February - April 2005
 The Purpose Driven Life:
What on Earth Am I Here For?
by Rick Warren
Rick Warren’s second book can very well be the bestseller that won’t go away. This book is on EVERYBODY’S must read list, as it has logged record time on several renowned bestseller lists. Asking the question – “What on earth am I here for?” manifests the main themes as the author gives compelling reasons why we should expect more out of life, and how we can get there living a purposeful life. We as abiding Christians and those looking for a new lease on life can appreciate the fact that Gold planned everything. With this in mind, every human has a diving, unfailing purpose, according to God’s master plan. Everyone who calls upon Him has been predestined to fulfill their purpose through diverse, yet individual gifts.
The Purpose Driven Life is constructed with an implied timeframe to get what is to be derived in exactly 40 days. Rick Warren asserts that creative _expression, and/or any other form of self-discovery should go elsewhere when one truly follows God’s blueprint. Purposeful devotion to a loving and understanding God, doing the things necessary for making your election and calling a sure thing, and allowing a structured methodology to guide you should be a number one priority in reading this book Utilizing the 40-day immersion plan, the author wrote the book in a self-assessed style where you fill-in the blanks, giving your views on selected topics. Every page is equipped with references to scriptural tenets for current or future reference. The main questions that beg to be answered are: Does it do enough to address the challenges of the time we live in? How do we deal with apostasy? And, what happens if and when more is needed to get to any other desired level of atonement? I read the book, participated in the myriad of activities therein, and have recommended it to several of my friends. Personally, I came away convinced that this indeed is an excellent resourced for devout Christians (and non-Christains alike) who crave rejuvenation back to the roots of prayer and practice faith-base principles and initiatives.
The style in which the book was written may prove to be cumbersome to readers who want continuity and not be prone to breaks in the text. Beyond that, I feel that the book is well written for overall context. This is just another way to allow a walk with Jesus and keep oneself focused. Warren’s style helps readers become the people that God wants them to be by elaborating on five truths to derive at what purpose we hold for living. According to the author, we expressly exist for the purposes of worship, ministry, evangelism, fellowship and discipleship. He states that in fulfilling these roles on earth, we find and fulfill our purposes for a higher goal for salvation. In coming to grips with how to live Christian life successfully, themes of the Bible are exemplified with over 1,000 scriptures cited throughout Rick Warren’s book. When illustrating points of contention, it is extremely important to quote from the Bible.
I highly recommend this book both to sustain your Christian walk and to allow faith to be the number one option for beneficial worth. This is an excellent reminder of why we believe and recognize the fact that despite consternation and other ills, life holds answers to guard against depression or disillusionment. Warren provides reasons and practical ways for the reader to serve others inside and outside the church. Promoting studies of The Purpose Driven Life would help to meet this objective. Rick Warren concludes this book by espousing an individual vigil to meet objectives to prove your worth and fulfill your purpose. He’s also included an appendix with further question to foster discussions among readers.
|
