| > | | | | Live to Give - ('Give some, Receive More' would have |
| Your Best Life Now by Joel Osteen - Book Review | | | | been a better title) |
| by Mike Matthews | | | | Choose to be Happy - (Personally trying to make |
| -Rating - 4 out of 5 Stars | | | | some changes with this one) |
| -The Best Advice in the book | | | | Critics and Followers |
| -Best Prices for the Book, CD and Cassette | | | | On a blog I created specifically for this book ( I've |
| -Joel Osteen's 7 steps to your Full Potential | | | | listed some links to other web sites that contain |
| -Critics and Followers | | | | reviews, testimonials and other personal thoughts |
| -What I Liked | | | | about Joel Osteen, the Lakewood Church and his |
| -What I didn't Like | | | | new book, Your Best Life Now. There seems to be |
| -Joel Osteen's bio | | | | two extreme views that range from "Best person |
| -On-line Streaming Videos, Interviews and the Blog | | | | that touched my life" to "His use of 'God' to increase |
| -Your Best Life Now - Why you should buy it today | | | | his personal wealth is not the Christian Way". After |
| To get the full impact of this book, Your Best Life | | | | viewing about 50 of these comments, it's about a 25 |
| Now, I recommend that you see one of Joel's | | | | to 1 ratio in favor of Joel, his teaching methods and |
| sermons. Did you know he has one of the largest | | | | his new book, Your Best Life Now. You can check |
| congregations in the U.S? Did you know he didn't | | | | out the full range by going to this blog at |
| want to become a minister because he didn't think he | | | | Here are a few quotes from the Followers: |
| could effectively talk in front of large audiences? If | | | | Chuck Norris, Actor - "As I was growing up, my |
| you've never seen him preach, you're in for a treat - | | | | mother taught be two essential principles for success: |
| take some time and: | | | | trust in God, and look for the best in people. Today, |
| -Watch one of his TV broadcasts at | | | | my wife, Gena, and I benefit greatly from Joel |
| -Check out one of his on-line streaming videos | | | | Osteen's similar positive messages of hope and |
| -Visit the Lakewood Church in Houston, Texas | | | | encouragement." |
| Joel Osteen's ability to deliver a message is a gift and | | | | Rudy Tomjanovich, coach, Los Angeles Lakers - "Joel |
| he uses all his talent to deliver his message. His smiling | | | | has the unique ability to communicate the most |
| face, his accent, his stage presence, his sincerity, his | | | | complex spiritual principles in simple everyday |
| analogies to real-life situations and his enthusiasm are | | | | language. He will motivate and inspire you to live a life |
| just a few ways that Joel captures your attention | | | | of excellence and to fulfill your God-given destiny. |
| for the 30-60 minute talks. Listen to Joel at least | | | | What I Liked |
| once before you read his book, Your Best Life Now. | | | | Enlarge your Vision is by far the most important point |
| As you read, you will easily visualize him up on the | | | | in his book. Without a big vision, you can't expect big |
| stage in front of you as he personally reads you the | | | | things to occur your life. |
| book. His writing style mirrors his Sunday morning | | | | Finding Strength through Adversity is another great |
| messages and you'll find the same enthusiasm while | | | | perspective and realization. If we all lived without |
| reading this book | | | | challenges, we'd never reach our potential. Some of |
| Rating - 4 of 5 Stars | | | | toughest challenges can be both what is given to us |
| Overall, Your Best Life Now is a very good | | | | as well as what we give to ourselves. One of his |
| motivational book. Many chapters will hit you directly | | | | quotes sums it up well, "
turning your challenges |
| with a positive force, while others will cause you to | | | | into stepping stones for promotion
". |
| ask "...why did he include this in book...". I would have | | | | Choose to be Happy is a great way for Joel to end |
| rated this a 5, but there were a few conflicting | | | | his book, Your Best Life Now. Smile more often, |
| points in the book and there were a few times he | | | | show enthusiasm and make the choice to be happy. |
| strayed from the topic of living to your full potential. | | | | It is your choice, no matter the circumstance, to be |
| One of the best points is Joel's discussion about | | | | happy. |
| making time to focus on your pursuit of true goals, | | | | What I didn't Like |
| instead of crowding your day with mundane tasks | | | | Chapter 22, Trusting God's Timing is personally |
| and other people's priorities. Losing focus on the | | | | difficult for me to absorb. Often, I will hear the |
| important goals is so easy to do and his thoughts on | | | | phrase, "I'm going to pray for the (solution)." It is my |
| this subject are well written in the book. One of | | | | opinion that praying may be a positive step for you |
| points that I found difficult to accept is, trusting God | | | | in finding a solution and it may give you a sense of |
| to bring justice into your life. In my opinion, this belief | | | | possibility, but it can't be the answer. Joel's comment |
| is too simplified and naive. | | | | to trust God's timing might lead some to simply give |
| Even though I am not a strong religious person, Your | | | | up and let God handle it. I believe you need to take |
| Best Life Now contains more good points than 'not | | | | some specific actions to get a solution & I don't think |
