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From Good to Grace: Letting Go of the Goodness Gospel
Many women feel as if they do not do enough and are not enough. They're always trying hard to be a good friend, mom, wife, Christian, employee, or ministry leader, hoping for that "atta-girl" from God. With compelling illustrations from her own life, Christine Hoover leads readers to the understanding that they're living by a lesser gospel, the gospel of goodness, one without Christ's grace. Relying on Scripture, they can start asking, "What does God want for me?" before asking, "What does God want from me?" Women will breathe a sigh of relief at this powerful message of freedom and hope. Rather than serving God out of obligation or duty, they'll be compelled to love and serve God with great joy.
224 pages, Paperback
First published February 24, 2015
61 people are currently reading
867 people want to read
About the author
Christine Hoover
23 books304 followersChristine Hoover serves as the Women's Ministry Associate at The Austin Stone Community Church's Northwest congregation in Austin, Texas. She hosts The Ministry Wives Podcast and has authored six books, including Messy Beautiful Friendship and How to Thrive as a Pastor's Wife, as well as a Bible study with Lifeway, Seek First the Kingdom. Her work has been featured on The Gospel Coalition, For The Church, and Christianity Today. Christine is married to Kyle, a pastor, and they have three boys. You can find her at her home online, www.christinehoover.net.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 49 reviews
November 6, 2016
Hoover thoroughly explains how our salvation is from grace alone rather than from works, which is a foundational truth that distinguishes Christianity from false religions that require men to do good works in order to please God. I only gave it 3 stars because she spends over 200 pages basically saying the same thing over and over with slight variations in application. Though "goodness" and "doing good" in no way earn God's approval, we ARE told many times in the New Testament to be zealous for good works - ready for good works - devoted to good works (for ex. reading the small book of Titus we're told to pursue good works 5 times) and so I think her 200 pages are out of balance in leaving out the actual place good works does have in our Christian life - in our sanctification & obedience, not in our salvation. She does spend a chapter near the end making the true point that because of His love for us we then love Him and serve Him and the church. For a better balance of grace and works perhaps choose Jerry Bridges' "The Discipline of Grace".
September 12, 2015
This book is a little harder for me to review than recent titles I have read. I feel conflicted. I ABSOLUTELY love the message of this book. A life with Jesus does not have to be perfect, just filled with grace, for yourself and others. However, I felt that many times the same ideas were repeated over and over. I think this book could have been broken down into more sections to break up the thoughts. It just started to feel like it was repeating itself. Again, the message it was relaying was exactly what I needed to read, but I found myself often zoning out because it just all ran together. I guess what I am trying to say is as much as I think the message is beautiful and one so many need to hear, this book could use some more editing. If you are looking to change your mindset of trying to be "good" all the time, this book will help you see what you can discover.
* I received this book from the author/publisher in exchange for an honest review *
* I received this book from the author/publisher in exchange for an honest review *
June 20, 2024
This book was overflowing with the gospel-the truth that my good works or my hard work won’t earn myself a better standing with God. It was thought-provoking and eye opening. Engaging and challenging to my spiritual walk with The Lord.
October 8, 2021
A good reminder that we can't do it on our own.
March 22, 2022
Super redundant, oversimplified, frustrating to read. Don’t waste your time!
February 11, 2022
I really needed this book. The auther did her job explaining the danger of living out the goodness gospel and not living in the true gospel. I was reading another book at the same time as reading this one. It touched on social justice. It left me feeling like the auther wouldn't be happy with my life or ministry. I came back to finish From Good to Grace and felt like I was bathing in grace. This is what the other book lacked. Serving others comes into better view when you serve through the gospel lens. As one who loves to live life with lists and likes things to be black and white this book was a wonderful reminder that I can do nothing to better my standing with God. He has done it all. Anything I do for Him should be for His honor not to get on His good side.
A side note: She is a bit wordy. It took me a longer time reading this book than I thought it would. Still worth the read.
A side note: She is a bit wordy. It took me a longer time reading this book than I thought it would. Still worth the read.
May 14, 2016
Give the Gospel, Give Grace
Quote: "We simply can't bring people to a list of Christian morals, rules and regulations and leave them there. We must give them grace, as found in Christ's gospel.
We must know it, be able to speak it to ourselves and we must also be able to speak it to others."
Quote: "We simply can't bring people to a list of Christian morals, rules and regulations and leave them there. We must give them grace, as found in Christ's gospel.
We must know it, be able to speak it to ourselves and we must also be able to speak it to others."
September 30, 2015
I wanted to like this book, but I just could *not* connect with the author at all. Did not finish...
December 20, 2023
This book is excellent at differentiating between the "goodness gospel" that we have become familiar with in our culture versus the Gospel of Jesus Christ, which is based on God's grace and not our own goodness in that we feel that we have to measure up. Broken into three sections, the author first identifies what the goodness gospel looks like, what it means to receive grace, and finally, how we should respond as Christians. I most appreciate that this book is written in a gentle but firm tone. There is no condemnation within the pages for having succumbed to the common mentality or practice that goodness is what matters in the Christian faith. Rather, the author takes an empathetic approach where she relays how she has been there and knows the struggles that readers may be facing. At the same time, there are definite calls to Scripture where we can clearly see how grace trumps our notions of how we should be living.
This is the first Christine Hoover book I've read and it did not disappoint. I look forward to the other titles that I have from her, and am encouraged at how solidly biblical her teaching is in From Good to Grace. There are memorable anecdotes that serve as reminders of God's grace in our daily lives, especially when our minds can easily fall into the traps of trying to do things in our own strength, or believing that we have to be on our best behaviour despite our human limitations. Since two-thirds of this book are about God's grace, readers are not left in the miry works-based theology and can instead look to the hope that God gives us in Him. While reading about grace and living it out can be vastly different, this book shows that it is not daunting and that we can look forward to a life that reflects God's love, freedom, and purpose.
Review link: https://christianshelves.blogspot.com...
This is the first Christine Hoover book I've read and it did not disappoint. I look forward to the other titles that I have from her, and am encouraged at how solidly biblical her teaching is in From Good to Grace. There are memorable anecdotes that serve as reminders of God's grace in our daily lives, especially when our minds can easily fall into the traps of trying to do things in our own strength, or believing that we have to be on our best behaviour despite our human limitations. Since two-thirds of this book are about God's grace, readers are not left in the miry works-based theology and can instead look to the hope that God gives us in Him. While reading about grace and living it out can be vastly different, this book shows that it is not daunting and that we can look forward to a life that reflects God's love, freedom, and purpose.
