Facing Your Giants: A David and Goliath Story for Everyday People (Hardcover)

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Key Phrases: Facing Your Giants, Brook Besor, Did David (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Megaseller Lucado, with 40 million books in print, will draw more readers to his fold with this newest release, which focuses on the life of the Old Testament hero David. David crashed onto the scene in ancient Israel when he used a slingshot and one stone to fell the giant Goliath. He went on to become Israel's greatest king. Now Lucado has modern readers slaying their own giants using principles gleaned from David's life. For example, David focused on God, not giants; David's life was threatened by his nemesis King Saul, but David worshiped God; David stole the beautiful Bathsheba from her husband and then had him killed, but God forgave. Lucado goes beyond the storytelling to offer readers concrete actions to help slay their giants using the metaphor of the five stones David chose in his Goliath quest. The stones represent the past, prayer, priority, passion and persistence. Lucado's lively language ("Focus on giants—you stumble. Focus on God—your giants tumble.") and casual style appeal to the most reluctant readers, yet his spiritual depth will challenge and amaze. Added value comes with the study guide keyed to each chapter. Lucado has a giant winner here. (Nov. 21)
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Product Description

Giants. We must face them. Yet, we need not face them alone.

This profound look at the life of David digs deeply into the defeats he suffered, and the victories he won, as he faced the giants in his life. When David focused on God, giants tumbled. But when David focused on giants…he stumbled.

Goliaths still roam in our world. Debt. Disaster. Dialysis. Divorce. Deceit. Disease. Depression. These super-sized challenges swagger and strut into our lives, pilfering our sleep, embezzling our peace and robbing us of our joy. And while these giants try to dominate our lives, we know what to do! We've learned what David learned, and we do what David did. We become God focused. We pick up five stones. We make five decisions. And we take a swing.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 256 pages
• Publisher: Thomas Nelson; First Edition edition (November 21, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0849901812
• ISBN-13: 978-0849901812
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.4 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (65 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #89,292 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

68 of 69 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Just In Time, December 17, 2006

By	Jason Lilly (Nitro, WV United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Once again, Christian living master Max Lucado impresses with a study of the life of David, failure and success, a Biblical figure whom God himself proclaimed "a man after his own heart" (Samuel 13:14).

As usual, Lucado chooses an important theme for Christians to follow. Too often in our lives, we focus on the overwhelming stresses in our lives, fear, failure, doubt, a shady past, whatever it may be. In the beginning of the book, Lucado vividly paints a portrait of tiny David and how he stood firm against a nine-foot giant, against all odds, in the midst of others' doubt, and dropped the behemoth with one stone hurled from a sling, the simplest of weapons. Lucado cleverly and effectively shows that David's focus was on God, not the towering threat that loomed over him. This is how we should live our own lives, with our focus on the Master, on the one who sits upon the throne and guarantees our success if we just trust in Him.

I say in the title of this review that the book was released just in time because the book's release coincides with the phenomenal Christian movie, Facing the Giants, which harbors the same themes as this book. Lucado himself has marveled that God works in amazing ways, as we learn in this book by studying the tumultuous but God-seeking life of David.

This book is for anyone, Christian or not, who know they have been dwelling in the negatives of their life, overpowered by "giants", and encourages them to set their sights on God instead and ask him to help you face these giants and understand: "Focus on giants -- you stumble. Focus on God -- your giants tumble."

29 of 29 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Take Goliath down!, January 9, 2007

By	Patrick Jordan "A connoisseur of books, music... (Phoenix, AZ) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I got a copy of Facing Your Giants for Christmas this year. It was an appropriate gift considering what I've been through in the past two years or so. Depression. Financial problems. Premature baby. Etc. So I do have a few giants of my own to face.

Facing Your Giants is the first book of Max Lucado's that I have read and I absolutely loved it! Max uses the life story of David to correspond with issues that are relevant today. David's entire life was one struggle after another. He was the youngest of his brothers and was made the sheep herder. He defeated Goliath. He conquered Jerusalem and ruled over Israel. He was victim to his own adulterous ways. And the story goes on. Do any of these symbolically speak of you?

Max Lucado's writing really brings the story of David to life. He uses modern language that is easy to read, entertaining and very profound. Sometimes I wondered if he was actually writing about ME! The book is biblically accurate and touches on a number of factors you should consider while facing your own giants. Facing Your Giants is a fantastic read for anyone who is struggling with problems (which would be just about anyone alive). I can't wait to move on to some of his other writings. I'd recommend this book to anyone!

24 of 24 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Learning from David's Triumphs and Mistakes, September 21, 2007

By	Mark Baker (Santa Clarita, CA United States) - See all my reviews (TOP 100 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

Max Lucado is known for his encouraging books, and this book is no exception. Here, he studies King David, both the good and the bad, to show us how to face the giants in our lives.

The ultimate lesson is simple, when your focus is on God, giants fall. Yet he uses stories from first and second Samuel, both the good and the bad, to show us how this played out in David's life.

The book works as a biography, showing us the events in David's life as they happened. While most chapters are a self contained lesson, it does allow us to see how one event often led to another.

Obviously, we see David fighting Goliath. But we also see him hiding from Saul, his friendship with Jonathan, hiding with the enemy, keeping his promises, falling into adultery and murder with Bathsheba, and watching his own children spin out of control. From this we learn the importance of friends and family, but ultimately the importance of putting our focus on God.

Max Lucado very rarely brings anything new to the table. That's certainly the case here. There is very little I haven't heard before. But he always puts such a fresh, encouraging spin on things, I always see things in a new light. And even when admonishing us, he still does it gently.

I set this book down reluctantly when I finished. My heart was encouraged, and my focus was where it needed to be, God. If you need some help remembering where your focus needs to be, this book is for you.