A Love Worth Giving: Living in the Overflow of God's Love by Max Lucado

by Max Lucado

This book is a good reminder of my blessings in God's love

Genres: Christian, Nonfiction, Christian Living, Christianity, Christian Non Fiction, Religion, Spirituality

Paperback

First published January 1, 2000

About the author

With more than 150 million products in print and several NYT bestsellers, Max Lucado is America's bestselling inspirational author. He serves the Oak Hills Church in San Antonio, Texas, where he lives with his wife, Denalyn, and their mischievous mutt, Andy. His most recent book published in August 2024 and is titled What Happens Next.

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Reviews

[Carol · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lucado takes the verses from 1 Corinthian 13:4-8 and in the simplest ways makes it unforgettable in our daily lives. Here's just one example written by Max Lucado -- I Corinthians 13:6 "Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth."

You know your love is real when you feel for others what Catherine Lawes felt for the inmates of Sing Sing prison. When her husband, Lewis, became the warden in 1921, she was a young mother of 3 daughters. Everybody warned her never to step foot inside the walls. But she didn't listen to them. When the first prison basketball game was held, in she went, 3 girls in tow, and took a seat in the bleachers with the inmates.

She once said, "My husband and I are going to take care of these men and I believe they will take car of me! I don't have to worry!"

When she heard that one convicted murderer was blind, she taught him Braille so he could read. Upon learning of inmates who were hearing impaired, she studied sign language so they could communicate. For 16 years Catherine Lawes softened the hard hearts of the men of Sing Sing. In 1937 the world saw the difference real love makes.

The prisoner knew something was wrong when Lewis Lawes didn't report to work. Quickly the word spread that Catherine had been killed in a car accident. The following day her body was placed in her home, 3/4 of a mile from the prison. As the acting warden took his early morning walk, he noticed a large gathering at the main gate. Every prisoner pressed against the fence. They'd come to stand as close as they could to the woman who'd given them love.

The warden made a remarkable decision. "All right men you can go. Just be sure to check in tonight." These were American's hardest criminals. Murderers. Robbers. These were men the nation had locked away for life. But the warden unlocked the gate for them, and they walked without escort or guard to the home of Catherine Lawes to pay their last respects. And to a man, each one returned. Real love changes people.

[Teya Miller · Rating 5 out of 5]

We all could use a good dose of the reality of God's love!! When we're filled with His love to overflowing, it spills over to those we love. This is a great book!!

[Jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a wonderful, thought provoking look at the demonstration of love in 1 Corinthians 13: 4-8. I recommend this book to anyone even if they already consider themselves to be kind and loving.

As always, Max Lucado delivers yet another masterpiece to encourage and challenge us in our faith-walk. I was inspired. This year, I've been working hard to try and seek God more, and the more I've looked for him, the more I've realized that I don't need to because He is already seeking me out. With His seeking, He has lavished me with His love – something I felt was lacking due to circumstances. It wasn't until I picked up this book that I realized how God's love never fades. I've been a christian since I was a child but it hasn't been until recently that I've noticed, in the good and the bad, God loves me. I was believing that my harsh circumstances meant a lack of God's love in my life because I couldn't feel it. Only recently did I realize that His love is always present no matter what. This book was a stepping stone in that journey and I am so thankful that God used it to open my eyes to His unfailing love.

Certainly that wasn't the whole point of this book. It's a reminder to pay it forward so to speak. It challenges us to both accept God's love and then to freely share and give it to others. Not just through salvation, but also through our actions toward loved ones and friends and our brothers and sisters in Christ. We shouldn't just be filled with God's love, we should spread it to others.

I'm trying my best to carry that out in my own life and as a result, I'm seeing how God has lightened the weight of worry in my life and brought some of the joy back into it. It's amazing and relieving to see that God's love stands firmly in place through the storms. I'm so thankful. His Love has restored my hope and I can't wait to see what God does next in my life.

[Tina at Mommynificent · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love Max Lucado's easy and yet challenging style. This is a book I'll return to again and again as it helped me get past my over-familiarity with 1 Corinthians 13 and really think about the way God loves me and how that can and should overflow to others. It's a really good study of those very familiar verses. I do wish I had realized that there is an actual study guide at the end of the book for each chapter. I didn't see it until I was nearly finished with the book, and I would have enjoyed doing the study guide as I read each chapter. Next time, I guess.