Review link: https://christianshelves.blogspot.com...
December 3, 2019
This book is written by woman and primarily to women. However, the information contained within is not just for women. I may not be a mom or a wife, but I desperately need to live by faith and grace and not by works. Having grown up in the church it is so easy for me to think that I was saved by faith and now I keep myself saved by works. If I'm not "up to snuff" or haven't been "good" enough recently I have lost favor with God. This is flat wrong.
One particularly impactful revelation gained from reading this book was that God is happy. Duh, right? But I feel like God is often grumpy - with me and the world in general. But he isn't. God is good, joyful, and even happy! He rejoices to create the intricate patterns of leaves and snail shells, and the vivid colors of sunsets. And he's happy! Joyful. Rejoicing in his creation.
The 4 stars rather than 5 is simply because the book is so focused on women and their world that it took some self effort to keep myself going through the book.
One particularly impactful revelation gained from reading this book was that God is happy. Duh, right? But I feel like God is often grumpy - with me and the world in general. But he isn't. God is good, joyful, and even happy! He rejoices to create the intricate patterns of leaves and snail shells, and the vivid colors of sunsets. And he's happy! Joyful. Rejoicing in his creation.
The 4 stars rather than 5 is simply because the book is so focused on women and their world that it took some self effort to keep myself going through the book.
January 7, 2018
This was the second book by Christine Hoover that I have read and it did not disappoint! The world today tells us that we need to be and do "good" to earn favor with God. This is simply not true. Christine Hoover shares the truth of the grace of God and how we don't need to beat ourselves up to be "good enough." We are not, nor will we ever be, perfect. So we don't need to spend our lives trying to get there. All we need is God's grace. Even when we aren't trying to live the perfect life, we subconsciously seek perfection. This is a great book that will cause you to take a step back and evaluate your life. Do you seek perfectionism? Or do you seek the only One who is?
"At an early age, I fell for perfectionism’s lie that I could be good enough to win God’s heart and the approval of others. I sought joy, peace, and love through being good, and instead found myself miserably enslaved to my own unattainable standards." - Christine Hoover, From Good to Grace
"At an early age, I fell for perfectionism’s lie that I could be good enough to win God’s heart and the approval of others. I sought joy, peace, and love through being good, and instead found myself miserably enslaved to my own unattainable standards." - Christine Hoover, From Good to Grace
October 1, 2019
We so often take in the word of God welcome it gladly. But then somehow our good intentions to put it to practice morph into a comparison game. I can do it better than..... I am just so bad at....
Instead we need to keep looking to Christ and not to ourselves or others.
This is the premise of this book, and it's something that so many of us stuggle with.
It was very encouraging to read, and I could appreciate the real life snippets she used to illustrate her points. Even though I'm not a perfectionist like she is, I could still relate because the underlying motive for trusting in ourselves is pretty much the same, no matter the outward manifestation.
Instead we need to keep looking to Christ and not to ourselves or others.
This is the premise of this book, and it's something that so many of us stuggle with.
It was very encouraging to read, and I could appreciate the real life snippets she used to illustrate her points. Even though I'm not a perfectionist like she is, I could still relate because the underlying motive for trusting in ourselves is pretty much the same, no matter the outward manifestation.
December 20, 2017
A really profound book on a simple subject. We can't be good enough to earn God's favor. Yet almost subconsciously that's what we do. We try all different things to seem good in every aspect of our lives but God is calling us to more. He's calling us to receive grace, lean on Him, and live in light of the hope given.
Highly recommend.
Highly recommend.
November 17, 2018
Grace is not earned, it is a gift of God. We cannot live our lives as if what we do during good days earns more grace than the days where we feel like a failure. Christine Hoover’s style of writing is very conversational, and I found her work to be full of good, deep theology. I especially loved the sections on giving grace to others and how the church is full of diversity not uniformity.
May 23, 2017
"Grace is strong. We can live authentically before others, believers and nonbelievers, because our trust is in God and not in ourselves. We can struggle, we can doubt, we can cry, and we can fail-and in all these things we don't have to hide because grace is big and Christ is Conqueror." Pg 169
May 24, 2018
This got really good about half way through. The personal anecdotes drones on a bit, but when she started talking about how to apply this truth, I found it eye opening and convicting. Great read for people pleasers, list checkers and guilt driven types:)
August 28, 2018
Highly recommended!
It would have been more efficient to underline the parts that weren’t helpful. #highlightedeverything
It would have been more efficient to underline the parts that weren’t helpful. #highlightedeverything
April 13, 2015
John Piper shares a story of his experience at a sky-scraper construction site in Minneapolis. The foundation was in place and he gazed, astonished, into the depths of the hole — four, five, six stories down into the soil of middle America, ensuring a sturdy foundation. His application from this experience was that a deep foundation is needed to support a lofty truth. Deep into the fertile soil of Scripture, Christine Hoover has dug, laying the foundation for the lofty truth of a grace-oriented gospel in From Good to Grace: Letting Go of the Goodness Gospel. She trumpets the life-changing pronouncement that God loves and saves, not because of what we do or contribute or accomplish, but because of what He did through Christ on the cross. This mystery changed the foundation of her own theology from moralism and legalism to dependence upon “the righteousness which comes from God by faith.”
She writes of her years devoted to the “goodness gospel,” whose foundation is performance. Everything from extending hospitality in the home to personal devotions and service in the church are evaluated according to “results” — the response of others, the sense of “accomplishment” they produce. Adherents to the goodness gospel must be “good enough” to win the approval of others and the heart of God. The truth is that the goodness we seek in our daily lives is a work of God the Holy Spirit. This turns the goodness gospel on its head because a life of following the Spirit’s leading may not add up to measurable results and impressive resume material. Christine helps us to see that “the reason we obey is to please the God who loves us. The results are up to Him; they’re His concern, not ours.” I was reminded over and over again that my obedience is a result of my relationship with God, not a qualification for earning His approval.
The scriptural basis for From Good to Grace has been tested in the crucible of a church-planting ministry in which Christine and her husband are in the process of “birthing” a fellowship of believers — everything starts from the ground up. Chapter by chapter, Christine’s growing understanding of grace provides the backdrop for rich scriptural messages of hope which are supported by a helpful discussion guide at the end of the book. The message is that the work of ministry is God’s, and just as our children are “ours” only in the sense that we steward them for God, we must accept the spiritual reality that life-transformation, salvation and spiritual growth are actually God’s territory. By grace, we kick ourselves out of the center of the universe and receive the job description that goes with true grace-oriented ministry: faithfulness and obedience.
