My friend, John Berquist, recently asked me to check out a book by his friend, Gary Barkalow entitled, “It’s Your Call: What Are You Doing Here?”  I was happy to do it, and he was happy to send me a couple of copies.  I’m giving one away today.

But first, let me tell you a little about this book.

Gary Barkalow has taken years of experience, study, and his own teaching on the subject of calling and has poured it into this book.  The result is an engaging work that is full of wisdom and should be read slowly to fully digest and apply the truths contained within it.

I’ve re-read passages a number of times already, just to let them sink in. Not because they were hard to understand, but because I didn’t want to “gloss over” or speed past what was being said.

The author goes beyond “skills tests,” “spiritual gift inventories,” “strength finders” and simple answers to get to the very weighty matter of our calling, which he describes as the “glory” of our life.

With the stunning definition of “glory” as “the splendor, abundance, beauty, brilliance, or weightiness (importance) of a thing or person,” Barkalow sets us on a journey to discover something more than simply our assignment, next job or personality traits.   It is the journey of becoming – discovering God’s design and destiny for our life.

The book unpacks these ideas in a comprehensive way, including the mystery of our calling, becoming oriented through our story, desires and journey, the attacks against our calling, and more.

Using Scripture, stories from his own experience, solid quotations from great thinkers and wisdom that was not discovered quickly or easily, Gary Barkalow has written a book that I can highly recommend.

In short, I dug it.

And I’m giving away a copy to the first person to leave a comment on this post requesting one…

Or, you can order it here.

Reading, re-reading and hoping to read a variety of books this summer.  Categories are all over the map – Church planting, Theology, business, leadership, marketing, fiction and fun stuff.  I may add to or take away from this list as the summer goes on, but here’s where I stand at the moment.

Ok, I know this one is kind of obvious, but I wanted to be specific.  I won a copy of the NLT Study Bible in a Twitter Contest several weeks ago, so I’m going to be using it for my Bible reading this summer.  My goal is to make my way through the New Testament before September.

Some of the following books I have already read, and am now either skimming, focusing on certain chapters or re-reading completely.  Others, I’m starting for the first time.  You can find most of them on Amazon.

Notice the “Studies in Hebrews” by Herschel H. Hobbs from 1954.  How about that “spare no expense” flashy cover?

Finally, here are a few I hope to read, but haven’t purchased, yet.

What are you reading this summer?

Heads Up:  ”Book Review Posts” are always going to be a bit longer than most posts.

I’m reviewing two books, this time around.   One I’m almost finished reading, and the other I haven’t gotten to, yet.  Unfortunately, because I wasn’t clear in my communication with the publisher about the giveaway copies, I only received one review copy of each book.  My fault.  Sorry about that.  

But fear not.  I’m still giving one away – the one I haven’t already scribbled in!  

Let’s start with the aforementioned “scribbled in” copy.

Several years ago, the workbook, book and eventual phenomenon called “Experiencing God” by Henry Blackaby and Claude King was a powerful eye opener for me.   This book, “Experiencing The Spirit” by Drs. Henry & Melvin Blackaby, brings to mind the themes and truths of that earlier work, but with an emphasis on the work and Person of the Holy Spirit.

Straight up, let me just say that I’m loving this book.  It’s balanced, rings true and is highly motivating.  In a time when some Christians are basing their theology of the Trinity on works of fiction, the Blackabys  provide a Biblically sound portrait of the Holy Spirit, His role in the Trinity and His work in the life of believers.  And they do it in a way that isn’t stuffy or dry.

These guys are not known for parroting the latest trend or towing along with the oldest tradition, and this book reflects that.  

I was particularly excited to read their take on “Spiritual Gifts” and “Spiritual Gift Inventories” in particular.  I think this is because it is something that I’ve been saying for a long time, and it was nice to realize I’m not alone in my thinking.

