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Leaving Ordinary: Encounter God Through Extraordinary Prayer
The deepest longing of the human heart is to know and be known by God. God longs for an intimate relationship with us as well. But how do we develop that kind of relationship with a holy God? It is one thing to long for such a relationship, but quite another to experience intimacy with Him. In Leaving Ordinary , Donna Gaines shares from her personal experience how prayer can become the channel that links the believer’s heart to the heart of God. God gave the pattern of the tabernacle to the Israelites. It was a temporary and portable dwelling for His glory. Through it God taught them how to approach and worship Him before He led them to their reward—the promised land. Using the tabernacle and its articles as a guide, Donna teaches readers how to interact with God in that secret place of true intimacy that leads to worship. Your ordinary daily practice of prayer can become an extraordinary encounter with the living Lord. Leaving Ordinary is essential reading for anyone who desires to enter into and experience the reality of God’s presence. As you read, you
208 pages, Paperback
First published March 4, 2014
12 people are currently reading
212 people want to read
About the author
Donna Gaines
15 books5 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.
Donna Gaines is a Pastor’s wife, Bible teacher, author of four books, (Choose Wisely, Live Fully: Life Lessons from the Two Women of Proverbs, Leaving Ordinary: Encounter God Through Extraordinary Prayer, Seated: Living From Our Position in Christ and There’s Gotta Be More) and editor of A Daily Women’s Devotional. She is a disciple maker who fervently desires to see the lives of women transformed as they encounter God through His Word and prayer. Embracing God's missional calling on her life, Donna mobilizes women to practically live out their faith through both inner city and international efforts. She is the Founder and President of the Board for ARISE2Read, a nonprofit that focuses on literacy in the inner city (arise2read.org). She is the mother of four and "Nonna" to 10 grand children. Donna enjoys Memphis Barbecue, Alabama football and anything you can douse with salsa.
Donna Gaines is a Pastor’s wife, Bible teacher, author of four books, (Choose Wisely, Live Fully: Life Lessons from the Two Women of Proverbs, Leaving Ordinary: Encounter God Through Extraordinary Prayer, Seated: Living From Our Position in Christ and There’s Gotta Be More) and editor of A Daily Women’s Devotional. She is a disciple maker who fervently desires to see the lives of women transformed as they encounter God through His Word and prayer. Embracing God's missional calling on her life, Donna mobilizes women to practically live out their faith through both inner city and international efforts. She is the Founder and President of the Board for ARISE2Read, a nonprofit that focuses on literacy in the inner city (arise2read.org). She is the mother of four and "Nonna" to 10 grand children. Donna enjoys Memphis Barbecue, Alabama football and anything you can douse with salsa.
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
May 19, 2022
I learned a lot about the tabernacle and the foreshadowing of Jesus. Prayer is essential!
July 8, 2018
This book was shallow and disappointing. It was also marketed incorrectly. This is not a book about prayer. This book seems to be an introduction to quiet times for new believers, since every single chapter ended up talking about having a quiet time. The temple comparisons simply did not make sense. For example, in the chapter entitled “The Ark of the Covenant”, she explains its use and then details the inner city school initiative her church started the entire rest of the chapter. How are those two connected? I also disagree with multiple things stated in this book. I do not recommend this book, but especially do not recommend if you’re looking for a book on prayer.
June 4, 2022
The Old Testament Tabernacle is our model for worship
I really enjoyed reading this book along with Exodus Chapters 25-30. The articles in the Tabernacle are a foreshadow of Christ. I learned a lot from this study. To God be the Glory!!
I really enjoyed reading this book along with Exodus Chapters 25-30. The articles in the Tabernacle are a foreshadow of Christ. I learned a lot from this study. To God be the Glory!!
August 13, 2023
I really enjoyed the practical information given and relatable stories that Donna Gaines shares about prayer!
June 15, 2020
This book was so refreshing! I read it thru in one day because I enjoyed it so much.
October 3, 2016
Wow. I have learned so much! Great Bible study!
March 15, 2014
What I liked:
*The inside cover bookmark flaps (I know...weird, right?!). Each Inscribed book in this collection has a front flap has a note and Scripture in the author's handwriting. I love that! I got to start to know the author even before I read! Also, the book flaps are great bookmarks!
*The personal stories like Ms. Gaines' fear of public speaking, the story of her husband's surgery, and of Henry being saved.
*Relating items of the tabernacle to prayer as a way to deepen reader's prayer life.
*The opening Scripture verses and encouragement from the author to memorize them.
*The wonderful quotes throughout the book like "prayer is our power line" that enrich the teaching. Some were so good that I shared them with friends.
*The book is God-breathed. It is evident that God has blessed Donna Gaines and her writings. And I am blessed because she has been faithful to teach on prayer. It is fantastic to see how God is working. At one point, a few days ago, God had been inspiring me to read many verses relating to Jesus being the Bread of Life. As I contemplated this, I opened to where I had left off. I was amazed to see it was about the Table of Showbread and The Bread of Life! It was exactly what I needed and exactly what God had been sharing with me in the previous days.
*The questions at the end of each chapter are great and they help you go deeper in your faith and prayer life.
"Leaving Ordinary" is just that. It is a step toward God. I am very blessed to have read it.
What I Didn't Like: Nothing.
Disclaimer:
I received this book free from BookLook Bloggers, HarpersCollins Christian Publishing in exchange for my honest review.
*The inside cover bookmark flaps (I know...weird, right?!). Each Inscribed book in this collection has a front flap has a note and Scripture in the author's handwriting. I love that! I got to start to know the author even before I read! Also, the book flaps are great bookmarks!
*The personal stories like Ms. Gaines' fear of public speaking, the story of her husband's surgery, and of Henry being saved.
