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Unquenchable: Grow a Wildfire Faith That Will Endure Anything
Readers will discover the secrets of living for something greater than themselves, improving the quality of their day-to-day relationship with Jesus Christ, fueling the fire in the lives of others, and outlasting their lives. Readers will be AWESTRUCK by how their new daily choices result in a life on fire that ignites a flame in others.
- GenresChristian
224 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 11, 2014
15 people are currently reading
73 people want to read
About the author
Carol J. Kent
27 books32 followersCarol Kent is hilariously funny, biblically sound, and heartbreakingly transparent in person and in print. Founder and president of Speak Up for Hope (a prison ministry) and Speak Up Speaker Services (a speakers' bureau), Carol is the best-selling author of many books, including When I Lay My Isaac Down, A New Kind of Normal, Becoming a Woman of Influence, Speak Up with Confidence, Secret Longings of the Heart, and Tame Your Fears. She is an expert on public speaking, writing, and evangelism. Carol travels the world, speaking to tens of thousands each year at events such as Extraordinary Women, Vision New England, Women of Faith, THRIVE, and Women of Grace. Carol and her husband, Gene, make their home in Florida.
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
March 13, 2014
This book was not what I expected it to be and I frequently wondered where it was headed. I expected more of a how-to book, based on the subtitle (grow a wildfire faith that will endure anything) and on what was shared on the back cover. There was some how-to, but precious little of it. At least this is my experience with this book.
What it did have were stories, lots of stories. I like stories as much as the next person but these stories were full of pain, and were heart-wrenching and even horrific in nature. (For example about murder, sexual abuse, domestic violence, horrible illnesses.) They seemed better suited to a police show on TV.
It wasn’t just that I couldn’t relate to those type of stories. There was very little “answers”, like why was God allowing these things to happen. A better subtitle for this book may have been, how to keep your faith when bad things happen to good people.
I did not find the stories uplifting in any manner. To me they were testimonies of “just getting by”. There were no real miracle stories and very little answers to prayer, at least it seemed to me as I was reading it. It also seemed akin to an average person in the trenches barely staying alive. That’s what those stories sounded like to me.
Finally near the end there is a bit of a real how-to. “Will you endure the pain of this broken world, knowing you are just passing through, that you are on the road to a better country–heaven country?…Will you accept the fact that you are a transient in this world and that your real home, your permanent home, is just ahead, perfectly prepare for you?…You can put up with anything along the way—shame, persecution, suffering, sacrifice, —anything—because you know where you are headed.” (pages 200, 201, 210)
This book seems best suited to those who are suffering from something horrific, especially if it was something done to you and not by you, because that is where this author is coming from. If that is you, then this book and this author will be able to provide you with real comfort.
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from publisher through the Booklookbloggers.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commision’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
What it did have were stories, lots of stories. I like stories as much as the next person but these stories were full of pain, and were heart-wrenching and even horrific in nature. (For example about murder, sexual abuse, domestic violence, horrible illnesses.) They seemed better suited to a police show on TV.
It wasn’t just that I couldn’t relate to those type of stories. There was very little “answers”, like why was God allowing these things to happen. A better subtitle for this book may have been, how to keep your faith when bad things happen to good people.
I did not find the stories uplifting in any manner. To me they were testimonies of “just getting by”. There were no real miracle stories and very little answers to prayer, at least it seemed to me as I was reading it. It also seemed akin to an average person in the trenches barely staying alive. That’s what those stories sounded like to me.
Finally near the end there is a bit of a real how-to. “Will you endure the pain of this broken world, knowing you are just passing through, that you are on the road to a better country–heaven country?…Will you accept the fact that you are a transient in this world and that your real home, your permanent home, is just ahead, perfectly prepare for you?…You can put up with anything along the way—shame, persecution, suffering, sacrifice, —anything—because you know where you are headed.” (pages 200, 201, 210)
This book seems best suited to those who are suffering from something horrific, especially if it was something done to you and not by you, because that is where this author is coming from. If that is you, then this book and this author will be able to provide you with real comfort.
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from publisher through the Booklookbloggers.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commision’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
April 12, 2014
Unquenchable asks honest questions about disappointment in God and uses illustrations fleshed out from Scripture to look for purpose in suffering. It doesn’t try to resolve disillusionment with pat answers, but provides reflections on suffering that draw the reader deeper to the heart of God and to a faith that is unquenchable.
