This book was not a quick read for me. But, I have enjoyed reading and learning from Suzanne on how to live a life filled and led by God's Holy Spirit. There are many things to take away from this book. She brought in wonderful illustrations, particularly on the topic of spiritual gifts.

What does it take to have a heart that is Spirit-led instead of self-led? In a world where Christianity is increasingly seen with disdain, and even Christians seem to feel God is far away from them, we need guidance from time to time regarding things of faith. Jesus has promised us the Holy Spirit coming to us. Even when we feel God is far away from us, we cannot let feelings dictate reality. Just like the presence of the sun. Just because we are in a dark room does not mean the sun is not out there. We need guidance to sense the presence of God in more ways than one. This book is one resource to help us do just that. In addressing each emotion that arises out of fear, weakness, and a sense of insecurity, Eller helps put things in perspective to help us recognize that God is Sovereign and He is in control. We need to trust His leading. Spurred by the prayer of her friend, Jennifer Dukes Lee, she feels a sense of relief and is released to trust God more. From uncertainty and self-doubt, she seeks out faith in God via a promise from God. Instead of relying on our own power, we learn that the Spirit-led heart is empowered by God for the greater good and purpose. Our lives are not defined by opinions or mass appeal but by truth alone. She shows us the lies that we often fall prey into and replaces them with truth; with direction; and with boldness. I like the way she describes Spirit-led direction.


"Direction isn't about where we are; it's who is on God's heart as we go."

Too often, we are handicapped by our limited perspectives and views. In order to see the big picture, we need to learn to come out of our little boxes. We need to see from God's point of view. Plus, venturing into an unknown territory can be scary. With God's presence, we can derive comfort and assurance that we are not alone. When in difficult situations, we know that God will guide us in His time. With wise discernment and gentle counsel, Eller leads us through the emotional turmoils that can happen to us at different phases of our lives. Each chapter starts with a quote followed by a description of the problem. The author then carefully weaves in biblical insights with examples in life to show us that if God leads her, we too can let God lead us. She ends each chapter with four things: The Word; the Promise; an Invitation; and a Prayer.

There is a nice ring of personal touch to the book. Eller acknowledges her own weaknesses and struggles. She assures us that even as she writes to teach, she is there with us in the mountain of challenges. She struggles with faith and the making sense of the meaning of it all. The framework of each chapter makes this book a nice extended devotional to help us sense the Holy Spirit. The discussion and study guide at the end of the book helps us do our own Bible studies to help solidify some of the concepts introduced in the book. Eller's devotional is extremely readable; openly honest; and gently assuring. Those of us looking for theologically heavy subjects will not find them in this book. Nevertheless, the gentle manner in which Eller brings out the problem and identifies is comforting in itself. More importantly, see her writings as a way for us to receive the Holy Spirit into our daily lives. For when God moves, He moves in a way that we are unaware of unless we take time to wait upon Him and seek His Face.

Suzanne Eller is a popular speaker and author serving with Proverbs 31 Ministries and leads women in their spiritual walk with Christ. She maintains an active blog at tsuzanneeller.com and has published several books.

Rating: 4 stars of 5.

conrade
This book has been provided courtesy of Bethany House Publishers and NetGalley without requiring a positive review. All opinions offered above are mine unless otherwise stated or implied.

In her new book, The Spirit-Led Heart: Living a Life of Love and Faith Without Borders, Suzanne Eller invites us into a new relationship with Holy Spirit. Through the pages of this book, Eller shares personal stories of how she's learned to relate to Holy Spirit. She invites us to understand His role in our lives.

With an immense amount of scripture, Eller shows just how Holy Spirit moved through the lives of the disciples and the words in the Bible. And she shows us how to embrace his role. Eller takes the mystery out of who Holy Spirit is and reminds us that having a Spirit-led heart looks like listening more. Trusting that voice that nudges us in a new direction. 

The Spirit-Led Heart is an invitation into scripture. To see what it says to us about Holy Spirit and how he interacts with us. How Holy Spirit interacts with the rest of the Trinity. 