Letting go of the goodness gospel can be summarized with two verbs that form the structure of Christine’s thesis:
1.Receive: It is God’s demonstrative, ultimate, and heroic love that mends. That is, it reconciles us to God and then opens the door of my heart to receiving God’s help through His Spirit and to embracing the true freedom that releases the believer from slavery to roles or the opinions of others, to the death-sentence of comparison/competition, and from the grip of paralyzing fear.
2.Respond: Eight little words light the fuse that blows up the goodness gospel once and for all: “We love Him because He first loved us.” We are the loved. When we believe that, everything in life becomes a response to His love, and it shows up, most amazingly, in our love for others. Suddenly, service is not a burdensome checklist, but a joyous offering. Our weaknesses and failures are even available for God to use, a risk unheard of under the goodness gospel, but a manifestation of God’s grace and power when offered up in response to His great love.
The stream of living water that runs through the true gospel of grace is receive, respond, repeat. Because God is not in the business of daily performance evaluations, we are free to treasure what God treasures most: faith. By faith we receive what’s been given in Christ, and we respond in worship, love, and joyful service.
This book was provided by Baker Books, a division of Baker Publishing Group, in exchange for my honest review.
She writes of her years devoted to the “goodness gospel,” whose foundation is performance. Everything from extending hospitality in the home to personal devotions and service in the church are evaluated according to “results” — the response of others, the sense of “accomplishment” they produce. Adherents to the goodness gospel must be “good enough” to win the approval of others and the heart of God. The truth is that the goodness we seek in our daily lives is a work of God the Holy Spirit. This turns the goodness gospel on its head because a life of following the Spirit’s leading may not add up to measurable results and impressive resume material. Christine helps us to see that “the reason we obey is to please the God who loves us. The results are up to Him; they’re His concern, not ours.” I was reminded over and over again that my obedience is a result of my relationship with God, not a qualification for earning His approval.
The scriptural basis for From Good to Grace has been tested in the crucible of a church-planting ministry in which Christine and her husband are in the process of “birthing” a fellowship of believers — everything starts from the ground up. Chapter by chapter, Christine’s growing understanding of grace provides the backdrop for rich scriptural messages of hope which are supported by a helpful discussion guide at the end of the book. The message is that the work of ministry is God’s, and just as our children are “ours” only in the sense that we steward them for God, we must accept the spiritual reality that life-transformation, salvation and spiritual growth are actually God’s territory. By grace, we kick ourselves out of the center of the universe and receive the job description that goes with true grace-oriented ministry: faithfulness and obedience.
Letting go of the goodness gospel can be summarized with two verbs that form the structure of Christine’s thesis:
1.Receive: It is God’s demonstrative, ultimate, and heroic love that mends. That is, it reconciles us to God and then opens the door of my heart to receiving God’s help through His Spirit and to embracing the true freedom that releases the believer from slavery to roles or the opinions of others, to the death-sentence of comparison/competition, and from the grip of paralyzing fear.
2.Respond: Eight little words light the fuse that blows up the goodness gospel once and for all: “We love Him because He first loved us.” We are the loved. When we believe that, everything in life becomes a response to His love, and it shows up, most amazingly, in our love for others. Suddenly, service is not a burdensome checklist, but a joyous offering. Our weaknesses and failures are even available for God to use, a risk unheard of under the goodness gospel, but a manifestation of God’s grace and power when offered up in response to His great love.
The stream of living water that runs through the true gospel of grace is receive, respond, repeat. Because God is not in the business of daily performance evaluations, we are free to treasure what God treasures most: faith. By faith we receive what’s been given in Christ, and we respond in worship, love, and joyful service.
This book was provided by Baker Books, a division of Baker Publishing Group, in exchange for my honest review.
May 13, 2015
On Mother's Day, our pastor detoured from our series in Matthew and preached from Proverbs 31. He did an excellent job applying the passage to all women and not just mothers. Like many people, this isn't the first time that I've heard Proverbs 31 preached on Mother's Day. In the past, I've left church feeling overwhelmed and defeated because I couldn't check off the characteristics of a Proverbs 31 woman. This time, I realized that the Lord provided the Holy Spirit to convict and sanctify us. This is the difference between the "goodness gospel" and the gospel of grace.
Christine Hoover explores the difference between the two in her book, From Good to Grace: Letting Go of the Goodness Gospel. The "goodness gospel" is the mentality of completing a checklist of good things in order to strive to become a good mother, wife, and Christian. Being good isn't necessarily a bad thing, but it can lead to legalism which is "a fancy word for an obsession with goodness" (12). When we become obsessed with goodness, we focus on ourselves and not the One who sanctifies us.
The book is divided into three parts with three chapters each. The first part recognizes the symptoms and traits of the goodness gospel. A symptom of the goodness gospel is asking the right question to the wrong people. Hoover states, "we're often asking the right question What does God want from us? But we're asking it of the wrong audience. We're asking anyone and everyone but God" (23). We strive and work towards becoming a good person instead of basking in God's grace. Not only do we strive towards goodness, but we distrust the Holy Spirit's work in our lives and in other people's lives (59). We either become judgmental towards other people's convictions or devalue ourselves by comparing ourselves to other people.
Part Two discusses how we can receive God's grace in our lives. Hoover describes God's grace like a dinner party; we are invited to partake in God's presence, yet many try too hard to work for God's approval. However, "just as we received the invitation to the table by faith, we are to continue receiving from Christ each day by faith" (71). The same faith that was applied when we first became Christians is used every day as He sanctifies us in His truth.
Part Three concludes with how we can appropriately respond to God's grace. One of my favorite parts of the book explains the difference between unity and uniformity. When it comes to convictions, she states that "different isn't wrong. Different is just different. And different is even quite beautiful" (167). Unity consists of different parts working together for the same purpose, whereas uniformity means everything and everyone is the same. God's grace is expressed differently to different people. There's a wide variety of Christian women: singles, missionaries, home-school mom, working mom, grandmothers, retirees, widows, and the list goes on. God does not expect His daughters to be uniformed, but to work together in unity.
