A Rare Title: Eyes Wide Open

Eyes Wide Open: See and Live the Real You by Jud Wilhite with Bill Taaffe

I won this book in a drawing on Anne Jackson’s blog (she has new book give-aways often). I have crazy good luck in blog book drawings. Seriously.

What stands out to me about this book are two things almost in contradiction with one another: Eyes Wide Open is simultaneously simple and comprehensive. I loved, loved, loved the transitions at the beginning of each chapter. The authors basically review the concepts discussed in previous chapters while introducing the connection to each new concept. The book is divided in three sections that move the reader step-by-step into a detailed explanation of why God uses us, how he uses us, and what he’d like to see us do.

As a teacher, l loved the systematic approach. But this is not a textbook or a boring self-help plan. Wilhite uses anecdotes, analogies, and real life stories to illustrate each point. His position as pastor of a growing church in Las Vegas (wouldn’t John Bunyan love that Wilhite pastors in Sin City!) provides many of these colorful examples, but Wilhite also pulls from other sources. Best of all, he uses himself as an example. His humility and common-sense approach permeate the advice he offers to fellow Christian pilgrims.

The beginning of Chapter 18: Unhindered to Make a Difference is a perfect example of one of those transitions I loved and a sneak peek at what the book has to offer:

Seeing and living with eyes wide open means we not only embrace God’s view of us, along with our new identity, and begin the journey of personal change, but we are also freed to make our own unique mark for good on our culture.

Eyes Wide Open is a fast read and has a lot to offer new and mature Christians alike. I think it would make a great small group study or church-wide reading project, but I loved it as a personal refresher course, too.