My Thoughts on The Spirit-Led Heart
I think this book is an important one for our generation. We need to learn to trust Holy Spirit as He guides our lives. Without His help, life can feel a lot more complicated. Eller reminds us that the Holy Spirit is not some mysterious spirit we can never get to know.

Rather, because He is inside of us, we can truly trust He is fighting in us and for us and through us. We are never alone because He is always there for us. He guides our steps and empowers us to utilize the gifts of the Spirit that are inside of us. When we embrace that, we can live a life that is filled with a love and faith without borders.





I received a copy of this book from NetGalley. This review is my own, honest opinion.

When we embrace the help of the Holy Spirit, uncertainty becomes boldness. Fear becomes courage. Weakness becomes strength.

Jesus promised us the same help.

Suzanne Eller shows that, with the Helper, we are not alone or ill-equipped. In these pages she reveals what the Holy Spirit offers:

· He empowers and guides us when we feel weak or lost.
· He offers confidence and boldness to the meek and comfort to those who hurt.
· He gives counsel and discernment in the face of uncertainty.
· His gifts fill us when we are empty and multiply our meager offerings into something truly miraculous.

This book is an excellent devotional/ Bible study book that would be great for either an individual or group study on how the Holy Spirit works in our lives. The author uses scripture references and personal illustrations all throughout the book to make this study sound, readable, and relatable. There are study questions to go along with each chapter. Each chapter also has 4 helps at the end of each chapter: “The Word”; “Your Spirit-led Promise”; “Your Spirit-Led Invitation”; and “Prayer”. I always enjoy Suzanne Eller’s writing and think this is one of her best. This is a book I’ll be reading through again.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher. I was not required to give a positive review. All opinions are my own.

Although Suzie and I disagree theologically about the gifts of the Holy Spirit, the final chapter in this book sums up well why I recommend it: Suzie wants readers to know and love the Holy Spirit Himself instead of rushing right to the gifts.

In The Spirit-Led Heart, Eller talks about who the Holy Spirit is and what He does in the hearts that He indwells. Each chapter focuses on one trait of a Spirit-led heart.

For example, chapters highlight how a Spirit-led heart is…

Defined by Truth

Bold

Counseled

Marked by Conviction

Each chapter is structured around specific sections. The sections range from basic Bible study from Acts to invitations to walk in the Spirit through actions, beliefs, or choices.

Per her usual style, Eller shares personal stories warmly to offer illustrations of her subject matter. Likewise, she writes in a quotable, memorable fashion so that readers have plenty of wise takeaways.

Quotes from The Spirit-Led Heart include:

“Just because you believe a lie doesn’t make it true.”- Suzie Eller

“Freedom! That’s where truth leads us.” – Suzie Eller

“Direction isn’t about where we are; it’s who is on God’s heart as we go.”- Suzie Eller

“His voice will never contradict Scripture, for the Holy Spirit always leads us closer to God and his will.”- Suzie Eller

Readers who would like to learn more about the person of the Holy Spirit and His activity today will likely benefit from The Spirit-Led Heart. The book is much easier to read than a theology textbook, helps with application of lessons, and, overall, inspires greater worship of the third person of the Trinity.

As always, I would simply encourage readers to check the teaching against God’s own Word, as we all ought to do anyway!

<I received a copy of this book for the purpose of this review.>

A beautiful book about the work of the Holy Spirt in our lives that would be even better if it didn't have a few mistakes concerning the events of the book of Acts (the author seems to have confused AD for 'after death' rather than 'anno Domini--year of our Lord' and therefore says that thirty-one years have passed when in reality only three had passed).

I love the stories and the advice that she gives--especially about our role in our family member's spirituality.

