Category: Book Reviews

Love and Passion

by Anthony Robbins

 

– The greatest relationships are those that are always growing.

– Do not base your life or relationship on the normal person, because most do not stay in a relationship for long and they’re not very happy.

– You have to learn to manage your own emotions. If you’re not right with yourself, you cannot be right with anyone else.

– A grateful person can be grateful anywhere no matter the context but the emotional, unstable person can be sad or hurt no matter how good or bad the context.

– If you really want to make your relationship work, start with you.

– What makes a relationship work is having things in common, but what makes a relationship passionate is having differences.

 

– If you want a intimate passionate relationship, work on the following things:

1. Heartfelt understanding. Feeling what someone else feels will melt their heart. What makes them upset, what makes them happy, what hurts them, etc.? Find out.

2. Give your spouse what they need. It’s not about you, it’s what they need. Once you understand your spouse, you have to give them what they need.

3. Create and build trust and respect. You can’t just respect them, you have to trust them. When you trust someone, you open up to them.

4. You have to reclaim the playfulness, pleasure and passion in the relationship.

5. Have the courage to be honest.

6. You have to align with your spouse. When you get to the point that you think you don’t have anything in common with your spouse, you are wrong. You just have to find it.

7. Be an example to your spouse, not just demanding or going first.

– The skills of a relationship are to select and to connect. Choosing the right person and then connecting with that person.

– Much of the happiness that you’re going to have in life will come from the person that you select as your spouse. – What kind of person do you need to be for the person that you love.

– No their chemistry and who they are and always find new ways to please them and make them happy.

– When there’s a problem, fix it right away. You may have to have time to walk away and breathe, but get back together and fix it before it becomes a monster.

– Discipline weighs ounces but regret weighs tons.

– What is preventing you to strengthen your relationship? Find out and make it your goal to fix things and put passion in your marriage.

Listful Thinking

by Paula Rizzo

 

– Making a list will help you become more organized, more efficient and use your time much better.

– List-full thinking can help you get more done, become more efficient, create good habits, help you do things better and enjoy them more because you are prepared, be more organized, less stressed and more balanced.

– Many successful and professional people keep a list of ideas, tasks and jobs.

– It’s all about preparation and thoughtfulness.

– One study says that by making a list, you are 30% more likely to complete the task. Whether a bigger task or just getting a milk from the store, making a list will make you more organized and efficient.

– Lists will take care of much anxiety – when you write it down, you don’t have to worry as much nor do you have to remember it.

– List making will boost your brain power – making a list will use parts of your brain that you many times do not use.

– List making will improve your focus – it works like a roadmap to get you where you need to go. Your list will help you stay focused as well as get more done throughout the day.

– List making will help you be more prepared – have a pen and paper on hand, because a list will help you to keep priorities and get things done. A checklist is a form to get things done.

– You don’t want to have to remember to remember something, so write it down.

– Make a pro and con list if you have to make a decision.

– Start with a life list – things that you would like to do or see before you die. From there you can go to things you want to do this year, etc.

– A gratitude list – things you’re thankful for at the specific moment and in general. Anything that’ll make you smile should be put on this list, silly or serious.

– Whether you write a grocery list, to do list, list of pros and cons or any other list, the fact that you make a list will do good to your body, soul and mind. It will reduce stress, increase effectivity, and give you a sense of accomplishment.

– Start making a list, write down anything that you think and then begin to prioritize it.

– Keep the list in different categories as to not confuse them as well as to pull them up whenever needed.

– Prioritize your list. Just because something is going to be easier doesn’t mean you want to do that first. Prioritize according to deadline and importance so that you can get it done and will not get off focus (by checking email, taking a phone call, thinking about doing something else, etc.).

– You have to find the right formula for you so that the list does not make you feel overwhelmed. The goal is to help you get more done, not get more stressed. The list can help you be organized and focused.