Here’s a sample:

“Taking a spiritual gift inventory can help you understand where you’re strong and where you’re weak.  It can even help identify how God has used you since you’ve become a Christian.  But it shouldn’t be used as a guide for how God desires to use you in the future, for God’s purposes are based upon His strengths, not yours alone.”

And:

“One of  the dangers of relying on a spiritual gift inventory is that you’ll be tempted to trust the test results and not turn to God to seek His perspectives about your giftedness.  After all, why spend time seeking after God when you can take a test and get immediate results?”

The authors also stress the importance of relationship and obedience for a life that experiences the power of the Holy Spirit in all of His fullness:

“The Holy Spirit doesn’t need to equip you for what you’re not going to do, so if you’re in rebellion against Jesus and refusing His right to be Lord, he doesn’t need to send the Holy Spirit to equip you for service.  And, tragically, you miss out on the joy that He brings.”

Also:

“If we seek the gifts of the Spirit and not the Holy Spirit Himself, we’ll always focus on self.  We must learn to understand that there are no gifts apart from an intimate relationship with the Spirit.  And the work of the Spirit is directly connected to the lordship of Christ in our lives.”

The book incudes a study guide, and I’m strongly considering using it as a resource for Stoneview Church.  

A few caveats:

• This book is definitely written with Christ Followers in mind, and is not really intended for those who are not already following Christ.
• There is a smattering of  ”Christianese” sprinkled throughout the book.  If you’re a new Christ follower you may not know some of the lingo.
• The authors use expressions like “intimate love relationship” referring to our interaction and connection with God.  These types of phrases make most men cringe.  I’d prefer phrases like “connection with God that is based on love” or something similar that communicates the same truth without the “creepy” factor.  

That said, there is some incredible truth communicated in this book, and I highly recommend it.  Find info on purchasing a copy here.

Now on to book two, “The Treasure Principle” by Randy Alcorn.

Because I haven’t read it, yet, I’m providing the summary from the publisher.  But I will say that I’ve heard wonderful things about this book and have wanted to read it for some time.  Below the summary you’ll find information on how to receive my copy of the book.

From the Publisher:

Flip-Flop Your Concept of Giving! 

“Bestselling author Randy Alcorn introduced readers to a revolution in material freedom and radical generosity with the release of the original The Treasure Principle in 2001. Now the revision to the compact, perennial bestseller includes a provocative new concluding chapter depicting God asking a believer questions about his stewardship over material resources. Readers are moved from the realms of thoughtful Bible exposition into the highly personal arena of everyday life.

Because when Jesus told His followers to “lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven,” He intended that they discover an astounding secret: how joyful giving brings God maximum glory and His children maximum pleasure. Discover a joy more precious than gold!” 

I’m going to read this book (without marking in it) then give it to the first person who leaves a comment on this post on this blog (johnnyleckie.com) correctly answering this question:  “What is the name of Johnny & Leona Leckie’s new dog? ”  (Hint: The answer can be discovered on my Twitter feed:  http://www.twitter.com/jrleckie.)

Or you can purchase a copy here.

Once again, I’ve been given the opportunity by WaterBrook Multnomah Press to review a new book on my blog.  As I participate in these “blog tours,” I am committed to giving my honest impressions of the books I review, and when the publisher makes them available, I’ll have at least one copy to give away.  This time, I have two.

“For Young Men Only” (FYMO) by Jeff Feldhahn & Eric Rice (with Shaunti Feldhahn) is the newest book in a series of gender/age specific titles designed to improve relationships.  Other books in the “Only” series are “For Young Women Only,” “For Women Only,” “For Men Only” and “For Parents Only.”

Let me just say that FYMO is a book that I would have loved to have had  when I was in High School and College.  Using their research from a national survey and conversations with hundreds of girls, these guys have done a great job in providing a “guy’s guide to the alien gender.”

