Book Review: You Can Be Everything God Wants You to Be

YOU CAN BE EVERYTHING GOD WANTS YOU TO BE
by Max Lucado
Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 2010

I'm a fan of Max Lucado's books. His writing is straight-forward and uplifting. "You Can Be Everything God Wants You to Be" is no exception. The title of this book alters what children are often told, that "you can be anything you want to be." The title puts that statement in it's proper perspective. We were made by God to fulfill a certain purpose or purposes in life. The only way for us to achieve happiness in life is by following His design for our lives. God has given us the gifts we need in order to fulfill that purpose. Lucado offers practical suggestions for how to determine what those gifts and that purpose is.

This is designed as a small gift book. In fact, the sticker on the front states "perfect for the graduate" which it would be, especially a middle school or high school graduate. Buy it for yourself if you are doing some soul-searching and looking for a new direction in life. It is a quick-read with short sections, but it leaves a big impression.

Here are a couple of my favorite quotes from this book:

"Since you are a God's idea, you are a good idea. What God said about Jeremiah, he said about you: 'Before I made you in your mother's womb, I chose you. Before you were born, I set you apart for a special work' (Jer. 1:5)"

"You are heaven's Halley's comet; we have one shot at seeing you shine. You offer a gift to society that no one else brings. If you don't bring it, it won't be brought."