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Dream Small: The Secret Power of the Ordinary Christian Life
Find your self-worth and contentment in Christ and live out his plan for your life.
We are all looking for significance and meaning in our lives. The world tells us that this comes from dreaming big, achieving personal success and making a big impact. But the Bible says that self-worth is found in knowing our Creator, and contentment is found in discovering his purpose for our lives.
This book reminds us that when we know Jesus, we are free from the world’s definition of success. We can listen to God’s word and direct our dreams towards the things that he says matter most, even if they are small and unimpressive in the world’s eyes.
Celebrate the dreams God has for us: serving others, investing in individuals and living faithfully. Although these things seem small, their impact will be bigger, and their rewards will be better, than anything we could dream for ourselves.
We are all looking for significance and meaning in our lives. The world tells us that this comes from dreaming big, achieving personal success and making a big impact. But the Bible says that self-worth is found in knowing our Creator, and contentment is found in discovering his purpose for our lives.
This book reminds us that when we know Jesus, we are free from the world’s definition of success. We can listen to God’s word and direct our dreams towards the things that he says matter most, even if they are small and unimpressive in the world’s eyes.
Celebrate the dreams God has for us: serving others, investing in individuals and living faithfully. Although these things seem small, their impact will be bigger, and their rewards will be better, than anything we could dream for ourselves.
192 pages, Paperback
First published September 1, 2022
60 people are currently reading
530 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 77 reviews
January 15, 2025
One of the best books I have read on the Christian life.
Simple, balanced, but very helpful.
The sort of book I should probably make a habit to re-read each year (month? week?).
Defs recommend - and I would happily lend to anyone interested!
Simple, balanced, but very helpful.
The sort of book I should probably make a habit to re-read each year (month? week?).
Defs recommend - and I would happily lend to anyone interested!
October 1, 2022
This book is a breath of fresh air in a world that screams so loudly from every front (even in the Christian world) to “dream big.” Here’s to the small, ordinary dreams that will “send shockwaves into eternity.”
This book is for everyone. Thank you, Mr. Lewis.
This book is for everyone. Thank you, Mr. Lewis.
October 4, 2022
A really refreshing and encouraging book. A reminder about what God really values, our love for Himself and others and how that should be at the heart of our dreams. I love Seth’s challenge to think about our aims in the rooms we enter. “When I see my fellow humans in the kinds of situations Jesus spoke of, I should see the image of their Creator reflected in their faces, and know that as I serve them, I am serving him as well. I should also see myself: I was the hungry and thirsty one, unable to satisfy myself with anything the world has to offer apart from God”.
September 2, 2022
Seth’s style of writing is very intriguing, captivating, and thought provoking. If I had to give a one word review on this book it would be “refreshing”. Like a cold cup of water on a hot summer day, but more lasting. Maybe more like a friend to join you through a great difficult situation. When so much of our world is shouting “more, more”, Seth isn’t saying “less, less” but rather “focus, focus”. Submit and know what God has in store for you and be content in Christ in that! Will keep copies of this book to give out to people for sure!
June 20, 2023
It's been a long time since I read a book in one day. Couldn't put it down. If you're tired of your life being a rat race and are willing to evaluate your dreams, this book is for you. Highly recommended!
May 21, 2023
A refreshing read to redirect those who find themselves beginning to invest in snippets of their lives to storing earthly things instead of the heavenly.
Read this if you’re someone who loves dreaming and aiming big and find out why followers of Jesus strive to dream smaller.
Read this if you’re someone who loves dreaming and aiming big and find out why followers of Jesus strive to dream smaller.
Read
July 30, 2024This book is such a brilliant antidote to our culture's insistence that we all must achieve our dreams (ironically, as I was looking for this book to review it on Goodreads, there is another book by a famous pastor about chasing your biggest dreams!). Lewis argues that God has made us for normal, everyday life, and that the truth of the creation and the gospel is what makes our lives beautiful and worth living.