The book is a fast read, but it’s packed with insight that most guys would never discover on their own.  A few sample topics:

• “Why Good Girls Like Bad Boys: Understanding a girl’s greatest secret fear-and what you can do about it”
• “When Girls Stop Making Sense: A code breaker’s guide to baffling female behavior”
• “No Dropped Calls: How to talk and listen to a girl without sounding like an idiot”
• “What It Really Means To Score: The truth about girls, guys and sex”

FYMO also includes a conversation guide, cartoon illustrations (woo hoo!) and a hard cover.  The companion website (http://foryoungmenonly.com) has a lot of fun extras also, including video, forums and a “members only (free registration)” section.

My review of FYMO can be summed up in this way: I’m passing my copy along to my son, Michael. [edit: This means I think it is great and feel good about the material.  Just to be clear ]

You can purchase a copy from Amazon, here.

But as I mentioned earlier, I have two copies of the book to give away. I had originally planned to ask a question from my Twitter feed, the answer to which was “25.”  The question was going to be, “How many times did I say, “Uh” in my latest “Audio Update?”  But I decided to not post that update, so, uh, never mind on that.

The first two people to just leave a comment requesting the book will get a free copy.

Comment away…

Along with a number of other bloggers out there, I’ve been given the opportunity to review the new book by Mark Batterson that was released today, entitled, “Wild Goose Chase: Reclaim the Adventure of Pursuing God.”

Mark is also the author of “In A Pit With A Lion On A Snowy Day,” is the pastor of National Community Church in Washington, D.C., has been one of my prayer partners along the way, and never ceases to encourage and inspire me to great things.

Mark has the degrees. Mark knows the theological lingo. Mark knows his history. Fortunately, he doesn’t allow any of that to hinder his ability to communicate, motivate and inspire in this book.

In “Wild Goose Chase,” Mark does what all great pastors do – using the truth of Scripture, he motivates his readers/listeners to arise from their cubical chairs of dull existence and get busy living life as God intended – in a passionate pursuit of the Giver of all Life.

From the introduction:

“Most of us have no idea where we’re going most of the time. Perfect.

“Celtic Christians had a name for the Holy Spirit–An Geadh-Glas, or ‘the Wild Goose.’ The name hints at mystery. Much like a wild goose, the Spirit of God cannot be tracked or tamed. An element of danger, an air of unpredictability surround Him. And while the name may sound a little sacrilegious, I cannot think of a better description of what it’s like to follow the Spirit through life. I think the Celtic Christians were on to something….

Most of us will have no idea where we are going most of the time. And I know that is unsettling. But circumstantial uncertainty also goes by another name: Adventure.”

As I read the last page of the first chapter, I got “goose bumps.” I then turned the page and discovered the title of chapter two: “Goose Bumps: Coming Out of the Cage of Responsibility.” And so it went throughout the rest of the book.

So much of “Wild Goose Chase” just seemed to strike a chord with me.

Here’s an example:

“The title of the book of Acts says it all, doesn’t it? It’s not the book of Ideas or Theories or Words. It’s the book of Acts. … Some of us live as if we expect God to say, ‘Well thought, good and faithful servant!’ or ‘Well said, good and faithful servant!’ God isn’t going to say either of those things. There is only one commendation, and it is the by-product of pursuing God-ordained passions: ‘Well done, good and faithful servant!”

And one more:

“I think some of us want to know the will of God more than we want to know God. And it short-circuits spiritual growth.”

I could pull out a number of standout quotes for you, but let me simply say that “Wild Goose Chase” is just a great book. It is inspirational and extremely motivational. God used it to broaden my thinking, stir my heart and get me out of the chair. I highly recommend it.

Go to chasethegoose.com for more info and if you purchase the book, be sure to download Mark’s “10 Steps to Setting Life Goals.” It’s great stuff, also. Buy the book from Amazon here.

The publishers were kind enough to provide me with a pre-release copy of the book as well as one to give away here as a part of the “Blog Tour” promoting the book.

Comments on my blog have become a bit of a Ghost Town, here, lately, so I’ve decided that the first person to leave a comment on my blog requesting the book, gets the free copy.

Chase the Goose!