– Be realistic, you know yourself well enough and do not need to write down things that are unattainable. You also do not want to write down so many things that all you are doing is scratching things off to make you feel better.

– Make different list. Don’t keep every list (what you want to do in your life and what need to do every day) in the same spot. Make several lists for every project that you need to work on or accomplish.

– Learn to delegate or out-source things that you do not necessarily need to do.

– Learn to say no to some things, you do not have to do everything. It’s easy to say yes to a lot of things, but you do not need to make “yes” your default answer.

– Put time frames on your list, when you need to accomplish them.

– Make list of things far out – like buy turkey two weeks before Thanksgiving, etc.

– Make rewards for yourself – when you finish certain tasks, you’ll treat yourself to ice cream or whatever.

– Make reminders for yourself – it’s easy to forget what you’re supposed to do, but if you set reminders for yourself, it will prompt you to take action, look at the list and get it done. Use Post-it notes stuck in places to help remind you.

– Throughout the day, write down the things that you will have to do for the next day and have it finished before that night so you are prepared for the next day.

– When you have a task on your to-do list, you may need to break it down into steps, especially if it is something bigger. So you may need a sub to-do list in order to get things done.

– You can make paying taxes, grocery shopping, clothes shopping, cooking, medication, doctors visits, calendar events, job responsibilities, etc. so much easier if you’ll learn to write it down.

– Too many times do we leave the doctors office, or visiting someone, or a meeting and think, “oh I meant to ask them…”. If we would make list, we would remember.

– Making decisions can be mentally exhausting, but if we would plan before hand by making lists, we can avoid the exhaustion. For example: for one week straight lay out your clothes that you are going to wear the night before… you will not have to waste time or worry so much about deciding what you are going to wear in the morning.

– Make a list of things you need to talk about when you call the person or meet a person – this will keep you on focus and make sure you get accomplished what you needed.

– Make a list of activities and things you want to do when you go on a trip. Having a plan will help you know what you need to get prepared for and you can enjoy your time to the fullest.

Lectures To My Students

by Charles Spurgeon

 

This is not even a drop in the bucket of the good info he gave in this book.

 

– We will do our best when we are spiritually in order.

– No man does any good if he preaches a message to others that he first has not preached to himself.

– As does the workman, so does the worker go.

– Too many ministers forget to serve and represent God when they are out of the pulpit. True ministers are always ministers.

– We should be ministers powerful both in word and deed

– Do not make your sermons with so much information that it is not easy to eat. One nail nailed down well is better than 50 tacks barely sticking to the board.

– Keep the children’s attention while you are preaching – throw in a little story or parable to have even the children pay attention while you are preaching.

– You must attract attention to the hook. If the fish are not attracted to the hook, it is not the fish’s fault rather the fisherman’s fault.

– You should never go beyond 40 minutes in you’re preaching. If you cannot say what needs to be said in 40 minutes you should not say it.

– Preach on practical themes and matters that are needed to the listeners. Speaking is silver but pausing is gold. Say something worth hearing. Be close to the Spirit of God, your cup freshly filled from the presence of God so you can truly give to something your listeners.

– Ecc. 7:21 — have a blind eye and death ear

– He spoke frequently of Calvinism, his view of Calvinism must have been different from what is today called Calvinism. He pretty much disproved the idea that there is only Calvinism and Arminianism. He said that when you preach the Gospel come to the end of the sermon, you should “call sinners to repentance instead of being like some Calvinist to preach the Gospel and then sit down saying that it is only for the elect” – this was his example.

How to Write a Book this Weekend

By Vic Johnson

 

– You can have an interview with two experts on any subject and write a book about that.

– You can write a book in a reporters style.

– There are books on how-to, informational, and there are fictional books that are just interesting. You can write “how-to” books in an interesting way.

– Find a quiet spot where you will not be interrupted when you are writing a book.

