Book Review - FEARLESS by Max Lucado

As most of you know, I consume books like most people consume water - sometimes sipping, sometimes guzzling, but never passing a day without it. Below is a review of the latest addition to my collection, courtesy of Thomas Nelson Book Review Bloggers.

Once in a while a book comes along that is guaranteed to be a bestseller based on its title alone. Fearless is one of those. Tailored to current events and backed by the credibility and dependability of Max Lucado's proven talent, this book is sure to fly off the shelves before they're even fully stocked.

As an avid reader, I'm a bit ashamed to admit that Fearless is my first experience with Lucado (apart from my kids' love of the Wemmicks and Hermie). I probably own at least ten of his titles, but for some reason they have sat on my shelves - until now. If Max's other books are anything like Fearless, I'll probably breeze through them in weeks. Between his conversational style, effortless dry humor, and Scripture-based insight, it seems like every other sentence is worthy of stenciling on the wall as a trustworthy quote.

Considering the monumental influence of fear and its destructive role in the Christian life, I'm perplexed that more authors haven't addressed it so directly. Because fear has been a personal battle for me, over the past year I have read several books, including the out-of-print Trading Your Worry for Wonder by Cheri Fuller. While both that book and Lucado's proclaim truth and offer refreshing perspectives, after each reading I found myself hungry for more.

The fact of the matter is that the only true source of courage comes from our relationship with Christ, which means the most powerful book we can read to battle fear is the Bible. For months I searched for comfort in C.S. Lewis, John Ortberg, Neil T. Anderson, and others. It was only when I turned back to Scripture that the seeds sown through those wonderful books finally began to sprout. The same will be true of Fearless. I applaud Max Lucado for basing his message on concrete Scripture rather than his own opinion or experience, and I encourage readers to consume the book slowly, taking time to independently study those passage in more depth.

Fearless, like the other titles I've read, divides fear into categories (fear of violence, fear for our kids, fear of disappointing God, etc.). Each one of those issues could fill a book, if not a whole library. I understand the reasons for breaking fear up into consumable portions, but those who are in the midst of an intense struggle in one particular area would do well to read the book with an accountability partner or small group while utilizing the discussion guide in the back of Fearless.

My only other suggestion would be to read the final chapter, "William's Psalm," first. It addresses the media's shameful use of fear as a motivator and the resulting culture of fear we've created, which I believe provides an important lens through which the rest of the book becomes even more meaningful.

Aside from these minor alterations, I wouldn't change a thing about Fearless. Except, perhaps, for having it packaged with the wall stencils already included.