This book is beautiful. It's well written, thoughtful, pastoral, and short. A specific reason to read it: I don't remember the last time I've read a "Christian living" book that had such a beautiful, impactful, and relevant application of the gospel. As Lewis unpacked the gospel in the middle of the book, my soul was fed and I was encouraged. As a pastor, I know how difficult it can be to "fit the gospel in" in a way that seems fresh--Lewis has done this.
This book is an easy recommend for anyone who feels pressure to achieve in our worn-out world. Couldn't recommend more highly.
This book is beautiful. It's well written, thoughtful, pastoral, and short. A specific reason to read it: I don't remember the last time I've read a "Christian living" book that had such a beautiful, impactful, and relevant application of the gospel. As Lewis unpacked the gospel in the middle of the book, my soul was fed and I was encouraged. As a pastor, I know how difficult it can be to "fit the gospel in" in a way that seems fresh--Lewis has done this.
This book is an easy recommend for anyone who feels pressure to achieve in our worn-out world. Couldn't recommend more highly.
September 2, 2022
In all walks of life there is an underlying attitude that ordinary is dull, second best or worthless. Glory is given to those who are exceptional, rightly so, but only very few people are ever in that category. So for us ordinary folk, how does that make us feel?
It is very easy for the majority of us to feel inadequate in so many ways, but in this book Seth encourages us to realign our ambitions to what actually matters. I do love the subtitle to the book “The Secret Power of the Ordinary Christian Life”. It sums up the truth that we all have power, and in fact what the world may see as ordinary, is actually impactful, effective, works out God’s plan and is powerful. Now that is encouraging!
The book’s focus is on what really matters, not what matters to the world. What matters to God brings us a true contentment. In reading it I gained a sense of perspective on my own place in the cosmos, knowing that we have a God who knows us and loves us, even in our 'smallness'.
Sometimes the book is refreshingly simple, reminding us that goodness does not have to be complicated, that the simple things in life are often the most rewarding and that our call is not to be busy, rich or famous but it is simply to be … to be ourselves ... to be a child of God. That none of us are too small, insignificant or ordinary for the Creator of the universe to love and cherish...
Read the full review at https://www.robseabrook.com/dream-sma...
It is very easy for the majority of us to feel inadequate in so many ways, but in this book Seth encourages us to realign our ambitions to what actually matters. I do love the subtitle to the book “The Secret Power of the Ordinary Christian Life”. It sums up the truth that we all have power, and in fact what the world may see as ordinary, is actually impactful, effective, works out God’s plan and is powerful. Now that is encouraging!
The book’s focus is on what really matters, not what matters to the world. What matters to God brings us a true contentment. In reading it I gained a sense of perspective on my own place in the cosmos, knowing that we have a God who knows us and loves us, even in our 'smallness'.
Sometimes the book is refreshingly simple, reminding us that goodness does not have to be complicated, that the simple things in life are often the most rewarding and that our call is not to be busy, rich or famous but it is simply to be … to be ourselves ... to be a child of God. That none of us are too small, insignificant or ordinary for the Creator of the universe to love and cherish...
Read the full review at https://www.robseabrook.com/dream-sma...
October 4, 2022
So I opened this on my Kindle shelves on a whim Monday morning and then may or may not have touched any of the readings for class I'd told myself I'd do for the day, but I'd say it's well worth it! There were parts that made me go "oof" in conviction, but the author's tone was also very gentle and encouraging and this short book brought a lot of clarity to some scheduling-related decisions I've been struggling with recently — to the point that I might actually be able to make up for the homework time "lost" in reading this, and then some :0
The author provided a lot of helpful practical examples and illustrations for various biblical ideas (such as faithfulness over small things and running the race with our eyes fixed on Jesus) that I knew of conceptually but have had a harder time applying and addressed how dreams both small and big in the world's eyes can be meaningful for now and eternity if built on Christ as the foundation / submitted to God's plan for our lives as part of His redemption story.
My only (small) issues with this book were the lack of chapter divisions on the Kindle version which made it a bit harder to navigate between chapters and some (minor) spelling/grammar errors. Otherwise, it was rooted very well in Scripture and offered good examples of real-life people living the "small dreams" out in different ways!
