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Love Does: Discover a Secretly Incredible Life in an Ordinary World
You don't need another Christian message or a self-help book. You need to have your paradigms about the world shifted into truth. That's exactly what you get in Love Does. Have you ever noticed that the real change in your life-the growth that sticks and becomes a part of you-never happens with a program or the sheer grit of your best efforts? It happens over time, like a glacier slowly carving valleys through the mountains.
In this book of compelling stories coupled with eye-opening truths, author Bob Goff shows you a new way to live, a way that's drenched with the whimsy of God's love and the spontaneity of following where he leads when he says "Go!" In this book, you learn what it looks like to be secretly incredible and advance God's kingdom everywhere you are and wherever you're going.
For anyone who's wanted to change the world but thought they needed money, a committee, and permission to get started, Love Does shows what can happen when you decide to do instead of plan, act instead of strategize, and fiercely, invisibly fight for the possibility God has gifted you to uniquely see.
In this book of compelling stories coupled with eye-opening truths, author Bob Goff shows you a new way to live, a way that's drenched with the whimsy of God's love and the spontaneity of following where he leads when he says "Go!" In this book, you learn what it looks like to be secretly incredible and advance God's kingdom everywhere you are and wherever you're going.
For anyone who's wanted to change the world but thought they needed money, a committee, and permission to get started, Love Does shows what can happen when you decide to do instead of plan, act instead of strategize, and fiercely, invisibly fight for the possibility God has gifted you to uniquely see.
240 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2012
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August 23, 2023
This was an easy read and what I would describe as "feel good" book. I just couldn't give it that final star because I really feel that it was missing quite a big piece of the pie if you will.
Bob Goff talks about his life and his love for Jesus in a great conversational way. Its like you are just sitting there having a cup of tea with him while he describes for you how he feels he is supposed to live like Jesus. His main point being that Jesus does things. He doesn't sit around and talk about them.
I get his point and I think there is validity in it. For a lot of Christian believers there is perceived justification in knowledge, study and (frankly) doctrinal argument over the minutiae of every single passage in the Bible. I think Mr. Goff makes a great overarching point in this book that we, as Christians are called to do MORE than just sit around and argue over whose interpretation of the Bible is better or best.
However, I think that similar to Donald Miller, who incidentally is BFF with Mr. Goff, the cross is missing out of this book. For a relatively versed Christian reading this book who can notice that its not there, this may be OK (because they already know about it and are living evidence of it) but for those who are either not Christians are very very new in their faith, Mr. Goff could do a disservice by alluding to the fact that once you know who Jesus is that's pretty much all you need. Go love deeply and do whimsical things, but don't bother studying your Bible to figure out HOW to do that. Mr. Goff rarely calls out scripture and when he does he does it kind of offhandedly like, "theres a story in the Bible where..." or "I like it when Jesus says this in the Bible..." In reading this book it is obvious that Mr. Goff has spent some time reading and studying his Bible and has a good understanding of the message, however in one of his last chapters he encourages giving up Bible study all together and do Bible doings instead. I think this could be dangerous to a degree mostly due to what the Bible says. We need to be versed in the word of God to guard against the enemy!
At the same time, I do think that a lot of Christians do tend to hide in their Bibles instead of living what it says to do. So while I think Love Does is a great read for mature Christians, I think that audience might be the same that is slightly concerned that Mr. Goff may not be stewarding his reach in the best way.
I did get quite a few good insights out of this book and was inspired to practice loving in more active ways in an effort to live more like Jesus as I am called to do. And I would love to have a cup of tea and hang out with Mr. Goff, I think he would be a great conversationalist.
Bob Goff talks about his life and his love for Jesus in a great conversational way. Its like you are just sitting there having a cup of tea with him while he describes for you how he feels he is supposed to live like Jesus. His main point being that Jesus does things. He doesn't sit around and talk about them.
I get his point and I think there is validity in it. For a lot of Christian believers there is perceived justification in knowledge, study and (frankly) doctrinal argument over the minutiae of every single passage in the Bible. I think Mr. Goff makes a great overarching point in this book that we, as Christians are called to do MORE than just sit around and argue over whose interpretation of the Bible is better or best.
However, I think that similar to Donald Miller, who incidentally is BFF with Mr. Goff, the cross is missing out of this book. For a relatively versed Christian reading this book who can notice that its not there, this may be OK (because they already know about it and are living evidence of it) but for those who are either not Christians are very very new in their faith, Mr. Goff could do a disservice by alluding to the fact that once you know who Jesus is that's pretty much all you need. Go love deeply and do whimsical things, but don't bother studying your Bible to figure out HOW to do that. Mr. Goff rarely calls out scripture and when he does he does it kind of offhandedly like, "theres a story in the Bible where..." or "I like it when Jesus says this in the Bible..." In reading this book it is obvious that Mr. Goff has spent some time reading and studying his Bible and has a good understanding of the message, however in one of his last chapters he encourages giving up Bible study all together and do Bible doings instead. I think this could be dangerous to a degree mostly due to what the Bible says. We need to be versed in the word of God to guard against the enemy!
At the same time, I do think that a lot of Christians do tend to hide in their Bibles instead of living what it says to do. So while I think Love Does is a great read for mature Christians, I think that audience might be the same that is slightly concerned that Mr. Goff may not be stewarding his reach in the best way.
I did get quite a few good insights out of this book and was inspired to practice loving in more active ways in an effort to live more like Jesus as I am called to do. And I would love to have a cup of tea and hang out with Mr. Goff, I think he would be a great conversationalist.
August 6, 2012
I've had a hard time starting this post. When I requested a review copy of Love Does from BookSneeze, I fully expected to rhapsodize about this book.
Like many, I first encountered Bob Goff in the pages of Don Miller's fantastic book A Million Miles in a Thousand Years. He seemed larger than life, yet the kind of person everyone would want to befriend.
In fact, were Goff's path to cross with mine, I'd insist on buying him a drink simply so I could hear more of his stories.
I completely understand why so many people are singing Love Does's praises. Goff's life is naturally inspiring. I was completely mystified when I started the book and did not immediately join in on the chorus.
This is not to say I disliked the book. (This is also to say I respect what Goff has accomplished in writing a book and especially his decision to donate the proceeds to two organizations he supports. I try to be mindful of the effort it takes to write a book whenever there is criticism to bestow.)
Love Does consists of 30 short chapters, each containing a story of some antic or experience and followed by a spiritual truth of sorts. At their best, they're contemporary parables. This does not always come across as intended.
Goff believes our lives should be fueled by love. An active love. This is a great model for us. Some of his stories better reveal this truth than others. For instance, were my car hit by an elderly lady to the point where I was ejected through the roof, I doubt I would walk over to her and thank her for hitting me and then consider it a cool story. But this is how Bob reacts and the elderly lady has quite a response. Love in action.
On the other hand, Bob also considers sticking his friend with a $400 room service bill to be a great prank. Maybe those of a higher financial eschelon have different criteria for pranks. This might be the pitfall of reading instead of hearing certain stories. Were Bob to tell them to me, I might howl with laughter but in reading them, we don't get facial expressions or intent aside from what we ascribe to it.
Bob advocates for a life of whimsey and it's hard not to be drawn to that. But what does whimsey look like in your life and mine? Is whimsey only grand gestures and off the wall experiences? A book should be the starting point in getting us to apply lessons to our own lives. However, I had difficulty extracting meaning from several of Goff's experiences into application for my own life.
One of the main reasons for this is many of his amazing experiences are the result of money and privilege. Goff is a lawyer and has worked hard for what he has. I don't begrudge him that. However, we are not all so fortunate. I cannot take last minute plane rides to meet with important dignitaries, nor will my office ever reside in an amusement park. I will likely never be able to afford a sailboat and while it would be wonderful to be personally involved in an organization in Africa, I'm doubtful that's in the cards.
So what does Love Does look like in my life? Where is the whimsey when you're a social worker/nanny/writer?
Goff doesn't hand his readers the answers but he does offer his phone number should anyone want to talk it out with him. I just might do that some day.
For now, I'm considering how to more actively love the people around me. I'm thinking about what a Bible Doing (my favorite chapter) might look like. I'm going to keep working on being the person God created me to be. One day at a time.
Like many, I first encountered Bob Goff in the pages of Don Miller's fantastic book A Million Miles in a Thousand Years. He seemed larger than life, yet the kind of person everyone would want to befriend.
In fact, were Goff's path to cross with mine, I'd insist on buying him a drink simply so I could hear more of his stories.
I completely understand why so many people are singing Love Does's praises. Goff's life is naturally inspiring. I was completely mystified when I started the book and did not immediately join in on the chorus.
This is not to say I disliked the book. (This is also to say I respect what Goff has accomplished in writing a book and especially his decision to donate the proceeds to two organizations he supports. I try to be mindful of the effort it takes to write a book whenever there is criticism to bestow.)
Love Does consists of 30 short chapters, each containing a story of some antic or experience and followed by a spiritual truth of sorts. At their best, they're contemporary parables. This does not always come across as intended.
Goff believes our lives should be fueled by love. An active love. This is a great model for us. Some of his stories better reveal this truth than others. For instance, were my car hit by an elderly lady to the point where I was ejected through the roof, I doubt I would walk over to her and thank her for hitting me and then consider it a cool story. But this is how Bob reacts and the elderly lady has quite a response. Love in action.