[Jackie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Max Lucado is one of my favorites! He puts the truth out there so beautifully and it's so applicable. This book encouraged me to love in light of the love God has given me- thus the title- Love worth giving. Great scripture, great stories, and my book had a discussion guide in the back- so you could easily do this in a small group Bible Study.

[The Book Man · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Love Worth Giving...A Book Worth READING by Max Lucado :)

[Elizabeth Fleischer · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book.... words cannot describe.

This book has been the perfect reminder of how much God loves me, and what that love looks like. This book has been the encouragement I needed to rest comfortable and contently in the perfect and never ending love of Christ. This book has helped me as I navigate my healing journey and has reminded me of how important it is to rest easy in the knowledge that God loves me. And because He loves me, I am able to love others.

"God loves you simply because he has chosen to do so. He loves you when you don't feel lovely. He loves you when no one else loves you. Others may abandon you, divorce you, and ignore you, but God will love you. Always. No matter what."

[Veronika · Rating 5 out of 5]

V knihe Max Lucado vysvetľuje akési princípy lásky na základe Svätého písma, nenútene a jednoducho pochopiteľne. Kniha na mňa pôsobila ba priam až motivačne a dávkovala som si ju postupne, aby sa vo mne jej krásne hlboké myšlienky mohli ukoreniť. Myšlienky v nej sú nadčasové, nie sú uplatniteľné len u kresťanov, ale kniha je určená širokej verejnosti.

[Elle · Rating 5 out of 5]

An in-depth look at 1 Corthinans 13:4-8.
If you want to know how to love in the overflow of God's love, then look no further than this book. Max Lucado does a fantastic job of bringing clarity and significant meaning to these few small lines in the entirety of the Bible. They may just be a couple verses, yet they clearly define who God is and what it looks like to reflect His image, to be like Him.
If you want to know about God's love for you and how to walk in love towards those in your life, get this book now. It will help you see somethings from a different perspective. This is my second time reading it. I read it first when I was just 12 years old, and I remember it transforming my life back then. Reading it now as a 30 year old, it still had my gears shifting and made me realize that I need some work on my love-walk.

[ames · Rating 5 out of 5]

6🌟
A LOVE WORTH GIVING!! To have been first loved by our Heavenly Father and in turn get to love on our loved ones, is the sweetest and greatest honour!!
Now this is a love that is perfect, started and completed in heavenly hands!!

[Kaci · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lucado has a beautiful way of describing theological ideas in practical analogies. A good reminder to give love as we receive love.

[S.G. Willoughby · Rating 5 out of 5]

SOOOOOO GOOD! Just... so good. I cried and texted my friends quotes and grew and was encouraged and was convicted. Read it. ;)

[Anastasya Riwu · Rating 5 out of 5]

"God’s love does not hinge on yours. The abundance of your love does not increase His. The lack of your love does not diminish His. Your goodness does not enhance His love, nor does your weakness dilute it."

Light read and heartwarming. 10/10!!

[Abner Huertas · Rating 5 out of 5]

Max Lucado se ha convertido en uno de los autores de libros que mas respeto. Con su estilo único para expresar y transmitir un mensaje te deja sorprendido de lo mucho que puedes aprender y poner en práctica.

En "Un amor que puedes compartir" te mostrará el significado de esa palabra que a muchos de nosotros nos gusta, otros quieren comprenderla, otros descubrirla, otros saber lo que realmente significa, reconocer si es una emoción o una intención. A lo largo de la lectura podrás encontrar como el amor más que una simple emoción es una intención y que para que puedas compartir amor primero debes recibirlo y estar abierto a poder compartirlo.

Una lectura muy bonita, interesante y enriquecedora que estoy seguro te gustará.

Te animo a leerlo.

[Kym McNabney]

I admit it. I LOVE devotionals. The only part I don’t like, but have overcome is when they are dated. Though I typically read every day, I don’t like feeling as though if I miss a day I am behind and need to make it up. What I love about devotionals is the little snippets of goodness each day. Typically not too much or too little, which allows you to absorb the words and gain much more from them.