I could not put this book down. It brought a soothing rhythm to the ebb and flow of faith and a reassurance that God’s love for us remains strong when circumstances state otherwise. Carol Kent shares from her own heart-wrenching story as well as that of others who encounter the unthinkable and have to find a new way to carry on with life. She provides steps to feed your faith and to overcome our natural inclination to complain in the midst of strife. She illustrates the importance of tending the fire, in order to have a faith that can step into the unknown and trust that God will be there. Kent reminds us that the Refiner’s fire is life-giving, though painfully so, and that suffering drives us to our knees, where we can find the secret of wildfire faith.
Get this book! It will be one of your cherished go-to-books in times of despair and for times of growth!
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookLook Bloggers book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
I could not put this book down. It brought a soothing rhythm to the ebb and flow of faith and a reassurance that God’s love for us remains strong when circumstances state otherwise. Carol Kent shares from her own heart-wrenching story as well as that of others who encounter the unthinkable and have to find a new way to carry on with life. She provides steps to feed your faith and to overcome our natural inclination to complain in the midst of strife. She illustrates the importance of tending the fire, in order to have a faith that can step into the unknown and trust that God will be there. Kent reminds us that the Refiner’s fire is life-giving, though painfully so, and that suffering drives us to our knees, where we can find the secret of wildfire faith.
Get this book! It will be one of your cherished go-to-books in times of despair and for times of growth!
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookLook Bloggers book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
March 25, 2014
Carol Kent in her new book, “Unquenchable” published by Zondervan helps us Grow a Wildfire Faith that Will Endure Anything.
From the back cover: How to burn with a wildfire faith despite the firestorms of life
Where is your faith today—first sparks of faith, bright blue flames, radiating heat, raging bonfire, red-hot coals, cooling embers, cold grey ashes? Is your love for God burning so brightly that you are consumed by its passion? Are those who surround you drawn to its radiance and warmed by its heat? Are sparks flying from you, spreading a wildfire faith that ignites passion in others?
Or has your passion cooled, your light dimmed, or your fire been quenched?
Throughout history God has chosen fire to represent his awesome power, his judgment and wrath, his protection, and his Shekinah glory: the flaming sword guarding Eden, the burning bush, the pillar of fire, the fiery furnace, the chariot of fire, the burning coal, the flame upon the altar, the lake of fire, and the flaming eyes of the Son of Man upon the throne—these are only a few of the images he has seared into our minds that we might know him more fully.
God is the source of that first flicker that sparked your faith and one day you will stand in his holy presence, look into the flaming eyes of Jesus, and see his burning love for you face to face. But between that first flicker and that heavenly meeting, there is life to be lived on this earth. The challenge we all face is that life can dim our fire or even quench it, whether by the soggy mist of the mundane, or the quenching downpour of crisis.
Carol Kent has discovered that God’s Word is filled with the secrets of nurturing his fire in our lives, sometimes painfully so, other times even undetected, refining, purifying, cauterizing, healing, and ultimately reshaping us into the image of his Son.
Author and speaker Carol Kent will take you into God’s word, and into your own story, to reveal the true power of the fire God has placed in you, to fan the flames of your faith, stir your passion, and embolden you to spark wildfires that will spread to forever change the landscape of this world beyond your wildest imagination.
God’s fire is in your life. Fan the flames. Burn brightly. Start a wildfire!
Jesus tells us that no man lights a candle then places it under the bed. No, what he does is he places it in a candle holder and mounts it on the wall so that the whole room is lit. On the candle holder, behind the candle is a polished bronze that magnifies the light of the candle. Carol Kent wants us to be like that candle burning brighter and brighter so that we can never be put out. However we have an adversary that wants us quenched because the darkness is his kingdom. In many stories Ms. Kent shows us what faith can do in severe trials. We all need a boost to our faith to brighten our flames. This book should do it. I think that everyone should have a copy of this book and give it as a gift to friends and family so that their flame can burn more brightly as well. Everyone will be better off for it.
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Zondervan. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
From the back cover: How to burn with a wildfire faith despite the firestorms of life
Where is your faith today—first sparks of faith, bright blue flames, radiating heat, raging bonfire, red-hot coals, cooling embers, cold grey ashes? Is your love for God burning so brightly that you are consumed by its passion? Are those who surround you drawn to its radiance and warmed by its heat? Are sparks flying from you, spreading a wildfire faith that ignites passion in others?
