When our kids are fearful at bedtime, we’ve taught them to personalize and recite II Timothy 1:7 – “God has NOT given ME a spirit of fear, but of POWER, and LOVE, and a SOUND MIND!” This book is the adult version of that meditation.

From the inside cover flap, a summary:

The one statement he [Jesus] made more than any other was this: “Don’t be afraid.” In this book, Max Lucado invites you to consider Jesus’ invitation to courage.

Fear will always knock on your door. Just don’t invite it in for dinner. And for heaven’s sake, don’t offer it a bed for the night.

The promise of Christ and the contention of these pages are simple: we can fear less tomorrow than we do today.

From the title it is clear that this book is about being Fearless, and most of us know what to expect from a Lucado book. No disappointments here. Lucado delivers a simple message through classic jokes, clever analogies, and crystalline Bible interpretation. His manner is fatherly and gentle – especially welcome considering his topic.

What surprised me most about this book was how often I heard myself saying, “Oh!” or “Hmmmm!” at the close of every neatly wrapped chapter. No one ties up concepts in punchy bows like Max Lucado. Considering the timeliness of this message, however, I also found the book authentic, valuable, and rich with comfort. Who hasn’t been scared to bits over Swine Flu (thanks, Dr. Gupta, for easing my mind on that one) or terrified by state of affairs in the Middle East?

I’m usually one to keep my cool on matters such as disease and natural disaster (unless I watch too many episodes of House), but Lucado also touches on more nuanced fears. My favorite comes from Chapter 12, “The Shadow of Doubt: Fear That God is Not Real.” This chapter alone is worth the ENTIRE BOOK. I loved it. I won’t spoil it for you, but Lucado works his exegetical magic here and provides two clear methods for battling doubt. And with these tools we can win the fight!

My conclusion on Fearless by Max Lucado? Easy read. Timely message. Revelation of Jesus. This book really could make a difference in people’s lives.

*This review brought to you thanks in part to the Thomas Nelson Book Reveiw Bloggers Program!

www.brb.thomasnelson.com

I’m watching my DVR’d version of the Miss USA Pageant alternately thinking the girls would love this and wondering if I know how to explain it to them. I mean, really, The Biggest Loser already has my 5 year-old asking how many calories are in a Rice Krispie Treat. Do I need her comparing herself to what I’m seeing on that stage?

My sisters and I have already discussed the fact that despite my mother’s feminist oversight, we all played with Barbies (loved playing Barbies – would spend hours of our childhood divvying up the Barbies in an NFL draft-like fashion) and have made it to adulthood without an eating disorder or body image problem. And this pageant (or the other one, what is it, Miss America?) is a highlighted memory in my childhood. We got to stay up late, eat snacks, and hope our favorite made it into the top ten. Oh, the joy of that!

Watching alone tonight I had all the misgivings a mother of gorgeous daughters should have: what if they buy the lie that your body is something you should flaunt on national television? What if they see so many 5′ 10″ toothpicks they despise the beautiful 5′ 6″ athletic build they are more likely to have? I needed to reconcile these two dilemmas: my past joy in watching a show like this and my current fear of glutting my daughters on commercialized exploitation of women? (I can be nearly as dramatic as Seren, but I usually keep in quieter.)

Ellen to the rescue and My Favorite Part from the Miss USA Pageant. Ellen’s Cover Girl commercial played during one of the first breaks in the show. For me it was perfect timing.

I laughed at Ellen, I laughed at myself, and I saw myself laughing one day with my daughters. Like everything else in this life, the key is to keep the conversation open. We can enjoy a show like the Miss USA Pageant at the same time that we can discuss how ridiculous it is to dance across a stage in a bikini that is – no way around it – a bra and underwear. I mean, who does that? But still, the dresses, the music, the competition, . . . it is all part of a show. We can enjoy it. We can remember not to take life too seriously. And that’s My Favorite Part.

You’ll love Serenity’s post about the Oscar party her friend Michelle threw for her. Red carpet and everything!

I wasn’t home and I don’t get ABC anyway, but I did catch some clips on YouTube, especially those mentioned by Seren. I loved the winning song from Once. That was beautiful. Almost as lovely were the acceptance speeches of the writers (who were also the actors in the movie). They were all about believing in your dreams and not giving up. (In really cute accents, which only serves to reinforce the magic!)

But my favorite part came when Jon Stewart brought the girl back out after the commercial break. She had been cut off and didn’t get a chance to give her acceptance. Stewart ushered her toward the microphone and said, “Enjoy your moment!”

How insightful of him. That was her moment and if he hadn’t stepped in, it would have been robbed from her. How gallant.  I teared up a little after he said that. He is Hollywood, afterall, and sometimes we imagine that they have no idea what matters to people in the real world. But in that gesture, he knew.

I loved it. It was my favorite part.