– Pick the topic of the book. Make an outline of the book. Record yourself like you are interviewing yourself about the topic. After you have made the recording, you will have the main substance for your book. Of course it will need polishing, but your main information is in that recording.

– When you read something that you find interesting, put it into a file that you can later use when you want to write a book on that subject.

– You can add a quote at the beginning of the chapter and a to-do list at the end of the chapter.

– Use multiple proofreaders at the end of your book and find a good editor who will keep the book uniform and in your voice.

– You can dictate your book on audio program and then have it transcribed. You could have someone interview you if you prefer, just speak and recorded yourself or use recorded lessons that you have taught.

– Have a title page, copyright page, index page and in “about the author” page. Also do not forget to include your contact info, links to your blogs or websites, free offers, other books, etc.

– One of the most important things about a book is the title. Find the title. Another important thing about your book is the design, have a well designed cover.

How to Get Ahead in the World Today

By Dale Carnegie

 

– Decide — no one can really make you do things, only you will decide.

– Relationships — your success in life many times will depend on how you can get along with other people.

– Learn — you can learn from any man if you will only

– Habit — habit is nothing more than repetition. Here’s how to develop great habits and get ahead:

1. Take inventory of yourself — ask others what good habits you should have and what bad habits you should get rid of.

2. Start yourself off with all the enthusiasm that you have. Make your achievements your top priority and go at it with enthusiasm.

3. Grasp every opportunity as one to achieve your goals.

4. Don’t make excuses for yourself — if you want to form a new habit, don’t make excuses, just work at it.

5. Make definitive commitments — athletes make commitments whether difficult or not. Tell others about it and make yourself follow through.

 

– Enthusiasm will make up for many other areas.

– Determination — hard work will get you somewhere, just determine and begin doing it. Many don’t stick at something long enough to see it succeed. Make your mind up and you will get ahead almost before you know it.

– Fear and courage — fear exist mainly in your mind. Courage has more to do with mind than strength, number and other areas. Do what you are afraid to do and the fear of it will be conquered.

– According to a Carnegie study, 15% of one’s success depends on superior knowledge and 85% is due to superior personality.

– Poised — it’s surprising how many lack poise, but it is important to learn and obtain it. Just learn to think about others and not yourself. When you are in the presence of others, forget about yourself and what your interests and involve yourself totally in the other person.

– Organize your work — learn to avoid distractions. Focus on one thing at a time. Have a to-do list and work at accomplishing the list.

– Time — how you spend it will determine where you will be in 5 years from now. Some have more talents, better position, more money or better looking, but all of us have the same amount of time. We all have the same amount of time but do not all use it wisely. Your time is the most valuable thing you success, make it work for you.

– Become a friendlier person:

1. Don’t criticize, complain or condemn

2. Give honest, sincere appreciation

3. Arouse interest in other people.

4. Become genuinely interested in other people.

5. Smile

6. Remember that a person’s name is the sweetest sound in any language

7. Be a good listener

8. Talk in terms of the other person’s interest

9. Make the other person feel important and do it sincerely

– Be a leader:

1. Begin with praise and honest appreciation

2. Call attention to people’s mistakes indirectly

3. Talk about your own mistakes before criticizing the other person

4. Ask questions instead of giving direct orders

5. Let the other person save face

6. Praise the slightest improvement and every improvement

7. Give the other person a fine reputation to work up to

8. Use encouragement

9. Make the other person happy about doing what you suggested

– How to handle worry

1. Get all the facts

2. Weigh all the facts before coming to a decision

3. Once a decision is reached, act on the decision

4. Write out and answer the following questions:

A. What is the problem?

B. What are the causes of the problem?

C. What are the solutions?

D. What is the best possible solution

5. Keep busy

6. Use the law of averages to outweigh the worry

7. Cooperate with the inevitable

8. Decide how much anxiety something is worth and do not give it any more

9. Don’t worry about the past

Gladys Aylward

by Janet Benge

 

– She was 27 years old and was studying in China Inland Mission to be a missionary. She was not doing well in her grades so they dismissed. She wanted to be a missionary to China but now there was no chance.