Or has your passion cooled, your light dimmed, or your fire been quenched?
Throughout history God has chosen fire to represent his awesome power, his judgment and wrath, his protection, and his Shekinah glory: the flaming sword guarding Eden, the burning bush, the pillar of fire, the fiery furnace, the chariot of fire, the burning coal, the flame upon the altar, the lake of fire, and the flaming eyes of the Son of Man upon the throne—these are only a few of the images he has seared into our minds that we might know him more fully.
God is the source of that first flicker that sparked your faith and one day you will stand in his holy presence, look into the flaming eyes of Jesus, and see his burning love for you face to face. But between that first flicker and that heavenly meeting, there is life to be lived on this earth. The challenge we all face is that life can dim our fire or even quench it, whether by the soggy mist of the mundane, or the quenching downpour of crisis.
Carol Kent has discovered that God’s Word is filled with the secrets of nurturing his fire in our lives, sometimes painfully so, other times even undetected, refining, purifying, cauterizing, healing, and ultimately reshaping us into the image of his Son.
Author and speaker Carol Kent will take you into God’s word, and into your own story, to reveal the true power of the fire God has placed in you, to fan the flames of your faith, stir your passion, and embolden you to spark wildfires that will spread to forever change the landscape of this world beyond your wildest imagination.
God’s fire is in your life. Fan the flames. Burn brightly. Start a wildfire!
Jesus tells us that no man lights a candle then places it under the bed. No, what he does is he places it in a candle holder and mounts it on the wall so that the whole room is lit. On the candle holder, behind the candle is a polished bronze that magnifies the light of the candle. Carol Kent wants us to be like that candle burning brighter and brighter so that we can never be put out. However we have an adversary that wants us quenched because the darkness is his kingdom. In many stories Ms. Kent shows us what faith can do in severe trials. We all need a boost to our faith to brighten our flames. This book should do it. I think that everyone should have a copy of this book and give it as a gift to friends and family so that their flame can burn more brightly as well. Everyone will be better off for it.
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Zondervan. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
March 6, 2014
I enjoyed reading Unquenchable. Each page opened my eyes to what I already knew but have been denying. My relationship with God has been suffering for months due to things going on in my life, disappointments, health issues and just plain neglect. I was in tears through most of this book and, believe me when I say, tears can also be a good thing. Throughout the pages Carol shares stories from family, friends, brief acquaintances and her own life experiences that have strengthened her own faith to the point of being a "wildfire" faith. She speaks very candidly and openly about her own struggles with her faith. I was very touched by the story of her son, Jason, who was given a life sentence for murder. And I cried when she told how her husband, Gene, stood before an entire room of inmates and staff at the prison where her son is serving his sentence and talked about their father/son relationship and a faithful God.
___________________Book Quote___________________
"But we also want you to know we have hope, because the God who was faithful to us before our son's arrest is the same God who is giving us hope for a better future--if not here on earth, then in heaven where all of us who know him personally will walk in freedom."
____________________End Quote____________________
At the end of each chapter are activities such as "Come to the Fire", where you answer soul-searching questions concerning your faith, and "Fire-Building Challenge" where you complete activities such as writing honestly about the condition of your heart. Carol manages to stir the embers of your faith into a raging fire through Biblical insight, wisdom and her own personal struggles. Where there are embers you'll see sparks. Those sparks can spread and start new fires and I love Carol's description of this very act.
___________________Book Quote___________________
"Do you see the power of sparks in the life of faith? We never know what act of obedience, what relationship that crosses our path, or what circumstance might lead to a spark of faith leaping from the life of a believer into the heart of a nonbeliever. But once we grasp the power of sparks, we begin to live in expectancy with eyes wide open, watching for the sparks that God carries into new lives on the wings of his Spirit."
____________________End Quote____________________
If you are struggling in your relationship with God, I recommend this book. If your faith has dimmed to embers, I recommend this book. If you need practical advice on how to move forward in your relationship with God after devastating circumstances, I recommend this book. In short, I think everyone can benefit in some way from Carol's heartwarming stories and mind stirring advice. I highly recommend it!
Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher for my honest review. The opinions expressed are mine alone. If I recommend a book it's simply because I love it. I received no monetary compensation for this review.
