As the magnitude of trials continue to escalate in the world today, Christians need to understand the seasons of preparation that God has for each of them. In Life Skills 101, Lori Parker identifies why we experience various trials. She offers practical ways to identify and overcome these trials so we will be ready for the Lord's return.Lori Parker, is an anointed author, conference speaker, and founder of One Choice Ministries. God has given her gifts of compassion, joy, and boldness. She has a passionate desire to see people develop an intimate relationship with the Lord. Lori preaches Biblical truths that stir the Body of Christ into action.
"I counsel you to buy from Me gold refined in the fire, that you may be rich; and white garments, that you may be clothed, that the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed; and anoint your eyes with eye salve, that you may see."~Revelation 3:18
Life Skills 101 gets off to a poor start. Its back cover copy discusses the trials we will all face in life, and informs us that the book has a strongly Christian perspective: then on the first page of its introduction it tells us that it's actually about our relationships with money and with god.
It implies that everyone reading the book will have little money and an irresponsible attitude to the little they have; that everyone who appears to be doing well is really hiding a mountain of debt and misery; and that the reason so many people overspend is that they are too proud, and feel they deserve better than they have. The author seems to resent college graduates, especially those who go on to postgraduate education; and she states that Christians should be exempt from rules which apply to non-Christians, as they can depend on god's guidance. It would have been useful if god had given the author a little guidance on the rules of punctuation and grammar, but perhaps he shares my view that writers should learn how to do these things for themselves.
This book gave me a very interesting glimpse into another world—but that doesn't mean I think it's any good. The author attributes all sorts of things to god's grace but doesn’t discuss why this might be so; she shows no understanding of social or psychological failings, she implies that we have no need to take personal responsibility for our mistakes or problems, and makes no allowance for the fact that sometimes terrible things happen to people which they simply cannot overcome even if they believe and trust in god. And that's where this book fails.
If the author had attempted to encompass more shades of grey—to recognise that not everyone believes in god, for example, and that often, hard work can be far more practical and effective than prayer and contemplation—this book would have been much better. As it is, it's a judgemental, disappointing and patronising text which encourages us all to live our lives responsible only to god, and to make no efforts to resolve our own problems or improve our lives other than by praying for god’s guidance: and that means it's only going to be taken seriously by people who already agree with the stance it takes; and that people like me, who disagree very strongly with most of the claims made in the book, are going to dismiss it.
If I were this writer, then, how would I improve this book? Instead of discussing abstract groups of people who are disappointed in their lives I would write about specific people and tell their stories in more depth; I would stop making insulting generalisations about people who did not share my beliefs; I would learn a little about logic and fallacy and apply what I'd learned to my writing; and I'd stop being so very disapproving about the way other people live their lives.
I read fifteen of this book's one hundred and thirty seven pages, and won't be reading any more.
5 comments:
Um, that's bad. Been watching your reviews and would love you to do a month rip-ups on 'traditionally' published books as well.
Ms. Smith, I don't know if you've ever visited my beloved homeland, the USA, but it looks like you've just gotten a 15-page taste.
Not that we're all like this, of course. Not that we're even mostly like this. But:
"she states that Christians should be exempt from rules which apply to non-Christians"
"she implies that we have no need to take personal responsibility for our mistakes or problems"
" make no efforts to resolve our own problems or improve our lives other than by praying for god’s guidance"
We're pretty well-stocked with subscribers to that philosophy over here.
On another note, I've noticed in the reviews where you quote the back cover copy, the authors very often praise themselves highly. I find this really off-putting. Modesty would go a long way toward making their cover blurbs more appealing.
In regards to some of the assertions here;
"she states that Christians should be exempt from rules which apply to non-Christians"
"she implies that we have no need to take personal responsibility for our mistakes or problems"
" make no efforts to resolve our own problems or improve our lives other than by praying for god’s guidance"
I can unequivocally say that this is not representative of what Christians are (note; I did not say it does not reflect a general census of the population, because I think it is fairly accurate, but I did say that these statements are NOT supported by the Jesus and the Bible).
Christians are NOT exempt and there's a verse to prove it. (Christians are to follow the law; give unto Caesar what is his, and to the Lord what is his).
To sin is a choice and Jesus most assuredly does not condone this. If one knows Jesus, one cannot but be changed and in doing so, is repentant. In doing so, forgiveness and reconciliation should happen and that indeed means, taking responsibility for what one does/says/thinks.
Jesus gave us the way to resolve problems and improve our lives, all with the understanding that our purpose is to glorify him and in doing so, know joy. So, we pray for guidance because we are NOT to be 'of' the world but 'in' it. There is a very large effort that has to be made just to withstand the evil forces at work, as well as our sin nature, and that is when we pray for the Spirit to give us strength.
So in essence, if the above assertions have been gleaned from this book, they are not consistent with what the Bible teaches. And in saying this, this is what Gandhi meant when he said; “I like your Christ but I do not like your Christians because they are not like your Christ.”
And that last says a lot more than the assertions. To know Jesus Christ is to repent from the world's ways and to walk out into the light. That's the idea and when more Christians learn that it's not about religion or morality (it was the religious sect that murdered him in the first place, and moral people will still go to Hell if they don't believe), but about how much God loves us and what Jesus did to save us. Period.
Michael
Anon number one: I do occasionally review books from the mainstream presses, but I don't do it here as this blog is only for reviewing self-published books (there's a bit of a clue in the title!).
Yes, mainstream publishing publishes books which I don't like. But they're rarely full of the fallacies and errors that most of the books I review here are chock full of, and most of those mainstream-published books do sell a few thousand copies. So they do have a readership, even if I'm not it.
Anon number two and Michael: the "we're not responsible if we just trust in god" message certainly isn't representative of what I understand to be Christianity. I'd hate for you to think that I was dismissing all believers because of this one review.
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