On the other hand, Bob also considers sticking his friend with a $400 room service bill to be a great prank. Maybe those of a higher financial eschelon have different criteria for pranks. This might be the pitfall of reading instead of hearing certain stories. Were Bob to tell them to me, I might howl with laughter but in reading them, we don't get facial expressions or intent aside from what we ascribe to it.
Bob advocates for a life of whimsey and it's hard not to be drawn to that. But what does whimsey look like in your life and mine? Is whimsey only grand gestures and off the wall experiences? A book should be the starting point in getting us to apply lessons to our own lives. However, I had difficulty extracting meaning from several of Goff's experiences into application for my own life.
One of the main reasons for this is many of his amazing experiences are the result of money and privilege. Goff is a lawyer and has worked hard for what he has. I don't begrudge him that. However, we are not all so fortunate. I cannot take last minute plane rides to meet with important dignitaries, nor will my office ever reside in an amusement park. I will likely never be able to afford a sailboat and while it would be wonderful to be personally involved in an organization in Africa, I'm doubtful that's in the cards.
So what does Love Does look like in my life? Where is the whimsey when you're a social worker/nanny/writer?
Goff doesn't hand his readers the answers but he does offer his phone number should anyone want to talk it out with him. I just might do that some day.
For now, I'm considering how to more actively love the people around me. I'm thinking about what a Bible Doing (my favorite chapter) might look like. I'm going to keep working on being the person God created me to be. One day at a time.
November 7, 2012
I'd give it a one star review but it's not terribly written. The problem is the content and Mr. Goff should take a chapter out of his own book and keep some things secret. The book has some redemptive chapters however most of it comes across as bragging material about how great Mr. Goff's life is.
The sub-title is "Discover a secretly incredible life in an ordinary world." Apparently the words "if you have lots of money and time" were left off.
I do not know anyone including myself who has the money and/or time to:
1. Buy last minute round trip tickets for two to Europe and run around London for three days.
2. Take a last minute trip to Yosemite and spend three days there.
3. Spend 16 days in a sail boat race from California to Hawaii.
4. Buy a painting that apparently is worth so much it comes with a faux version for hanging so the original is stored for safekeeping and then foolishly hang the original instead and then laugh when my kids ruin it during a rubber band fight.
5. Own an oceanside house in San Diego AND a summer house in British Columbia.
I could add to this list but the reality is Mr. Goff lives in a fantasy world. Perhaps he means well and quite possibly I missed the boat on what this book was intended for but the only thing I came away with was money does indeed buy happiness.
Mr. Goff did a disservice to Christianity by publishing this book.
The sub-title is "Discover a secretly incredible life in an ordinary world." Apparently the words "if you have lots of money and time" were left off.
I do not know anyone including myself who has the money and/or time to:
1. Buy last minute round trip tickets for two to Europe and run around London for three days.
2. Take a last minute trip to Yosemite and spend three days there.
3. Spend 16 days in a sail boat race from California to Hawaii.
4. Buy a painting that apparently is worth so much it comes with a faux version for hanging so the original is stored for safekeeping and then foolishly hang the original instead and then laugh when my kids ruin it during a rubber band fight.
5. Own an oceanside house in San Diego AND a summer house in British Columbia.
I could add to this list but the reality is Mr. Goff lives in a fantasy world. Perhaps he means well and quite possibly I missed the boat on what this book was intended for but the only thing I came away with was money does indeed buy happiness.
Mr. Goff did a disservice to Christianity by publishing this book.
August 25, 2014
I would never have finished this book if a friend hadn't specifically given it to me to read. I complained all the way through it and was thoroughly annoyed.
Overall, I agree with the premise - Christians need to stop talking about loving people and tangibly be there for them. However, the entire book comes across as a "look what I did" with stretching comparisons to a vague concept of Jesus' life. There are no Scripture references and I often complained out loud - "How is anyone supposed to know what Jesus is truly like without reading the Bible or knowing where to find Jesus?"
The entire book was stories and nothing prescriptive for how to actually apply this concept to your own life, without copying his exact stories (and let's face it - you'd have to be super-rich to do that).
I'm so glad this book is over.
Overall, I agree with the premise - Christians need to stop talking about loving people and tangibly be there for them. However, the entire book comes across as a "look what I did" with stretching comparisons to a vague concept of Jesus' life. There are no Scripture references and I often complained out loud - "How is anyone supposed to know what Jesus is truly like without reading the Bible or knowing where to find Jesus?"
The entire book was stories and nothing prescriptive for how to actually apply this concept to your own life, without copying his exact stories (and let's face it - you'd have to be super-rich to do that).
I'm so glad this book is over.
February 9, 2014
I've heard that Bob Goff is a great and inspirational speaker, and I can certainly believe that, but this book is a compilation of everything I hate about American Christian Culture. The obsession with manliness and "guy things." Lame jokes and forced metaphors. Reducing people to simplistic stereotypes (the phrase "bad guys" is used repeatedly throughout). Bizarre sweeping assumptions about people who aren't upper-middle-class white men. The fact that some version of the phrase "rode hard and put away wet" is used on TWO different occasions should tell you a lot.
The book is formulaic, with almost every chapter starting with some story from Goff's life, which he then uses as an extended metaphor for some theory about God. Possibly the most frustrating part of the book was that, for all the talk upfront about living out God's love rather than just talking about it, the majority of the stories have little to do with living out love and many of them are quite cringeworthy. In particular, if I never ever hear another "I swore she would be my wife the first second I laid eyes on her and then stalked her until she agreed to marry me" story I will be very happy. Anyone watching me read it would have seen me making a "What the hell?" face quite a lot, and more than once I thought, "Wow... what an asshole."
I do believe that Goff has done some incredible things, particularly related to his anti-trafficking work, but unfortunately the book touches on these things very little and spends more time talking about pranks, getting away with things, and "whimsy" (OMG SO MUCH WHIMSY). Many of the things he "does" are not so much evidence of his love as evidence of his lawyerly wealth, like flying his kids to 30 different countries on a moment's notice, and he seems oblivious to how much of what he "gets away with" is evidence of his privilege, not just a cute metaphor for being a Jesus freak. I kept thinking that this book would be better subtitled Love Does: A Story of Wealth and White Male Privilege.
There are a number of good, pithy quotes about God from throughout the book, and I think it's well-intentioned. I just hated so much of it that I couldn't possibly want to recommend it to anyone. If you really want to see what it looks like when "Love Does," read Shane Claiborne.
The book is formulaic, with almost every chapter starting with some story from Goff's life, which he then uses as an extended metaphor for some theory about God. Possibly the most frustrating part of the book was that, for all the talk upfront about living out God's love rather than just talking about it, the majority of the stories have little to do with living out love and many of them are quite cringeworthy. In particular, if I never ever hear another "I swore she would be my wife the first second I laid eyes on her and then stalked her until she agreed to marry me" story I will be very happy. Anyone watching me read it would have seen me making a "What the hell?" face quite a lot, and more than once I thought, "Wow... what an asshole."
I do believe that Goff has done some incredible things, particularly related to his anti-trafficking work, but unfortunately the book touches on these things very little and spends more time talking about pranks, getting away with things, and "whimsy" (OMG SO MUCH WHIMSY). Many of the things he "does" are not so much evidence of his love as evidence of his lawyerly wealth, like flying his kids to 30 different countries on a moment's notice, and he seems oblivious to how much of what he "gets away with" is evidence of his privilege, not just a cute metaphor for being a Jesus freak. I kept thinking that this book would be better subtitled Love Does: A Story of Wealth and White Male Privilege.
There are a number of good, pithy quotes about God from throughout the book, and I think it's well-intentioned. I just hated so much of it that I couldn't possibly want to recommend it to anyone. If you really want to see what it looks like when "Love Does," read Shane Claiborne.
April 16, 2013
I enjoyed Love Does -- the stories were entertaining, it's a quick read, and I do think it communicates an important and necessary message. I liked it enough to give it four stars despite the following negatives:
1. Bob Goff and Donald Miller are friends and similar writers/thinkers, and I had the same issue with this book as I have with Miller's -- the writing tends to annoy me. I understand that the conversational style is an attempt at being frank and relatable, and to some degree it is, but the writing also comes across as dumbed-down and condescending at times. Bob Goff is obviously a smart man, and to me it feels like he is just trying to write how his readers might talk. It reminds me of when an adult author attempts to create realistic dialogue for their child characters and completely misses the mark.
2. My bigger problem with this book is the implication that love is not just the most important thing (which I believe it is), but that it is pretty much the ONLY thing. He knocks church, deep theological discussion, and particularly Bible studies. He even goes so far as to compare studying the Bible to stalking Jesus, and says we're probably creeping God out. He insists that rather than studying the Bible, we should be loving and imitating Jesus -- as if the two are mutually exclusive. It's like if my husband left me a to-do list and love notes all around the house, and I say, "I'm not going to bother reading those, I'll just LOVE him." Studying the Bible (sincerely, with a desire to know God) is a way to learn to love Jesus better, not an alternative to loving him.