A LOVE WORTH GIVING: LIVING IN THE OVERFLOW OF GODS LOVE by MAX LUCADO isn’t a devotional per say, yet it had the feel of a devotional. One with more substances to each chapter, rather than each day. MAX LUCADO is a brilliant writer. I have enjoyed everything I have read by him thus far. In my copy of A LOVE WORTH GIVING, I have many highlights as well as underlines and notes and comments.

[Esther · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Love Worth Giving by Max Lucado was an inspiring book! There were chapters I cried through, and others that took me weeks to get through, but each held a message that my soul needed to hear. I started reading this book because of three words on the back cover, "Low on Love." That's where my heart was at. However, as I turn to the last page of this book, I'm ready to love again. God's love for me is so great! I can't even fully fathom it. I'm not worthy of His love, yet God gives it to me freely. Thus, I can live loved, act loved, and give love. For God's love is a love worth giving.

You can read my full review here: https://stargazersforhim.wordpress.co...

[Linda · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book not only speaks of how we can love people no matter what, but goes through the life of Christ and show us how He loved us first. The thing that Max does so well, is the examples he gives to every situation! He takes 1 Corinthians 13, one step at a a time. Beginning with patience, then kindness all the way to enduring all things where Love NEVER Fails. Rather then a scripture to remind us of Love we can't produce, let it remind us of a Love we cannot resist-God's Love.

[Kenzie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I know I will return to this book for future reference! I highlighted the goodness out of it -- so much good stuff on every page. Challenges us as Christians to think beyond ourselves and gives us tangible ways to represent the love of Christ. Favorite quote: "Will we ever love like that? Will we ever love perfectly? No. This side of Heaven only God will. But we will love better than we have."

[Peridot Gilbert-Reed]

Be prepared to change your views on what love is all about it. It is a great book that challenges to understand and implement true unconditional love.

[Rebecca · Rating 4 out of 5]

Max Lucado, knows how to get close to the readers....I like how he's using the words.... God bless him, for this heavenly gift of reading.!

[Flo · Rating 2 out of 5]

Ich bin positiv überrascht und verstehe, warum viele Leute Max Lucado lesen. Er schreibt fesselnd, authentisch, inspirierend (zB S. 160-170), für meinen Geschmack an manchen Stellen etwas zu kitschig (zB S. 179), erzählt biblische Geschichten spannend nach und illustriert seine Aussagen mit beeindruckenden, ergreifenden und (meist) passenden Erzählungen aus seinem eigenen Leben oder anderen Quellen.

Der Grundprämisse des Buches ist zuzustimmen: Gottes Liebe zu uns ist die Basis für unsere Liebe zum Nächsten. Auch positiv: Der Sündenbegriff und sogar ein Hinweis auf die Hölle (S. 67) finden sich im Buch, was bei der sonst eher positiv-ermutigenden Ausrichtung von Max Lucado überrascht. Ähnliches ist über die Aufforderung zu sagen, unsere Blicke von uns selbst weg auf Christus zu richten (S. 75 - ganz im Sinne von Luthers "extra nos") oder die Warnung, Entscheidungen auf Basis von Gefühlen anstatt auf Basis von Tatsachen zu treffen (S. 113).