The author provided a lot of helpful practical examples and illustrations for various biblical ideas (such as faithfulness over small things and running the race with our eyes fixed on Jesus) that I knew of conceptually but have had a harder time applying and addressed how dreams both small and big in the world's eyes can be meaningful for now and eternity if built on Christ as the foundation / submitted to God's plan for our lives as part of His redemption story.
My only (small) issues with this book were the lack of chapter divisions on the Kindle version which made it a bit harder to navigate between chapters and some (minor) spelling/grammar errors. Otherwise, it was rooted very well in Scripture and offered good examples of real-life people living the "small dreams" out in different ways!
February 28, 2023
This one wasn’t what I expected it would be—and that’s not a bad thing. I read Ordinary by Michael Horton back in 2021 and was thinking that it would be similar. I thought that Seth Lewis would make a case for why the ordinary Christian life was better when compared with extraordinary and he did—just not in the way that I was thinking he would.
Lewis targets the reader who seems to place greater value on worldly definitions of success, significance, and happiness. He argues that as followers of Christ, we are defined by the work of One who is much greater than any worldly measure could ever be and because of that, our success, significance, and happiness are found in Jesus.
I loved that he did a thorough explanation of the Fall and the gospel. I loved that Jesus was front and center in this book—the foundation of our dreams. And I loved that the small dreams that Lewis advocated for weren’t necessarily prohibitions against big dreams—they were reminders for us to check our motives and keep our sights on Christ and His kingdom.
I really enjoyed this book!! Because of its explanation of the Fall and the gospel, I think it would make a great evangelistic tool or an amazing read for a new believer. I also think that those who’ve followed Christ for a long time could use the fresh reminder that this book provides. Highly recommend!
Lewis targets the reader who seems to place greater value on worldly definitions of success, significance, and happiness. He argues that as followers of Christ, we are defined by the work of One who is much greater than any worldly measure could ever be and because of that, our success, significance, and happiness are found in Jesus.
I loved that he did a thorough explanation of the Fall and the gospel. I loved that Jesus was front and center in this book—the foundation of our dreams. And I loved that the small dreams that Lewis advocated for weren’t necessarily prohibitions against big dreams—they were reminders for us to check our motives and keep our sights on Christ and His kingdom.
I really enjoyed this book!! Because of its explanation of the Fall and the gospel, I think it would make a great evangelistic tool or an amazing read for a new believer. I also think that those who’ve followed Christ for a long time could use the fresh reminder that this book provides. Highly recommend!
January 17, 2025
2nd time through: Jan 25
Freeing, thoughtful and encouraging. Helps reorient us back to what God says is important!
Freeing, thoughtful and encouraging. Helps reorient us back to what God says is important!
January 15, 2025
Listened on audio this week during work - definitely think I would’ve paid more attention if I had read a physical copy! Overall, it was a simple and scripture-driven picture of the “small dreams” we can have in the Christian life. Very encouraging in our success-driven world!
January 13, 2023
A short, easy, super-encouraging read. I underlined so much in this book and will definitely read it again. Saw it in a “favorite books of 2022” list and it piqued my interest. So glad I got it!
November 4, 2022
This book is a breath of fresh air in our crazy hyperproductivity focused world. Seth beautifully articulates how our basic human needs to feel seen, recognised and valued can be achieved through living an ordinary life in service to God. We have been created for a purpose, to serve God and live faithfully for him and how this ultimately is the only true source of fulfilment and way of achieveing our dreams with real ever lasting satisfaction.
He reminds the reader that is not wrong to live a successful life, if that is the Lords will, but our dreams end should be to glorify God and not man. We are a character in Gods story, not the author of our own destination. With this truth, we truly experience freedom.
I did not want this book to end. Its a short book that is saturated with biblical truth.
He reminds the reader that is not wrong to live a successful life, if that is the Lords will, but our dreams end should be to glorify God and not man. We are a character in Gods story, not the author of our own destination. With this truth, we truly experience freedom.