Those things being said, I've already recommended this book to several people and I do think it's worth reading. I was inspired (albeit in kind of a vague, "I should be a better person"-type way) by the examples of real, acted-out love in the book. Bob Goff has done some amazing things in his life and probably gives great hugs. I just wish he'd been a little more balanced in the writing of this book.
1. Bob Goff and Donald Miller are friends and similar writers/thinkers, and I had the same issue with this book as I have with Miller's -- the writing tends to annoy me. I understand that the conversational style is an attempt at being frank and relatable, and to some degree it is, but the writing also comes across as dumbed-down and condescending at times. Bob Goff is obviously a smart man, and to me it feels like he is just trying to write how his readers might talk. It reminds me of when an adult author attempts to create realistic dialogue for their child characters and completely misses the mark.
2. My bigger problem with this book is the implication that love is not just the most important thing (which I believe it is), but that it is pretty much the ONLY thing. He knocks church, deep theological discussion, and particularly Bible studies. He even goes so far as to compare studying the Bible to stalking Jesus, and says we're probably creeping God out. He insists that rather than studying the Bible, we should be loving and imitating Jesus -- as if the two are mutually exclusive. It's like if my husband left me a to-do list and love notes all around the house, and I say, "I'm not going to bother reading those, I'll just LOVE him." Studying the Bible (sincerely, with a desire to know God) is a way to learn to love Jesus better, not an alternative to loving him.
Those things being said, I've already recommended this book to several people and I do think it's worth reading. I was inspired (albeit in kind of a vague, "I should be a better person"-type way) by the examples of real, acted-out love in the book. Bob Goff has done some amazing things in his life and probably gives great hugs. I just wish he'd been a little more balanced in the writing of this book.
May 8, 2012
Let me start by saying how much I appreciate Bob Goff and the work he does for the glory of Christ. In fact I think he is even more dynamic and powerful in person than in print. Love Does has the opportunity to motivate you to action, which I believe is Bob’s whole purpose in writing it. He recognizes too many Christians sit and talk about God without doing anything about it. Bob has quite a collection of stories which range from risky to just plain unbelievable. Each story is like a little proverb Bob uses to connect his life story to the story of Christ. Bob uses his own life to try to point believers to action in their independent pursuit of Christ. In fact while the stories are all comical and powerful, I think Bob’s most powerful story is not even included in this book.
Here is my main concern with the book. Bob often comes across antagonistic of the intellectual engagement with Jesus and the Bible. Now I don’t for a second believe Bob completely would dismiss these things, but there are a number of times he makes derogatory comments about these pursuits. The problem is Bob is not a theologian; I doubt he would ever want to be. But as a result of this, he makes statements about the nature of God which have no ultimate tethering to the special revelation we have received from God, namely his word. Instead these proverbs from Bob come interpreted almost solely through the lens of his own experience.
While there is great wisdom contained in this book, I am a little concerned with his ethic of using experience as the primary agent to understand God’s work in his life. While this is one way to understand and engage God, it is not the sole, nor best way to understand who God is. Love Does is definitely a good and inspiring read, but I would suggest approaching it with a balanced commitment to serious study about God as well.
Here is my main concern with the book. Bob often comes across antagonistic of the intellectual engagement with Jesus and the Bible. Now I don’t for a second believe Bob completely would dismiss these things, but there are a number of times he makes derogatory comments about these pursuits. The problem is Bob is not a theologian; I doubt he would ever want to be. But as a result of this, he makes statements about the nature of God which have no ultimate tethering to the special revelation we have received from God, namely his word. Instead these proverbs from Bob come interpreted almost solely through the lens of his own experience.
While there is great wisdom contained in this book, I am a little concerned with his ethic of using experience as the primary agent to understand God’s work in his life. While this is one way to understand and engage God, it is not the sole, nor best way to understand who God is. Love Does is definitely a good and inspiring read, but I would suggest approaching it with a balanced commitment to serious study about God as well.
June 7, 2015
Some people add whimsy to their lives by making up songs when they're happy. Others put birds on things. If you're the author of Love Does, you need a lot of money, plenty of free time and even more privilege in order to live a lovely, whimsical life.
I wanted to like Love Does, really I did. I read about the concept and got really excited to hear about injecting whimsy and more love into my life. All of the reviews glowed and gushed with admiration for Bob Goff and his "whimsical" way of going through life. Unfortunately I am not on Team Bob and I am left feeling frustrated and annoyed at this book because it was nothing like I thought it would be. While I'd probably enjoy sharing a cup of coffee with the author in person, his book reads like a wooden collection of stories where he shows off his privilege and tried to make connections to religion in ways that are confusing and unnecessary. For example, one tale tells of a time when he and his wife (who he calls "Sweet Maria", which gets annoying as fuck after like two times) snuck into his friend's fancy hotel suite (on a big anniversary no less!) and charged $400 to room service as a prank. HAHAAAA!! It's funny because it's a lot of money and he wanted to pull a joke on a friend because he cared about him so much! GET IT ITS FUNNY!!!! The lesson the author wanted us to take is that it's perfectly acceptable to make your friends pay and that God loooooves pranksters. Or something.
I had no idea going into the book that it was so religious but make no mistake: this is a religious text and the author is trying to inspire people to live better through his tales. It's an admirable mission, but the book reads like bad Sunday School lessons and the author struggles to make meaningful connections half the time. The book would have been about ten times better (and twenty times more readable) if there weren't such obvious religious overtones. The author isn't a strong enough writer to make the inspirational connections between his life of privilege and the lessons that Jesus tried to instill in Christians.
The stories are also off-putting and borderline offensive because Bob Goff comes across as a privileged, entitled Christian who can do whatever the hell he wants. The most glaring example of this is when he was thinking about law school. He said he felt like Jesus put it in his heart to attend law school so he read a small book on the LSAT then took the test. Because he didn't actually do any, uh, studying or preparing for this massive test, he failed and therefore didn't get into any law schools. Instead of using this to motivate him to invest in an LSAT prep course and study his ass off, the author went in another direction: stalking. He felt that he was chosen to go to law school and even though he did NONE of the hard work it takes to earn a spot he felt he should still get in. So he sat outside of the dean of the law school's office for a few weeks in the hopes of getting in. This actually worked and thus our hero learned that instead of working to earn something, stalking and a belief in Jesus is all you need to get what you want out of life. As an educator and someone who works her ass off to empower her students, this story pissed me off and offended me. Would the story have ended the same way if the author was a woman or a black man? There's no way to tell but I have a feeling it would not have.
I finished the book feeling frustrated instead of uplifted. I'm annoyed by the author's privilege and his lack of talent to take the incredible stories of his life and turn it into something engaging and truly inspirational. There are glimmers in the book of what it could have been--the general store story and the chapter about his son's boat come to mind. Instead it reads at best as a cheesy religious text that only vaguely succeeds at being inspirational or good food for thought. At worst it's a blatant display of white, Christian male privilege that is infuriating and un-relatable. Love Does had a lot of promise, but in the end it was a let-down.
I wanted to like Love Does, really I did. I read about the concept and got really excited to hear about injecting whimsy and more love into my life. All of the reviews glowed and gushed with admiration for Bob Goff and his "whimsical" way of going through life. Unfortunately I am not on Team Bob and I am left feeling frustrated and annoyed at this book because it was nothing like I thought it would be. While I'd probably enjoy sharing a cup of coffee with the author in person, his book reads like a wooden collection of stories where he shows off his privilege and tried to make connections to religion in ways that are confusing and unnecessary. For example, one tale tells of a time when he and his wife (who he calls "Sweet Maria", which gets annoying as fuck after like two times) snuck into his friend's fancy hotel suite (on a big anniversary no less!) and charged $400 to room service as a prank. HAHAAAA!! It's funny because it's a lot of money and he wanted to pull a joke on a friend because he cared about him so much! GET IT ITS FUNNY!!!! The lesson the author wanted us to take is that it's perfectly acceptable to make your friends pay and that God loooooves pranksters. Or something.
I had no idea going into the book that it was so religious but make no mistake: this is a religious text and the author is trying to inspire people to live better through his tales. It's an admirable mission, but the book reads like bad Sunday School lessons and the author struggles to make meaningful connections half the time. The book would have been about ten times better (and twenty times more readable) if there weren't such obvious religious overtones. The author isn't a strong enough writer to make the inspirational connections between his life of privilege and the lessons that Jesus tried to instill in Christians.
The stories are also off-putting and borderline offensive because Bob Goff comes across as a privileged, entitled Christian who can do whatever the hell he wants. The most glaring example of this is when he was thinking about law school. He said he felt like Jesus put it in his heart to attend law school so he read a small book on the LSAT then took the test. Because he didn't actually do any, uh, studying or preparing for this massive test, he failed and therefore didn't get into any law schools. Instead of using this to motivate him to invest in an LSAT prep course and study his ass off, the author went in another direction: stalking. He felt that he was chosen to go to law school and even though he did NONE of the hard work it takes to earn a spot he felt he should still get in. So he sat outside of the dean of the law school's office for a few weeks in the hopes of getting in. This actually worked and thus our hero learned that instead of working to earn something, stalking and a belief in Jesus is all you need to get what you want out of life. As an educator and someone who works her ass off to empower her students, this story pissed me off and offended me. Would the story have ended the same way if the author was a woman or a black man? There's no way to tell but I have a feeling it would not have.