– She went to the shipyard and asked how much it would cost to go to China. She only had three shillings and they laughed at her. She began working to save up when someone told her that there was a retired missionary couple from China looking for a maid. She went to work for the couple and asked them to tell her stories of China and would borrow books about China. Finally the lady she worked for told her that there was a missionary widow that would not return from China even after she lost her husband. Gladys ask them to contact her and left for China to work for her. She traveled through Russia and treacherously was taken as a slave but she was saved in the nick of time. She literally jumped on a ship headed to Japan and acted as a British prisoner with the Japanese. When she arrived, they let her go and she headed to China.

– She finally arrived in China after many travel problems. Mrs. Lawson, the widow lady she went to work for, had been in China for 53 years. They worked together forming a hotel for travelers. After a while Mrs. Lawson unexpectedly died. Gladys did not know what to do but wanted to stay in China. How could she maintain and finance the hotel that her and Mrs. Lawson worked so well? She did not have the money and was scared.

– One day out of nowhere, the Mandarin, leader in charge of the whole area that had ultimate power, came by and visited Gladys. She was scared and did not know what was going on. The Mandarin told Gladys that laws had changed and every woman in the entire province was to quit binding their feet, a tradition used all over China for many many years. He said that men could not look at women’s feet, so he needed a woman to travel all over as a foot doctor and make sure that people quit binding women’s feet. He said the only woman in that area that could walk and did not have bound feet was Gladys, so she would work for him. He told her that she would travel all over with the guards from the Mandarin and speak on his behalf. She told him she was a Christian and would tell the women about God. He replied that she could do so if she wanted, and he would take care of all of the travels (expenses, guards and open doors). God had just opened the door, provided the protection, the provision and the authority. What an amazing God!

– At one time there was a riot in the prison and the prisoners were killing each other. The Mandarin asked Gladys if she would help. She did not understand how she could help, she was a woman, she knew nothing about prisons and she was scared. But she said she would, prayed and marched into the prison. Blood was everywhere and dead bodies were laying all over. Men were killing each other, but God gave her a boldness and she screamed “stop it”. The men all stopped and looked at her. She demanded that they come form a line. Ultimately, God used her to stop the prison riot. She later demanded that they get the prisoners jobs so they could have food and better clothing. Once again she saw God do miraculous things.

– She adopted orphan children. She stopped counting at 150 they still kept coming in.

– The Mandarin asked her to tear down a building that everybody was afraid to touch. They believed that a giant scorpion used to kill people and was trapped inside of that building so everyone was afraid to touch the building. Gladys gathered the Christians in the town to tear the building down. The Mandarin then asked Gladys to come to the palace for a feast. She went and there were a lot of people gathered there. At the end of the dinner, the Mandarin began to speak about all the things that Gladys had done for him and for the city. He then looked at her and said that he wanted to become a Christian. Once again, God performed another miracle in her life.

Found: God’s Will

By John MacArthur Salvation

 

— God’s will begins at salvation.

– God’s will is that men be saved and we are the vehicles to share that with the world. Spirit Filled — Christians being filled with His Spirit is His Will

– When you are saved, you receive the Holy Spirit but to what degree that God is active in your life depends on you as an individual. You must yield your life to the Holy Spirit.

– When you’re close to Jesus you can do so much more and go so much further.

– The Spirit filled life is nothing more than living in the conscious presence of Christ.

– Ephesians 5:18 – we are to be controlled by an under the influence of the Spirit instead of controlled by an under the influence of wine.

– The more you read the Bible, the more you will know the Bible. The only way you can be Spirit minded is to saturate yourself in the Word. Sanctification – being pure – 1 Thessalonians 4:3

– Sex is a good thing. You are not to avoid sex, you are to avoid sexual sins. Sex is a beautiful thing from God, but only with your spouse.

