Trade Your Cares for Calm by Max Lucado

Trade Your Cares for Calm by Max Lucado ISBN-13: 9780718074890 Hardcover: 208 pages Publisher: Thomas Nelson Released: Dec. 26, 2017

Source: Review copy from the publisher through BookLook Bloggers.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
What if faith, not fear, could be your default reaction to circumstances? Imagine being able to walk away from worry, conquer the need to control, get rid of guilt, and end if-only thinking. That’s God’s offer. He wants to exchange your burdens for an abundance of mercy, gratitude, and trust. To replace striving and stress with a faith-filled life in which you’ll see God’s goodness, feel calm in chaos, and find peace through prayer.

Bestselling author Max Lucado understands what it’s like to feel overwhelmed by anxiety. Through unforgettable stories and biblical wisdom, he offers powerful tools to help you manage your fears and worries.


My Review:
Trade Your Cares for Calm is a compilation of previously published material quoted or adapted from some of Lucado's previous books (Anxious for Nothing, Facing Your Giants, Fearless, Max on Life, 3:16 The Numbers of Hope, Traveling Light, and You'll Get Through This). This gift or coffee-table-style book contained many landscape photographs and quick, short entries to read. Each chapter contained short, devotional type material, application and how-to lists, topical collections of several verses, and journaling questions to help you apply the lessons to your worries.

He takes you through four principles (CALM) found in Philippians 4:4-8. He also pointed out that "your anxiety decreases as your understanding of your father increases." So we get some chapters on how God is in control, God is good and He is for you. We're told not to listen to shame- or guilt-based thoughts but apply God's truth and grace. Combat "if only" thinking and discontentment with thanksgiving and counting your blessings. We're also told to focus on God, not our circumstances. And, of course, pray and take your worries to God.

While the book contained good advice, it felt a little disconnected since it's taken from different sources and the advice was dispensed in short, devotional-type entries.


If you've read this book, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.


Excerpt: Read an excerpt using Google Preview.