I finished the book feeling frustrated instead of uplifted. I'm annoyed by the author's privilege and his lack of talent to take the incredible stories of his life and turn it into something engaging and truly inspirational. There are glimmers in the book of what it could have been--the general store story and the chapter about his son's boat come to mind. Instead it reads at best as a cheesy religious text that only vaguely succeeds at being inspirational or good food for thought. At worst it's a blatant display of white, Christian male privilege that is infuriating and un-relatable. Love Does had a lot of promise, but in the end it was a let-down.
June 22, 2013
I feel generous giving this book 3 stars, but hey, I'm a generous guy. There are several inspirational moments and I highlighted a few passages, but there are so many distractions from his message that I couldn't enjoy it as much as I had hoped.
Based on his stories, a more accurate title would be _Love & Money Do_. Bob never acknowledges the fact that most of his adventures are possible solely because he has the time and money to do so. Maybe I'm a little jealous, but reading about him taking his kids all across the world on the spur of the moment in the pursuit of "whimsy" is a little obnoxious. It's not because he does stuff like this, it's because he seems to expect the reader to go out and do the same types of grandiose things--because that's what love does.
He tells a story about how he pranks a friend for $400. In my world, that's not a prank--that's thievery. I find it hard to relate with a guy who can laugh about something like this. The same thing happens when he buys an expensive painting (like, really expensive) and laughs when his kids mar it with a rubber band. He does great things, but he also has so much money he can throw it around (it seems).
Another major criticism I have with Bob (and Donald Miller) is his "que sera sera" attitude toward Christianity. I truly think they love Jesus, but some of their anecdotes dismiss the pursuit of knowledge about Christianity. Bob compares Bible studies to stalking Jesus and says God wouldn't want us to stalk Jesus (huh!?). Even though he's not interested in some of the more academic aspects of the Bible, he implies that those who are interested are wasting their time.
I would've liked to have read more about his mission work in Uganda. There are parts about it in the end, but I never got a real sense of how it all started. Those parts are glossed over (if not completely omitted), and how to start a mission this big would help people more than explaining the end result.
So, yes I was inspired by some of the stories, but his book is less about "Love Does" and more about "Look What I Did".
Based on his stories, a more accurate title would be _Love & Money Do_. Bob never acknowledges the fact that most of his adventures are possible solely because he has the time and money to do so. Maybe I'm a little jealous, but reading about him taking his kids all across the world on the spur of the moment in the pursuit of "whimsy" is a little obnoxious. It's not because he does stuff like this, it's because he seems to expect the reader to go out and do the same types of grandiose things--because that's what love does.
He tells a story about how he pranks a friend for $400. In my world, that's not a prank--that's thievery. I find it hard to relate with a guy who can laugh about something like this. The same thing happens when he buys an expensive painting (like, really expensive) and laughs when his kids mar it with a rubber band. He does great things, but he also has so much money he can throw it around (it seems).
Another major criticism I have with Bob (and Donald Miller) is his "que sera sera" attitude toward Christianity. I truly think they love Jesus, but some of their anecdotes dismiss the pursuit of knowledge about Christianity. Bob compares Bible studies to stalking Jesus and says God wouldn't want us to stalk Jesus (huh!?). Even though he's not interested in some of the more academic aspects of the Bible, he implies that those who are interested are wasting their time.
I would've liked to have read more about his mission work in Uganda. There are parts about it in the end, but I never got a real sense of how it all started. Those parts are glossed over (if not completely omitted), and how to start a mission this big would help people more than explaining the end result.
So, yes I was inspired by some of the stories, but his book is less about "Love Does" and more about "Look What I Did".
July 31, 2014
Goff is one of the more popular Christian speakers, and this book is loved by all of the younger, hipper Christians (especially those that belong to missional churches) – so I know I’m going to receive flak over my review. This book absolutely infuriated me. Goff shares anecdotes from his life, and uses these anecdotes to make a point about God/Jesus and faith. In the initial chapter, for example, Goff related a story about him deciding to leave high school as a junior and moving to Yosemite. When he informed his Young Life leader Randy that this was his plan, Randy dropped everything to accompany him. Goff found out that a 17-yr-old with no experience or high school diploma isn’t very employable, so they come home. On the return, Goff found out that Randy had just gotten married (hadn’t even been to the honeymoon yet) and had still chosen to accompany Goff on the trip because that is what love does (hence the book title). When you read chapters like this, you can see why so many people are fans of this book and fans of Goff. He simplifies faith down to easy-to-digest spiritual nuggets: love extravagantly, live an atypical life, failure is part of life and faith, etc. Goff’s stories are engaging and often funny, and the spiritual nuggets resonate with that part of Christians that believe that all too often we unnecessarily complicate faith (and we do). I enjoyed a good number of the chapters in the book. But two things absolutely infuriated me. First, some of his points about faith are absolutely ludicrous: at worst, unbiblical; at best, stupid. In one chapter, he actually made the statement “I’ve come to understand more about faith as I’ve understood more about whimsy.” Really? One of the essentials of faith is whimsy? In another part of the book, he states that one of prime reasons we were created was “to dream.” Awful. Second, how in the world does one write a book for Christians, and discuss the important aspects of faith, and discuss the character of Jesus – who He was and what He did – and NOT INCLUDE A SINGLE BIBLE VERSE IN THE ENTIRE BOOK? Sure, he paraphrased different stories from the gospel, but that isn’t enough. Real Christianity cannot be separated from Scripture, and to intentionally imply things from Scripture without citing Scripture or using Scripture to back up your points is intentionally asinine. (Note: if you’re going to argue that Goff was trying to be seeker-sensitive or that Scripture originated as an oral tradition, you’re missing the point about the importance of Scripture today). Goff has much truth to speak about how Christians can and should live deeper and fuller lives of faith. But for me, it’s overshadowed by his commitment to quirkiness and (to me) a disregard for the Word of God.
March 21, 2013
Great book by an equally great man. I was a little less than half way though this book when I met Bob Goff. He seemed to be chatting it up with some old friends in the lobby of a conference my husband and I attended. We nervously lingered and I clutched my book, hoping for a signature. "Hey guys!!!" he exclaimed, as though he'd ran into some more old friends, grabbing us both in a big hug. "I'm reading your fantastic book and I was hoping you'd sign it if you have a second," I said. "I have all day," he answered as he took his time writing out a message on the title page. His character in person totally matches the one present in the book, chapter by chapter, story by story. He says what I've been wondering if God had been trying to tell me for years, that Jesus doesn't want us to just stalk him, memorizing weird little details about him, Bible study after Bible study...he wants us to join him! Love doesn't just feel, or talk or learn. Love does. Bob's been on an exciting "caper" or a life. He got into law school without passing the bar (long, great story), he practices law from his "office" at a bench on Tom Sawyer Island, he became the consol to Uganda after thinking the request was a practical joke, he teaches at Point Loma and Pepperdine and uses his position to free wrongly imprissoned boys in Uganda as well as fighting for justice for children there. You have got to read this book.
May 31, 2012
If you’ve been around this blog any time at all, you probably know a few things about me. First, I review a lot of books. Second, I have given more than a few of them 4 or 5 out of 5′s. Lastly, “Quiet Strength” by Tony Dungy has spent an unbelievable amount of time at the top of my favorite all-time books. As a matter of fact, I think it’s undefeated. A lot of books have run past my eyes but Coach Dungy remained strong with very little challenge. Until this week…
Mr. Dungy…you are now number two. I would like to congratulate and celebrate the new number one slot on my list, Mr. Bob Goff and the book “Love Does”. I don’t have any shiny awards and I’m pretty sure the New York Times Best Seller list is a tad more exciting, but hey, it’s my list and I’m proud to make this announcement. Really, I just want you all to know how strongly I feel about the book I just read the last words in.
Best. Book. Ever.
I’ve told my wife on a few occasions that if I never woke up in the morning, I have lived a crazy full life. When I say that, I mean it. I’m not talking about college educations or jobs held. I’m talking crazy “luck” (if you want to call it that) and insane journeys. I have trouble making a bucket list because there have been remarkable opportunities that have already happened. It’s what Carlos Whitaker (name dropping) and I discussed once. I don’t say this to brag, I say this because I connect with “Love Does” on this and so many other levels. Bob Goff has LIVED. I mean REALLY LIVED. “Love Does” will show you just how much.
From the opening chapters, I was laughing so hard I literally cried. If there was ever a book I connected with from the opening words, it is “Love Does”. Each chapter reads like a mini-sermon, but Bob’s not preaching. He’s telling stories about a life lived and how it intertwines with his faith in Jesus. It’s lessons he’s learned while being willing to try what others would say is impossible. By living a “why not” life, he experiences a faith and a love of Jesus that many of us may never experience. There are far more underlined words in my copy of this book than there are not. I will refer to it over and over again.
