Customer Reviews

Dangerous Surrender: What Happens When You Say Yes to God

5 star:		(18)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I generally don't like books written by evangelical ministers' wives. Too often, they contain shrill attacks on women whom the authors perceive to be less godly than they are, as well as a fair amount of whining about the difficulty of living in the shadow of husbands with successful ministries. So, it was with a judgmental spirit that I picked up Kay Warren's book. I intended to spend just enough time with it to convince myself that it was another one of `those' books and then set it aside.

I did a double-take when I read the back cover endorsement from Gary Thomas, who describes Dangerous Surrender as `one of the richest reads I've experienced.' Having now finished the book, I'm in complete agreement with Mr. Thomas' assessment. You must read this book!

In Dangerous Surrender, Kay Warren explains how five years ago, she received a call from God to be active in the fight against HIV/AIDS. Interwoven with the inspiring story of her growing involvement in fighting the AIDS pandemic is a beautiful description of her spiritual journey. If it is narrative that captures your heart, you'll be blessed by Kay's story. If it is an author's ability to articulate the spiritual growth process that speaks to you, you'll be blessed by Kay's analysis of her journey. If you don't know God and are wondering what Christianity is all about, Kay will answer your questions. Regardless of who you are and where you are on your journey, there is something for you in this book!

It would take several pages to adequately describe how this book has challenged and encouraged me. Let me briefly mention three themes that especially resonated with me. First, Kay shows how a deepening personal relationship with God naturally leads to a growing love for other people. Intimacy with God is not an alternative to service. It is both/and, not either/or. Second, Kay is honest about the fact that at times, surrender to God is very difficult. But, as difficult as it can be to give up the kingdom of self, Kay also points out that `God wins us not by shouting, beating us up, or starving us into submission...We are loved into surrender.' Finally, Kay's story illustrates how God calls us to be in community with fellow believers. You won't approach the Lord's Supper in quite the same way after reading Kay's discussion of how we are to share in the fellowship of the sufferings of Jesus.

I highly recommend this book!

A final note: A couple of additional pluses to the book are that it contains a Readers' Group Discussion Guide, as well as links to free on-line supplements.

I heard an interview with Rick and Kay Warren on Speaking of Faith (http://speakingoffaith.publicradio.org/) and was impressed with Kay Warren. I admit that I have not been a big fan of Rick Warren and The Purpose Driven Life.

I played the interview for my wife and she too was impressed. We ran across the CD version of Dangerous Surrender while on a trip and bought it to give it a listen. WOW! My wife kept saying over and over - this is not what I expected. Kay is not like other famous pastor's wives!

She is a "new evangelical" which is really the real evangelicals who care about people not just the Republican party! She is an evangelical in the mode of General Booth of the Salvation Army, or Dwight Moody who ministered to the poor and immigrant communities of Chicago.

I highly recommend this book! Her passion and clear incarnational theology ( we make the invisible God visible) is wonderful.

Kay speaks of her own suffering - sexual abuse, depression, cancer, and the deep suffering one can have when caring about those who are suffering.

I will give this book away!

Recently I had the opportunity to meet and interview Kay Warren at a local conference. I was thankful for the opportunity because there has been a lot of controversy around her husband Pastor Rick Warren and now also her because of her involvement with trying to educate the world about the HIV/AIDS problem in the world.

Not knowing what to expect I was very pleasantly surprised at the warmth and genuine personality Kay was. And during our conversation I learned of this new book. After I heard about the book I immediately went home and bought an audio version of the book and listened to the full book within 3 days. It was hard to pull myself away from the book, despite the serious nature, because all of the things Kay talked about that "seriously disturbed" her - have been things that have bothered me as well.

I loved the book because she simply tells the reader how it is. People ARE dying of AIDS all over the world.

Women are involved in the sex trade through no fault of their own. And babies (teens and under) are being used as sex slaves and the Church is sleeping and letting it happen.

Well, not any more because Kay's call to the church is to wake up, get involved and do something to rescue these people. This is the call of every Christian...to be there for the orphans, the widows, those enslaved in sin.

But that is only part of the reason I liked the book. The other reason is because Kay shares from her heart about her own journey and her personal struggles with depression, insecurity and the fame of her husband and living in his shadow. It's a real book, from a real genuine woman and I cannot recommend this book highly enough.

In fact, if you want to shake a few complacent Christians out of their comfort zone, please get the book and give it as a gift.

- I am Stacy Harp, President of Active Christian Media - www.activechristianmedia.com

I have never read a book written by a woman that is so brutally honest. I will be ordering more to give to my friends. Everyone, men and women should read this book.

Don't read this....You might actually start thinking of others before yourself! Great Book...Will change you

Although Kay Warren is an Evangelical Christian and I am a Conservative Rabbi, I found her honest, personal portrait inspiring. Her tale reveals that by listening for and responding to the Divine call to meet the needs of the most vulnerable, she expanded her horizons, deepened as a person, and strengthened her relationship with God.