Hoover describes the core inner conflict of womanhood. I don't know a single woman who doesn't struggle with striving to become good. The goodness gospel is evident inside and outside the church, through the "Mommy Wars", the snide remarks on social media, and how we cluster together based on preferences. A book like this brings relief to the struggling soul. The fact is we are not good and we cannot achieve goodness on our own. We need the grace and mercy of Christ to work in our lives, and we need to trust the Holy Spirit to convict us and mold us to love God even more. Only He is good.
I've followed Christine Hoover's blog for a couple of years, and her posts are full of grace and encouragement. She typically writes from the perspective of a pastor's wife, but it's very much applicable to all Christian women. Her book falls right in line with her blog. It's full of insight and encouragement, and I couldn't help but decorate the book with yellow highlights. It spoke to me personally as a youth pastor's wife and mother, and I have no doubt that I will read this book again in the future.
Many thanks to Baker Books and NetGalley for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Christine Hoover explores the difference between the two in her book, From Good to Grace: Letting Go of the Goodness Gospel. The "goodness gospel" is the mentality of completing a checklist of good things in order to strive to become a good mother, wife, and Christian. Being good isn't necessarily a bad thing, but it can lead to legalism which is "a fancy word for an obsession with goodness" (12). When we become obsessed with goodness, we focus on ourselves and not the One who sanctifies us.
The book is divided into three parts with three chapters each. The first part recognizes the symptoms and traits of the goodness gospel. A symptom of the goodness gospel is asking the right question to the wrong people. Hoover states, "we're often asking the right question What does God want from us? But we're asking it of the wrong audience. We're asking anyone and everyone but God" (23). We strive and work towards becoming a good person instead of basking in God's grace. Not only do we strive towards goodness, but we distrust the Holy Spirit's work in our lives and in other people's lives (59). We either become judgmental towards other people's convictions or devalue ourselves by comparing ourselves to other people.
Part Two discusses how we can receive God's grace in our lives. Hoover describes God's grace like a dinner party; we are invited to partake in God's presence, yet many try too hard to work for God's approval. However, "just as we received the invitation to the table by faith, we are to continue receiving from Christ each day by faith" (71). The same faith that was applied when we first became Christians is used every day as He sanctifies us in His truth.
Part Three concludes with how we can appropriately respond to God's grace. One of my favorite parts of the book explains the difference between unity and uniformity. When it comes to convictions, she states that "different isn't wrong. Different is just different. And different is even quite beautiful" (167). Unity consists of different parts working together for the same purpose, whereas uniformity means everything and everyone is the same. God's grace is expressed differently to different people. There's a wide variety of Christian women: singles, missionaries, home-school mom, working mom, grandmothers, retirees, widows, and the list goes on. God does not expect His daughters to be uniformed, but to work together in unity.
Hoover describes the core inner conflict of womanhood. I don't know a single woman who doesn't struggle with striving to become good. The goodness gospel is evident inside and outside the church, through the "Mommy Wars", the snide remarks on social media, and how we cluster together based on preferences. A book like this brings relief to the struggling soul. The fact is we are not good and we cannot achieve goodness on our own. We need the grace and mercy of Christ to work in our lives, and we need to trust the Holy Spirit to convict us and mold us to love God even more. Only He is good.
I've followed Christine Hoover's blog for a couple of years, and her posts are full of grace and encouragement. She typically writes from the perspective of a pastor's wife, but it's very much applicable to all Christian women. Her book falls right in line with her blog. It's full of insight and encouragement, and I couldn't help but decorate the book with yellow highlights. It spoke to me personally as a youth pastor's wife and mother, and I have no doubt that I will read this book again in the future.
Many thanks to Baker Books and NetGalley for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
May 10, 2015
Title: From Good to Grace: Letting Go of the Goodness Gospel
Author: Christine Hoover
Publishing House/Publication Date: BakerBooks/2015
Genres: Christian Living; Inspirational Non-Fiction;
Number of Pages: 219
You should read this book if… You have ever felt as this woman did, when she “poured out her… thoughts of despair and worthlessness that had kept her relationally isolated, wracked with guilt, and so sure that she was a deep disappointment to… her God. She could not receive the gifts God offered her – grace, rest, the enjoyment of her children, his strength in her weakness, joy in life – but could only twist them into shame-inducing evidences of her failure. Her sin was so much in view and grace so far out of range that she could only hear condemnation.” (Page 199)
Theme and Message: The central message that will undoubtedly resonate with legions of readers is simply this: when we spend our lives trying desperately to be good, to be and do enough, and to live up to the standards we believe God has set for us, we are missing something important. Vitally important. Something called grace. But as Christine shares, “it’s pretty clear that God has another way entirely and it’s through the gospel of grace that Jesus talked about and lived and continues to pour out.” Christine goes on to walk with us through the processes of receiving God’s love, help, and freedom, then responding with love, grace, and hope.
Writing Style and Voice: There is no doubt that the author’s voice contained in each word of the book is incredibly sincere and heartfelt – the message comes straight from Christine’s heart to ours. Her carefully chosen words ring with a truth she has discovered for herself and longs to share with women everywhere. But her writing style is not short. In fact, it goes on about various points for multiple pages, winding through personal anecdotes and Scriptural interpretations without break. While the intent of most sections are clear to begin with, the words often seem to blend together and lose focus after several lengthy paragraphs discussing the same topic.
Structure and Organization: The book is divided into three sections - each containing three chapters - plus a poignant conclusion. With only ten chapters in the entire book, each one is therefor rather long. Additionally, the text is small and the sub-titles breaking each chapter into chunks are rather few and far between. These points make the readability of the book less than ideal. Although the real treasure is in the content, the formatting makes it difficult to get through the often-complex material.
Questionable Content: A main thread woven throughout the pages is the comparison between the ‘goodness gospel’ of self-reliant goodness and pride, and the true gospel of God’s love. For most people, references to the gospel usually denote the first four books of the New Testament - the records of Jesus’ life and teachings. In From Good to Grace, however, the vast majority of Scripture quoted does not come from these four gospels, but rather from various other books in the NT, often those written by Paul. While this may be a very minor point, some readers such as myself may find it slightly offsetting.
Conclusion: Christine Hoover’s words ring with conviction and sincerity. Clearly, she has experienced firsthand each of God’s lessons that she shares with her readers. It is true that the formatting of the book is difficult to read for long periods of time, and it is likewise true that the writing style within each page is a lengthy, winding one. But the truth of God’s word shines from Christine’s words as she strives to share His love and grace, and readers who slowly work through to the end will not come away unchanged.
Book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc.
