Richard Duane Warren is an American Baptist evangelical Christian pastor and author.He is the founder of Saddleback Church, an evangelical Baptist megachurch in Lake Forest, California. Since 2022, he is director of the Finishing the Task mission coalition.
I followed Rick Warren's instructions and read one chapter per day to savor all the learnings and messages in this book. A lot of them confirmed the beliefs that I already have on the reason why we are here in this world and why some things do not go according to our plan.
"Whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God."
Still, there were a lot more new insights that I learned which deepened my faith in God and His purpose for my life.
Anytime you feel you are not learning anything from a sermon or a Bible teacher, you should check your attitude, especially for pride, because God can speak through even the most boring teacher when you are humble and receptive.
This passage struck me because I often felt sad about not seeming to learn anything from a sermon because the priest was too boring.
We are blessed to be a blessing. We are saved to serve, not to sit around and wait for heaven. At the end of your life on earth you will stand before God, and he is going to evaluate how well you served others with your life.
If you want to keep growing, the best way to learn more is to pass on what you have already learned. The one who blesses others is abundantly blessed; those who help others are helped. Anyone who knows the right thing to do but does not do it is sinning. Knowledge increases responsibility. But passing along the purpose of life is more than obligation; it's one of life's greatest privileges.
Some people sometimes mock me for reading and posting about such spiritual things and even relating it with the holy use of money. These are the people whom I need to reach out to. I pray that they, too, will realize that their purpose here is not to serve their own self-interest but to serve God by serving others.
I think this book is wonderful. Anyone who does not like this book does not have the right frame of mind or their heart to accept the most important message here...God loves us and will always love us. How can you be angry at that?
This book really fucking sucked and the author is obviously under educated when it comes to everything in the world other than god. It's not only hypocritical but ridiculous. I love how it says our problem today is living for our self and others which is selfish so we need to live for god. So wait doesn't that make him selfish if everyone has to live for him? I really think if god is real and he could come back and write the bible he would. I couldn't read a sentence without the word god being in it so I really think if someones going to write a book about the meaning of life and self happiness, they need to teach you how to live for your SELF before others. Maybe I should step in and write it haha.
A great book! Very Inspirational... I learned a lot of great Bible quotes . The Author articulated the text in a way that was easy to comprehend and relate to. I look forward to reading it again! :-)
Good Book! Makes you think outside the box, the ordinary becomes extra-ordinary. While reading this book, you begin to delve into who you really are. Making you think about goals, etc... You need the right frame of mind to read this book. It's not an easy read, but its a good kone!
I read this book when I was so confused and lost. I was looking for my purpose in life aside from being a mom, wife, and daughter. I didn't know what career should I pursue. My prayer was full of "me". And this book gave me a mindblowing realization. I have been asking for mine but it's His! It's His purpose through us, not the other way around! I could not be more thankful that I read this book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
I will begin and end this brief review the same way:
One of the WORST books I have EVER read in my life.
Pure drivel - how many times can he write glory to god, we worship and glorify god, we enjoy god, delight in god, etc. etc.
I've read books with a religious bent that I find very well written. Even though I am not religious, I respect how they feel and the philosophy they are sharing. This book is truly just nonsense. That first sentence I wrote - that's pretty much how the whole book reads. Completely unoriginal, uninspiring and if I felt on the fence about "God" before, well this author wants to make me run from even saying the word God. In fact it's almost like he had to qualify for a minimum word count w/a teacher in elementary school and peppered the book with the word God as many times as possible.
In summary, a purpose driven life, according to the author, is one where you worship, glorify and delight in God. Everything is God.
I was toying w/the idea of going to some services w/a friend but after having read this book, I can't stomach the thought of sitting in a room voluntarily with someone like him.
In closing as I began, one of the WORST books I have EVER read in my life.
40 Days with Rick Warren was a transformational experience for me. This is the second time that I read the book. Perhaps it was the drastic change in our society since my first reading in 2002 and my uncomfortable reaction to a world that has turned violent and Godless. Warren's deep spiritual knowledge and his understanding of human nature have given me hope; not with a nation so thoroughly divided, but with a deep appreciation of life.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
This book clarified what the Lord wants from my life. Using the Lord's own words the author is able to explain what the Lord is looking for in our life.
I recommend ‘The Purpose Driven Life’ to all of my colleagues. It is easy to read and comprehend. Often when reading various scriptures, we encounter difficulty grasping the actual meaning. This book provides a thorough explanation.
I thoroughly enjoyed meandering my way through this book. It invites contemplation, meditation, introspection and finally action. 40 days is nowhere near long enough and I know I will revisit this devotional many, many times.
I love it! I got a lot of moral lesson in this small book! It suppose to read this book for 40 days, but sorry that I finished reading this for just 2 or 3 days! I love it! I learned a lot. Defenitely I'm going to read it again!
Inspirational book that helps to show what should truly be our focus and determination. Very encouraging and uplifting to know that God has a plan for your life. Enjoyed the scriptures and reflections to emphasize each section.
GIFTED TO ME FIRST BY MY NOW DECEASED MOTHER MORE THAN A DECADE AGO, I HAVE YET TO FULLY IMMERSE MYSELF INTO IT AS I HAVE OTHER BOOKS NOT AS WELL MEANING AS THIS ONE MIGHT BE. BUT I'LL GET TO & THROUGH IT ONE DAY AT A TIME.