I did not want this book to end. Its a short book that is saturated with biblical truth.
September 22, 2022
Great book, would definitely recommend.
March 13, 2023
Light and refreshing. A good reminder that as a Christian I am called “to aspire to live quietly” (1 Thessalonians 4:11).
October 27, 2023
This is the most encouraging, challenging, tender, and focusing reality check I've ever read. I love it. It's going onto my read-again (and again) shelf.
September 12, 2022
Is it okay to be ordinary? In Dream Small, Seth Lewis shares the secret power of the ordinary Christian life.
God���s Value System
Lewis begins by letting us know how God does not value things the way we do. When we see things from the perspective of our Creator, we realize that our dreams don’t need to define us. The love of our Creator and our Savior becomes supreme. And when we come to Jesus, he changes everything – including our dreams.
We don’t have to see ourselves as the author of our own story, but we can see ourselves as a character in a story that is bigger than ourselves. This frees us from the security we think money, fame, and health bring. Our plans don’t have to be ultimate. God’s Word, and his promises to us, help us find our place in his story, giving us our identity, and offering the best ending possible – better than we can imagine. Lewis is convincing and convicting.
Climbing Down the Ladder of Success
In a striking analogy, Lewis explains how Jesus climbed down the ladder of success to love us. We can do the same as we learn to love others. Our identity remains secure and our future is sealed. And what’s more, climbing down the ladder actually leads to glory. In God’s eyes, becoming a servant is greater than worldly success. Jesus values those who gives their lives to love the “least of these.” When we lay down our pride and deny our penchant for disobedience, we find Jesus to be our overwhelming satisfaction and joy.
Building our dreams on God begins by being close to God himself. We will prioritize with his plans in mind. The book gets personal by asking questions such as: “Are you leveraging the assets he has blessed you with for the sake of God and others, or are you using them to gain personal advantage over others?“ In many ways, depth of service to a small number is greater than shallow service to a large number. We can trust that God controls the plot.
We Are Small, But Loved
This book does not let us off the hook in terms of faithfulness to our calling. We still need to make great effort in pursuing small dreams. We will set aside some of our hopes and learn to make hard choices. Our schedule and skills will need to be examined. I was most challenged when Lewis stated that in regards to skills, the important question is not who’s the best but rather what are my abilities for? We must leverage our talents for the Lord and not for our own glory. Our small investments can yield big rewards.
This book is for those who think that bigger platforms, more money, and worldly success and achievements will bring you greater happiness and satisfy your soul. It will cause you to re-examine your life. It will shift your priorities. It will challenge the patterns of your life and change the priorities of your heart. This book will remind you of what really matters most. We are small, but loved. Freedom and joy, contentment and satisfaction, are found not in ourselves – but in Jesus.
I received a media copy of Dream Small and this is my honest review.
God���s Value System
Lewis begins by letting us know how God does not value things the way we do. When we see things from the perspective of our Creator, we realize that our dreams don’t need to define us. The love of our Creator and our Savior becomes supreme. And when we come to Jesus, he changes everything – including our dreams.
We don’t have to see ourselves as the author of our own story, but we can see ourselves as a character in a story that is bigger than ourselves. This frees us from the security we think money, fame, and health bring. Our plans don’t have to be ultimate. God’s Word, and his promises to us, help us find our place in his story, giving us our identity, and offering the best ending possible – better than we can imagine. Lewis is convincing and convicting.
Climbing Down the Ladder of Success
In a striking analogy, Lewis explains how Jesus climbed down the ladder of success to love us. We can do the same as we learn to love others. Our identity remains secure and our future is sealed. And what’s more, climbing down the ladder actually leads to glory. In God’s eyes, becoming a servant is greater than worldly success. Jesus values those who gives their lives to love the “least of these.” When we lay down our pride and deny our penchant for disobedience, we find Jesus to be our overwhelming satisfaction and joy.
