BOOK REVIEW
I GIVE UP: THE SECRET JOY OF A SURRENDERED LIFE by Laura Story
by Melissa Doppler
battles with letting go, Laura draws us into a Peppered throughout are what Laura calls
deeper understanding of God’s perfect plan for “white flag prayers”. Short, simple prayers that
our lives, and His desire for intimacy and our reflect the truths learned in the chapter just
complete trust, obedience and loyalty. read. I love these – when you are in the middle
of a storm it can be so hard to find the words
“Surrender to this God is not a once-for-all, do- to say, and these prayers give you the added
it-yourself exercise in self-will. It’s an offering feeling of Laura joining her faith with yours.
that’s continually undertaken in the context of
relationship.”
“WHITE FLAG PRAYER #7
God, I confess my need to gain and keep
control of things and ask for your help in letting
As she gives
go of ______________. It’s all yours. Now help
me leave it there with you. Amen"
us glimpses at
her own battles
with letting go,
Laura Story is a Bible teacher, worship leader,
Grammy Award-winning singer/songwriter and
bestselling author. She has a graduate degree
from Covenant Theological Seminary and has
served as a worship leader at Perimeter Church
in Atlanta since 2005.
The saying goes “When life gives you lemons,
make lemonade”, but let’s face it, sometimes
we need someone to give us the recipe. “I
Give Up” contains an excellent recipe for joy
in the midst of trials in the form of surrender –
surrender to a loving and trustworthy God.
Knowing that we probably need some practical
tools to actually ‘let go’, Laura teaches us how
to believe when we least feel like it and to act
‘as if’ we are who God says we are, even when
we have failed.
Laura draws us And for those of us who have an insatiable
into a deeper us with proof that surrender is a beautiful (if
need to know ‘what comes next’, Laura leaves
not easy) act. She demonstrates how our
understanding choice to surrender positively impacts those
of God’s perfect bring reconciliation and leaves a lasting legacy
around us, can heal our broken relationships,
of faith. But best of all, Laura shows us that
surrender is the most beautiful form of worship.
plan for our
“Worship is the lived experience of offering
lives...
myself, moment by moment and day by day, to
a living God. It is opening my hands and letting
go of whatever I am clinging to instead of him.
Surrender isn’t a popular word. It implies
relinquishing control, or even admitting ultimate Drawing on scripture and Biblical heroes, Laura It is acting as if everything he says about himself
defeat to a feared foe. But Laura Story skillfully skillfully weaves a tale of hope and love. She and about me is absolutely true.”
leads us towards a different definition of confronts our sometimes-flawed understanding “surrender” – one where relinquishing control of the nature of our Heavenly Father and helps isn’t something to be feared, but results in us consider our earthly challenges through His peace and joy, even when circumstances loving eyes.
Release date: July 30, 2019
Available wherever good books are sold.
W Publishing, an imprint of Thomas Nelson
wwwThomasNelson.com
conspire against us.
“He doesn’t just know all things – he knows us.
Laura’s shares her struggle with the reality He knows our love language. He knows our
that life defies even our best efforts to be in deepest desires. He knows what’s best for us,
charge. As she gives us glimpses at her own and when.”
76
June 2019
Melissa Doppler
Graduate of Hillsong College, worshiper, avid
reader, leadership junkie, and writer with a passion
to help others discover their God-given purpose.
Check out her blog.
MelissaDoppler.com
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