Forever Ruined for the Ordinary: The Adventure of Hearing and Obeying the Voice of God

by Joy Dawson

Joy Dawson describes what happened when she decided to follow God with an obedient heart: "I was tuned in and turned on to God, the Creator and Sustainer of the universe. I took off on an adventure of a lifetime… hearing and obeying God's voice. I was forever ruined for the ordinary."

Emphasizing God's commitment to be personally involved in our lives, Joy shares the lessons of a lifetime of faithful obedience to God. Through stories and biblical teaching, she helps readers discover the excitement of learning how to listen to God, joyfully obey Him, and see the wonder of the results that follow.

The book includes the twenty-four ways God speaks to men and women, three characteristics of obedience, guidelines for seeking guidance, and secrets to a more intimate walk with God.

Genres: Christian, Christian Living, Spirituality

220 pages, Kindle Edition

First published May 1, 2001

Reviews

[Harrison Perkins]

I think I would give it 3.5-3.75 stars if possible. This was my first time reading a book from this kind of perspective. The idea of “hearing from God” like this is new to me. I think I’m maybe cautious of the author just because of her proclaimed involvement with Jim Bakker and Benny Hinn, but I think there were still good ideas in here.

The book was a little repetitive. It had scripture in there, but it was mostly stories of “listen to this one time I heard God say ABC and I was obedient so then XYZ happened” the whole time.

I think there could be a danger of legalism when the author mentions obedience and disobedience - for me (and for most people, including the author I would suspect) hearing God isn’t as plain and simple as the author makes it out to be. As someone with religious OCD, I recognize the author’s simplification of hearing God and magnification of consequences of disobedience may have the capacity to be harmful to some.

Aside from these critiques, I thought it was good because it challenged me to a different way of living and has been an entry point into what it might look like to listen for God as a regular way of life.

[~gracie~]

⭐️3.5⭐️ I usually don’t like these types of books! But through reading them for DTS I’ve come to like them more! Joys books are very enjoyable, and hold a lot of information

[D.V. Adams]

Loved it. If you desire a closer, intimate relationship with God, this is the book for you.

[Paul]

What an incredible book! Joy really put things in perspective. If you don’t want to grow or be challenged this is not the book for you. However, if growth is what you seek and your aim is to meet the Father through your obedience then dive in and prepare yourself to be challenged and maybe answer some tough questions. Dive in, the Lord is calling you home.

[Ken Berger]

Outstanding book on the many ways God speaks to us today with lots of examples from the authors own life. It also has many warnings and reasons why God is or seems silent.

[Brian Stratton]

use this process for my personal life and my families life...it's been very helpful! Must Read!

[Stephanie]

This book really should be in the memoir category as it contains more of the author's personal life reflections than anything else.   The author frequently uses the prosperity gospel method to get her point across,  but without using money as the end goal,  but instead, hearing from God.  'If you do all these things,  then you'll get the answer from the Lord.'  God is not a genie waiting to give answers once we've checked all the boxes.   Often, examples began or ended with "simply do this..." or "all that's needed is this...".  

In section 4, under the part titled "When the Next Move is God's," Psalm 37:5 is quoted but referenced as 35:5.  While I didn't look up every scripture (there were many), I lose faith in this kind of "typo" because using God's word as an example is serious and an error in a cite reference is egregious.

After a lengthy instruction on pride impeding hearing for the Lord,  the book ends with a letter from the author asking for less requests for help as she already inundated with them and needs less,  not more; that this book should be helpful enough to help yourself hear from the Lord. If she meant it graciously,  it fell flat.

While there were plenty of things the author stated correctly referring to God's Word, there were many more times when it was used as a checklist and burdensome. 

[Brianna Taylor]

Though I don’t line up with Joy Dawson’s theology on all points, her book was helpful in giving me a perspective of prayer and relationship with the Lord that challenged my own tendency towards passivity. I am grateful for how God used a critical reading of her book to help shape my own views of Him!

[Juanita]

Would give it 2.5 stars I have loved another of her books that I read but this one has so much in it that you had to do (but was all biblically based) that I felt overwhelmed. I think this was a good verse from Peter to remember as I read “Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins.”

[David Matthews]

A great book for a Church book study. Transforming the culture of a Church is hard. This book is one tool that helps transform people from praying for all the latest and greatest things to be given to them, to stepping out into a world of relationship with God.

[Lorna]

I found this an incredibly encouraging book! If you want to give God first place in your everyday life and hear Him more clearly, Joy Dawson gives you the biblical tools to do so. Chapters 6 and 7 were particularly helpful. Highly recommended!

[Rob Markley]

Too much out of her time and place at the cutting edge of the charismatic renewal, YWAM etc. Too narrow, too one eyed

[Donna Ann]

I highly recommend this book for anyone who wants to learn more and go deeper.

[Rebekah]

Dawson's collections of personal stories and methodology- some helpful others not as much (for me personally). More questions than answers

[Englandjennifer]

This book was really about obedience. I really was expecting something different from the description of the book. There were many passages; however, I didn't appreciate many of the personal stories from the author. There were a few good chapters, mainly towards the end of the book. I just struggled reading it especially when she said an individual does not love God if you do not read the bible. I nearly put the book down after that sentence.

[Shiloh]

Really good book for practicing hearing the voice of God. The author lives a radical and very intimate relationship with the Lord, and it challenges you to the same. Would love to read more of her stuff.

[Kathie]

Amazing book and really opens your eyes to the spiritual world.

[Erin]

Dawson clearly stresses the importance of keeping God involved in every aspect of life. She gives lots of life experiences that illustrate this concept and makes it easy to read.

[Frida]

A really good book!

[Kathy]

an easy but well-grounded read. it will be interesting to see what sticks with me in the coming months.

[Cristine Amorim]

One of my favorites on hearing God!