Author: Christine Hoover
Publishing House/Publication Date: BakerBooks/2015
Genres: Christian Living; Inspirational Non-Fiction;
Number of Pages: 219
You should read this book if… You have ever felt as this woman did, when she “poured out her… thoughts of despair and worthlessness that had kept her relationally isolated, wracked with guilt, and so sure that she was a deep disappointment to… her God. She could not receive the gifts God offered her – grace, rest, the enjoyment of her children, his strength in her weakness, joy in life – but could only twist them into shame-inducing evidences of her failure. Her sin was so much in view and grace so far out of range that she could only hear condemnation.” (Page 199)
Theme and Message: The central message that will undoubtedly resonate with legions of readers is simply this: when we spend our lives trying desperately to be good, to be and do enough, and to live up to the standards we believe God has set for us, we are missing something important. Vitally important. Something called grace. But as Christine shares, “it’s pretty clear that God has another way entirely and it’s through the gospel of grace that Jesus talked about and lived and continues to pour out.” Christine goes on to walk with us through the processes of receiving God’s love, help, and freedom, then responding with love, grace, and hope.
Writing Style and Voice: There is no doubt that the author’s voice contained in each word of the book is incredibly sincere and heartfelt – the message comes straight from Christine’s heart to ours. Her carefully chosen words ring with a truth she has discovered for herself and longs to share with women everywhere. But her writing style is not short. In fact, it goes on about various points for multiple pages, winding through personal anecdotes and Scriptural interpretations without break. While the intent of most sections are clear to begin with, the words often seem to blend together and lose focus after several lengthy paragraphs discussing the same topic.
Structure and Organization: The book is divided into three sections - each containing three chapters - plus a poignant conclusion. With only ten chapters in the entire book, each one is therefor rather long. Additionally, the text is small and the sub-titles breaking each chapter into chunks are rather few and far between. These points make the readability of the book less than ideal. Although the real treasure is in the content, the formatting makes it difficult to get through the often-complex material.
Questionable Content: A main thread woven throughout the pages is the comparison between the ‘goodness gospel’ of self-reliant goodness and pride, and the true gospel of God’s love. For most people, references to the gospel usually denote the first four books of the New Testament - the records of Jesus’ life and teachings. In From Good to Grace, however, the vast majority of Scripture quoted does not come from these four gospels, but rather from various other books in the NT, often those written by Paul. While this may be a very minor point, some readers such as myself may find it slightly offsetting.
Conclusion: Christine Hoover’s words ring with conviction and sincerity. Clearly, she has experienced firsthand each of God’s lessons that she shares with her readers. It is true that the formatting of the book is difficult to read for long periods of time, and it is likewise true that the writing style within each page is a lengthy, winding one. But the truth of God’s word shines from Christine’s words as she strives to share His love and grace, and readers who slowly work through to the end will not come away unchanged.
Book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc.
August 26, 2015
Christine Hoover has a very helpful grasp of the difference between a life lived trying to be good for God and a life lived under the grace of God. In her new book, From Good to Grace, Hoover strives to free her readers from the never-ending struggle to make one’s self good enough to earn some sort of favor from God. From real-life examples of her own strengths and struggles as a wife, mother, and author, Hoover seeks to free people to live under the loving grace of God.
To understand the concept that Hoover tries to bring about in her book, readers will need to be real with their own attitudes toward pleasing God. Do you attempt to please God through your good actions, through right behavior, or through accomplishment? If so, Hoover would argue that you are living under something she calls the “goodness gospel.” Lives lived under the goodness gospel are full of struggle, fear, shame, disappointment, and simply never feeling good enough. People who are entrapped by the goodness gospel cannot rest in the grace of Christ, have a tough time understanding that they have been loved by God simply because of God’s choice, and will constantly feel that they are missing what they need to really have God be happy with them. Followers of the goodness gospel also cannot trust God’s grace for the lives of others, assuming that they should hold others to a standard that none of us really live up to. As Hoover writes, “When we live according to the goodness gospel, we don't trust God to do the work of sanctification in our hearts and we also don't trust him to do the work of sanctification in the hearts of other people (59).”
The strength of this book is in the grace that Hoover pours over every page. Believers who have been battered by a constant barrage of legalistic living will find much peace in this book. Those of us who have struggled to live up to the standard of what we think super-Christians ought to be will be challenged to learn to rest in God’s mercy and grace. In the long run, if we will take Hoover’s words seriously, we will find that God’s grace is more beautiful and more freeing than we ever might have imagined.
The weaknesses in this work are in the lack of biblical exposition and the potential for imbalance. Hoover’s work is not at all intended to be a scholar’s-only book on grace, so I completely understand her very readable and catchy style. However, I would have liked to see her handle more texts that make the points that she was making so well. I also would have liked to see her say a bit more to balance the grace of the book in the face of willfully sinful choices. It is one thing to know that I am loved by God and need not live up to a Mount Everest of perfection. At the same time, I think the book could have done with a bit more by way of reminding us that God does call us to repent of sin and strive to honor him, even as we live under that very sweet grace that Hoover is sharing so freely.
As a pastor, I would especially recommend this book to a person struggling in having confidence that they are truly loved by God. A person who has something in their past that they struggle to get over or who simply has a tendency to beat themselves up over the fact that they are not always wildly successful in their Christian growth might find a lot of peace and mercy in this work.
Although this book is clearly written by a female author for a female audience, I also believe that pastors would do well to give this book a read. It is very easy and quick to work through. It has, I believe, a tone of grace and real-world Christian living that I think needs to find its way into more sermons and Bible studies.
I received a free copy of this work from Baker Books as part of a book reviewer’s program. Baker Books has not influenced this review in any way, but has simply asked for an honest review of the book.
To understand the concept that Hoover tries to bring about in her book, readers will need to be real with their own attitudes toward pleasing God. Do you attempt to please God through your good actions, through right behavior, or through accomplishment? If so, Hoover would argue that you are living under something she calls the “goodness gospel.” Lives lived under the goodness gospel are full of struggle, fear, shame, disappointment, and simply never feeling good enough. People who are entrapped by the goodness gospel cannot rest in the grace of Christ, have a tough time understanding that they have been loved by God simply because of God’s choice, and will constantly feel that they are missing what they need to really have God be happy with them. Followers of the goodness gospel also cannot trust God’s grace for the lives of others, assuming that they should hold others to a standard that none of us really live up to. As Hoover writes, “When we live according to the goodness gospel, we don't trust God to do the work of sanctification in our hearts and we also don't trust him to do the work of sanctification in the hearts of other people (59).”