Building our dreams on God begins by being close to God himself. We will prioritize with his plans in mind. The book gets personal by asking questions such as: “Are you leveraging the assets he has blessed you with for the sake of God and others, or are you using them to gain personal advantage over others?“ In many ways, depth of service to a small number is greater than shallow service to a large number. We can trust that God controls the plot.
We Are Small, But Loved
This book does not let us off the hook in terms of faithfulness to our calling. We still need to make great effort in pursuing small dreams. We will set aside some of our hopes and learn to make hard choices. Our schedule and skills will need to be examined. I was most challenged when Lewis stated that in regards to skills, the important question is not who’s the best but rather what are my abilities for? We must leverage our talents for the Lord and not for our own glory. Our small investments can yield big rewards.
This book is for those who think that bigger platforms, more money, and worldly success and achievements will bring you greater happiness and satisfy your soul. It will cause you to re-examine your life. It will shift your priorities. It will challenge the patterns of your life and change the priorities of your heart. This book will remind you of what really matters most. We are small, but loved. Freedom and joy, contentment and satisfaction, are found not in ourselves – but in Jesus.
I received a media copy of Dream Small and this is my honest review.
September 16, 2022
This encouraging book pushes back against cultural pressures to dream big dreams, achieve amazing goals, and impress everyone. Seth Lewis starts out by saying that he's nobody you've ever heard of, but that saying you're ordinary shouldn't be an admission of failure. He writes about how small we all are in the scheme of the universe, no matter how impressive we are in comparison to others, and he encourages his readers to locate themselves within God's story instead of trying to be the hero of their own. He emphasizes that when we know that our value comes from God, not from our accomplishments, we can accept ourselves and care for others in entirely new ways.
However, even though Lewis pushes back against the pressures people experience in the secular world and in the church to become Somebody, he doesn't denigrate people who gain renown and are successful by worldly standards. Rather, he contrasts inspiring anecdotes from his family history, showing that even though his great-grandfather's ministry to the homeless at the YMCA and his grandfather's work as a quality control expert for Sears were wildly different by worldly standards, both men devoted themselves to honoring God and caring for the good of others in their day-to-day work and personal lives. Instead of suggesting that you're more worthy if you're lowly in the world's eyes, Lewis shows that no matter what you do or how people perceive you, you can dream "small dreams" for the good of everyone you come into contact with.
Dream Small is a powerful corrective to general celebrity culture and misguided pressures in the church. Lewis shows that you don't have to do Extraordinary Things for God by other people's standards to faithfully follow Him, and that your impact on other people's lives depends on your willingness to show up in ordinary ways, day after day. Although none of these ideas were new to me, I found them especially well-expressed here, and reading this encouraged me greatly. I would recommend this short, readable book to both teens and adults.
I received a free copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
However, even though Lewis pushes back against the pressures people experience in the secular world and in the church to become Somebody, he doesn't denigrate people who gain renown and are successful by worldly standards. Rather, he contrasts inspiring anecdotes from his family history, showing that even though his great-grandfather's ministry to the homeless at the YMCA and his grandfather's work as a quality control expert for Sears were wildly different by worldly standards, both men devoted themselves to honoring God and caring for the good of others in their day-to-day work and personal lives. Instead of suggesting that you're more worthy if you're lowly in the world's eyes, Lewis shows that no matter what you do or how people perceive you, you can dream "small dreams" for the good of everyone you come into contact with.
Dream Small is a powerful corrective to general celebrity culture and misguided pressures in the church. Lewis shows that you don't have to do Extraordinary Things for God by other people's standards to faithfully follow Him, and that your impact on other people's lives depends on your willingness to show up in ordinary ways, day after day. Although none of these ideas were new to me, I found them especially well-expressed here, and reading this encouraged me greatly. I would recommend this short, readable book to both teens and adults.
I received a free copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
December 29, 2024
This was absolutely outstanding! What an important reminder that our small, seemingly insignificant, lives are filled with so much purpose for the glory of God's kingdom.
I love how Seth Lewis speaks of his extra- ordinariness in such a relatable way. It makes me think about how ordinary my own life is, and how my relentless chase for the ordinary is actually bringing me closer to God.