The SPIRIT Led Heart This about that - Amen - to be led by the HOLY SPIRIT. Where do you start - you start down on your knees - that surrendering your will and your life and soul over to the HOLY SPIRIT to take COMPLETELY orver. This book tells you exactly want to do when you go from here and believe you me you want to do it to live a life of peace that passes all understanding

I first became a fan of Suzanne Eller when I read her previous book, COME WITH ME. Her writing style, her authenticity and her love for God all leave me feeling inspired, encouraged and ready to journey on. If ever I had a spiritual mother, Ms. Eller would be it. So when I saw that she had released a new book, I jumped at the chance to read it and was NOT disappointed. Once again, the author filled my heart to bursting with the love my God has for me, She has this way of taking all of your shame, holding it up to the light of Christ, and helping you realize that you are indeed redeemed. And I loved, loved, LOVED that she pointed us towards the Holy Spirit in this book! A repeat-reader for sure. Loved every word and dog-eared just about every page. Thank you so much, Suzanne!

The Spirit-Led Heart makes the Holy Spirit real and gives real life examples of its importance and power. Eller writes in a way that makes God feel accessible and tangible. She makes the Holy Spirit feel welcome and real. The reader is really able to understand how the Spirit can work in every day circumstances via Eller's insight and experiences.

The fact that this book focuses on the Spirit of God, rather than God or Jesus himself, was unique, and I enjoyed this creative take on christian literature. I do feel as though the narrative style was very casual, and it was at times difficult to connect to such a laid back writing style.

I really enjoy christian literature and gaining new perspectives on Christianity, and I found this book very enjoyable. I think that others who enjoy nonfiction christian literature will like this one as well. It is well rounded, and easy to consume.

My rating: 4/5 Stars

The Holy Spirit is a bit of a mystery to many Christians. Having experienced some extreme teaching about the Holy Spirit at both ends of the spectrum, I was keen to read this book and I think it finds a good balance, with teaching about the Holy Spirit that is helpful and edifying.
The Spirit-Led Heart takes us through the book of Acts, looking at some of the ways the Holy Spirit was at work in the lives of the first believers and exploring how he works in our lives today.
It covers areas such as boldness, truth, direction, confidence, and discernment. Each chapter ends with a specific Scripture to focus on, a promise about the Holy Spirit, an invitation, and a prayer.
For me, the main strength of the book is the real life examples. It is clearly not only a message that Suzanne Eller has researched, but one that she has lived, and the examples are powerful, relatable, and also honest- presenting a helpful and realistic picture of how we can expect to see the Holy Spirit working today.
The story in chapter 4 of Eller's trip to India and the way God used her to minister to a woman there is breath-taking, leaving no doubt that God can do miracles today. However, she is also open about the fact that as she wrote this book, both her mother and her daughter were battling cancer, and that there is no guarantee that God will always heal everyone.
If you would like to learn more about the Holy Spirit or to understand more about his work today, then this book is a great starting point.
There is a small issue with the timeline of the book of Acts which is presented (the statement in chapter 2 that the healing of the lame man by the Temple Gate in Acts 3 took place 30 years after Pentecost). I have contacted the author about this and am assured it is an error that will be corrected when the book is reprinted. It doesn't detract at all from the overall message or teaching of the book, but it confused me so I thought it was worth mentioning.

Do you long to know the Holy Spirit better? Learn more about his loving, powerful presence in Suzanne Eller's new book, The Spirit-Led Heart: Living a Life of Love and Faith without Borders.

Suzie is my real-life friend and mentor, a woman with a humble heart for Jesus. I have been eager to review her new book for over a year now. For the past 24 hours as I read this wonderful book, I've enjoyed Suzie's wise, thought-provoking perspectives on the third person of the Trinity.

A Book Firmly Grounded in Scripture
I have grown up in a beloved denomination of the church, yet it tends to not cover the Holy Spirit's roles as often as I prefer. Maybe you're curious to learn more about Him like me, but you're afraid to get started because you seek solid teaching.

Suzie's book is firmly grounded in the Bible, and it takes us through the book of Acts. She speaks with kindness and sensitivity, and you'll feel like your girlfriend or favorite auntie is introducing you to her dear Counselor and Guide. The Spirit-Led Heart will leave you feeling refreshed and uplifted, and will give you scriptural insight you probably haven't encountered before.

Here is just one new insight I gained from The Spirit-Led Heart. The Holy Spirit's power is called dynamis in Greek, where we get our word for "dynamite." But Suzie explains how the Holy Spirit's power is not destructive or abusive; rather, it empowers us to be greater than we are on our own. You'll learn new things about the Holy Spirit and the book of Acts as Suzie shares her knowledge.

A Vulnerable and Insightful Read about the Holy Spirit
I love Suzie's vulnerability in this book. She is honest about her struggle to accept hard truths in scripture, like the account of Ananias and Sapphira. Suzie wrestles it out in front of us and shares helpful perspective.

She also shares about how the Holy Spirit helped her work through her father wound. This part of the book helped me more than any other, as I work on how to deal with my own similar wound. (Thank you, dear Suzie!)

Suzie shares a beautiful story of how the Holy Spirit led her to India to minister to one special woman. The story was so poignant, I began to weep with joy, and I praised the Holy Spirit for His amazing, marvelous work.

Her personal stories are delightful, touching, funny, and sweet. Suzie's warmth draws you in, and her solid faith challenges you to consider familiar truths in a new way. I am grateful for her gentle admonitions to step out in greater faith by depending on the Holy Spirit's leading.

Quotes from The Spirit-Led Heart
My favorite quotes from The Spirit-Led Heart include the following:

If the Holy Spirit is leading you to release something or step into a season of waiting or refueling, listen to him.
Holy Spirit boldness demolishes hindrances between you and a life of surrendered obedience.
The Spirit of God helps and strengthens us, even when it seems there is no fight left in us.
The Counselor meets us right where we are. We may feel a little lost, but he shows us which way to turn. We may not see around the corner, but we can trust that he does.
When you are unsure of how to respond, it's vital to pay attention to the Holy Spirit who lives in you.

In the last chapter, Suzie takes you on a simple, down-to-earth journey through spiritual gifts. I appreciated her grounded approach and her faithfulness to scripture.

The Spirit-Led Heart includes a chapter-by-chapter study guide, perfect for personal or group study. My own small group will use this book as our next study.

Do you have a small group that could benefit from this study? Do you know someone who would like to know more about the Holy Spirit? If so, encourage those you know to get a copy of The Spirit-Led Heart, or purchase it as a Mother's Day gift for a special woman in your life.

Thanks goes to Bethany House and Netgalley for a free preview copy of this wonderful book.

This is an eye-opening book about the Holy Spirit. It is very well written with God's promise and a prayer at the end of each chapter. I highlighted so much in the kindle version that I ordered the paperback. This is a book you will refer back to time and again for encouragement and inspiration. Thank you#NETGALLEY and #Bethany House for the ARC copy and thank you Suzanne Eller for writing this book..

5 stars



“With warmth and vulnerability about her own journey, bestselling author and Proverbs 31 speaker Suzanne Eller shows that, with the Helper, we are not alone or ill-equipped. In these pages, she reveals what the Holy Spirit offers”.

This book is life-changing. As a Christian, you hear and learn about Jesus and God; yet far too often, the Holy Spirit gets left out of the equation. Suzanne Eller effortlessly lifts the veil off of the mystic of the Holy Spirit. She shows you how to understand, hear from and equip yourself with the Holy Spirit to whom is available to all believers.



“Ponder scripture rather than pounding out a reading schedule”.

Wow, just wow! For far too many years, I pounded out a reading schedule instead of pondering on Gods Word. I loved that she advocates this method!

I truly appreciated the break down of all the spiritual gifts and how they still exist and apply in day to day life. This book is a very valuable resource filled with practical applications, a study guide and chocked full of scripture verses to back up her every claim. I highly recommend this book to all!

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher and Net Galley. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

What a powerful book! This is how to lead your life through the holy spirit. Leading a spirit driven life can dramatically change your outlook on everything. I really love the prayer at the beginning and plan to use it on a daily. This book is beautifully written.

