What do you think?
Rate this book
Give It All to Him
This story, excerpted from Next Door Savior , will become the Easter giveaway book for churches next spring-in the vein of He Did This Just for You . In this story a woman gives her garbage of shame to the trashman; an old man hands over his heavy bag of regrets. Hundreds walk to the landfill and find it filled with trash. "Give it to me. Tomorrow. At the landfill. Will you bring it?" He rubs a moist smudge from her cheek with his thumb and stands. "Friday. The landfill." "You can't live with this," he explains. "You weren't made to." For individuals and churches, here is a beautiful story of a Savior who can take all our garbage on his shoulders-and amazingly, still stand! In addition to this story, Max explains in easy-to-understand language what Christ did for us and how to turn in our old baggage and exchange it for new life in him.
64 pages, Paperback
First published February 15, 2004
230 people are currently reading
743 people want to read
About the author
Max Lucado
1,202 books5,445 followersWith more than 150 million products in print and several NYT bestsellers, Max Lucado is America's bestselling inspirational author. He serves the Oak Hills Church in San Antonio, Texas, where he lives with his wife, Denalyn, and their mischievous mutt, Andy. His most recent book published in August 2024 and is titled What Happens Next.
https://www.facebook.com/maxlucado/
https://twitter.com/maxlucado
https://www.instagram.com/maxlucado/
https://www.accessmore.com/pd/maxluca...
https://www.facebook.com/maxlucado/
https://twitter.com/maxlucado
https://www.instagram.com/maxlucado/
https://www.accessmore.com/pd/maxluca...
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 70 reviews
May 14, 2025
What a book! What a simple concept. What a beautiful analogy. What a life-affiming conclusion. What a book!
The concept is simple.
We all go through our long lives collecting garbage... regrets; worn-out concepts; petty grievances; frustrations that just won't go away.
We're loaded down! We're sinking!
The analogy is beautiful.
It's finally garbage day, but we're about to miss it - we're finally getting some much-needed sleep. Then there's a patient yet insistent knock on the door. We grumpily stumble up to it and open it.
It's a smiling young man in a spanking new uniform.
He politely asks us if we've missed the garbage collection - he'd be pleased to take it off our hands!
The conclusion is exultantly life-affIrming.
Of course, the garbage man is God.
HE wants to take the awful load off our backs. And HE wants to recycle our garbage, get our stale old life Up and Running again - and turn us into A NEW PERSON.
And only HE can do it...
***
Well, you say - all that's well and good, but what about the garbage that's Around us - ALL AROUND THE WORLD?
Good point. And that reminds me of my OWN story...
When I became a full-fledged adult fifty years ago, I was appalled at how low people around me had started to stoop.
‘Well, welcome to the real world, kid - and YOU’ve just only started to wake up to your OWN garbage!’
You see, the world around us is not always nice - but we can NEVER get defensive about our OWN goodness.
Cause our own moral entropy never sleeps!
But I didn‘t know that, so I started to scratch EVERYWHERE beneath the surface for hidden scandals.
There I was, a shallow kid out to reform the world!
And guess what?
I was repeatedly bludgeoned back into my little corner. Naturally.
Over and over again. Until I was a mere shadow of myself.
Why?
Well, remember what F.D.R. said?
‘We have seen the Enemy and he is US!’
I had, quite simply, been constructing an Ivory Tower over my vast personal Mountains of Garbage. I was my own worst enemy.
And I - all on my own - nearly ruined my life because of it.
But I was one of the lucky ones. I was laid so low, I had to look Up.
And seek the only Real Help possible!
And that’s the Good News...
Yes, Lucado is right.
It’s Garbage Day - thank Heaven.
Just let Him take it all off your back!
He’ll simplify your life:
Like He did for me.
The concept is simple.
We all go through our long lives collecting garbage... regrets; worn-out concepts; petty grievances; frustrations that just won't go away.
We're loaded down! We're sinking!
The analogy is beautiful.
It's finally garbage day, but we're about to miss it - we're finally getting some much-needed sleep. Then there's a patient yet insistent knock on the door. We grumpily stumble up to it and open it.