Kay Warren is an extraordinary woman and should be praised for writing this shocking and enlightening book. She reveals how she became "seriously disturbed" after reading a magazine article in 2002 focusing on the AIDS pandemic. She was stunned and distressed that the article stated there were 12 million AIDS orphans in Africa. The statistics were staggering and horrific! She couldn't understand how this could be happening without her knowledge. She wondered why people weren't doing more to stop this pandemic. After much research on HIV/AIDS, she realized she couldn't sit back and ignore these people.

It took courage and self-sacrifice for this pastor's wife to leave her warm, comfortable California home to journey into the midst of the AIDS pandemic in Africa in 2003, and later to other parts of the world plagued with the AIDS pandemic. Her journey took her to areas where young children and adults were dying each day from this insidious disease. In some way, she felt she had to do something to alleviate their suffering by sharing her love with them. She witnessed the social stigma, rejection, persecution, and shame these people faced daily. It would have been easy to simply forget that this tragedy was a reality. Yet, this special woman realized that she couldn't ignore the call from God to "act up" and reach out to those suffering from HIV/AIDS.

While away from home, she discovered that she had breast cancer. Shortly after this battle, she was diagnosed with another form of cancer. This wasn't enough to stop a woman on a mission. She knew her mission in life and had said, "Yes" to God.

This is a brutally honest account of her journey into HIV/AIDS activism. As an AIDS activist myself, I felt so much admiration for Kay Warren. Her activism struck a chord within me. I know how my elderly mother felt when she was battling HIV/AIDS due to a tainted blood transfusion while undergoing heart bypass surgery in 1983. She was one of the first victims of HIV. She kept her illness a secret because she feared rejection. Many of the people Ms. Warren met felt dirty and ashamed of their illness. I know my own mother did even though she was infected through a blood transfusion. It's difficult to imagine that the stigma still exists after 25 years of the AIDS pandemic. Kay Warren teaches us we should not sit idly by while these people suffer in silence. I totally agree with her. Hopefully, others will hear her message and join the fight.

Being the wife of Pastor Rick Warren, of the Saddleback Church in California, she believes that all churches must take an active role in educating people about HIV/AIDS. What a difference this would make.

In "Dangerous Surrender," Ms. Warren teaches us lessons about love, acceptance, courage, compassion and faith. It wasn't always an easy or pleasant experience, but the desire to do the will of God surpassed any hesitancy she might have experienced. I applaud Kay Warren for her generous gift of love and acceptance to those in need of compassion and understanding. This book taught me to say "Yes" to God and not question His ways.

"Dangerous Surrender" was one of the most inspiring books I have ever read. If more people were like Kay Warren this world would be a better place. We all have a choice in life. We can sit and simply watch the pain and evil in the world or we can make a decision to ease the suffering of those in need by surrendering to God's will as Kay Warren did. I highly recommend this outstanding book.

A Burden of Silence: My Mother's Battle with AIDS

Kay's book has come to me at a challenging time in my life and I thank her for sharing her journey with me. She has shared her honest self and I very much related to her. God has used her in my life through her words, feelings, and stories to challenge me in my journey with Him. This book is a wonderful self study or team study and can be re-read and highlighted and used to challenge yourself to the next step in your life. Don't be afraid to say YES!

I was given this book as a gift and really didn't have any intention of reading it any time soon. Under whelmed by Kay Warren's husband's best-seller The Purpose-Driven Life, I assumed that her book would be more of the same. After reading the book, I must admit that I was pleasantly surprised with the message of her book and could definitely recommend it to others to read. While the book is mostly about her personal journey and struggle out of her comfort zones and into the world of HIV/AIDS advocacy, the primary message can be summarized in one statement made in the book: the safest place to be is in the center of God's will - it's also the most dangerous. That message resonated with me and reminded me of the same concept that Bonhoeffer put forth in The Cost of Discipleship or MacArthur communicated in Hard to Believe. Warren's book is much more personal in nature than those others and her story may well connect with people in a way that other books calling Christians to walk in a manner worthy of their calling simply can not. I would recommend the book to people, but with one caveat. Kay, like her husband Rick Warren, has a tremendous heart for people - lost people, hurting people, the outcast and downtrodden. God has given them a platform to minister to those lost in misery and heartache and nothing but commendation needs to be heralded for not only their efforts, but their desire to be used by God in whatever manner God has chosen - being an advocate for those suffering with HIV/AIDS is clearly not a path chosen for its popularity, ease or comfort. Yet both Warrens appear to struggle finding the proper balance of speaking the truth in love, leaning on the side of "love." With the recent apology of Rick Warren to his homosexual friends regarding his perceived endorsement and support of Proposition 8 in California banning same-sex marriage, the reader will recognize that Kay Warren also struggles with a strong desire not to alienate those suffering from HIV/AIDS with a message of what might be perceived as condemnation. But Scripture tells us that there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus (Romans 8:1) and the Warrens must realize that their ministry of love has to be grounded on the love of Christ, not the love of man, however well intentioned. All sinners are in need of a Savior - and whether that message is well received or perceived as condemnation, it is ultimately the core of the good news of Jesus Christ. Christ did not call His followers simply to be a presence, but to be His presence to a lost and dying world.

This is a very well written, soul bearing book. The book warns you of the problems you may encounter by surrendering to God; however, it also shares the peace you have with surrendering. It makes you more aware of watching to see where God is working and how you can join Him.