___________________Book Quote___________________
"But we also want you to know we have hope, because the God who was faithful to us before our son's arrest is the same God who is giving us hope for a better future--if not here on earth, then in heaven where all of us who know him personally will walk in freedom."
____________________End Quote____________________
At the end of each chapter are activities such as "Come to the Fire", where you answer soul-searching questions concerning your faith, and "Fire-Building Challenge" where you complete activities such as writing honestly about the condition of your heart. Carol manages to stir the embers of your faith into a raging fire through Biblical insight, wisdom and her own personal struggles. Where there are embers you'll see sparks. Those sparks can spread and start new fires and I love Carol's description of this very act.
___________________Book Quote___________________
"Do you see the power of sparks in the life of faith? We never know what act of obedience, what relationship that crosses our path, or what circumstance might lead to a spark of faith leaping from the life of a believer into the heart of a nonbeliever. But once we grasp the power of sparks, we begin to live in expectancy with eyes wide open, watching for the sparks that God carries into new lives on the wings of his Spirit."
____________________End Quote____________________
If you are struggling in your relationship with God, I recommend this book. If your faith has dimmed to embers, I recommend this book. If you need practical advice on how to move forward in your relationship with God after devastating circumstances, I recommend this book. In short, I think everyone can benefit in some way from Carol's heartwarming stories and mind stirring advice. I highly recommend it!
Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher for my honest review. The opinions expressed are mine alone. If I recommend a book it's simply because I love it. I received no monetary compensation for this review.
April 20, 2014
If you've ever experienced one of these moments that rocked your world and caused you to question your faith, or if you wonder whether your faith could withstand such a crisis, then this book is a must-read!
Through her own story and those of others, Carol gives an honest portrayal of the struggle to cling to faith in the wake of unthinkable tragedy and reminds the reader they are not alone in their trial.
The narratives shared in Unquenchable cover such a wide range of situations that every reader will either have an account they can relate to or will come away with the realization that there are other people who've made it through situations far more difficult than their own. These portrayals break through stereotypes and allow the reader to see the real people behind the labels they've been branded with.
Carol asks and answers the question forefront in one's mind when experiencing a crisis of faith, "Is it a failure when the challenges of life seem to douse our feelings of closeness with God and deaden our senses for the One who created us, saved us, and offers the power to sustain us? No, I don't believe that it is failure at all. We must never confuse feelings with faith. When feelings wane - and they will, for all sorts of reasons - we must stir through the ashes to reveal the embers of our still-living faith."
I've always felt comfort in knowing that, as a Christian, my suffering is never wasted because God can bring good out of even the most horrific of events. If I'm honest I'd have to admit that I would have never chosen that path, nor would I want to repeat it, but I am thankful for the person God made me because of it. Carol puts it like this:
"When bad things happen - or when I'm hurt, offended, misunderstood, or even simply discontent - I can know there are spiritual rewards that will serve me well and enable me to impact the world in ways I never otherwise could have."
Unquenchable is a worthwhile read for all Christians, and the discussion questions at the end of the chapter make it great for Bible study or recovery groups.
Through her own story and those of others, Carol gives an honest portrayal of the struggle to cling to faith in the wake of unthinkable tragedy and reminds the reader they are not alone in their trial.
The narratives shared in Unquenchable cover such a wide range of situations that every reader will either have an account they can relate to or will come away with the realization that there are other people who've made it through situations far more difficult than their own. These portrayals break through stereotypes and allow the reader to see the real people behind the labels they've been branded with.
Carol asks and answers the question forefront in one's mind when experiencing a crisis of faith, "Is it a failure when the challenges of life seem to douse our feelings of closeness with God and deaden our senses for the One who created us, saved us, and offers the power to sustain us? No, I don't believe that it is failure at all. We must never confuse feelings with faith. When feelings wane - and they will, for all sorts of reasons - we must stir through the ashes to reveal the embers of our still-living faith."
I've always felt comfort in knowing that, as a Christian, my suffering is never wasted because God can bring good out of even the most horrific of events. If I'm honest I'd have to admit that I would have never chosen that path, nor would I want to repeat it, but I am thankful for the person God made me because of it. Carol puts it like this:
"When bad things happen - or when I'm hurt, offended, misunderstood, or even simply discontent - I can know there are spiritual rewards that will serve me well and enable me to impact the world in ways I never otherwise could have."