It's a smiling young man in a spanking new uniform.
He politely asks us if we've missed the garbage collection - he'd be pleased to take it off our hands!
The conclusion is exultantly life-affIrming.
Of course, the garbage man is God.
HE wants to take the awful load off our backs. And HE wants to recycle our garbage, get our stale old life Up and Running again - and turn us into A NEW PERSON.
And only HE can do it...
***
Well, you say - all that's well and good, but what about the garbage that's Around us - ALL AROUND THE WORLD?
Good point. And that reminds me of my OWN story...
When I became a full-fledged adult fifty years ago, I was appalled at how low people around me had started to stoop.
‘Well, welcome to the real world, kid - and YOU’ve just only started to wake up to your OWN garbage!’
You see, the world around us is not always nice - but we can NEVER get defensive about our OWN goodness.
Cause our own moral entropy never sleeps!
But I didn‘t know that, so I started to scratch EVERYWHERE beneath the surface for hidden scandals.
There I was, a shallow kid out to reform the world!
And guess what?
I was repeatedly bludgeoned back into my little corner. Naturally.
Over and over again. Until I was a mere shadow of myself.
Why?
Well, remember what F.D.R. said?
‘We have seen the Enemy and he is US!’
I had, quite simply, been constructing an Ivory Tower over my vast personal Mountains of Garbage. I was my own worst enemy.
And I - all on my own - nearly ruined my life because of it.
But I was one of the lucky ones. I was laid so low, I had to look Up.
And seek the only Real Help possible!
And that’s the Good News...
Yes, Lucado is right.
It’s Garbage Day - thank Heaven.
Just let Him take it all off your back!
He’ll simplify your life:
Like He did for me.
February 17, 2021
This is a super-easy read that could easily get completed during one sitting in probably thirty minutes or less. Wanted to re-read this booklet before donating to the neighborhood book box. In spite of its size, the material was convicting and a great reminder of how baggage can subtly accumulate and weigh us down. Our Great Shepard and Lord took our baggage on the cross so we could live free through Him. Once we give our junk to Jesus, don't take it back again. Utter foolishness! Whether our burden is anger, hatred, bitterness, or (fill in the blank), Jesus wants us to live free by taking that stuff on Himself. This booklet is filled with Scripture references in order to refer back to God's Word. Please check out this awesome reading material.
September 20, 2015
I'm not a big Max Lucado fan. Not for his words, but for his writing style. This book does not read like some of his others. I actually get this book! It spoke to me in a big way. I want to buy a bunch of these books and give them to my friends. 4.5 stars.
March 13, 2015
Rid Yourself of Your Trash.......
Are you bent over with the weight of the garbage bags of your life ? Through this book learn where and how finally rid yourself of the heavy burden. Max Lucado does it again !
Are you bent over with the weight of the garbage bags of your life ? Through this book learn where and how finally rid yourself of the heavy burden. Max Lucado does it again !
January 1, 2024
A great, concise "in a nutshell" read for getting free of burdens and initially getting right before God, but wish Mr. Lucado would have spoken more about reconciling with others and about forgiving oneself.
February 17, 2017
A Great Metaphor
This author's book is quite poetic. His metaphor of using trash for sin is an excellent comparison. This book is suitable to be read by Christians and non-Christians alike. It would be a great book to give to someone you want to witness to. The poetic style would appeal to many who are into literature and like to read. Its brevity, however, makes it suitable for almost anyone. It is a quick and easy read, but packed full of meaning.
This author's book is quite poetic. His metaphor of using trash for sin is an excellent comparison. This book is suitable to be read by Christians and non-Christians alike. It would be a great book to give to someone you want to witness to. The poetic style would appeal to many who are into literature and like to read. Its brevity, however, makes it suitable for almost anyone. It is a quick and easy read, but packed full of meaning.
March 18, 2019
Baggage is everywhere
This is a great read because as this author always puts things in relative realistic scenarios. I have been alone and homeless several times in my life. The guilt and shame absorb the very essence of your being. This author and pastor places the relevance of a forgiving savior that is there in life for these situations. Read this with an open heart and mind, in my opinion, you will be better afterward.
