Book Review | Everyday A Friday

Joel Osteen's new book Everyday A Friday is being released today so we are giving away a free book to one of my readers!

I have thoroughly enjoyed this book.  In fact, as I was reading it, I was convinced he wrote it just for me. Although I generally tend to be a positive, upbeat person, I tend to allow the negative words and attitudes of others to affect me. This book really helped me see that because God's Word says so, I do not have to be affected by these words and attitudes.

I know that many times, even from (especially from) the Christian community, Rev. Osteen receives a lot of criticism for always having a positive outlook on life, always smiling, and encouraging others to dream bigger than they tend to.  However, in our world today, there is so much that is ready to bring us down, I believe that we need people like him to encourage us.  I am so tired of negative, critical people, and Joel Osteen is such a breath of fresh air.

This book is divided into seven sections:

• Don't Give Away Your Power
• Know What to Ignore
• Live Without Crutches
• Laugh Often
• Celebrate Yourself
• Travel Light
• Be a Dream Releaser

One particular section in the book really touched me as he nailed one of the responses to words that I usually have.  If someone says something unnecessarily critical, fault-finding, or just plain rude, I tend to not react to the person at all, but I keep their words and think about them over and over again, building up anger in my heart towards the person and it causes me to want to stay away from them.  He says, "When you allow what someone says to upset you, you're allowing that person to control you...... People have a right to say what they want, to do what they want, as long as it is legal. And we have the right to not be offended. We have the right to overlook it. But when we become upset, we change."

This is one book that I really think many today need to read, be encouraged by, and apply to their lives in order to break free from the negative attitudes that permeate our society. 

To be entered in the giveaway, leave your first name, city and state in the comments below.  Giveaway will close on Friday, September 16, at 9:00 p.m. (EST).  I'm looking forward to passing along this copy of Everyday A Friday to one of you!