| so good' points and for that, it is a must read. His | | | | only praying, will get you a solution. In another |
| enthusiasm will help motivate you to improve your | | | | section of his book, he states that perseverance is |
| life and to improve the life of others. If you want to | | | | important in living to your full potential and getting all |
| listen to him read the book, then consider ordering | | | | those things that you create in your vision. |
| the CD version or cassette version of Joel Osteen's | | | | Joel Osteen's Bio |
| book, Your Best Life Now. Check out the best prices | | | | Joel Osteen is the senior pastor of the Lakewood |
| at | | | | Church in Houston, Texas. An unbelievable 30,000 |
| The Best Advice - Enlarge Your Vision | | | | members listen to Joel each week and millions more |
| Joel starts with a great analogy about a gorgeous | | | | watch him deliver his messages on national TV. Joel |
| house in Hawaii that a vacationing friend was | | | | lives in Houston with his wife, Victoria, and their two |
| admiring. The friend's comment was something like "I | | | | children, Jonathan and Alexandra. Joel's book, Your |
| can't imagine ever living in a place like that." In the | | | | Best Life Now has been #1 on the New York Times |
| book, Joel states it well with one of his many quotes; | | | | bestseller list and has sold over 1,000,000 copies. Joel |
| "We have to (first) conceive it on the inside before | | | | started the television outreach ministry with his |
| we're going to receive on the outside." You need to | | | | father and remained behind the scenes, until his |
| change your mindset and first, imagine yourself living | | | | father passed away. He dedicated this book, Your |
| in that fabulous house. Your Best Life Now discusses | | | | Best Life Now to his father, John Osteen |
| the need to create a larger vision for your life and | | | | (1929-1999), |
| your personal goals. He also mentions the need to | | | | On-line Streaming Video, Interviews, Quotes and a |
| avoid getting stuck in a rut and you'll see more | | | | Blog dedicated to the Book |
| successes with your relationships, personal finances, | | | | Check out some of his most recent messages at his |
| health, etc. Joel also proceeds to tell us that God | | | | web site, (You may need to register to view). |
| expects much more from all of us and settling for a | | | | Read the interview with Laura Sheahen or Bill O'Reilly |
| small vision is not what God or others expect. | | | | at the blog site listed below. |
| Personal Commentary | | | | I created a specific Blog to post as much as I could |
| Do you think Nelson Mandela, Martin Luther King, Bill | | | | about Joel Osteen and his new book, Your Best Life |
| Gates, Thomas Edison, Warren Buffet - had small | | | | Now, both the good and the 'not so good'. Take a |
| visions? Absolutely Not! Every successful person | | | | peek at the Blog, you'll enjoy the interesting facts, |
| starts with a great vision of possibilities. They were | | | | interviews and personal comments. |
| not born with a set of grandiose goals and a lifetime | | | | Your Best Life Now - Why you should buy it today. |
| vision. Their goals and vision were developed over | | | | Here are a few quotes from his book: |
| time and became a focal point later. You too can | | | | "You must conceive it in your heart and mind before |
| create a vision, make it your personal focal point and | | | | you can receive it" (Enlarge Your Vision) |
| use it as your driving force to succeed with your | | | | "Don't worry about things you can't change" |
| personal goals. You can check out some other great | | | | (Happiness is a Choice) |
| motivational secrets and articles at End of personal | | | | It's in the tough times of life that we find out |
| commentary. | | | | what we're really made of" (The Purpose of Trials) |
| Best Prices for the 'Your Best Life Now' book, CD | | | | "It's time to think about what you're thinking about" |
| and cassette version | | | | (Choosing the Right Thoughts) |
| I've found the best pricing and availability for this | | | | Joel does a great job in enthusiastically conveying his |
| book, CD and cassette on Amazon.com, or Other | | | | ideas and principles with the reader. His use of humor, |
| sites such as ebay and Joel Osteen's site also have | | | | sincerity and analogies make the book both easy and |
| this book, but I've always had good better | | | | inspiring to read. (It was tough to put down). |
| experiences at Your Best Life Now can be purchased | | | | "Dreams will determine what you want in life, |
| as a book, CD or cassette version. Prices range from | | | | Actions will determine what you get in life. |
| only $12 to $18 and you can get a direct link to | | | | Do you truly have a desire to make your life better, |
| those prices at | | | | do you just think about it and never take action? If |
| The 7 Steps to Living at Your Full Potential | | | | you don't get this book, you'll miss out on hearing the |
| Enlarge Your Vision - (in my opinion, the best advice) | | | | message of one of the great motivational leaders of |
| Develop a Healthy Self Image | | | | our time. Today is that day to take action, and buy |
| Discover the Power of your Thoughts | | | | Joel Osteen's, Your Best Life Now! For less than $12 |
| Let Go of the Past | | | | (the cost of one dinner) is a small price to get the |
| Find Strength through Adversity - (another good | | | | advice of one today's top speakers. |
| chapter) | | | | |