*Relating items of the tabernacle to prayer as a way to deepen reader's prayer life.
*The opening Scripture verses and encouragement from the author to memorize them.
*The wonderful quotes throughout the book like "prayer is our power line" that enrich the teaching. Some were so good that I shared them with friends.
*The book is God-breathed. It is evident that God has blessed Donna Gaines and her writings. And I am blessed because she has been faithful to teach on prayer. It is fantastic to see how God is working. At one point, a few days ago, God had been inspiring me to read many verses relating to Jesus being the Bread of Life. As I contemplated this, I opened to where I had left off. I was amazed to see it was about the Table of Showbread and The Bread of Life! It was exactly what I needed and exactly what God had been sharing with me in the previous days.
*The questions at the end of each chapter are great and they help you go deeper in your faith and prayer life.
"Leaving Ordinary" is just that. It is a step toward God. I am very blessed to have read it.
What I Didn't Like: Nothing.
Disclaimer:
I received this book free from BookLook Bloggers, HarpersCollins Christian Publishing in exchange for my honest review.
March 17, 2014
Nobody wants to be ordinary. Everybody wants to be somebody. It’s the way that we often strive to accomplish this that we go astray. In Leaving Ordinary, Donna Gaines shares her own life experience and how the power of prayer can take you from ordinary to that extraordinary relationship with God we all seek to find.
This book is deep and rich and thought provoking. There is a lot of history of the Bible so this would be great for new Christians to get a history lesson as well as seasoned Christians who want to dig even deeper.
Because of the depth of the chapters, I was glad that they were all relatively short leaving time for reflection. The questions to consider at the end are also short but deep so it’s nice that there are just a couple and you can take the time to go as in depth into them as you want. Like anything else, you get out of it what you put into it. I like the note section provided right after the questions so that you can do your questions there instead of having to have separate paper. You have all the tools you need right at your fingertips for your convenience.
I found Gaines writing to be very insightful and was intrigued by her discussions on the tabernacle and the Israelites. This was their place of worship and connection to God. We have our own connection through prayer and it is in our power to take this to the next level.
Leaving Ordinary is a great inclusion in the InScribed Collection. It’s definitely not an “easy” read but a rewarding one indeed!
This book is deep and rich and thought provoking. There is a lot of history of the Bible so this would be great for new Christians to get a history lesson as well as seasoned Christians who want to dig even deeper.
Because of the depth of the chapters, I was glad that they were all relatively short leaving time for reflection. The questions to consider at the end are also short but deep so it’s nice that there are just a couple and you can take the time to go as in depth into them as you want. Like anything else, you get out of it what you put into it. I like the note section provided right after the questions so that you can do your questions there instead of having to have separate paper. You have all the tools you need right at your fingertips for your convenience.
I found Gaines writing to be very insightful and was intrigued by her discussions on the tabernacle and the Israelites. This was their place of worship and connection to God. We have our own connection through prayer and it is in our power to take this to the next level.
Leaving Ordinary is a great inclusion in the InScribed Collection. It’s definitely not an “easy” read but a rewarding one indeed!
March 26, 2014
If you are seeking deeper intimacy with God – if you want to strengthen your prayer life – if you want to understand what true worship is all about – then Leaving Ordinary – Encounter God Through Extraordinary Prayer by Donna Gaines is the Bible Study for you.
Leaving Ordinary shows us what God taught the Israelites about worship and prayer through a study of the Tabernacle and its articles – and teaches us how to intimately interact with God in a way that leads to true worship.
Donna writes:
This study will help you to transform your relationship with God.
Note: Leaving Ordinary is one of several Women's Bible Studies in the new Inscribed Collection from Thomas Nelson. To learn more about this series - and to read my review in its entirety - please visit Create With Joy.
Disclosure: I received a copy of this book from the publisher for review purposes. However, the opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.
Leaving Ordinary shows us what God taught the Israelites about worship and prayer through a study of the Tabernacle and its articles – and teaches us how to intimately interact with God in a way that leads to true worship.
Donna writes:
When we pray, God begins to orchestrate things in the spirit realm that eventually manifest in the physical.
This study will help you to transform your relationship with God.
Note: Leaving Ordinary is one of several Women's Bible Studies in the new Inscribed Collection from Thomas Nelson. To learn more about this series - and to read my review in its entirety - please visit Create With Joy.
Disclosure: I received a copy of this book from the publisher for review purposes. However, the opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.
March 26, 2016
Leaving Ordinary, Encounter God Through Extraordinary Prayer by Donna Gaines reminds us through scriptural reference what we can do to draw closer to God. In one example she recites Luke 9:23 "We must die to ourselves daily and take up our cross and follow Jesus". The author shares what her cross is and relates how all Christians struggle but overcome their adversities with faith. Her messages are very clear and make us take a look at us. She does not hesitate to say that we don't know the od of the Bible because we don't study God's Word in it's entirety. Donna Gaines book is about change and causes us to question whether we are truly doing all we can do to be our best. I'm very fond of the truthfulness and simplicity in her writing.
March 22, 2016
This is a fantastic book on the Tabernacle. If you're looking for something extremely in-depth, there are probably better books out there. But for a quick synopsis of the symbolism, this book is great. The only thing I didn't love was the way the book was broken out. For example, if I wanted to read about the lampstand, I had to go to two different chapters nowhere close to each other. I just didn't think it was needed to walk through each part of the tabernacle twice when it could have been combined.
March 18, 2014
Loved this study. Bible Study read through book about the tabernacle and how the articles of the ancient tabernacle apply to our lives and prayer today. There were some great thoughts and quotes in this book. I have referred to it many times through my study of Hebrews and it really helps clarify a lot of things. Highly recommended.
July 26, 2014
such power when we live and believe what the WORD tells us - would love to use this as a bible/prayer group
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews