Dear Corinne,
As you probably know, Simon Guillebaud is an international speaker and a best selling author. He is the Founder of Great Lakes Outreach He and his family live and work in worn-torn Burundi, in Africa.
When he last spoke at our church, Choose Life had recently been published and at the end of the service I purchased some copies to give away as Christmas presents. I had intended to keep one for myself, but gave them all away! So I was delighted to receive a copy from a friend for Christmas!
Simon starts from the premise that every day we make lots of choices, both consciously and subconsciously. Some have relatively little impact, others are more wide-reaching. Some are life giving, while others are more damaging. He reminds us that in the Old Testament we read: “…..I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life!” (Deuteronomy 30:19) He invites us to a year of good choices.
You can hear him talk about the essence of his book on YouTube!
The format for the Daily Readings is an either/or title…. for example, Resolution or Resignation, Gem or Junk, Flee or Face, Respond or Resist.
Each day there is a Bible verse (or two!) a short reading on the verse and theme and then finally a prayer.
These readings contain great quotes, pertinent and challenging anecdotes and of course that vital ingredient for life………….humour! They are thought provoking, moving, challenging and encouraging. They encourage us to pick up the baton and to keep running the race marked out for us!
Simon wrote this book during a season of sickness and fatigue and with his experience of living ‘on the edge’ in Burundi, there is an honesty and integrity about the readings………….these are not a series of platitudes from an arm-chair saint! They are words of life inspired by the Spirit and forged in the furnace of challenge and affliction!
Rather than wax lyrical about this book, which provides a daily portion of inspiration, challenge and encouragement and which I really appreciated and valued, I invite you to take a look for yourself and at some point to journey through a year with it. Simon is of the view that if you fully embrace the challenge to a year of good choices, “I have no doubt it will be the most memorable year of your life!”
I look forward to hearing your views on Choose Life…..when you have had the opportunity to look at it!
with love,