From the start of The Spirit-Led Heart by Suzanne Eller, my mindset started shifting, I knew it was happening as I could feel myself struggling with the concept of talking to the Holy Spirit, thanking Him, asking for His help, it all felt so foreign. The more I read the more my understanding grew and, as with most shifts of this kind, my actions started to change as well! Each of the chapters has a call to apply it my life as well a prayer and a verse. The end of the book has challenging questions to direct me back into the word and ruminate on the concepts shared.

Suzie writes with equal measures of heart-breaking honesty and a wonderful sense of fun!. She sheds amazing insight on even the verses I can quote, it’s the linking of them to a larger scheme of the understanding of the faith and the stories she shares alongside them, both hers and those in the gospels, which bring the truths to life.

The concept of a spirit-led heart is so inspiring! The book opens with the manifesto and it’s such a beautiful aspiration:
“A Spirit-Led Heart Manifesto
A woman with a Spirit-led heart
...trusts that God can use her, even when her knees knock
...believes that when she speaks to God, he hears
...reaches for truth as a weapon and isn’t afraid to use it
...tells her story, for she has walked with Jesus
...is not lost in the valleys or on the mountaintops
...fights for others, because Jesus fought for her first
...isn’t a know-it-all, though she longs to know all there is to know
...doesn’t have time to be distracted by drama with no eternal value
...believes that God loves her, and freely loves him back.”

The inspiration runs throughout and Suzie really poses some tough challenges such as this one:
“We may choose inaction over doing it badly or falling on our face. We tell the world that God has a plan for us, but doubt it privately. This is where we might lose our way. We are so busy mulling over our fears or doubts that we fail to understand that God sees it differently.”

It is chockablock full of information, both into scripture and life. Suzie calls on us to walk in the shoes of the gospel writers and absorb how we can remain filled with the faith they so often exhibit:
“We are filled as Jesus followers. What does that look like? It might be an appropriate or Holy Spirit response at the right moment. It is patience when ours is thin. It’s wisdom that allows our brain to catch up with our emotions, so that we can deal with the real problem rather than create more. It is faith in an impossible situation. A Spirit-led, empowered heart believes that his power is greater than a right-now situation and right-now feelings.”

I am so grateful to have read this book. It has changed my perception of the Holy Spirit, encouraged me to look anew at familiar verses and improved my daily life. I am working on so many elements of the Spirit-led heart but am wholeheartedly sold on the vision Suzie has painted and feel equipped by the tools she has provided. It’s a five out of five and I recommend it to those who are looking to take their understanding of the Holy Spirit to a new level and engage in developing the fruits of the spirit.

I came in to reading this book with a slight bias, because I read Suzanne Eller's last book, Come With Me, and I love her as an author! This book did not disappoint. The book focuses on the Holy Spirit in our lives. I thought that Eller broke down the Trinity very clearly by saying:

We were created, and we are loved by our heavenly Father.
We were rescued by our Savior.
We are empowered to live our faith through the Holy Spirit.

The author also put the reader at ease by reassuring that we all have uncertainties about our faith at times, but our doubts do not make God turn away, and we can be honest with Him without fear. She also talks about how the religious rulers and authorities could see Jesus in the apostles, and that is a goal for us as well: for others to be able to see Jesus in the way we live our lives. The Holy Spirit continually fills those who follow Jesus. When the author pointed out that Jesus did nothing on His own without the Holy Spirit, and that the same Spirit who raised Him from the dead lives in us, that really resonated with me. I had never thought about it that way before, so it was very thought provoking!

Eller talks a lot about how we are empowered by the Holy Spirit, and how he is in us. spends time talking about the gifts that we can receive from the Holy Spirit, how they are all equally important, and that we each receive our own gifts.

Another element that I liked about the book was how the author shared personal stories and connected the stories to the subject matter. This always makes a book more engaging for me, and helps me to relate closely to the author and the lesson (s)he is teaching. I enjoyed reading the book and would recommend it to others who want to learn more about the role of the Holy Spirit.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher, Bethany House, through Net Galley. All opinions are my own.