The strength of this book is in the grace that Hoover pours over every page. Believers who have been battered by a constant barrage of legalistic living will find much peace in this book. Those of us who have struggled to live up to the standard of what we think super-Christians ought to be will be challenged to learn to rest in God’s mercy and grace. In the long run, if we will take Hoover’s words seriously, we will find that God’s grace is more beautiful and more freeing than we ever might have imagined.
The weaknesses in this work are in the lack of biblical exposition and the potential for imbalance. Hoover’s work is not at all intended to be a scholar’s-only book on grace, so I completely understand her very readable and catchy style. However, I would have liked to see her handle more texts that make the points that she was making so well. I also would have liked to see her say a bit more to balance the grace of the book in the face of willfully sinful choices. It is one thing to know that I am loved by God and need not live up to a Mount Everest of perfection. At the same time, I think the book could have done with a bit more by way of reminding us that God does call us to repent of sin and strive to honor him, even as we live under that very sweet grace that Hoover is sharing so freely.
As a pastor, I would especially recommend this book to a person struggling in having confidence that they are truly loved by God. A person who has something in their past that they struggle to get over or who simply has a tendency to beat themselves up over the fact that they are not always wildly successful in their Christian growth might find a lot of peace and mercy in this work.
Although this book is clearly written by a female author for a female audience, I also believe that pastors would do well to give this book a read. It is very easy and quick to work through. It has, I believe, a tone of grace and real-world Christian living that I think needs to find its way into more sermons and Bible studies.
I received a free copy of this work from Baker Books as part of a book reviewer’s program. Baker Books has not influenced this review in any way, but has simply asked for an honest review of the book.
July 30, 2019
I got close to 100 pages in, and I couldn't finish it. Oddly enough, I needed to hear the message presented in this book. As a perfectionist, it's difficult for me to embrace grace. But the author's presentation was overly simplistic, and I couldn't connect with it.
May 9, 2015
I remember so clearly the early days of each of my babies.
Baby #1. I had high hopes. Not just for them but more so for me. I'm gonna be a good mom and do all the things good moms do. I had a list.
Then came baby number two and dressed in tears I spoke a new promise ... "I'm gonna do better this time. I'm gonna try to get it right with this baby."
Then came baby number three. The words were there, underneath a suffocating cloak of shame. I was too burdened to speak them out loud because I had failed. Not once but twice. Dare I try again?
Wow! If only I knew better back then what God is teaching me now. He never wanted good. He wanted surrendered. He wanted me ... covered in His grace. He doesn't want me to try so much and so hard.
Christine Hoover's new book From Good to Grace is an exceptional book on exactly that. God never asked for us to be good enough. We can't. We won't ever be. And wishing for it only destroys His true purpose for us. He only wants us ... dripping in His grace.
Do you struggle with wanting to do better? Wishing for more energy so you could accomplish more? Praying for a second chance so this time you could get it right?
Stop right there.
You are living in what Christine describes as the "Goodness Gospel". That was never where God wanted you to be. Striving for that Gold Star or that pat on the back. That sweet "You did great" smile. Do enough. Be enough.
Stop.
That is not the gospel of our Lord and Savior. Christine reminds us, "we aren't enough, but God has made us enough by his grace."
In a wonderfully enchanting manner, Christine uses examples from her own life as a mother, pastor's wife and child of God to impart to us the importance of recognizing the false gospel in our lives. She dives into scripture with the reader to point out the areas that we "try" when we should just lean in instead.
A definite keeper. I recommend this book for any women, young or old, as an individual or a group study (discussion guide included). Even if you don't see yourself in the description of the book, you probably know a woman who does.
Book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc
Baby #1. I had high hopes. Not just for them but more so for me. I'm gonna be a good mom and do all the things good moms do. I had a list.
Then came baby number two and dressed in tears I spoke a new promise ... "I'm gonna do better this time. I'm gonna try to get it right with this baby."
Then came baby number three. The words were there, underneath a suffocating cloak of shame. I was too burdened to speak them out loud because I had failed. Not once but twice. Dare I try again?
Wow! If only I knew better back then what God is teaching me now. He never wanted good. He wanted surrendered. He wanted me ... covered in His grace. He doesn't want me to try so much and so hard.
Christine Hoover's new book From Good to Grace is an exceptional book on exactly that. God never asked for us to be good enough. We can't. We won't ever be. And wishing for it only destroys His true purpose for us. He only wants us ... dripping in His grace.
Do you struggle with wanting to do better? Wishing for more energy so you could accomplish more? Praying for a second chance so this time you could get it right?
Stop right there.
You are living in what Christine describes as the "Goodness Gospel". That was never where God wanted you to be. Striving for that Gold Star or that pat on the back. That sweet "You did great" smile. Do enough. Be enough.
Stop.
That is not the gospel of our Lord and Savior. Christine reminds us, "we aren't enough, but God has made us enough by his grace."
In a wonderfully enchanting manner, Christine uses examples from her own life as a mother, pastor's wife and child of God to impart to us the importance of recognizing the false gospel in our lives. She dives into scripture with the reader to point out the areas that we "try" when we should just lean in instead.
A definite keeper. I recommend this book for any women, young or old, as an individual or a group study (discussion guide included). Even if you don't see yourself in the description of the book, you probably know a woman who does.
Book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc
September 8, 2015
From Good to Grace
Letting Go of the Goodness Gospel
by Hoover, Christine
Baker Books
Christian
Pub Date Mar 3, 2015
In this book Christine Hoover brings to light the desire we as Christian's have to be good, so good that we get wrapped up in the desire to be good that we loose sight of what truly matters. We get so involved in wanting to do so much for the church that we get involved in being active in the churches trying to do s much for the church that we neglect our personal relationship with Christ is when the troubles arise.
This book brings to light such things as Gospel illiteracy , as well as Legalism in Moralism. Some churches tend to follow there own interpretation of the Bible and it is far to often way off the mark.
Hoover reminds us that we do not have to be Fearful or Timid at God's table, that is not what God asks of us.
We are reminded too that we need to give up on the idea that a list of behaviors is the way to abundant life, (that comes through Christ and Christ alone). Hoover also points out that we need to stop giving useless or trite answers in the face of daily struggles the daily realities of life.
From God to Grace reminds us that Grace is not like a sugary sweet concept that we apply like a band aid to a wound. In fact Grace is something much deeper and more important than that.