– Control your body — I Thes 4:4 – A holy man is an awesome weapon in the hands of God Submit – I Peter 2:15-18

– Submit to the authorities God has given you.

– I Peter 2:15 — submit and live in a way that will not bring reproach on name of Christ.

– Don’t hide your maliciousness under the cloak of your liberty — I Peter 2:17

– Submit to your boss at work, government and every authority God has placed in your life.

– I Timothy 3:10 — the preacher should be a man under submission.

– Only exception of not obeying law of the land is when it goes against what God commands.

Suffering

– Some came to Jesus saying they wanted to follow Christ (Luke 9:57-58) but He wanted them to know that suffering is part of the Christian life… not all easy.

– I Peter 5:10 – All will have to take up their cross.

– I Peter 3:17 — but suffer not because of our attitude or own fault but for Christ’s sake.

– I Peter 4:14-15 — don’t suffer as a bad doer but as a Christian

– II Timothy 3:12 – Evangelism is not just the preacher’s job, it is your job. Not passing out a tract but living and talking about the Lord.

– Colossians 1:24

– Galatians 6:17

– Willing to confront the world and stand for what is right.

Do whatever you Want

– If you are living for the Lord and walking with Him as previously mentioned, than do whatever you want because your desires are coming from the Lord.

– Psalm 37:4

– Once you are the right person, you will do the right thing. God gives you desires when you are obeying Him.

– God’s Will is not a place but you as a person being who God wants you to be.

Developing The Leaders Around You

by John Maxwell

 

– Are you raising up leaders around you? Great leaders not only lead well, they also raise up other leaders.

– Great leaders reproduce other leaders.

– Are you growing the people that are around you?

– Grow the leader and you will grow the organization.

– The strength of an organization will be determined by its leader. Weak leaders have weak organizations and strong leaders have strong organizations.

– Have strong people around you that will help you. Those around you will determine your strength or weakness.

– It takes a leader to know a leader, grow a leader and show a leader, but also to attract another leader.

– Don’t just add on other leaders, multiply leaders.

– The more people you lead, the more people you will need.

– Be smart enough to bring strong men alongside you.

– A leader must create a climate in which other leaders can grow and come on board.

– A leader must be a thermostat and not simply a thermometer.

– There’s a difference between managers and leaders. Managers maintain and control while leaders innovates vision.

– A leader must know where he is going to be able to show others the way.

– To nurture other leaders you have, use the BEST formula: Believe in them. Encourage them. Share with them. Trust them. – When you believe in people, they will know it and you will be able to motivate them.

– You can hire someone to work for you, but you must believe in them for them to work with you.

– It is the leader’s job to add significance to those that he leads.

– People usually rise to the expectation. If you want something accomplished, you must expect and reward what you want accomplished.

– When you nurture leaders around you, everyone wins.

– In order to get something done, you must give your leaders: Responsibility. Authority. Accountability. – Nurture and help all of your people, but develop only a few.

– Set aside time daily for personal growth. If you’re going to help others, you must grow yourself. Guard that time because you need it.

– Choosing those who will be on your team is vital to having a good team.

– Take time to be together make a game plan with those you choose for your team.

– Leaders who have the attitude of “I must do it myself” will get very little accomplished and help very few people.

– Model what you want in order to add value to other people – not only will they know what you expect, but they will see what you expect.

– People become empowered when you offer them opportunity, freedom and security.

– When you give of yourself and add value to other people, you will always receive the following in return: loyalty, encouragement, counsel and support, problem solving, time, balance of gifts, people development and increase of influence.

– True success comes when one generation prepares the next generation for success.

– To be a leader, we must: Have desire. Have relationship skills.

– When you see someone with potential, give them opportunities, a growth plan and your time to help them.

– Make that developing of other leaders your lifestyle. By doing so, you will multiply your influence and efforts.