Unquenchable is a worthwhile read for all Christians, and the discussion questions at the end of the chapter make it great for Bible study or recovery groups.
February 19, 2014
I picked up Unquenchable, knowing that I would learn so much from Carol’s wise teachings of the Bible. I sat down to read “just one chapter,” and finally put the book down after finishing nearly half the book! Through her own stories, and the stories of others, Carol weaves in teachings that will fan the flames of your faith, and encourage you no matter what you are facing.
One of my favorite lines came from the first chapter:
“The challenge we all face is that life can dim our fire or even quench it, whether by the soggy mist of the mundane or the quenching downpour of crisis.” Isn’t that so true?
Carol offers encouragement as one who has been through the firestorm of crisis. She doesn’t offer “easy answers,” and sometimes leaves us with our questions, knowing there simply aren’t answers. But there is God, and He is there in the midst of our pain offering His love.
This would make an excellent book for a small group or book club. Each chapter concludes with a few questions and a “Fire-Building Challenge,” which includes practical steps to grow your faith.
One of my favorite lines came from the first chapter:
“The challenge we all face is that life can dim our fire or even quench it, whether by the soggy mist of the mundane or the quenching downpour of crisis.” Isn’t that so true?
Carol offers encouragement as one who has been through the firestorm of crisis. She doesn’t offer “easy answers,” and sometimes leaves us with our questions, knowing there simply aren’t answers. But there is God, and He is there in the midst of our pain offering His love.
This would make an excellent book for a small group or book club. Each chapter concludes with a few questions and a “Fire-Building Challenge,” which includes practical steps to grow your faith.
August 6, 2016
Having gone through the trials the author and other stories in this book told about I found it inspiring. It is so easy for my faith to fade in different areas due to my expectations of what should happen, when it should happen, or how it should happen. The stories tell me I am not the only one facing trials. The questions at the end of each chapter help focus the mind on other things to think about and to be grateful for. The challenges help to build and attend to our faith. Pick Unquenchable up by book store, ebook or any other means and do something positive for you faith to build it, stoke the fire and help the embers burn hotter.
February 26, 2014
Carol is a compelling communicator of truth! This is a great resource to encourage or challenge your faith walk. Carol's prayer is "Lord, I want an easier life, but more than that I long to have my heart for you ablaze once again with the joy of my salvation and the vibrancy of a well fueled fire". She shares her journey of her only son, Naval Academy graduate, being convicted and serving life for murder. There are others who share their stories and remind us that we will all face difficulty yet can grow in our faith.
December 5, 2014
This book challenged me. The unimaginable pain and abuses faced by people is almost more than I could bear to read. It made me wonder if I would be able to be faithful if I had to face the same. Yet it spurred my faith and left me knowing my faith must grow and that with God the impossible is possible. It reinforced that this home is temporary and He is preparing us for a amazing future one day with Him.
February 21, 2016
I needed this!
I read this book the week I went to Carol Kent's Unquenchable retreat with our church. Not only do I enjoy her writing style and appropriate paraphrasing of Scripture, but I found the topic to be meaningful. I think that if I read the book again in a year I would glean more information and inspiration from it. Appropriate for anyone interested in Christianity or seasoned believers.
I read this book the week I went to Carol Kent's Unquenchable retreat with our church. Not only do I enjoy her writing style and appropriate paraphrasing of Scripture, but I found the topic to be meaningful. I think that if I read the book again in a year I would glean more information and inspiration from it. Appropriate for anyone interested in Christianity or seasoned believers.
March 27, 2016
I love everything Carol Kent has written --- she speaks through her books to me, as a mother encouraging her child. I'm honored to have met her, her sisters, and her husband at her Speak Up Conference. She is a woman of honest and humble faith. I read this book at the perfect time and can't recommend it enough. Ch 8 and Ch 9 in particular brought me to tears and my heart healed more and more through each new page.
June 10, 2015
Of the four books written about her son, this is Carol Kent's best book. She has come to terms with the unthinkable possibility, Jason may never go free as a result of murder he committed. Along with accepting Jason's life sentence, she gives the best advice for dealing with the difficult, tragic, painful events we face in life. Unquenchable is Carol Kent's opus.
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July 26, 2016Incredible book about having a faith strong enough to handle any situation in your life. Carol's journey is a remarkable story. A must read!
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews