You Are Never Alone
Trust in the Miracle of God's Presence and Power
by Max Lucado
Pub DateSep 15 2020
Thomas Nelson--LUCADO BRAND | Thomas Nelson
Christian)Thomas Nelson
Christian


Netgalley and Thomas Nelson-Lucado Brand have provided me with a copy of You Are Never Alone for review:


Do you think God pays attention to you when life gets difficult? Can God help me if I'm facing challenge after challenge? Does God notice when my days become dark and stormy? A resounding yes can be found in the life-giving stories in the Gospel of John!


A study of Jesus' miracles told in John motivates us to discover the good news that John shares with us: God is never afraid to meet us in the middle of life's messes, extend a helping hand, and lift us out of our troubles.



You Are Never Alone* will equip you to:

Take the first step toward a better tomorrow by getting unstuck.

Stay focused on the miracle of the empty tomb and the grace of the cross.

Believe that God is your ever-present help and source of hope

It is comforting to know that you are always protected by God.


A thoughtful, comprehensive reflection question follows each chapter in You Are Never Alone, giving you a chance to explore the ways in which God walks with you every step of the way.


I give You Are Never Alone five out of five stars!


Happy Reading!

Another one of Max Lucado’s books is about seeing the miracles in everyday life and getting out of ourselves. Some could begin with a story from the Bible but somehow he brings it back to your day and gets you to see something from what you read and see how it affects you for that day. I may not be explaining it the right way but he gets the message of what you need to hear that day out for you to see the bigger picture and that there are miracles big and small around us, we just have to look. A very good book.

An easy read and a wonderful reminder. Lots of great stories from Max's life and from the Bible. We are never alone.

I received a review copy from NetGalley and have reviewed it freely.

I always find that [author:Max Lucado] is utterly talented at providing comfort through words. In this particular book, he took a miracle performed by Jesus in each chapter and built upon them to the theme of, You Are Never Alone. He padded around these miracles with certain cultural context and sometimes, certain assumptions he made though he made that clear, then he takes a present-day story (could be his personal one or of others) and in putting these stories together, side by side, showed just how present God is in our lives. That whatever you feel or think, He is never far away. And in these times of troubles, He is every present and active; a comforting thought, indeed.

<i>Thank you, Thomas Nelson via Netgalley, for this copy of e-book</i>

Each chapter opens with an anecdotal life lesson which the author ties in to a Bible lesson from the book of John. He does this so well with wisdom, compassion, sincerity and even some humor mixed in.

There are no insignificant examples of answered prayers. If it matters to you and me, it also matters to God…and, He truly cares. Reading and absorbing this book will help you to move from contingent faith to unconditional faith.

Chapter 11…Breakfast With Jesus, was one of my favorite chapters. I loved the author’s thoughts on the complete and total restoration that Jesus offers and gives to each of us when we need it time and time again. His well of restorations never runs dry.

While reading this book, it felt as though a wise, loving, shepherding pastor was guiding me into a closer relationship with and a greater appreciation for my personal savior, Jesus.

There are some wonderful, thought provoking questions for reflection at the end of the book. Reading the questions and pondering your answers will definitely enhance your reading experience and grow your faith. This book would be an excellent choice for a small group, a Bible Study or a book club, especially if everyone participates in the questions and answers for each chapter. This book is faith enhancing and could be life changing.

I received complimentary copies of this book from Thomas Nelson Publishing through NetGalley and the Amazon Vine Program. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.

I highly encourage you to read this book and be blessed.

Max Lucado's book "You Are Never Alone" weaves real life anecdotes and stories within the gospel of John.

This is an encouraging book again from Lucado. I am really touched by its story. The depth of the writing will catch your imagination.

You Are Never Alone: Trust in the Miracle of God’s Presence and Power

by Max Lucado

The focus is on Jesus. The focus is always on Jesus in Max Lucado’s writing—on how much God loves YOU, enough to send His Son Jesus to cover your sins with His shed blood. The God of the universe loves you and wants to have a relationship with you. That is the message of You Are Never Alone.

Max Lucado’s style of writing is so appealing; it’s like sitting down with an old friend who loves you and has great anecdotes and wisdom to share. He has a way with words. Even his acknowledgements section, often the boring part of a book, is a masterpiece of prose. Lucado can paint word pictures that make you feel you are right there in that hospital waiting room with a hurting mom or having a fish breakfast on the beach with Jesus, risen from the dead, and Peter who denied him. The writing can grip your heart as you see yourself as Jesus does, make you smile as you respond to the humor in a situation, and bring you to your knees as you realize the enormity of God’s love for you.

You Are Never Alone weaves anecdotes Lucado has collected along the way with Scriptural lessons from the book of John in the New Testament. He writes in everyday language with inspiration that will keep you turning pages. Look for theological soundness that never seems pompous and scenarios that depict life as we know it in vivid language we understand. There is a lot of tongue-in-cheek that you are not meant to take literally but which elucidate the heart meaning of the passages. He jumps from Jesus cooking “fish tacos” for His disciples to earlier references of art restoration as Jesus wipes away “layers of guilt and shame” in Peter’s heart with a “cotton swab of grace.” Lucado makes these complex connections seamlessly, and the reader emerges with a new understanding of the old story of God’s redemption of man.

This inspirational book can be devoured as a whole, read chapter by chapter over several days, or studied in depth using the “Questions for Reflection” prepared by Andrea Lucado. This section occupies one quarter of the text and takes the reader through thought provoking questions that encourage you to invest yourself, including your imagination and feelings, in the study which never strays from the Scripture. This book is an examination of the themes and miracles found in the Gospel of John. It is inspirational, humorous, and insightful. You Are Never Alone is yet another of Max Lucado’s books that will encourage you to trust in God during life’s storms.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Rating: 5/5

Category: Christian

Publication: September 15, 2020—Thomas Nelson

Memorable Lines:

If you see your troubles as nothing more than isolated hassles and hurts, you’ll grow bitter. But if you see your troubles as opportunities to trust God and his ability to multiply what you give him then even the smallest incidents take on significance.

John did the math: the stone rolled away, the now-tenantless tomb, the linens in their original state. Only one explanation made sense. Jesus himself did this! He passed through the burial wrap as if it were a sunrise mist.

Call me simple, but I think God is a good Father. I think he knows something about life. And I think he invites us to take the step, to take the plunge, to jump—not into a pool but into a relationship with him that is vibrant, joyous, and, yes, fun!

I received an ARC from Thomas Nelson LUCADO BRAND, via NetGalley. This review is my personal opinion.

What a wonderful and necessary book, although loneliness is real and many have struggled with it. After the appearance of COVID 19, our lives have changed. In this book, Pastor Max Lucado takes from the Apostle John, important and significant moments with one goal: To remind you and me, we are not alone. It may sound impossible and right now more than ever were going out of your house to work feels like a luxury. One of the things I like about this book is that everyone can ( and should ) read it, it doesn’t matter if you are a mom, a young man, or a retired grandmother. It has an easy and understandable approach, with honesty and great and practical advice. I must say this book was a beautiful and unexpected gift. I also like the final section prepared by Andrea Lucado, which is great especially if you reading it with family or friends.

( received complimentary copy in exchange for review )

This book was guided to me at the perfect time in my life. More than a book, the reflection questions does indeed provide much needed support that we are never alone. Whether in life storms or calm seas, His presence is always there. Will be re-reading this book from time to time. Perhaps using a chapter per month as an extra devotional.

Max Lucado is one of my favorite authors, and this book just makes that feeling stronger. You Are Never Alone shows the reader that even in a world turned sideways, and even when we are at our loneliest. Jesus is always by our side.

The Gospel of John tells of Jesus' first seven miracles. People who came to Jesus in his early ministry needing help to save them from hunger, thirst, sickness, even death.

This book can be used for individual or small group study, and has group discussion questions in the back.

You Are Never Alone: Trust in the Miracle of God's Presence and Power by Max Lucado is a timely read that is so valuable today. This author has a way of making his writing instantly relevant and deeply personal to the reader. It is like he can read our inner thoughts and pierces directly to the heart. He intersperses anecdotal stories of people he knows with the stories of people in the Bible, bringing the Scriptures to life with a vibrancy that makes it even more relevant to our own lives. With a message of hope in the certainty of God, this book is a must read in today's chaotic world. I highly recommend it. I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher with no obligations. These opinions are entirely my own.

This is a another amazing book by Max Lucado. The devotions are great and especially much needed in these difficult times that we are all facing. I will certainly read these over and over again. They are really very much needed devotions that will lift you up and encourage you in trying times.

I’m going to begin my review like this: Go ahead right now and buy this book. You’ll be glad you did. For the times in which we are living, we need this closer look at Jesus more than ever before.

Max Lucado has given us a book that’s enfused with hope and encouragement as he guides us through the book of John and highlights the miracles of Jesus. I found this book to be by turns comforting; convicting; encouraging; inspiring; warm; and humorous. It would be difficult to choose my favorite chapter, because each one has its own special application to our lives.

This book holds a much needed message for all of us:

“The message of the miracles is the Miracle Worker Himself. He wants you to know that you are never alone. You are never without help, hope, or strength. You are stronger than you think because God is nearer than you might imagine. (Quote from Chapter 12). I’ve read many of this author’s books, but I think I highlighted something on nearly every page in this one. I’ll be reading this book again, and working my way through the study questions included with the book. I want to glean as much as I can for this thoughtful devotional book.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher. All opinions are my own.

When picking up a Max Lucado, you are guaranteed to have relatable, real-life stories entwined with Biblical truths and “You Are Never Alone” is no exception. The timing of the release of this book feels God-ordained, it has been birthed in the midst of COVID-19 when loneliness and depression are at the highest levels in years and anxiety is everywhere. I picked it up because it’s Max and he doesn’t avoid the hard questions or the suffering.

The book is built around the gospel of John and Max unpacks belief and trust in God’s presence and provision. My anxiety has skyrocketed through this time of COVID-19 and it’s raised old hurts afresh as well as agonising doubts for my faith in God. Max reassures readers who feel as I do with paragraphs such as

“For some of you the answer is no. Your faith is sequoia strong, deep rooted, and shade giving. Others of us, however, have to work through it. We have legitimate questions concerning Christianity. We seek answers that will satisfy our quest for an honest faith. If this describes you, let me welcome you to the Society of Seekers. Let me assure you, it is permissible to have doubts.”

From “You Are Never Alone” by Max Lucado
He also shares deeply traumatic experiences from his past. I am always amazed by his courage and his candidness. I heard in his prose a reassuring “I get the pain you’re in because I’ve walked this road” and when you’re world is spinning, it instills a glimmer of hope.

One of my triggers is death and so I battled to enjoy some of the stories, even when they intended to be light-hearted, and I wanted this book to be a fix. Instead, it was the beginning of a journey I am still walking. Before writing this review, I reread segments of the book and opened my Bible to John again. I am feeling stronger than I was when I first read these passages and more able to appreciate them. This is a book designed to pull you closer to God and into His Word.

I can’t but highly recommend “You Are Never Alone”, it is moving and hopeful. It gives you a fresh stream of thought to calm an anxious mind and mostly, it says “Me too, but God is here.” It’s five out of five on the enJOYment scale.

Max Lucado is a go to author for me when I’m looking for anything to renew my faith and make it stronger. I don’t think he can write a bad book. You are Never Alone was a beautiful book and I read it at a time when we could all use the message of this book.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this beautiful book.

To be honest, I do not want to rate this kind of book because my experience with these books is very personal. But since I need to rate it, would be 5 stars from me. I love each chapter and I felt that I was refreshed as the story progressed. It has reminded me that my strength, mercy, and grace comes only from God. No one can compare to the peace that He can give. Being reminded that God is always there is very comforting too. In a world that fear, anxiety, and sadness is prevalent the passages in this book would help the world a lot. I hope that most get to read it and the message that the Lord is always there despite us being not worthy would be scattered. Since this thought is both very humbling and comforting at the same time.

#You are Never Alone# by Max Lucado is a Christian living book. Max is a Senior Pastor at Oak Hills Church in San Antonio , Texas. He is a best selling author. He has been writing for two decades. This book is practical and helpful . Max shares about the principal He is writing about and shares an example about someone related to what He is sharing about. The personal stories are meaningful. He helps us see what God's character is like and how He can meet our needs. He reminds us of His love for us and how He will walk us through our storms. This book is really needed now during the difficult times many are going through. This book was given to me for review purposes and the opinions are my own. Thank you to the publisher, author and netgalley for allowing me to read and review this book.

Lucado is a master communicator. Even though he has written scores of books, this is another excellent one. He gives us lessons on many of Jesus' miracles, retelling the events. He adds other stories too with some from his own life. There is an extensive section of questions for reflection so this would make a good book for personal journaling or group discussion.

Here are a couple of insights from the book that made a big impression on me. When the royal official came to Jesus to request his son be healed, he traveled from Capernaum to Cana. (John 4:46-54) That was 18 miles. When Jesus told him the son was well, he still had to go back to see it. Granted, he was met part way with good news but he still had to travel hours believing before seeing. What a lesson for someone between Cana and Capernaum, waiting to see the answer God promised.

Another insightful lesson comes from the man beside the pool, waiting 38 years for healing. Could he have done something in all those years to move him closer to the healing pool or was he satisfied in his condition? Lucado asks, “What can I do today that will take me in the direction of a better tomorrow?” (410/1631)

And one more insight. John recorded miracles not only to affirm Jesus' deity but to assure us of the presence of God and that God cares for us. “...[E]very one of Jesus' miracles was an act of kindness. Someone benefited.” (96/1631)

This is a very encouraging book. It is full of encouraging stories and lessons. I highly recommend it.

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

Such a hope filled book. Quick, easy read, so encouraging. I love Max's writing style. Bits of humor, touching stories, just all together great.

I received an advanced reader copy, which did not influence my review.