Stand Against The Wind by: Erwin Raphael McManus

Stand Against The Wind
Erwin Raphael McManus
J. Countryman Press
March 2006
1404102965

This is one of those little gift books that you observe a proliferation of in spring as people are preparing for graduation and other changes in life. It is truly meant as a gift, and as such it is a great little book. It is almost a work of art; most pages could be reprinted and framed as inspirational art. Most of the material appears to be new work, unlike most books of this type that are a rehash or synthesis of the author’s thought or other books.

The way this book is set up you can read it from beginning to end the first time through, then go back to specific chapter’s from time to time as a reminder, a challenge or an encouragement. The specific chapters deal with the topics as follows:

1. Freedom – Running Free
2. Truly Human – The Drowning Pool
3. Humility – Rising Out Of The Ashes
4. Grateful – Creating Out Of The Pieces
5. Perseverance – Coming Out Of Nowhere
6. Integrity – The Unifying Power Of Believing
7. We Need God – The Healing Power Of Belonging
8. Perseverance – The Sustaining Power Of Becoming
9. Courage – The Warrior’s Heart
10. Generosity – The Generative Spirit
11. Fear God – The Divine Imagination
12. Servanthood – The Greatness of Servanthood
    

Even though this book comes in at under 120 pages it will help to call you to a deeper relationship with God and to a life lived for others. Some great quotes from the book are:

“Life is most enjoyed when we give ourselves away. Generous people give more than their things; they genuinely give themselves. In the most marvelous of ways, those who give most freely live most freely.”
p.98

“When you fear God and nothing else, you discover the freedom to pursue great adventure.”
p.105

“The scriptures remind us that the fear of the Lord is the beginning of all wisdom. Then what exactly does this mean? When we fear God, we fear nothing else. It is only in the fear of God that we find ourselves free from the fear of death, of failure, and all the other fears that bind us.”
p.112

“We were created to be free. If you are a follower of Jesus Christ, you’re also called to be free. Yet to experience this freedom, there must be an uprising – a revolution of the soul.”
p.7

“An overwhelming number of us feel trapped in the lives we’ve created. The irony is that we are the cruel tyrants who hold ourselves captive, and the tragedy of our imprisonment reaches into the deepest caverns of our souls. Our passion to be free both ignites us and betrays us, and more often than not leads us to be consumed by an unforgiving fire.
The very fire that burns within us can destroy us.”
p.13

“YOU CANNOT FOLLOW JESUS AND REMAIN THE SAME!”
p.26

“Talent without character is a dangerous thing. Talent fueled by character is a gift from God.”
p.51

These are but a few samples of the great gems you will find within this book. Pick it up, you will not be the same.