2021 Flip and Sip Reading Challenge 03

Title:  Love Does

Author:  Bob Goff

Info:  Copyright 2012, Nashville: Nelson Books.

Rating (on a scale of 1-4 stars):  ✮✮✮

Where Acquired: Amazon purchase.

Synopsis: What is the difference between mere human love and the agape love of God?  God's love doesn't simply feel; His love does.  Goff shares 31 stories of God's love in action.  From families to churches to foreign countries, these stories show God using His people to bring hope and healing to others.

Select Favorite Quotes:

There's nothing wrong with being typical, I guess, but there is nothing fundamentally right about it either.  I've never read in Genesis that God created "typical" and called it good.  Instead, I think men who were bored made up typical and called it, if not good, at least acceptable.  People who follow Jesus, though, are no longer typical--God is constantly inviting them into a life that moves away from typical.  Even if they have normal jobs, live in normal houses, and drive normal cars, they're just not the same anymore. - p. 15.

I enjoy those parts of the Bible where Jesus talks about how much He loves His bride.  It makes me wonder if the trees and mountains and rivers are things He planned in advance, knowing they would wow us.  I wonder if God returned over and over to the world He placed us in thinking what He has created was good, but it could be even better, even grander.  I wonder if He thought each foggy morning, each soft rain, each field of wild flowers would be a quiet and audacious way to demonstrate His tremendous love for us. - p. 24.

Because of our [Bob and Maria] love for each other, I understand just a little more how God pursued me in creative and whimsical ways, ways that initially did not get my attention.  Nevertheless, He wouldn't stop.  That's what love does--it pursues blindly, unflinchingly and without end.  When you go after something you love, you'll do anything it takes to get it, even if it costs everything. p. 52.

The Positive:

• Goff's storytelling ability drew me into each chapter.  It felt like I was sitting on the porch with a cup of coffee listening to the author tell story after story.  Many of the stories were serious, but many had me laughing. 
• This book was very encouraging and convicting all at once.  It caused me to reevaluate my own love walk and made we want to do more, give more, and reach more.
• The chapters were short and easy to navigate.  It was a quick read, but the materials made me want to slow down and relish each story and the lesson it conveys.
  

The Negative:

• I understand that Goff was trying to maintain the conversational nature of the book, however, he would vaguely mention scripture, yet not cite the passages he was referencing.  If the reader is familiar with the Bible, he either recognizes the passages or knows how to find them himself.  But what about those unfamiliar with Scripture?
• Some chapters and concepts lost me.  For example, Goff's assertion that God "intentionally guides us into failure" misses the mark.  This statement does not seem to be in keeping with scripture.  Romans 8:37 says, "we are more than conquerors through him who loved us."  Second Peter 1:1-10 gives a list of attributes of spiritual living that we are to grow in, and concludes with, "for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall" (KJV). If we fail, we are at fault, not God.  He's given us what we need for "life and godliness" (verse 3 in that same chapter).
  

Conclusion:

This is one of those books that was highly recommended when it first came out.  Like most popular books of this type, I wanted to get away from all the hype before I read it.  I don't like to recommend books simply because everyone else does, neither do I hate on a book because other people don't like it.  So, would I recommend this book?  Absolutely.  It was a beautiful, fun read.  Whether you've known God for years or aren't even sure there is a God, this book will show you facets of God's love you've never seen.