It is important that we look to his Grace by reading his word, and having a personal relationship with the Lord. Grace in part is excepting the fact that we are not all going to walk exactly in the same pace or in the same way when it comes to our relationship with the Lord.
If you are looking for a good book on Grace then From God to Grace is the book for you. Hoover gives a clear definition of what Grace is and what Grace is not.
Whether you are reading From God to Grace on your own or using it in a study group, I believe you will come back with something from this book. The discussion questions at the end off the book make it ideal for either journaling or a group setting.
I give From God to Grace Five out of five stars...
Happy reading...
Letting Go of the Goodness Gospel
by Hoover, Christine
Baker Books
Christian
Pub Date Mar 3, 2015
In this book Christine Hoover brings to light the desire we as Christian's have to be good, so good that we get wrapped up in the desire to be good that we loose sight of what truly matters. We get so involved in wanting to do so much for the church that we get involved in being active in the churches trying to do s much for the church that we neglect our personal relationship with Christ is when the troubles arise.
This book brings to light such things as Gospel illiteracy , as well as Legalism in Moralism. Some churches tend to follow there own interpretation of the Bible and it is far to often way off the mark.
Hoover reminds us that we do not have to be Fearful or Timid at God's table, that is not what God asks of us.
We are reminded too that we need to give up on the idea that a list of behaviors is the way to abundant life, (that comes through Christ and Christ alone). Hoover also points out that we need to stop giving useless or trite answers in the face of daily struggles the daily realities of life.
From God to Grace reminds us that Grace is not like a sugary sweet concept that we apply like a band aid to a wound. In fact Grace is something much deeper and more important than that.
It is important that we look to his Grace by reading his word, and having a personal relationship with the Lord. Grace in part is excepting the fact that we are not all going to walk exactly in the same pace or in the same way when it comes to our relationship with the Lord.
If you are looking for a good book on Grace then From God to Grace is the book for you. Hoover gives a clear definition of what Grace is and what Grace is not.
Whether you are reading From God to Grace on your own or using it in a study group, I believe you will come back with something from this book. The discussion questions at the end off the book make it ideal for either journaling or a group setting.
I give From God to Grace Five out of five stars...
Happy reading...
April 14, 2015
I have read so many books written to women, for women, and about women. Sometimes, I become a little tired of their message because usually…its the same. The cover might be different, and it might be well written and refreshing…but in the end it is the same book. Maybe it’s because as women we want answers for how we are feeling and we search for them in books with pretty covers and a hopeful tagline. I feel like I have finally found a different message and a challenging premise in From Good to Grace by Christine Hoover. Christine is challenging you and I to let go of the “Goodness Gospel.”
I cannot count the times I have done something “for God” with a heart of obligation and without joy. This is not the way a life following Christ should be. Christine Hoover does a wonderful job of fleshing out the idea the we were never called to be “Good,” checking off a litany of boxes to get a gold star on some heavenly chart. Being a Christ-follower is about what God wants for us, not from us.
From Good to Grace, is written in three parts: Saying goodbye to being good, Receiving His Love, Help, and Freedom, and How to Respond to a Gospel of Grace with Love, Grace, and Hope. I truly enjoyed the first part of the book for the way Christine unearthed some things I was completely unaware of in myself. The conclusion of the book is a great guideline for redirection and a new start.
I think this would be an excellent read for any women’s group, Bible study, or just on your own. You will want to highlight and dog ear your book, and share it with a friend. I was given a complimentary copy of this book by its publisher in exchange for an honest review. I have not been compensated and all opinions are my own.
I cannot count the times I have done something “for God” with a heart of obligation and without joy. This is not the way a life following Christ should be. Christine Hoover does a wonderful job of fleshing out the idea the we were never called to be “Good,” checking off a litany of boxes to get a gold star on some heavenly chart. Being a Christ-follower is about what God wants for us, not from us.
From Good to Grace, is written in three parts: Saying goodbye to being good, Receiving His Love, Help, and Freedom, and How to Respond to a Gospel of Grace with Love, Grace, and Hope. I truly enjoyed the first part of the book for the way Christine unearthed some things I was completely unaware of in myself. The conclusion of the book is a great guideline for redirection and a new start.
I think this would be an excellent read for any women’s group, Bible study, or just on your own. You will want to highlight and dog ear your book, and share it with a friend. I was given a complimentary copy of this book by its publisher in exchange for an honest review. I have not been compensated and all opinions are my own.
April 21, 2015
“God is calling you to something greater than good. So many of us feel as if we do not do enough and, in fact, are not enough. We try hard to be good--a good friend, mom, wife, Christian, employee, or ministry leader--hoping for that "atta-girl" from God, some heavenly assertion that we matter. In the process, we find ourselves living by a lesser gospel: the gospel of goodness. It's a gospel without grace, and in the end, it's good for nothing.”
While written mainly to women, From Good to Grace: Letting Go of the Goodness Gospel by Christine Hoover is a book that will touch so many of us – men and women alike. How many of us feel that, though we have received forgiveness and new life that somehow we still must work for it… that we don’t deserve it… almost as if we “owe” for it.
By way of sharing stories of her own life and struggles as a pastor’s wife, mother, and speaker, the author brings us into her personal journey of redemption and the joy of serving God out of obligation through her works, to loving and serving God with great joy. Read this book, and then read it again. Let the words of freedom and grace take root in you because God is indeed calling you to something greater than good.
Disclosure: I received this book free from Baker Books through the Baker Books Bloggers www.bakerbooks.com/bakerbooksbloggers program. The opinions I have expressed are my own, and I was not required to write a positive review. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/wa...
*Reviews of this book were posted at the following locations:
Amazon, Christian Book, Deeper Shopping, Goodreads, and to be featured on my blog at http://titus3.wordpress.com
While written mainly to women, From Good to Grace: Letting Go of the Goodness Gospel by Christine Hoover is a book that will touch so many of us – men and women alike. How many of us feel that, though we have received forgiveness and new life that somehow we still must work for it… that we don’t deserve it… almost as if we “owe” for it.
By way of sharing stories of her own life and struggles as a pastor’s wife, mother, and speaker, the author brings us into her personal journey of redemption and the joy of serving God out of obligation through her works, to loving and serving God with great joy. Read this book, and then read it again. Let the words of freedom and grace take root in you because God is indeed calling you to something greater than good.