This is a great read because as this author always puts things in relative realistic scenarios. I have been alone and homeless several times in my life. The guilt and shame absorb the very essence of your being. This author and pastor places the relevance of a forgiving savior that is there in life for these situations. Read this with an open heart and mind, in my opinion, you will be better afterward.
October 23, 2023
A lend from a friend that I kept for too long because I had no interest in giving 15 min to read it.
Better than I expected. First the problem: our sin and resulting pain, manifest in many different kinds of people carrying trash bags full of regrets. Then the solution: Jesus, with jeans and tshirt and a baseball cap, who tells the main character and many others to give him the trash on a certain morning. She does, along with others.
Better than I expected does not mean good. As helpful as it might be for a metaphor, Jesus was not just buried under trash. He didn’t just yell “I’m sorry” as He poured it over top of His head. He didn’t just stand up when it was done. ((Biting my tongue, my blood is boiling …))
A weak metaphor weakens both the understanding of reality and the true hope that could come from it. That is not worth the quicker path to understanding since it doesn’t really get there after all.
Now what to say to my friend when I return her book …
Better than I expected. First the problem: our sin and resulting pain, manifest in many different kinds of people carrying trash bags full of regrets. Then the solution: Jesus, with jeans and tshirt and a baseball cap, who tells the main character and many others to give him the trash on a certain morning. She does, along with others.
Better than I expected does not mean good. As helpful as it might be for a metaphor, Jesus was not just buried under trash. He didn’t just yell “I’m sorry” as He poured it over top of His head. He didn’t just stand up when it was done. ((Biting my tongue, my blood is boiling …))
A weak metaphor weakens both the understanding of reality and the true hope that could come from it. That is not worth the quicker path to understanding since it doesn’t really get there after all.
Now what to say to my friend when I return her book …
October 16, 2024
I got this little book for free from a church. I was at a meeting with a friend, and he said you've got to read this book. It's only about 55 pages and I could easily read it in one sitting, but it is amazing. This is a brilliant little book. Lucado wrote a simple little story about the trash that we drag with us everywhere we go. In between installments of the story, he gives thoughts and teaching about that trash and how to get it out of our lives, by (spoiler alert) giving it all to Him. They way Lucado tells a story is mesmerizing, and his teaching is memorable, gentle and kind. This little book could help a lot of people. Pick one up, read it for yourself and then give it away.
August 19, 2017
GOD BLESS MAX LUCADO!!!!
Again this blessed man has touched my life in a very special way. As I read this book I realized how truly heavy my bag of trash had come to be; I realized how my shame,my lies,my securities have been weighing me down. I realized too that if I confess my sins to God this heavy burden will be remove...no has been removed by the blood of Christ.
Read this book and have it touch your soul just as it did mine.
Again this blessed man has touched my life in a very special way. As I read this book I realized how truly heavy my bag of trash had come to be; I realized how my shame,my lies,my securities have been weighing me down. I realized too that if I confess my sins to God this heavy burden will be remove...no has been removed by the blood of Christ.
Read this book and have it touch your soul just as it did mine.
October 27, 2018
A beautiful short read. This story is a way to help us look at Gods love and greatest sacrifice in a different lenses. We see God for what he does and Jesus for his taking on all our sins. We are literally sin carriers. They are invisible to the naked eye but we know where they reside in our hearts, souls, and minds. We have to remember to pray daily for our sins and his forgiveness. A great read for anyone no matter where you are in life.
August 12, 2020
Good book to give to someone considering faith and a good reminder to those in the faith. It's important to be brought back to the basics sometimes. Max always does a good job presenting familiar material in New ways to help you appreciate them more. This book is no exception. It's short but worth the time.
January 17, 2021
Kindle Customer
Highly Recommended
Reviewed in the United States on January 17, 2021
Max Lucado is my favorite Christian author. This book is all about dealing with the trash in your life... Excellent points are made about giving up the burdens that we insist on retaining and living the life that Jesus intended for us. RECOMMENDED
September 20, 2023
An Excellent Read
If you have burdensome cares and want to let them go, this is the book for you. Matthew 11:28. Let it go, and this book will show you how. Letting your burdens go will bring you peace. You have nothing to lose and everything to gain. This is a fantastic book - one of many - by Max Lucado. Read this. You will not regret it.