Let me leave you with three things. First, what other author would drop his cell phone number on the last page of a book for ANYONE that would like to give him a call (I’m SOOOOOO tempted)? Second is what might be one of my favorite quotes from the book:
I used to want to fix people, but now I just want to be with them
I love that quote on so, so many levels. Last, is another quote, but I believe it’s a charge to us all. You’ll need to read the book to understand the context, but he simply said:
Be Awesome
That’s it. No big religious theories or tied up manuals. Follow Jesus and when you live this life to the fullest, “Be Awesome”.
Bob, I think you are doing just that. Thanks for writing your story. Thanks for sharing your heart. Thanks for “Love Does”. Thanks for “Being Awesome”.
No disclaimers needed on this one. I didn’t review it for any group. I read it on my own and it. was. awesome.
Mr. Dungy…you are now number two. I would like to congratulate and celebrate the new number one slot on my list, Mr. Bob Goff and the book “Love Does”. I don’t have any shiny awards and I’m pretty sure the New York Times Best Seller list is a tad more exciting, but hey, it’s my list and I’m proud to make this announcement. Really, I just want you all to know how strongly I feel about the book I just read the last words in.
Best. Book. Ever.
I’ve told my wife on a few occasions that if I never woke up in the morning, I have lived a crazy full life. When I say that, I mean it. I’m not talking about college educations or jobs held. I’m talking crazy “luck” (if you want to call it that) and insane journeys. I have trouble making a bucket list because there have been remarkable opportunities that have already happened. It’s what Carlos Whitaker (name dropping) and I discussed once. I don’t say this to brag, I say this because I connect with “Love Does” on this and so many other levels. Bob Goff has LIVED. I mean REALLY LIVED. “Love Does” will show you just how much.
From the opening chapters, I was laughing so hard I literally cried. If there was ever a book I connected with from the opening words, it is “Love Does”. Each chapter reads like a mini-sermon, but Bob’s not preaching. He’s telling stories about a life lived and how it intertwines with his faith in Jesus. It’s lessons he’s learned while being willing to try what others would say is impossible. By living a “why not” life, he experiences a faith and a love of Jesus that many of us may never experience. There are far more underlined words in my copy of this book than there are not. I will refer to it over and over again.
Let me leave you with three things. First, what other author would drop his cell phone number on the last page of a book for ANYONE that would like to give him a call (I’m SOOOOOO tempted)? Second is what might be one of my favorite quotes from the book:
I used to want to fix people, but now I just want to be with them
I love that quote on so, so many levels. Last, is another quote, but I believe it’s a charge to us all. You’ll need to read the book to understand the context, but he simply said:
Be Awesome
That’s it. No big religious theories or tied up manuals. Follow Jesus and when you live this life to the fullest, “Be Awesome”.
Bob, I think you are doing just that. Thanks for writing your story. Thanks for sharing your heart. Thanks for “Love Does”. Thanks for “Being Awesome”.
No disclaimers needed on this one. I didn’t review it for any group. I read it on my own and it. was. awesome.
November 21, 2012
Welp, I was given an inscribed copy of this book by the author. So I read it. I think Bob is a good guy. I *really* appreciate that all the proceeds of the book are coming back here to Gulu. It's just that I think a better subtitle for the book would be, "Pick an Anicdote, They all Lead to Jesus - No Matter How Far I Have to Stretch I'll Find a Way."
So much eye rolling took place while reading, I had a very hard time paying attention to the message. Which in and of itself is nice - love is about doing something, not just talking about it or believing it. Oh, but in "doing" love, it helps if you have a lot of money. He didn't state that outright, but man he made it clear. The most sincere and helpful part of the book was the Epilogue. Oh, and I've got give him credit - he did give out his number in the back of the book in case anyone wants to discuss it with him. Wow.
So much eye rolling took place while reading, I had a very hard time paying attention to the message. Which in and of itself is nice - love is about doing something, not just talking about it or believing it. Oh, but in "doing" love, it helps if you have a lot of money. He didn't state that outright, but man he made it clear. The most sincere and helpful part of the book was the Epilogue. Oh, and I've got give him credit - he did give out his number in the back of the book in case anyone wants to discuss it with him. Wow.
March 12, 2014
I almost expected to feel like I should do wild and crazy things after reading this book. Instead, I finished with a strong motivation to do more within the life I am currently living: to love people better through action, to do the things God created me to do (which are completely different than what Bob was created to do) and let go of the rest, to not worry about "the rules" and instead love people the way God does.
Also, Bob wasn't kidding about being available. Ian and I called him, just to see what would happen. We left a voicemail, and he called Ian back the next day. Knowing firsthand he lives out what he wrote in the book makes his words mean that much more.
Also, Bob wasn't kidding about being available. Ian and I called him, just to see what would happen. We left a voicemail, and he called Ian back the next day. Knowing firsthand he lives out what he wrote in the book makes his words mean that much more.
April 20, 2020
Humbling and Inspiring
At the very least, Bob Goff is an incredibly engaging storyteller teller. Often I laughed out loud wild shaking g my head in amazement at the things he did. But more than anything he is filled with a no holds barred love to do right in the world, to spread the love in both large and small actions as easily and willingly as the rest of us breathe. I’m a better person for having met Bob through this book. My new daily mantra is “Love does” a call to action. Less sitting about thinking (not necessarily easy in these COVID-19 times) and more action.
At the very least, Bob Goff is an incredibly engaging storyteller teller. Often I laughed out loud wild shaking g my head in amazement at the things he did. But more than anything he is filled with a no holds barred love to do right in the world, to spread the love in both large and small actions as easily and willingly as the rest of us breathe. I’m a better person for having met Bob through this book. My new daily mantra is “Love does” a call to action. Less sitting about thinking (not necessarily easy in these COVID-19 times) and more action.
September 6, 2017
A sweet treat of a non-fiction book full of bite-sized bits of wisdom, humor and heart. Goff lives his faith in a refreshing, bold series of deeds…the ‘does’ in love. I especially enjoyed his tales about being a dad, husband and friend. It’s the kind of book that leaves one with the desire to live a little more bravely, try a little harder, love a little more. A splash of sunshine.
July 17, 2018
I’m going to say this as delicately as possible, but this book reads as though Bob Goff has, um, a below-average IQ. His writing is simplistic and I often got the sense that he is neither emotionally nor intellectually mature.
Each chapter starts with a trite, fluffy story from Bob’s life of privilege and ends with a trite, fluffy story from the Bible that he twists and stretches to somehow apply to his real-life example. The point of each biblical example is basically that God wants us to have fun, whimsy-filled lives because you know, love.
Planning, responsibility, financial obligations and potential consequences are of no concern to Bob Goff when he finds something he wants to do. As long as he thinks it’s fun or funny, that’s all the thinking he needs to worry about. His “crazy acts of love” are no problem as long as you have all the time and money in the world. Want to go to Law school but didn’t study for the LSAT or work hard enough to get there? No problem, just stalk the dean of admissions and bug him until he finally lets you in (you are a white Christian male, after all). God wanted you to be a lawyer, so obviously hard work was unnecessary. Think it’s funny if you and your wife sneak into your best friend’s anniversary hotel room and order $400 worth of food that will be charged to your friend? LOLOL as long as you think it’s funny, it’s probably something God wanted you to do. Want to start a school in Uganda but don’t like the multi-year government requirements to do so? Just ignore them and start the school anyway! Rules are for suckers.
I could go on, but that’s the gist of the entire book: Faith is just about having fun and doing whatever you want. At best, this book is a narcissistic summary of Bob Goff’s poorly-planned life experiences. At worst, it’s a book full of bad theology. The undertones send the message that if you want to throw caution to the wind and do something crazy or irresponsible, God will reward you anyway. Or if you want something badly enough, you’ll get it even without working hard because as long as you want it, God wants you to have it. And if you think it’s boring to actually study the Bible, or be challenged by what it says, ignore the hard parts and just concentrate on having fun. And also love. And whimsy.
Finally, I can’t end this review without talking about the biggest offender of his bad theology. On page 191, he says, “Jesus also talked about how to resolve disputes. He had been the center of quite a few of them, so He would know. He’s still been the subject of countless disputes since He was killed. Even death and resurrection don’t solve some things, I guess.” I think Bob Goff meant this to be a joke, but I can’t get past it. Jesus’ death and resurrection literally solved everything. The only reason things aren’t perfect is because we still live in a fallen, sinful world. Insinuating in any capacity that Jesus’ death on the cross did not cover all sins is dangerous and unbiblical.
All in all, this book is “Christianity lite” meant for people who simply want to read a feel-good book and do a bunch of fun carefree activities with piss-poor planning while saying that’s all God intended for their lives. For a book about real faith that genuinely takes risks and embraces hardships and trials, I recommend Kristen Welch’s “Rhinestone Jesus.”
Each chapter starts with a trite, fluffy story from Bob’s life of privilege and ends with a trite, fluffy story from the Bible that he twists and stretches to somehow apply to his real-life example. The point of each biblical example is basically that God wants us to have fun, whimsy-filled lives because you know, love.