If His purposes for me is to achieve huge success, then that's fine. As long as those big dreams are built on the foundations of small dreams. But if His purpose for me is to have a quiet life, serving my family and friends, then the joy and peace that comes with that is also endless.
This book reminded me to fix my gaze on Jesus and not be distracted by the things of the world. It gave me permission to move slowly and be happy with my ordinary (but very blessed) life.
If you need those same reminders, please read this book. It's just stunning!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I love how Seth Lewis speaks of his extra- ordinariness in such a relatable way. It makes me think about how ordinary my own life is, and how my relentless chase for the ordinary is actually bringing me closer to God.
If His purposes for me is to achieve huge success, then that's fine. As long as those big dreams are built on the foundations of small dreams. But if His purpose for me is to have a quiet life, serving my family and friends, then the joy and peace that comes with that is also endless.
This book reminded me to fix my gaze on Jesus and not be distracted by the things of the world. It gave me permission to move slowly and be happy with my ordinary (but very blessed) life.
If you need those same reminders, please read this book. It's just stunning!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
July 8, 2023
This is a wonderfully written book with a challenging and encouraging message.
Seth Lewis writes beautifully and encourages all of us to follow Jesus in the simple, small every-day things. He makes each thought simple and relatable throughout the book.
He encapsulates the Christian life with his encouragement to dream small. Following Jesus means being willing to give up the short term and ultimately unfulfilling “big dreams” (wealth, fame, promotion, etc) for the seemingly mundane humble pursuit of loving God and loving people. The book reminds us that the small dreams (doing the regular basics of following Jesus) are ultimately fulfilling and will lead us to the greatest dreams and satisfaction that God has in store for us in this life, and beyond.
Seth Lewis writes beautifully and encourages all of us to follow Jesus in the simple, small every-day things. He makes each thought simple and relatable throughout the book.
He encapsulates the Christian life with his encouragement to dream small. Following Jesus means being willing to give up the short term and ultimately unfulfilling “big dreams” (wealth, fame, promotion, etc) for the seemingly mundane humble pursuit of loving God and loving people. The book reminds us that the small dreams (doing the regular basics of following Jesus) are ultimately fulfilling and will lead us to the greatest dreams and satisfaction that God has in store for us in this life, and beyond.
April 11, 2025
This was a basic, concise, and helpful little book on how to live faithfully as a Christian and what our goals for this life should be. I would recommend this to a newer believer struggling with how to know the will of God.
The Christian life is about steady daily faithfulness. It’s about making God’s name great, not our own. Our goal shouldn’t be to be in front of large crowds, but to faithfully lay down our lives for the people that God has put in our lives to serve. We ought not compare ourselves with each other, but evaluate ourselves based on God‘s word. These are all themes of this book.
A verse that summarizes my takeaway from this book is Psalm 37:3, “Trust in the LORD, and do good; dwell in the land and befriend faithfulness.”
Listened.
The Christian life is about steady daily faithfulness. It’s about making God’s name great, not our own. Our goal shouldn’t be to be in front of large crowds, but to faithfully lay down our lives for the people that God has put in our lives to serve. We ought not compare ourselves with each other, but evaluate ourselves based on God‘s word. These are all themes of this book.
A verse that summarizes my takeaway from this book is Psalm 37:3, “Trust in the LORD, and do good; dwell in the land and befriend faithfulness.”
Listened.
January 8, 2023
Dream small. That’s not something you normally hear. But that is the title of this little book and exactly the reason I picked it up. In it, writer Seth Lewis reminds us to find our self-worth in Christ. Our value is not in how much we accomplish, how big our dreams are, or how impressive we seem. An honest look at ourselves compared to the scope and grandeur of creation will show us that we are small and unimpressive anyway. But Seth reminds us that our value is in being known and loved by God. And since we are known and loved by God, we are free from the shackles of the world’s definition of success. We are free to follow the encouragement of Paul in 1 Thessalonians 4:11.
