Review: Jesus and the Beanstalk

Jesus and the Beanstalk
By Lori Stanley Roeleveld
Abingdon Press, 2016


Summary

What if a fairy tale and ten Bible verses could free you to live an effective, fruitful life in Christ?

We live in unsettling, challenging times. Everywhere we look, we see giant problems: giant obstacles to sharing faith, giant barriers to peaceful lives, giant strongholds of fear. But what if you knew eight small secrets to unlocking a strength big enough to overcome whatever obstacle life may bring?

Using allegory and a bit of humor, Jesus and the Beanstalk explores a passage in 2 Peter 1 to uncover eight truths that will help you unleash a larger-than-life faith:

-Faith
-Goodness
-Knowledge
-Self-control
-Perseverance
-Godliness
-Affection for others
-Love

In this creative, refreshing perspective on spiritual growth, you will discover an unyielding strength when you tap the power of a God who is stronger than any beanstalk and bigger than your biggest giants.

Purchase a copy: http://bit.ly/2dcnopJ


My thoughts

When I first saw the title, I thought this was a story for children. However, closer inspection revealed it to be a Christian living book inspired by a fairy tale and with a very relevant message for today’s times. Jesus and the Beanstalk is a unique book that can be used for personal or group study, and I enjoyed it very much.

Facts ground us, give us footing, and secure us in place,

but stories lift our eyes to meet his gaze. 

Lori Stanley Roeleveld understands the power of story to effect change, and very capably combines storytelling, personal experience, and Scripture-based teaching into an engaging and inspirational narrative.

At the heart of this book are eight spiritual fruits drawn from 2 Peter 1 – such as faith, virtue, steadfastness, godliness. Each topic is spread out over six days of in-depth Bible study, inspirational essays, and ending with a day of reflection. I made special note of Lori’s list of “Heritage of Faith Walkers” related to each spiritual fruit – people like George Mueller, Amy Carmichael, Jim Elliot, Billy Graham, Philip Yancey, Max Lucado, Oswald Chambers, Fanny Crosby, Joni Eareckson Tada, Susanna Wesley, Richard Foster, C. S. Lewis. I also enjoyed the essays and am eager to work through Jesus and the Beanstalk in depth.

To give readers a taste of what to expect, here are a few of my favorite quotes:

-- The odds are always in favor of the giant – always – but odds don’t win battles. Ask David.

-- The dragon roars and snuffs out as many as he dares before your return, but he knows too well death won’t win, murderers will be called to account, those who overcome will see your face and live forever.

-- Jesus is your security, your money in the bank, your investment portfolio, your retirement plan, your hope chest, your inheritance. He is like no other.

-- This is the age to believe what God says about prayer and about the spiritual battle raging around us.

-- People who obey often witness miracles, but that’s because people who obey are more likely to be where God is at work.

Jesus and the Beanstalk is a great spiritual resource. Recommended.

_________________________

Lori Stanley Roeleveld is the author of Running from a Crazy Man (and other adventures traveling with Jesus) and Red Pen Redemption. Her blog, LoriRoeleveld.com, was voted Top 100 Christian Blogs by RedeemingGod.com and has enjoyed over 1.5 million views. Lori lives in Hope Valley, RI.

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Thank you to Litfuse Publicity for providing a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Litfuse landing page:
http://litfusegroup.com/author/lroeleveld