From Good to Grace and Giveaway (ends 3/29)

Most of my posts contain affiliate links where I get a small percentage of the sale at no additional cost to you when you purchase something through a link.  Thank you for starting your shopping here at Books, Bargains, Blessings.  I received a free copy of this book from Family Christian in order to do a fair and honest review.  I also received an appreciation certificate for hosting the giveaway.


From Good to Grace: Letting Go of the Goodness Gospel appealed to me.  I was the classic good girl in high school and college.  In fact, I once made a checklist of all the "Good Christian Things" I could think of and would see how good of a Christian I was each week.  Going to Sunday School?  That got a point.  Memorizing a Book of the Bible?  Another point.  Choir Practice?  It was on there, too, even though I can't sing at all.  I lost points if I didn't write a missionary, pray through my entire prayer list, and another 27 other things that would tell me at the end of the week if I passed or failed at being a Christian.   Needless to say I never was able to live up to my expectations, and I failed.

I was hoping to love this book.  I wanted to rave about how wonderful it was.  Yet, I can only say it was good.  There were two chapters that stood out as  excellent (Receiving His Freedom and Love Shows).  This book is good, but I think I have been a bit too well read on grace over the years for this to be something outstanding to me.  Still, I would highly recommend it for a women's Sunday School class, Bible study or book club.  My boyfriend tells me I am intense about my faith, and because of that and being the voracious reader I am, I have read countless books on this topic.  Yet, it was still a good reminder that being good doesn't equal grace.

It is rare that I agree with everything in a book, and the one problem I had with this one was where she told someone, "I know exactly how you feel."   Because each person is different, they will view each situation uniquely.  I've always felt that a more loving way to say basically the same thing is say, "I have felt. . ." and then say how you interpret the person is feeling.

I did like that this is nearly a Bible study book but the author uses many personal examples of how she has given or received grace.  She's married to a pastor, a church planter, no less, and has an autistic son.  I would say she has a lot of experience giving and receiving grace.  She also dispels the myth that if we are good enough, we will be blessed by God.  That was a very popular teaching among my friends for a long time. I no longer buy into it.  Life happens.  Accidents happen.  If being good meant a perfect and prosperous life, then the Pharisees  (either ancient or modern day) wouldn't have a care in the world.  This book helps remind us of the truth of what good doesn't accomplish and what grace does.

From now until March 31  Family Christian is having a special sale, 25% off your entire online purchase of regularly priced items.  Just use coupon code MARCH25.  This is the perfect time to purchase this book or another item that Family Christian sells.

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