…seek to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business, and to work with your own hands, as we commanded you,
God doesn’t need us to be impressive. He calls us to be quietly faithful. He calls us to see the value of every individual, whether they can add “baseline value” or not. While we are constantly told to “go big or go home” Seth says to go home, love people, and follow Jesus. If that’s in “big ways,” follow Jesus. If that’s in “small ways,” follow Jesus. But don’t get hung up on big or small. Find your contentment and satisfaction in following him! This book was refreshing and encouraging to me because it demonstrates the power of living an ordinary life as a follower of Jesus. It reminded me that doing the right thing is seen and known by God and that is enough.
…seek to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business, and to work with your own hands, as we commanded you,
God doesn’t need us to be impressive. He calls us to be quietly faithful. He calls us to see the value of every individual, whether they can add “baseline value” or not. While we are constantly told to “go big or go home” Seth says to go home, love people, and follow Jesus. If that’s in “big ways,” follow Jesus. If that’s in “small ways,” follow Jesus. But don’t get hung up on big or small. Find your contentment and satisfaction in following him! This book was refreshing and encouraging to me because it demonstrates the power of living an ordinary life as a follower of Jesus. It reminded me that doing the right thing is seen and known by God and that is enough.
January 31, 2023
Such a lovely little book reminding us of the treasures we have in Jesus.
June 3, 2023
A quick read. An easy and engaging read. A lot to think about but all on the same idea so it’s not overwhelming. I will add this one to my read again list.
Read
June 28, 2025kinda wish it went a little deeper but everything that was in the book was good and true so what more can i say i guess
October 11, 2024
Such a good reminder, simple and edifying!
The writing was a tad bit bland, but still an encouraging read.
The writing was a tad bit bland, but still an encouraging read.
November 23, 2024
This is a really helpful book - though it gets repetitive, and felt a little bit like it was being stretched out. I’d say about 60% is must-read, and the rest is still good, but repeats from other sections.
December 31, 2023
I really liked this book it was a quick read and would give it 3.5 stars. Just a good reminder to put your life in perspective you are not the main character but you do have a special role and have been created with all your talents and gifts uniquely.
Look around you as you can serve God right now right where you are.
Look around you as you can serve God right now right where you are.
August 20, 2023
This is a tiny but punchy book that has really encouraged me to keep on keeping on, doing ordinary things for God faithfully.
“Make it your ambition to lead a quiet life.” 1 Thess 4:11a
“Ambition. A quiet life. These two things look like antonyms in a world where dreams are only ever allowed to be big.”
“Paul’s advice was not to imitate any effective strategies or any othe rmetric of worldly success, but rather to focus our lives primarily on smaller things tha the says matter most.”
Seth Lewis hits the nail on the head when he says that whatever we are working towards in our bid to lead a purposeful life (in establishing a family, career accomplishments, friendships), all these are good gifts. However, like cut flowers in a vase, they will eventually fade and wilt, because they are not plugged into the source - God, who is the tree of life with living roots.
“The good news is that you don’t have to try to use your dreams to make youself big enough or good enough to love, or somehow create your own value and meaning. You can find all this in Jesus, and when you come to him, everything changes - including your dreams.”
“If you achieve dreams that the world considers big, make sure that they are built on dreams that the world considers small. Let your dreams - whatever their size - be born in the quiet, close fellowship with your Creator.”
My favourite story in this book was that of 61 year old Cliff Young, the sheep farmer who won the 875km Sydney-Melbourne ultramarathon by 10 hours simply because he just kept shuffling on, though he only had work boots and none of the professional equipment or training that the other younger ultra-marathoners had.
And this. “Competition for personal glory in the body of Christ is like an auto-immune disease where the body of Christ fights against itself. We have better things to do.”
9/10 ⭐️
#whatareyoureadingsg #readingnationsg #lbbreads #bookstagram #bookstagrammer #bookreview #beautifulbookcovers #ReformedLiterature #TruthforLife #TruthforLifeMinistries #DreamSmall #SethLewis
Displaying 1 - 30 of 77 reviews