Planning, responsibility, financial obligations and potential consequences are of no concern to Bob Goff when he finds something he wants to do. As long as he thinks it’s fun or funny, that’s all the thinking he needs to worry about. His “crazy acts of love” are no problem as long as you have all the time and money in the world. Want to go to Law school but didn’t study for the LSAT or work hard enough to get there? No problem, just stalk the dean of admissions and bug him until he finally lets you in (you are a white Christian male, after all). God wanted you to be a lawyer, so obviously hard work was unnecessary. Think it’s funny if you and your wife sneak into your best friend’s anniversary hotel room and order $400 worth of food that will be charged to your friend? LOLOL as long as you think it’s funny, it’s probably something God wanted you to do. Want to start a school in Uganda but don’t like the multi-year government requirements to do so? Just ignore them and start the school anyway! Rules are for suckers.
I could go on, but that’s the gist of the entire book: Faith is just about having fun and doing whatever you want. At best, this book is a narcissistic summary of Bob Goff’s poorly-planned life experiences. At worst, it’s a book full of bad theology. The undertones send the message that if you want to throw caution to the wind and do something crazy or irresponsible, God will reward you anyway. Or if you want something badly enough, you’ll get it even without working hard because as long as you want it, God wants you to have it. And if you think it’s boring to actually study the Bible, or be challenged by what it says, ignore the hard parts and just concentrate on having fun. And also love. And whimsy.
Finally, I can’t end this review without talking about the biggest offender of his bad theology. On page 191, he says, “Jesus also talked about how to resolve disputes. He had been the center of quite a few of them, so He would know. He’s still been the subject of countless disputes since He was killed. Even death and resurrection don’t solve some things, I guess.” I think Bob Goff meant this to be a joke, but I can’t get past it. Jesus’ death and resurrection literally solved everything. The only reason things aren’t perfect is because we still live in a fallen, sinful world. Insinuating in any capacity that Jesus’ death on the cross did not cover all sins is dangerous and unbiblical.
All in all, this book is “Christianity lite” meant for people who simply want to read a feel-good book and do a bunch of fun carefree activities with piss-poor planning while saying that’s all God intended for their lives. For a book about real faith that genuinely takes risks and embraces hardships and trials, I recommend Kristen Welch’s “Rhinestone Jesus.”
January 7, 2017
I probably would have read through to the end of this book if I'd had time before it had to go back to the library. Since I did not finish it, I will not address the worldview and philosophy of "Love Does," which, insofar as I read, seemed partly right but somewhat out of perspective. I will say that this is a very engaging book, written with sparkling humor and wit. Also, it is undeniable that the author has had, to say the least, an extraordinary life.
Why, then, the one-star rating? In my opinion, some of the things Goff advocates, or tolerates in his narrative, are extremely dangerous - as in potentially life-threatening if readers were to follow his example and that of his family. And I'm not talking about risk-taking for the sake of Christ (which is also an element of the story, and laudable) but risk-taking for the sake of recreation and pranks.
The author's personal life choices are of course up to him. However, I cannot recommend a book that could potentially lead by example to such unnecessarily dangerous experiments as those recounted in "Love Does."
Some things, love doesn't do without a good reason.
Why, then, the one-star rating? In my opinion, some of the things Goff advocates, or tolerates in his narrative, are extremely dangerous - as in potentially life-threatening if readers were to follow his example and that of his family. And I'm not talking about risk-taking for the sake of Christ (which is also an element of the story, and laudable) but risk-taking for the sake of recreation and pranks.
The author's personal life choices are of course up to him. However, I cannot recommend a book that could potentially lead by example to such unnecessarily dangerous experiments as those recounted in "Love Does."
Some things, love doesn't do without a good reason.
October 5, 2016
In 31 short chapters, Goff narrates various personal experiences to illustrate spiritual platitudes. His premise is that God’s love is real, active and whimsical and our love for God and one another must be the same. In tone, humor, word choice and even the terms he found it necessary to explain, this had the feel of an inspirational speaker addressing a middle school youth group. Although simplistic, I did not find his message offensive, but I did find the delivery of that message condescending.
May 25, 2021
I honestly don't have much to say about this little book. It was okay. When I first started reading, it seemed gimmicky, like it was made for the purpose of making money off of Christians who will blindly buy any Christian book sold by another Christian. A part of this, I think, might be that Goff's approach to life and mine are quite different. He is care-free where I am careful and chaotic where I am calm. But, then, a few of the chapters ended up touching me. They, at least, seemed authentic. As a result, I thought the stories were a mixed bag, which is why I'm giving three stars. Some of the stories might work for you and others might not, so it's hard to say whether or not the good ones will be impactful enough to read the rest to find them.
January 28, 2018
Let me start off by saying Bob Goff seems like an incredible, admirable guy. His story is inspiring and fun; he offers great insights into living out Christ's calling in a broken world. I especially appreciated his take on uptight religiosity; many Christians who sling Bible verses at each other with little grace could take a page out of his book.
And there are many people for whom this book will be extraordinarily helpful, who should read it prescriptively.
My problem with the book is not anything it -says-. My problem is with all it -does not say-: namely, that Goff's story can't be a model for many of us. That his approach to life, however laudable, might be out of reach, impractical, or deeply wrong for many people.
Maybe Goff knows that--knows that extroverted, can-do, easy-breezy engagement with the world simply isn't possible or right for everyone. But he doesn't ever -say- that. And given the assumptions of white, evangelical middle- to upper-middle-class Christians (his primary audience), the people reading his book won't ever question that his approach to extraordinary living is for everybody with little modofication needed. For those for whom his approach works, this might not be a problem. But for those who can't take up his optimism, it could prove a deep discouragement. And it's also tiring when churches, pastors, and mentors keep telling us -this- is the way to live out faith when -this- is simply not the whole story.
That's not to demean his assumption that there _is_ a way for all people to live extraordinary lives inside their ordinary ones. I absolutely agree that there is. But extraordinary can mean many different things. The problem is when we constantly lift up ONE kind of extraordinary, without ever telling the stories of lesser-known, whole-hearted living.
I think of my friend Tanya, who is housebound with a chronic illness. Or the fierce single mothers I know. Or the house cleaners in my Bible study with limited English and sometimes not the correct immigration papers. All of these people live deeply extraordinary lives. But Tanya is unlikely to take her son to another country on little notice for a three-day whirlwind tour. The single mothers would not be able to sit outside a law school dean's office for more than a week with their kids on their knees. And the women in my Bible study would not be able to walk onto a movie set without a pass; no one would assume they belonged.
What bothers me about Bob Goff's book is that it's best read by somewhat wealthy white men who can face the world with fewer restrictions than many of us (I myself, a wealthy white woman, also face few hinderances). He offers a simple, uplifting tale that is not exactly wrong, but is incomplete. If Goff's book were shelved alongside thousands of other stories chronicling other types of extraordinary ways to follow Jesus, I would have no problem with it. Simplicity is fine as long as it's not the only story.
But the problem is that -most- popular Christian tales tell exactly the same story, and it can start seeming like those who struggle with anxiety disorders, or who are not gregarious enough to make friends with strangers, or who don't have $1500 bucks to go to Uganda to help others, or who have suffered trauma and for whom getting out of bed is an extraordinary act are somehow lesser-than, simply not brave, or who need to work a little bit harder. That they should cultivate a bit more easy-breezy confidence and walk through the barriers that feel like prisons.
I think it's telling that of all the protagonists in Goff's stories, none of them (save his daughter and his ex-girlfriend, and the latter is not really the protagonist) are women. That's not to say that Goff doesn't like, admire or learn from women, but the kind of stories he tells seem to me beside the point for many women I know. The kind of optimistic confidence Goff exudes in his book feels like a foreign language to me, as privileged as I am. The whole #metoo movement has only underlined the very real barriers women face when they waltz into unfamiliar places with only a smile and some confidence.
I can almost hear howls from people at this review. "You're just frightened to let go of suffering or barriers and live extraordinarily. You want to stay small and keep others small with you."
But on the contrary, I -feel- extraordinary, set-free, purposeful, and optimistic. It's just that the confidence and wholeness I've found (that which did not come from my privilege) came through suffering, and tears, and coming to terms with barriers and limitations (like anxiety, past trauma, and grief).
Before I found freedom, before I learned to live into my purpose, I would have read Goff's book and felt terrible that I could not summon a crumb of his boundless enthusiasm and verve. I would have assumed there was something deeply wrong with me. Not because Goff is wrong, or wrong-headed, but because of the stories he doesn't tell.
I wish he would have said so in his book. It would make all the difference. Because in the end, I am rooting for Goff, and would be honored to meet him.
And there are many people for whom this book will be extraordinarily helpful, who should read it prescriptively.
My problem with the book is not anything it -says-. My problem is with all it -does not say-: namely, that Goff's story can't be a model for many of us. That his approach to life, however laudable, might be out of reach, impractical, or deeply wrong for many people.
Maybe Goff knows that--knows that extroverted, can-do, easy-breezy engagement with the world simply isn't possible or right for everyone. But he doesn't ever -say- that. And given the assumptions of white, evangelical middle- to upper-middle-class Christians (his primary audience), the people reading his book won't ever question that his approach to extraordinary living is for everybody with little modofication needed. For those for whom his approach works, this might not be a problem. But for those who can't take up his optimism, it could prove a deep discouragement. And it's also tiring when churches, pastors, and mentors keep telling us -this- is the way to live out faith when -this- is simply not the whole story.
