#3 Words that Will Change Your Life# by Mike Novotny is a Christian Living book.The author wants to show the reader how they can experience God's presence... The book points the reader to God's presence. It is a practical and helpful book. We need to know God's presence in the difficult times in our world. The book is easy to read. The book is rich. Thank you to netgalley, the publisher for allowing me to read and review this book. The opinions about this book are my own and not someone else's . I will share my review with Amazon, facebook, Goodreads, my blog, bookbub, and with the church staff. and pastors.

I received an ARC from Bethany House Publishers, via NetGalley. This review is my personal opinion.



I will be honest, when I start reading the book I was a bit confused. I was not sure what to expect, I say this to everyone how to have the opportunity of reading this book: Please keep reading, this book it well worth the time! Pastor Mike Novotny takes us in an eye-opening journey that no doubt it will change your life. I must say it has changed mine.

This book may seem simple, but at the same time, it has a complex theme in our Christian life. I won’t give any spoilers about the three words. Even while reading the book I was trying to figure out the three words and like he said they may seem like a normal phrase. But what a powerful phrase, I was almost about to finish reading the book I wrote these three words in a wall in my bedroom. Every time I look at it I was so joyful. Little did I know that the crisis with the COVID19 was not news, but a reality in our country and we enter in quarantine. I got a challenge and I almost freak out I was afraid, God remained me of those three words and then I remember. Yes, all that is happening is real. But God is still God, as Pastor Mike mention. All that we have and are is because of Him and even in the middle of “that” unexpected situation I need to really completely rely on God.

This book by no means is magical, but I do believe that it has the opportunity to open eyes to this powerful and forgotten truth. And finally what I love more about this book is how it has made me more aware of the reality of God’s presence in my life.

I recommend this book because I believe what it says that it can change your life. I know it has not to doubt change mine.

Truly grateful to Bethany House for the ARC of this book.

The 3 words, "God is here." deliver a powerful positive approach to life. Mike Novotny separates his book into 3 parts based on his enthusiastic description of what each part means. Using a conversational tone, in which he goes so far as to include the reader in some inside jokes via th footnotes, he communicates an exuberant faith in the God who created all the good things,"this" and walks with us through all the bad things,"that".
Substantiating his take on the importance of the presence of Gid in our lives and how life changing that knowledge should be, the author gives ample examples from his life. From the divine to the mundane, the stories help connect the truth that GOD IS HERE to our present lives. They shiw us how we can live joyfully in God's presence too.

Mike Novotny brings a simple premise to this book: in realizing the truth of three words, your life will be drastically changed.

Those 3 words?

God. Is. Here.

First let me say I love the say Novotny breaks down the simple phrase. He uses both the statement as a whole and also separates it into the three individual words. In doing this the reader comes across some truths we may not have known or maybe we just haven’t been paying attention to them.

For example, we often desire more of what “this” can be or what currently “is”, and not to God himself who can not only provide “this” and sustain “is” but can do immeasurably more. As I read through the book I realized the areas in my life, even as a pastor, where I would focus more on these passing moments and not on God. Even times where I oblivious to the opportunity to be in his presence.

I knew the truth of God always being present but the application I took from this book is what has empowered that truth and I have begun to witness the effect of his invited presence in every moment of my life. Though to be honest, we won’t reach that capacity on this earth.

Novotny does a great job incorporating scripture and has written a book with great application which can be done alone or with others. I won’t limit the recommendation here, Christian or not and regardless of where you are in that faith, this is a book that is worth the read.

*I received this book free from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. These are my personal thoughts.

Is God far away? How can we experience God more intimately? All you need are three words: "God is Here." Sounds too good to be true? Perhaps, but author and pastor Mike Novotny has creatively used this phrase as a powerful catchphrase to connect us with our relationship with God. It is simple and easy to follow. Before that, he shows us some "life killers" that could derail us from properly following God. Some of these warnings include treating God like some kind of a distant "vague higher power." Some people are mystified when they think about God. In fact, many young people don't even think about God when asked about their life goals. They don't even live with any thoughts of God as they make their life decisions. Apart from thinking God as some distant irrelevant being, the other danger is to see God as some future celestial coming, which is another way of pushing away God's relevance in our lives. For if God is only God of the future and not for the present, then is He really God? Another mistake is to see God as relevant for others but not for us. This is a sad misreading. With Novotny putting to death the three erroneous "life killers," we are set to see God as Someone who is here for us now, in the present, and also in the future. God is here always. The author shares about how Ps 73 saved him and guided him to a deeper and personal relationship with God. God is bigger than any of our problems. Our biggest problem is that we don't think much of God in the first place. This needs to be corrected because it is simply not true. The Lord's Prayer is a reminder to us that we pray to a Living God who is here. Otherwise, that prayer has no meaning.


