"Hope is not wishful thinking but a certainty that comes with living our faith day by day. Hope is a virtue, a gift God gives us that grows out of faith and manifests itself in love for others. Living in hope means that we can give a name to our hope - Jesus Christ, who offers us comfort and strength. Each of us can become a source of hope for others."

Start With Jesus: How Everyday Disciples Will Renew the Church was written by Julianne Stanz for Catholic Churches and Catholic people. I am not Catholic; I am Baptist and I believe in Jesus. So even though there are catholic references and terminology that I do not understand, this book has many valid and helpful points on sharing Jesus and His love.

Here are some of my favourite quotes.

"When we encounter others, rather than look down into the well of their darkness and sin, we can encourage them to look up and see the light. This is what it means to be a bridge of hope and a light for others."

"...we must remain connected to the vine because without Jesus we can do nothing."

"Come on everyone, it's time to get moving for Jesus!"

***Thanks to author Julianne Stanz, Loyola Press, and NetGalley for providing me with a digital ARC of Start With Jesus: How Everyday Disciples Will Renew the Church. This gave me the opportunity to read and write about the book.

#StartWithJesus #NetGalley

Posted on NetGalley, GoodReads, Savvy Reader, Twitter

In Start with Jesus: How Everyday Disciples Will Renew the Church by Julianne Stanz, we learn how to share the Good News of Jesus with everyone we meet, with some rather simple steps. Also, what we must do as God’s children before, during, and after we speak about Jesus, to have a deeper relationship with Him through prayer and the Word of God. How the simple everyday kindnesses such as listening, speaking in a non-judgmental way and love can help bring people to Jesus. In following these steps we fulfill our mission in life as followers of Christ, becoming “missionary disciples.” We are to be His hands and feet in spreading the Good News throughout the world.

I was given an ARC (Advanced Reader Copy) by Loyola Press through Netgalley to read and to give an honest review. Start with Jesus is available for purchase on Amazon in both Kindle and paperback formats.

I have to give Start with Jesus a rating of 4 out of 5 stars. Here’s why I really enjoyed this book, it’s one that I will go back and read specific parts again. I did learn quite a bit. The intended target audience of this book is definitely for Catholics. I had difficulty understanding some of the terminology and references used in this book but the overall message was clear and to the point. Even though the author seemed to write, Start with Jesus, for Catholics in mind only, I think all branches of Christianity can benefit from this book. I recommend Start with Jesus for all of my brothers and sisters in Christ, no matter the denomination.

What I liked most, that I have not mentioned, was the encouragement I felt through the text to share my faith with everyone (including with members of Christ’s body). Also, the practical advice and the simple ways to do so. I loved the personal stories and experiences the author shared. One in particular touched a chord with me about the necessity of talking with God, not just about Him. What I disliked most was that there were multiple typos in the ebook that made it hard to read and stopped the flow of the book somewhat.

If you enjoy faith based books and want the encouragement on how to effectively share your faith in Jesus, then I recommend Start with Jesus by Julianne Stanz. I hope this review was helpful.

#Netgalley #Startwithjesus #loyolapress