That's not to demean his assumption that there _is_ a way for all people to live extraordinary lives inside their ordinary ones. I absolutely agree that there is. But extraordinary can mean many different things. The problem is when we constantly lift up ONE kind of extraordinary, without ever telling the stories of lesser-known, whole-hearted living.
I think of my friend Tanya, who is housebound with a chronic illness. Or the fierce single mothers I know. Or the house cleaners in my Bible study with limited English and sometimes not the correct immigration papers. All of these people live deeply extraordinary lives. But Tanya is unlikely to take her son to another country on little notice for a three-day whirlwind tour. The single mothers would not be able to sit outside a law school dean's office for more than a week with their kids on their knees. And the women in my Bible study would not be able to walk onto a movie set without a pass; no one would assume they belonged.
What bothers me about Bob Goff's book is that it's best read by somewhat wealthy white men who can face the world with fewer restrictions than many of us (I myself, a wealthy white woman, also face few hinderances). He offers a simple, uplifting tale that is not exactly wrong, but is incomplete. If Goff's book were shelved alongside thousands of other stories chronicling other types of extraordinary ways to follow Jesus, I would have no problem with it. Simplicity is fine as long as it's not the only story.
But the problem is that -most- popular Christian tales tell exactly the same story, and it can start seeming like those who struggle with anxiety disorders, or who are not gregarious enough to make friends with strangers, or who don't have $1500 bucks to go to Uganda to help others, or who have suffered trauma and for whom getting out of bed is an extraordinary act are somehow lesser-than, simply not brave, or who need to work a little bit harder. That they should cultivate a bit more easy-breezy confidence and walk through the barriers that feel like prisons.
I think it's telling that of all the protagonists in Goff's stories, none of them (save his daughter and his ex-girlfriend, and the latter is not really the protagonist) are women. That's not to say that Goff doesn't like, admire or learn from women, but the kind of stories he tells seem to me beside the point for many women I know. The kind of optimistic confidence Goff exudes in his book feels like a foreign language to me, as privileged as I am. The whole #metoo movement has only underlined the very real barriers women face when they waltz into unfamiliar places with only a smile and some confidence.
I can almost hear howls from people at this review. "You're just frightened to let go of suffering or barriers and live extraordinarily. You want to stay small and keep others small with you."
But on the contrary, I -feel- extraordinary, set-free, purposeful, and optimistic. It's just that the confidence and wholeness I've found (that which did not come from my privilege) came through suffering, and tears, and coming to terms with barriers and limitations (like anxiety, past trauma, and grief).
Before I found freedom, before I learned to live into my purpose, I would have read Goff's book and felt terrible that I could not summon a crumb of his boundless enthusiasm and verve. I would have assumed there was something deeply wrong with me. Not because Goff is wrong, or wrong-headed, but because of the stories he doesn't tell.
I wish he would have said so in his book. It would make all the difference. Because in the end, I am rooting for Goff, and would be honored to meet him.
November 14, 2019
“I used to think you had to be special for God to use you, but now I know you simply need to say yes.”
You know that feeling when you read a book which speaks so much to you that you want everyone you love to read it and experience it as well? This is what happened to me with this book. The moment I closed it, I went straight to Amazon to send a copy to my parents. And I'm not saying I already know at least one Christmas present for this year, but I totally do. This book made me want to do extra-ordinary stuff, made me want to do as Jesus said and just leave everything behind and follow Him - to just dare, dare to be christian, dare to be myself, dare to, as Bob Goff said "leak Jesus".
This whimsical man comes straight from Disneyland, embodying every value you associate with a good christian (and a good human being): love, humility, awesomeness, generosity, charity, selflessness, gratitude. He is the living embodiment that if you decided to leave everything and follow Him, you will have to say YES to so many awesome things that your life will become a-m-a-z-i-n-g. It made me think of a sentence I once heard from a pastor, which was something like this: "many people believe that being Christian means that you are not allowed to do some things - like listening to some kinds of music or having sex before marriage. But in reality being a christian isn't about the things you can't do, but about the things you can do." And I think this book is exactly about that, the things we feel compelled to do because of our love for Christ.
This message came into my life right in the perfect moment, when I decided to be more public with my faith, while in the past I was always reluctant to share my love for Jesus with the world, for fear of being judged or misinterpreted or made fun of. Now I truly believe that, while I would never force my beliefs on anyone, I won't hide them either; not because I rationally think it's the best thing I can do, but because I can't stop! I am leaking Jesus!!! :D I thank God for putting this amazing man on my path, and I hope I can learn how to be a better christian not only form his words, but also from his actions!
You know that feeling when you read a book which speaks so much to you that you want everyone you love to read it and experience it as well? This is what happened to me with this book. The moment I closed it, I went straight to Amazon to send a copy to my parents. And I'm not saying I already know at least one Christmas present for this year, but I totally do. This book made me want to do extra-ordinary stuff, made me want to do as Jesus said and just leave everything behind and follow Him - to just dare, dare to be christian, dare to be myself, dare to, as Bob Goff said "leak Jesus".
This whimsical man comes straight from Disneyland, embodying every value you associate with a good christian (and a good human being): love, humility, awesomeness, generosity, charity, selflessness, gratitude. He is the living embodiment that if you decided to leave everything and follow Him, you will have to say YES to so many awesome things that your life will become a-m-a-z-i-n-g. It made me think of a sentence I once heard from a pastor, which was something like this: "many people believe that being Christian means that you are not allowed to do some things - like listening to some kinds of music or having sex before marriage. But in reality being a christian isn't about the things you can't do, but about the things you can do." And I think this book is exactly about that, the things we feel compelled to do because of our love for Christ.
This message came into my life right in the perfect moment, when I decided to be more public with my faith, while in the past I was always reluctant to share my love for Jesus with the world, for fear of being judged or misinterpreted or made fun of. Now I truly believe that, while I would never force my beliefs on anyone, I won't hide them either; not because I rationally think it's the best thing I can do, but because I can't stop! I am leaking Jesus!!! :D I thank God for putting this amazing man on my path, and I hope I can learn how to be a better christian not only form his words, but also from his actions!
March 6, 2013
I hate it when people recommend a book and don't tell me that it's a Jesus/God book! I read all the stories which were OK and then skipped the part after each story that talks about religious implications. I consider myself a Christian but like to know before I start a book that it leans in the preachy direction.
July 25, 2017
Christian NonFiction Not recommended
In this book, Goff loosely connects events in his life with lessons about God, all without quoting a single bible verse.
There are two things in particular that concern me here. Goff says that you can't get to know Jesus better by studying the Word. I can attest, from personal experience, this is simply not true.
Also, Goff suggests that God isn't bothered by sin. He's just sorry that we're hurt by it. This view cannot be supported by the bible.
Goff is correct that faith without works is not true Christianity. But the foundation of our Christian walk must be obedience to the Lord. And that means being in the Word and in prayer daily. Pursuing an intimate walk with the Lord will lead to obedience, which will lead to a fruitful Christian walk.
Often times, for me, a one star rating means I didn't finish the book. In this case, I did finish it, but I absolutely cannot recommend it.
In this book, Goff loosely connects events in his life with lessons about God, all without quoting a single bible verse.
There are two things in particular that concern me here. Goff says that you can't get to know Jesus better by studying the Word. I can attest, from personal experience, this is simply not true.
Also, Goff suggests that God isn't bothered by sin. He's just sorry that we're hurt by it. This view cannot be supported by the bible.
Goff is correct that faith without works is not true Christianity. But the foundation of our Christian walk must be obedience to the Lord. And that means being in the Word and in prayer daily. Pursuing an intimate walk with the Lord will lead to obedience, which will lead to a fruitful Christian walk.
Often times, for me, a one star rating means I didn't finish the book. In this case, I did finish it, but I absolutely cannot recommend it.
May 18, 2012
I admit it. I am tired of arguing, debating, and spending so much of my time researching just to find an answer to another of life’s dilemmas. From family life to the weekly sermons, I find myself on a constant “rat race” to find answers, truth, and sometimes a way around it all–just finishing a doctoral program probably doesn’t help this mindset.
I have found over time, academia and religion have a way of taking the fun and reality out of reading. Books become resources, articles hold keys to greater truths, even blogs, the internet, Wikipedia become sources for expanded knowledge (oh the irony in blogging about this). The head swells – not because of all of the great learning, but because all that information constantly batters the brain until it is black and blue–swelled like your arm after you said, yes, when a classmate asked if you wanted a “hurt’s doughnut” in grade school.
That’s where I found myself a week or so ago. Reading as a masochistic practice–and my head was swollen and hurting. So much to read…so little time. “Have you read this?” “What do you think about this person’s perspective, theology, slant?” As the proverbial commercial always said, “Calgon, take me away!”
Then about a week ago, I picked up Bob Goff’s new book Love Does: Discover a Secretly Incredible Life in an Ordinary World. My first thought was, here is another person trying to play off the success of Rob Bell’s Love Wins – then I read the foreword.
Bestselling author, Donald Miller writes one of the most admirable forewords to a book I have ever read. The odd thing is that the foreword is not really about the book at all. Instead, Don introduces us to his friend, Bob. He writes, “I don’t know how to explain Bob’s love except to say it is utterly devastating.” Most forewords tell you why you should read the book (and in a way it did), but moreover Don told the reader why we need a person like Bob in our lives.
