therefore we do not live up to our full potential. I have been guilty of this, just as I am sure many of us are. Do you find this to be true?

The Cons

There are a few issues I had with this book such as the bible versus quoted in it are paraphrases, and in my opinion this can be dangerous. If you read only a portion of the verse you may not get the whole meaning. In other words the paraphrase may not be the meaning of the scripture at all. You have to read the whole scripture to get the meaning and to understand fully what is being said.

I also did not care for the many translations of the bible that were used. There are 14 bible translations that were used to quote scripture from. I prefer the King James Bible and the New International Version. These 2 bibles basically say the same thing and the main difference is that the NIV Bible does not contain words such as thee, thou, etc. There is no drastic changes in the verses as other bibles have. There is one translation used, The Message, that I found I had reread the verse paraphrase and it did not even say the same thing as the Kind James Version.

Another thing I did not care for was that in some parts of the book Mr Warren states some things as fact, when in truth they are his own thoughts.

All that being said, I believe that The Purpose Driven Life, Expanded Edition as a whole is a good book to help guide you in the direction of serving God and finding purpose in your life. It is a good tool to help guide you, but is in no way a substitute for your bible. When a verse is referred to in the book, please find it in your bible and read it. I am not saying that Mr Warren says to replace your bible with his book. I am just saying to go to your bible for confirmation of the verses.

I will be finishing the book because I am curious to see what else it says.

Have you read The Purpose Driven Life and if so what are your thoughts on the book? Did you like it? Has it helped you for the better?

*This book was given to me to review by Book Sneeze on behalf of the publisher in exchange for my honest review. All opinions and thoughts are my own and I was not further compensated in any way, besides the book. This post may contain affiliate links. Read my Affiliate & Disclosure Policy here.

Happy Reading!

The Innocence Of Summer

Children, Family, Thoughts and Life 11 Responses »

Oct 042012

Children are so innocent when they are young. With innocence keeps out the worries of the world around them and allows them to laugh and play freely. When my children were younger I loved Summer and of course they did too. So the innocence of summer took over and we played.

I can here children’s laughter drifting through the window in the kitchen from the back yard. I stand on my tippy toes to peek out the window to see wild hair blowing in the wind. Big grins with a cool aid stained mustache on their faces. Shirts that don’t match the shorts they are wearing.

I see one set of feet barefoot, one with sandals on and another with cowboy boots on. One set of those feet belonged to my niece. Of course it was my son Vincent wearing the boots and that is a whole nother story in itself. During the summer I let them pick out their own clothes, and brush their own hair. When we left the house it was a different story. I did the picking out and the brushing.

Mid Summer was my favorite time of the year, when my children were little. Summer was a time for fun, relaxation, swimming, planting flowers and time spent camping with family. The camping was the best of the five. Fishing, cooking on an open fire and laughing til we cried.

We did what we wanted, when we wanted. No schedules, no getting up to early to rush around to get to somewhere on time. No work or school was the perfect recipe for FREEDOM. For a while anyway.

Those were the good ole days, but now we are older and all grown up. The troubles and the innocence gone. This is not a bad thing, we have grown, matured. We still have fun and laugh, but we do it from different states. Me from Texas, my daughter from Tennessee and my son from Italy where he is stationed in the Navy.

Sometimes I wish my children to be little again, running and playing in the back yard. Where they were innocent and free from the troubles around them. When it was Summer and Innocence ruled. That is a little selfish on my part I know. Hey I can dream can’t I? They are happy now and living full, happy lives.

I don’t see them now as often as I would like or they would like. When I do we laugh, feel free and sometimes act like children, but only as adults now. What is your favorite time of the year or favorite season? Do you wish your children were little again, or that they stay little always.

What I Want To Be When I Grow Up…

Family, Thoughts and Life, Thoughts 12 Responses »

Feb 012012

“Whatever you want in life, other people are going to want it too. Believe in yourself enough to accept the idea that you have an equal right to it.” — Diane Sawyer

When you were little, what did you want to be when you grew up? Was it a doctor, lawyer, writer or singer? Did you follow your dreams? Are you the person today that you dreamed of being years ago?

sick When I was little and for as long as I can remember, I wanted to be an artist. Every year in school and even through high school I always took ‘art classes’. Art was my favorite subject. I don’t usually like to toot my own horn, but I was pretty good too! I remember the first art contest I won was in the 1st grade. I don’t have the picture anymore, but I remember it was of a mama turtle and her babies. I was so excited that day to be the winner. I remember it so well also, because on that same day I got and threw up in the class room trashcan. Luckily I was in the room by myself and all the other children were at recess.