Disclosure: I received this book free from Baker Books through the Baker Books Bloggers www.bakerbooks.com/bakerbooksbloggers program. The opinions I have expressed are my own, and I was not required to write a positive review. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/wa...
*Reviews of this book were posted at the following locations:
Amazon, Christian Book, Deeper Shopping, Goodreads, and to be featured on my blog at http://titus3.wordpress.com
May 22, 2015
"From Good To Grace, Letting Go of the Goodness Gospel" by Christine Hoover is about letting go of the idea that we have to be good after we are saved to stay saved. No, its not a book about embracing the idea that we can sin as much as we want. Its about letting go of the belief of if I study God's word more, volunteer more, do more and more that God will love me more. Its not like that these things are wrong but are we doing them for man's praise or thinking that God will love us more or because we love God. Its a heart issue. I still enjoyed the book. It was really a reminder for me to look at my heart am I doing stuff cause I love God or cause I think I have to do it. I especially love this part " Believers can be cliquish according to their personal convictions and choices, unfriendly to outsiders, and critical of those who look or act differently than their chosen uniform cause. The characteristics are ungodly, a blatant sign of people who have never come to understand God's grace and love for them personally. They may know it intellectually but refuse it intimately and, therefore, cannot extend it to others." That bit really it hit me as I have been at the receiving end of being excluded from believers cliques. I really did love how she pointed out that God's grace isn't selective and it is unity not uniformity. I also really enjoyed how she brought up the fact that some decisions don't affect the gospel at all for example public school or home school. The first and last part of this book for me were the best portion the middle seemed slow and scattered. But I will still recommend this book as it was very helpful for me specially lately.
I was given this book from BakerBooks for my honest review and was not required to give a positive review.
I was given this book from BakerBooks for my honest review and was not required to give a positive review.
June 4, 2015
This was an amazing book! It really showed how women in particular feel like they need to be perfect and have it all together and keep doing more. However, doing good works for the wrong reasons just leads to burnout and resentment, among other things. She points out how we can recognize if we are trying to live by the goodness gospel instead of the gospel of grace. It's like we think we can earn our salvation or become a better Christian on our own. I liked how she used a lot of examples in her own struggle with the goodness gospel to show that it's not easy to change our thinking. She's still struggling with it and that made her feel very approachable. We need the Holy Spirit's help to change and to know God better. He is the one who helps us live in grace and love. When we really accept His love and grace, it overflows from us onto others. It also takes the burden off of ourselves to make things happen. I marked so many spots in this book to go back to and reread. There's a discussion guide included. Even though it's geared a little more towards women, I think men could get a lot out of it, as well. This is a book I think a lot of Christians need to read!
There were a few songs I heard on the radio while reading this book that I thought were exactly what I needed to hear and went really well with the message of the book:
Who I Am by Blanca http://myktis.com/songs/who-i-am/
Drops in the Ocean by Hawk Nelson http://myktis.com/songs/drops-in-the-...
Oceans by United http://myktis.com/songs/oceans/
I received a free copy of this book from Baker Books in exchange for an honest review.
There were a few songs I heard on the radio while reading this book that I thought were exactly what I needed to hear and went really well with the message of the book:
Who I Am by Blanca http://myktis.com/songs/who-i-am/
Drops in the Ocean by Hawk Nelson http://myktis.com/songs/drops-in-the-...
Oceans by United http://myktis.com/songs/oceans/
I received a free copy of this book from Baker Books in exchange for an honest review.
May 5, 2015
"Working myself up into a frantic, over-scheduled mess, I just grow burdened and weary and do not love anyone or anything. When I do this, I miss the point of the gospel entirely and, inadvertently, make the Christian life all about me and my own abilities and efforts and practices."
In this new book by popular blogger, Christine Hoover, we have a REALLY important message. Life is NOT about me. It's not about MY achievements. It's not about Me having a glamorous life all in the name of "God's will". We MUST be content to take the little steps and know that God is leading us to a freedom in Him. Freedom from worry, stress, and need for achievement. We are loved. We are treasured. We are important and special to God. It's OK if we miss a devotion time one day! We should always desire to be in the Word, but God isn't sitting there upset because I didn't get my 30 minutes of devotion time in.
Life is not a legalistic, chore list. It is simply about letting God's grace make us fall desperately in love with Him. He takes care of the rest. We need to get rid of the guilt that plagues us so we feel inferior and like we need to do more. Once we think we need to do more, it becomes about us again!! (Tricky little thing!!)
I HIGHLY recommend this book to ALL women. 5 Solid Stars
Thank you, Baker Publishing, for this book. As always, this is my honest opinion. Here's to many more!!
-- If you would like to win a copy of this book, or read my fun Face-Off with Christine Hoover, just head on over here:
http://atransparentmom.com/2015/05/04...
In this new book by popular blogger, Christine Hoover, we have a REALLY important message. Life is NOT about me. It's not about MY achievements. It's not about Me having a glamorous life all in the name of "God's will". We MUST be content to take the little steps and know that God is leading us to a freedom in Him. Freedom from worry, stress, and need for achievement. We are loved. We are treasured. We are important and special to God. It's OK if we miss a devotion time one day! We should always desire to be in the Word, but God isn't sitting there upset because I didn't get my 30 minutes of devotion time in.
Life is not a legalistic, chore list. It is simply about letting God's grace make us fall desperately in love with Him. He takes care of the rest. We need to get rid of the guilt that plagues us so we feel inferior and like we need to do more. Once we think we need to do more, it becomes about us again!! (Tricky little thing!!)
I HIGHLY recommend this book to ALL women. 5 Solid Stars
Thank you, Baker Publishing, for this book. As always, this is my honest opinion. Here's to many more!!
-- If you would like to win a copy of this book, or read my fun Face-Off with Christine Hoover, just head on over here:
http://atransparentmom.com/2015/05/04...
August 7, 2015
Christine could have been writing my story! Her honesty about her own personal struggle made this book so relatable. She goes through how we as women struggle with Christian perfectionism, somehow thinking that once we are saved that we have to do the work of sanctification ourselves, or we think that we can manipulate God into blessing us if we could just be good enough. Then we are despondent with God and others when we fail, we feel like God doesn't bless us cause we aren't good enough. Christine shows how wrong this view is and that we already have all we need in Christ, that grace is indeed a free gift. Definitely not something God withholds but lovingly holds out to us if only we'd put down our own efforts and take what's been finished already in Christ. A must read for all women. I read an ebook but I will buy a few copies to give away.
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