If you have burdensome cares and want to let them go, this is the book for you. Matthew 11:28. Let it go, and this book will show you how. Letting your burdens go will bring you peace. You have nothing to lose and everything to gain. This is a fantastic book - one of many - by Max Lucado. Read this. You will not regret it.
April 27, 2024
Freedom is so wonderful.
It is so great to be free of all the fears and anxieties I have carried for years. I thought I had let it go, but after reading this book, I had kept some. I know now I need to let it all go. Thank you Jesus for being my trash man. I gave it all to Him who lives, though he died..
It is so great to be free of all the fears and anxieties I have carried for years. I thought I had let it go, but after reading this book, I had kept some. I know now I need to let it all go. Thank you Jesus for being my trash man. I gave it all to Him who lives, though he died..
March 10, 2019
What a beautiful reminder to read during the Lenten season! My bag of trash has been pretty heavy lately, if you are going through a difficult season in life lately, I would recommend picking up this book.
September 19, 2019
He can carry it!
Quick read yet full and rich with wisdom. Use the freshman analogy well as we all feet it is up to us to dispose of our thrash while there is already someone behind luego
While there is already someone behind you willing to carry the load.
Quick read yet full and rich with wisdom. Use the freshman analogy well as we all feet it is up to us to dispose of our thrash while there is already someone behind luego
While there is already someone behind you willing to carry the load.
June 16, 2020
Great book!
This book really makes you realize that you can give it all to Him and not carry around all your trash. He will take it from you. Your guilt ,fear, sadness
Whatever that is weighing you down. Just trust in God
This book really makes you realize that you can give it all to Him and not carry around all your trash. He will take it from you. Your guilt ,fear, sadness
Whatever that is weighing you down. Just trust in God
August 6, 2023
This is a beautiful book about releasing our burdens in life to Jesus who already has died to save us from all sin. Rather than carry sin and worry (the “trash” of our lives) around we are able to release them into the hands of Jesus who is our mediator and defender.
June 24, 2024
Max is so understanding.
Max makes the word of God speak to me through this book. His words are written so all can understand.
I highly recommend his books to all my friends. God bless Max Lucado.
Max makes the word of God speak to me through this book. His words are written so all can understand.
I highly recommend his books to all my friends. God bless Max Lucado.
March 1, 2017
Wonderful been book. Enjoyed it from beginning to the end.
I would recommend this book for anyone needing to seek freedom from any and burdens they are now carrying n
I would recommend this book for anyone needing to seek freedom from any and burdens they are now carrying n
February 26, 2018
Jesu s paid it all - all to him I owe
My sin had left a crimson stain He washed it white as snow. Thank you Jesus for taking away my sin and shame + nailing it to the cross.
My sin had left a crimson stain He washed it white as snow. Thank you Jesus for taking away my sin and shame + nailing it to the cross.
March 6, 2018
This short little book spoke right to my heart. Would love to give as an Easter gift!
June 14, 2018
Inspiring
Book was recommended by a friend. Very inspiring as I was going through a very difficult season in life. Encouraged me to know that I am not and never am alone.
Book was recommended by a friend. Very inspiring as I was going through a very difficult season in life. Encouraged me to know that I am not and never am alone.
July 21, 2019
Not a whole lot there, but a good message.
September 28, 2019
Confession or Trash Day
This book is a reminder of what confession does for us. It takes the trash of sin away. We have to take away the rage and shame of sin from us.
This book is a reminder of what confession does for us. It takes the trash of sin away. We have to take away the rage and shame of sin from us.
May 23, 2021
Max Lucado always reaches my heart and lifts me up.
November 18, 2022
A short book full of a wonderful story.
January 2, 2023
Such a simple and beautiful concept! It's easy to read with so much to gain - forever changed & grateful to have this resource
January 13, 2023
Great book
Displaying 1 - 30 of 70 reviews