Don’s foreword defused my mind from preparing for an argument or a debate. I began reading not searching for a perspective to agree with or not. Instead, I read to build a relationship with a person, to experience life with a new friend, and to enjoy the journey of reading again. By chapter five, I had tears of laughter pouring out of my eye sockets. I hadn’t been so energized by a book for quite some time.
Why? What makes this book different?
Bob said it well in Love Does. He said, “One of the ways I make things matter to me is to move from merely learning about something to finding a way to engage it on my own terms…We need to make our faith our very own love story.” This book isn’t Bob’s theological treatise, it isn’t an answer book, but rather it is glimpses of Bob's love story which he has graciously opened up for us to enjoy.
When I finished reading Love Does, I felt I had a new friend. Like I could actually call Bob up and meet with him at his office on Tom Sawyer’s Island–and then I turned to the final page. After the acknowledgements, after the author information, there is one more page, “Connect with Bob,” and there it was, Bob's phone number. Who does that? Who would be that vulnerable? ...only a friend who believes in what “love does.”
It’s time for you to read the book and for me to make a phone call.
I have found over time, academia and religion have a way of taking the fun and reality out of reading. Books become resources, articles hold keys to greater truths, even blogs, the internet, Wikipedia become sources for expanded knowledge (oh the irony in blogging about this). The head swells – not because of all of the great learning, but because all that information constantly batters the brain until it is black and blue–swelled like your arm after you said, yes, when a classmate asked if you wanted a “hurt’s doughnut” in grade school.
That’s where I found myself a week or so ago. Reading as a masochistic practice–and my head was swollen and hurting. So much to read…so little time. “Have you read this?” “What do you think about this person’s perspective, theology, slant?” As the proverbial commercial always said, “Calgon, take me away!”
Then about a week ago, I picked up Bob Goff’s new book Love Does: Discover a Secretly Incredible Life in an Ordinary World. My first thought was, here is another person trying to play off the success of Rob Bell’s Love Wins – then I read the foreword.
Bestselling author, Donald Miller writes one of the most admirable forewords to a book I have ever read. The odd thing is that the foreword is not really about the book at all. Instead, Don introduces us to his friend, Bob. He writes, “I don’t know how to explain Bob’s love except to say it is utterly devastating.” Most forewords tell you why you should read the book (and in a way it did), but moreover Don told the reader why we need a person like Bob in our lives.
Don’s foreword defused my mind from preparing for an argument or a debate. I began reading not searching for a perspective to agree with or not. Instead, I read to build a relationship with a person, to experience life with a new friend, and to enjoy the journey of reading again. By chapter five, I had tears of laughter pouring out of my eye sockets. I hadn’t been so energized by a book for quite some time.
Why? What makes this book different?
Bob said it well in Love Does. He said, “One of the ways I make things matter to me is to move from merely learning about something to finding a way to engage it on my own terms…We need to make our faith our very own love story.” This book isn’t Bob’s theological treatise, it isn’t an answer book, but rather it is glimpses of Bob's love story which he has graciously opened up for us to enjoy.
When I finished reading Love Does, I felt I had a new friend. Like I could actually call Bob up and meet with him at his office on Tom Sawyer’s Island–and then I turned to the final page. After the acknowledgements, after the author information, there is one more page, “Connect with Bob,” and there it was, Bob's phone number. Who does that? Who would be that vulnerable? ...only a friend who believes in what “love does.”
It’s time for you to read the book and for me to make a phone call.
February 19, 2023
Bob Goff seems like a kind guy who genuinely cares for people. Had I read this book three years ago, in the midst of white evangelical culture, it would have been a breath of fresh air.
But I didn’t read it 3 years ago. I read it this week. And I can’t ignore the glaring white male privilege lurking behind Bob Goff’s amazing exploits. I mean this as no judgment against the writer. But as a warning to potential readers, this is not a book that engages with cultural identities. This book tends to simplify complicated issues of society with simply this: love. Privilege is real, so is money. Love is not and cannot be apart from fighting systemic oppression. Grand adventures like Bob Goff’s are truly out of reach for many and most people. We cannot simply “love” and then find ourselves on family trips to Disney Land.
The subtitle of this book is: Discover an Incredible Life in an Ordinary World. Bob Goff’s “world” is anything but ordinary. If you’re interested in learning to love people in a complicated world while navigating the tides of cultural identity, this book is not the book to read.
However, I do want to add that this book does have an audience and to that audience I would say “read on”.
But I didn’t read it 3 years ago. I read it this week. And I can’t ignore the glaring white male privilege lurking behind Bob Goff’s amazing exploits. I mean this as no judgment against the writer. But as a warning to potential readers, this is not a book that engages with cultural identities. This book tends to simplify complicated issues of society with simply this: love. Privilege is real, so is money. Love is not and cannot be apart from fighting systemic oppression. Grand adventures like Bob Goff’s are truly out of reach for many and most people. We cannot simply “love” and then find ourselves on family trips to Disney Land.
The subtitle of this book is: Discover an Incredible Life in an Ordinary World. Bob Goff’s “world” is anything but ordinary. If you’re interested in learning to love people in a complicated world while navigating the tides of cultural identity, this book is not the book to read.
However, I do want to add that this book does have an audience and to that audience I would say “read on”.
December 28, 2012
Overall: I read this book in one day of travel from Austin, TX to Orange County, CA, so it took about 4 hours or reading. If you know me at all, then you know that I don't read books straight through very often. That speaks volumes in itself. The book is great! I highly recommend it to anyone looking for good stories and a great example of how to show Christ in your life through loving others.
I was given this book as a Christmas gift because my Mother-in-Law sat next to Bob Goff on a flight from Uganda to the US. My Father-in-Law can confirm that they sat up the whole flight chatting about many of the stories contained in the book as well as others. Bob is the genuine article and his examples of how love does are truly inspiring.
I would recommend this book for anyone. Especially those people who travel, love God, love others or love yourself (yes, that should be everyone).
Love Does is a quick, entertaining read. Read it.
Sidenote: Bob includes his phone number in the back of the book. I texted him Merry Christmas. No reply as of yet.
I was given this book as a Christmas gift because my Mother-in-Law sat next to Bob Goff on a flight from Uganda to the US. My Father-in-Law can confirm that they sat up the whole flight chatting about many of the stories contained in the book as well as others. Bob is the genuine article and his examples of how love does are truly inspiring.
I would recommend this book for anyone. Especially those people who travel, love God, love others or love yourself (yes, that should be everyone).
Love Does is a quick, entertaining read. Read it.
Sidenote: Bob includes his phone number in the back of the book. I texted him Merry Christmas. No reply as of yet.
June 18, 2012
Every once in a while you read a book that enthralls so much you wish everyone in the world would read it. I figured I would like Love Does but didn't expect it to instantly be one of my favorite works of nonfiction ever.
Bob Goff is a special guy. I doubt you'll be able to read this book without wondering where someone like him comes from or how anybody could see the world in such a unique way. I literally want to drive across the country and meet him. The crazy thing is, if I called and said I was a stranger in town I'm pretty sure he'd tell me to stop over!
Love Does: Discover a Secretly Incredible Life in an Ordinary World shows the most important paradigm shifts in his life, filtered through his faith, and wrapped in some of the most wonderful stories I've heard anyone tell. Highly recommend the audio version just so you can hear Bob tell them to you himself.
Bob Goff is a special guy. I doubt you'll be able to read this book without wondering where someone like him comes from or how anybody could see the world in such a unique way. I literally want to drive across the country and meet him. The crazy thing is, if I called and said I was a stranger in town I'm pretty sure he'd tell me to stop over!
Love Does: Discover a Secretly Incredible Life in an Ordinary World shows the most important paradigm shifts in his life, filtered through his faith, and wrapped in some of the most wonderful stories I've heard anyone tell. Highly recommend the audio version just so you can hear Bob tell them to you himself.
July 4, 2018
I don't often find the time to read non-fiction, but I LOVED this book. It's written in a funny, engaging style...but it's the message that really got me. That we're to live a life, live a faith, that's fully engaged. And his examples--wow. This was one of those rare books that got me immediately thinking about what small things I can change in my life to make a big difference. I already bought EVERYBODY, ALWAYS and can't wait to dive in!
January 3, 2025
This book was good, exactly how it sounds, it was a simple storytelling of the parts of his life that influenced how he lived out his faith and discovered gods presence and grace in both mundane and exciting times of life. I wish there was more biblical/faith related content as it sometimes felt like a biography but it was easy to read and still interesting!
Here’s some quotes that stood out to me:
The words people say to us (and that we say) not only have shelf life but have the ability to shape life.
When we have security in Christ we no longer have to look for it in the world.
Most of us don’t get an audible plan for our lives, instead we get to be gods plan for the whole world by pointing people toward him.
The only weapon we have is love.
Here’s some quotes that stood out to me:
The words people say to us (and that we say) not only have shelf life but have the ability to shape life.
When we have security in Christ we no longer have to look for it in the world.
Most of us don’t get an audible plan for our lives, instead we get to be gods plan for the whole world by pointing people toward him.
The only weapon we have is love.
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