I have never dreamed of being a doctor or a lawyer. You know, the dreams your parents have for you. My parents and grandparents wanted me to be an artist because I was so good at it and because they knew how much I loved it. To this day everyone still says “Angie is good at drawing this, or painting that.” They continue to say these things, even though life happened and I didn’t finish college or didn’t much with my art. I was even excepted into the Nossi School of Art in Nashville, TN. They look at your portfolio and accept applicants accordingly. It was an honor, but I didn’t go. I don’t really remember why, because it was so long ago.

In high school I decided to take commercial art classes, which I loved! I loved my teacher, she was very encouraging and helpful. I loved it so much I decided to go to college to be a Commercial Artist. I completed 1 year, and again, life happened! After that I continued to draw and paint from time to time, until one day I just stopped doing it. Over the years I have made crafts and things like that, but nothing like I dreamed I would be doing.

Somewhere along the way I stared wanting to be a good mother, wife, friend and daughter. What I wanted to be when I grew up has changed along the way with the passing years. In my 20′s I still dreamed of one day being an artist. In my 30′s I knew I would never be a “working artist” that time had past and so I started writing. I wrote poetry, short stories and I even started writing a novel. It is in my closet in a box, unfinished. I was fascinated with Scotland! I still dream of getting to go there one day!

Now I am 42, and will be 43 this month. I am grown up now and I still have hopes and dreams of what I want to be. Now these days they are of being a better person, friend, daughter, sister, mother and wife. I dream of being more patient and understanding, and enjoying the little things in life. I dream of exercising and getting in better shape. I still would like to finish my book and see if anything comes of it!

They say (I am not sure who they are) that with age brings wisdom, and that is mostly true. You have already made some mistakes over the years, learned from them and did things better the next time. Hopefully that is what happened. I would like to be one of those women that age gracefully, and except all the changes that are happening inside and out. I am working on that part! I sometimes freak myself out by thinking ‘in 8 years I will be 50′! I can’t picture it in my mind. It seems like yesterday that I was 30.

Even though I did not become a famous artist or no one famous for that matter. I know there are people that love and need me. I know that I can still draw and paint for myself and others. I know that I can still write that novel that is sitting in my closet patiently waiting for me to finish it. Never stop wanting to be a better you, and never give up on your dreams. I know that I can still hope and dream of what I want to be when I grow up!

Do you have dreams that you didn’t pursue or that changed with time?

Til Next Time!

(Picture from Honda News & Free Photos)

What I Am Grateful For

Family, Thoughts and Life, Thoughts 2 Responses »

Nov 172011

“I am thankful God gave us the tranquility of nature”

This may seem like a simple list to write for most people, but for me it is sometimes difficult to remember to be thankful. No, I am not ungrateful for what God has blessed me with. I am one of ‘those’ people that always sees the ‘glass half empty.’ It is just that the day to day stress and struggles of life sometimes take control and make me forget that I have lots to be thankful for. Things could be worse, and most of the stress an struggles take place inside my own mind. I know that I am not the only one that feels this way at times. I have started telling myself daily the things I am thankful for. Do you find yourself forgetting that you have lots to be grateful for?