Worauf sollte man achten bzw. was sehe ich kritischer?
- An manchen Stellen schwächt Lucado die Ernsthaftigkeit biblischer Wahrheiten für meine Begriffe zu sehr ab (zB verharmlost er Sünde auf S. 42 und verniedlicht das Gericht auf S. 82/83) oder geht unangenehmen Wahrheiten aus dem Weg (zB bei der Nacherzählung des Gleichnisses vom unbarmherzigen Knecht aus Mat, S. 25).
- Mit der Ermutigung zur Selbstliebe und zur Selbst-Vergebung (S. 41) kann ich wenig anfangen...
- Lucados Umgang mit der Bibel ist an manchen Stellen ungenau (zB S. 18 oder 119) oder Sprungbrett-mäßig, bzw. benutzt er biblische Geschichten mitunter nur allegorisch (um seine Thesen zu illustrieren) und erzählt Geschichten dabei nur unpräzise nach (zB ergänzt er die Begegnung von Jesus mit der Frau am Brunnen auf S. 108 etwas, sodass sie besser zum Kapitel passt).
- Immer wieder (Das erste Mal bereits auf der ersten Textseite des Buches bei der Aussage "Gott liebt Sie. Persönlich." auf S. 7, aber auch auf Seiten 13, 21, 51) habe ich mich gefragt, an wen Lucado dieses Buch schreibt: An Christen oder an Ungläubige? Dass diese Frage offen bleibt und Lucado nicht deutlich macht, für wen die von ihm zitierten Bibelstellen gelten (und für wen nicht!), schafft Unklarheit und birgt die Gefahr, dass ungläubige Leser in ihrem Leben ohne Gott ermutigt werden, anstatt zur Umkehr und zum Glauben aufgerufen zu werden.

Alles in allem: Manches aus dem Buch hat mich angesprochen. Von Lucados Schreibstiel kann ich viel lernen. Weiterempfehlen würde ich ihn nicht unbedingt, denn Ungläubigen ist damit nicht geholfen, junge Christen werden manche Schwächen des Buches wahrscheinlich nicht erkennen und reife Christen werden bei anderen Autoren wohl mehr "feste Speise" finden...

[Rachel Sirup · Rating 5 out of 5]

My shepherd gave this book to me as a gift and I asked her why this particular book? I asked if it was because she thought it was a book I needed for the season and she told me that love is something so essential and basic that us Christians should have a deep understanding of.

It is so important to understand the why behind the reason we love and how to go about doing it. For me, especially and in this season, I was really struggling. Humans. The Dread. The way Max dissected 1 Corinthians 13 reminded me again of God's unlimited supply of His Love. That He doesn't love me because I'm awesome and amazing but it's because He's awesome and amazing. This book has both made me cry and humbled me. Need to understand Love and why it exists? Pick this book up.

[Bonnie Westmark · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was the pick for our Zoom book study. I was apprehensive since I’m the only single in the group, but I loved it. As a woman whose father abandoned her, and as someone who has experienced abandonment repeatedly throughout her life, the personal stories were heart warming. Reading the way a real man shows love to his wife and daughters gave me hope even though I’ve never experienced that kind of love from a man. The book made me realize that God loves me, will never abandon me, and surrounds me with love constantly. It made me realize how important it is to give and receive love, even to friends. We were created to love and be loved. I now know this is possible, even as a single. I can still live a life filled with love.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

First time really delving into the Christian book scene beyond the bible and reading about Mother Teresa. I really enjoyed this book because of the scripture that went along with it and the breakdown of the chapters. I read this with a book club group; highly recommend using the discussion pieces included in the book.

[Nikki · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was really good. It talked about 1 Corinthians 13 and the way that love is discussed in this chapter of the Bible. It reminds Christians that God first loved us and that is why and how we should love others. This book is great for Christians who need a reminder of God's love for them and of how they should love His children.

[Melissa Chiuz · Rating 5 out of 5]

Awesome book!

When I was reading this book I was going through some bad times with my husband, I have to say that this book was a lot of help to deal with some things, help ,e see thing differently, and to think about how to be a better wife, and even though is not about relationships it help in that area.

[Sandra Nay · Rating 5 out of 5]

An in-depth look at the "Love" verses

Max Lucado gives an in-depth look at Ephesians 13. Where does love come from? How do we know love? It Is well worth the short time it takes to read.

[Amanda Pierson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Me and my dad used this book as a book study together before I got married. We went through each chapter looking at an attribute of love in the context of the Bible. It was excellent. This is definitely something I will cherish for the rest of my life.

[Missyjohnson1 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Liked this book so much more the second time that I read it. Reading it and discussing with a group of friends made it so. I look forward to the next time that I read with another small group. I will make a point to memorize the 1 Corinthians 13:4-8 using my own name and Jesus name.

[Judith Brans - Donker · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love how the author included so many Bible stories and chapters. I gained some new insights and had some eye openers. + loved the discussion guide at the end of the book to get into deep conversations with loved ones.