One-Way Love . . . I'm Giving One Book Away!

Each year I have the opportunity to review a lot of books; many of which are excellent. But yesterday I read a book which I was sent for review and I have to say it is one I found to be powerful, challenging, thought-provoking, convicting and encouraging. One Way Love by Tullian Tchividjian (pronounced cha-vi-jin) is a book which I will enthusiastically recommend; even to the point of saying if you only read one book this year, make it One Way Love!

One Way Love: Inexhaustible Grace for an Exhausted World
Author - Tullian Tchividjian
Publisher - David C. Cook

Favorite Features -

• Chapter after chapter, paragraph after paragraph, sentence after sentence Tullian explains and shows us what One-Way Love is and how it is a Gift from God we can not earn to get or earn to keep
• Love how he explains, "Grace is the most dangerous, expectation-wrecking, smile-creating, counter-intuitive reality there is."
• Challenges us to look at God's love and Grace in an entirely different way
• Calls upon us to understand we can not teach, "too much Grace"

I love One Way Love! Look at a few quotes which have given me much to think about; "If we're not careful, we can give people the impression Christianity is first and foremost about the sacrifice we make for Jesus rather than about the sacrifice Jesus made for us; our performance for Him rather than His performance for us; our obedience for Him rather than His obedience for us. The hub of Christianity is not, 'do something for Jesus.' The hub of Christianity is, 'Jesus did everything for you.'"

And this one; "It's high time for the church to honor it's Founder by embracing sola gratia anew, to reignite the beacon of hope for the hopeless and point all of us bedraggled performancists back to the freedom and rest of the Cross. To leave our ifs, ands or buts behind and get back to proclaiming the only message which matters - and the only message we have - the Word about God's one-way love for sinners."

Can you see why I love this book?!! I know I was brought up to believe I had to accept God's Grace to be forgiven; I couldn't earn it. But, I was also taught there were rules; or laws, which I had better follow for God to be pleased with me. What a hideous and exhausting burden that is to place on anyone's shoulders. In One Way Love, Tullian removes this burden; and not only removes it, he smashes it to pieces with the truth, as he says, "The message of Grace is - God loves you unconditionally, as you are and not as you should be, because nobody is as they should be." And, "The great hope we find in the Christian faith is God is not us . . . God attaches no strings to His love. None. His love for us does not depend on our loveliness. It goes one way."

From sharing part of his own story as the grandson of Billy Graham who was kicked out of his home at the age of 16 because he was so rebellious, to how God's Grace turned his life around, this is a book which will help you see,"The Gospel is not a command to hang on to Jesus. It's a promise that no matter how weak your faith and how unsuccessful your efforts may be, God is always holding on to you." You will want to read this - and give a copy to everyone on your Christmas list!

I'm thrilled to say not only did David C. Cook send me a copy for free to review, but they are making another available for me to give away (USA only)! If you'd like to be in the drawing for One Way Love, which will be on October 12, 2013,  please comment below to let me know if you have followed on Google Friend Connect, followed by liking on facebook with the tab in the "Find us on Facebook" box ON THE BLOG or at this link (not just liking the post) and/or have followed About the Children's Department by email. For each of these which you have done you will receive one entry. In addition, if you "share" this post, you'll receive an additional entry (please let me know if you share). This will help me be able to draw names from among people who would like to win One Way Love and it gives you several ways to enter the give-away! Thank you for reading About the Children's Department and for sharing it with the people you know!