Novotny expounds "God is Here" by taking us through three expositions. He expounds this phrase first by focusing on "God." All things depend and hinges on God's existence. That is why he uses the word "this" to remind himself and us that all of life is because of this: God. He then moves on the "God is" to extend our thoughts of God from the present to the future. Just like God has been faithful in the past, He too will be faithful in the future. The trouble with many people is that they put their hopes on temporal things in this world. That is how they get anxious about many things. Some suffer from "Obsessive Comparison Disorder" when they cannot keep up with the Joneses. Other fear losing out so much that they worked themselves to exhaustion, thinking that if there is a God, that this God only helps those who help themselves. None of these things are true. Once we learn how to take our refuge in God, we have many ways to feel joyful and thankful. Novotny highlights how such an attitude would bring about joy, hope, peace, fearlessness, gratitude, selflessness, boldness, and obedience. Finally, he shows us the full "God is Here" promise that presence with God is most desirable and most meaningful. This is something many Christians miss out when they focus more on themselves and push God out.

My Thoughts
Throughout the book, Novotny tries to show us that God is more relevant to us than we may think. What he does well is dispelling the notion of God being a distant and uninterested Being. That is why he spends time pointing out the erroneous thoughts surrounding many people today. We live in a secular world and many have become more influenced by the world instead of the Word of God. Thankfully, we have authors like Novotny who try their best to help us see God's relevance in more ways than one. Plus, he does it so simply that many readers ought to be able to relate to his observations, his experiences, and his teachings. The theological word for God's presence is God's Incarnation in Christ. In Hebrew, the word "panim" means face, and when we think of being face to face with God. Not only is Novotny face to face with us in terms of helping us move toward a deeper and more personal relationship, he shows us how he practiced the presence of God.

One example was how he reacted when he received a negative email. He would close his email, and visualize God. Focusing on the grace and mercies of what Jesus had done at the cross, and how God's Word had been so faithful, he directs his focus away from the problems of this world, toward the reality of God's presence. "God is Here" makes him feel understood. It helps him realize that he is never alone. Not "feeling" His presence does not mean He is absent. In fact, taking time out to be quiet and to meditate on the Bible does more than we could ever imagine. This is no trick mind games. It is real. The author has professed it. We are encouraged to try it. Many believers past and present can attest to the reality. If we have not, give ourselves a chance. Kudus to the author for boldly sharing about the reality and relevance of God in a world that often push back against such spirituality.

Mike Novotny is a co-pastor at The CORE, is the lead speaker for the media ministry Time of Grace, and serves as the chairman of Conquerors Through Christ. Mike lives with his wife and children in Appleton, Wisconsin.

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.

As a book reviewer and blogger, I read scores of books on Christian living each year. Usually only a few strike me as life changing. This book is one of them. I had no idea how three words could be so life changing. GOD is here. (Yes, GOD, not god, not even God.)

Novotny shakes up what we might think it means to love GOD or follow Him. He challenges us: What if we realize how truly awe-inspiring GOD is, that His presence “makes every other blessing unnecessary for our peace, hope, and joy?” (Loc 118/2901)

GOD is the most satisfying thing for our souls, Novotny says. All the “stuff” we have will never satisfy. It is hevel (Hebrew for “mist,” from Ecclesiastes). Even the sights and sounds and pleasures we experience are given by GOD so we would think more of Him. But He is hidden and it takes practice, devotion, and effort to see GOD, glorious, exalted, and soul satisfying.

Surprisingly, pain is a gift. “Without suffering, we would never know if we loved GOD for his presence or his presents.” (1526/2901) Pain can be a powerful tool to make us think much of GOD and the glory to come. (Rom. 8:18) GOD uses the struggles of life to force us to keep searching for what can satisfy – GOD. (1029/2901)

This book is like no other I have read. Novotny points out the frustration and hopelessness of trying to find happiness apart from GOD. This book challenged me in everything I thought I understood about loving GOD. I highly recommend it. May you think much of GOD as He is the only thing that can satisfy your soul.

I received a complimentary egalley of this book from the publisher. My comments are an independent and honest review

DISCLOSURE: I haven't finished reading this book yet. DISCLOSURE. I don't care. It's awesome. I have to talk about it. Essentially, the book is about the transformative life-changing effect of realising GOD is HERE. Yes, with the CAPS lock on.

We would say we 'know it' but we don't. If you study ancient Hebrew and Israelite culture you will find that KNOWING something means it has to effect the very essence of who you are. Your character. Your actions. If you said to the apostle Peter that you had read every book on fishing and knew all about it, he would probably fall overboard laughing.

You don't KNOW it until you can DO it. Why is that so hard to grasp? You don't know how to ride a bike until you CAN ride a bike.

And so - truly getting the enormity of the fact that the GOD of the universe (not some little god, or even God in your own image) is here, with you, RIGHT NOW and all the implications of THAT - is what this book is about.

And I've got all of that from reading less than half of the book so far. Imagine what YOU will get when you read it all.