What I am grateful for…

My physical health. (even though it could be improved by more exercise and eating healthier)
My 2 (almost grown) children that are responsible, sensible and finding their own way in this life. (they are hard workers and responsible, and have never been in any trouble or gotten mixed up with the wrong crowd. I just wish they had stayed ‘little’ longer.)
My husband, Jose! (He is always smiling, and looking on the bright side of things, which is a little annoying at times. I couldn’t imagine life without him.)
The roof over my head and food to put in our bellies. (A home and food is something that we sometimes take for granted. So often there are others that don’t even have these simple necessities.)
My family, all of them. (I thank God everyday that they are all still with us. I love them all, even the ones that make me crazy beyond words. I wouldn’t have chose them any different if God had allowed me to hand pick them myself.)
Laughter! (Without the gift of laughter, life would sometimes be unbearable. Laughter releases endorphins, which in turns makes us feel really good. It also eases tension and gives us a new perspective.)
My dogs, Molly & Beauty.(They are my constant loyal companions. They are always there, and act like they understand every word I say to them. I wouldn’t trade them for anything in the world.)
My Kindle Fire. (I love my Kindle, especially the new one. Reading books takes me to places that I’ll never physically be able to go. Reading relaxes me more than anything else.)
Coffee! (I absolutely love coffee, all kinds and all flavors! Without coffee my mornings would not be good. It is a necessity in the morning! When it gets colder I look forward to a excellent mug of hot chocolate!
The ability to see, hear & taste God’s creation. (I can’t imagine not being able to see or hear. I look around at the trees, the sky, even my own hands and appreciate all the more the gift that our creator has given us.)

I am grateful for so much more. That was my quick list, and the most important. I need to remember everyday the simple things in life. The best are the people in my life, and the four legged ones too. Without the people life would have no meaning or happiness. I did list the kindle fire above and coffee and my laptop of course. These things are not people but they are important to me and make me happy also.

What are you most grateful for? Share with me, I would really like to know! Til next time… take care!

(Nature photo taken by Aacool, Smokey Mountains, TN)

Betrayal

Family, Thoughts and Life No Responses »

Oct 042011

Betrayal…

Is there anything worse?
Whether it is by a spouse,
boyfriend or best friend
First comes the anger,
sadness, uncertainty
and then rage.

“How could they
have done that to me?”
Has my friendship, love
and support been in vain?
Do I mean so little to them?
After all that I have done,
all I have given up for them.

It feels like you have run
right smack into a wall,
going 20 miles an hour.
You can’t breath, you can’t
move or think clearly.

All you can do is feel.
Feel the hurt and the pain
of knowing that you may
never be the same again.
Will you ever be able to trust
in that person ever again?

You start to doubt your whole
relationship, all the things
they’ve ever told you.
Was any of it true?
What else have they done
that you don’t know about?

It feels as if you’re walking
through the fog.
Not able to see clearly.
Not knowing which way to go next.
What do you do?
Do you forgive them?
Trust them to never to do it again?
What if you do forgive them, and
again they betray you?

Do you throw things?
Do you cry hysterically?
Do you try to get even?
Or do you just pick yourself up,
walk away and start over?
Vow to never trust in one
person so completely ever again.
What do you do?

Concrete & Creativity

Family, Thoughts and Life 1 Response »

Sep 292011

Some people thrive in big cities, with their tall buildings and sidewalks that lead everywhere. I just got back from visiting my grandmother and my daddy in Kingston Springs, TN. Maybe you’ve heard of it, it’s about 28 miles outside of Nashville. There, when I woke up in the mornings and went outside, I was greeted by trees and chirping birds. Now here, back at home when I go outside in the mornings I am greeted by the worn faces of old apartment buildings. Concrete sidewalks and paved parking lots with cars as far as the eye can see. It makes me feel sad and a little lonely. I believe concrete is sucking up my energy. Nope I’m not kidding.

There is nothing better than a good, strong cup of coffee in the morning, with a little sugar and heavy on the cream. The only thing that could be better than this is drinking that coffee on the back porch, and having mother nature speak to you. I long for the state I was born in. When Dorthy said, “there’s no place like home.” She knew what she was talking about. I enjoy Texas, but it’s not my real home. Here I feel suffocated, with no energy or creativity. In truth I blame that on me, 1st and this enormous city with all its highways, parking lots and large buildings, 2nd.

So when I say “concrete is sucking all of my energy up”, I believe that to be true. I’m going to have to get out and about and search for nature, a forest or maybe the zoo! Somewhere where I can connect with mother nature and really listen to her. And then maybe I can find some balance, and a little peace in my daily life. Hopefully then I can learn to get along with all the concrete, parking lots and big buildings. Who knows, maybe my creativity will start to spark again. I’ll let you know how it went.