Facing Your Giants : The God Who Made a Miracle Out of David Stands Ready to Make One Out of You [Import] [Paperback]

Max Lucado (Author)

Product Details

• Paperback: 256 pages
• Publisher: Nelson (2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0849991498
• ISBN-13: 978-0849991493
• Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 5.4 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.1 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (101 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #4,097,196 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

In just under two decades of writing, Max Lucado has accomplished more than most writers hope for in a lifetime. Most of his books have appeared on one or more best seller lists, including those published by the "New York Times," "USA Today," "Publishers Weekly," and the Christian Booksellers Association (CBA). Aside from hardcover books, Lucado's writings have also been published as children's books, videos, CD-ROMs, DVDs, music CDs, mass paperback booklets, apparel, giftware, bookmarks, calendars, study Bibles, workbooks, curricula, and plush products. In spring 2003, Hallmark/Dayspring Cards launched a new gift card line featuring excerpts from Lucado's writings--and has already sold more than one million cards.

All this success has drawn more than a little attention to a previously low-profile Texas author and minister. Lucado has been featured in a wide range of media, including "USA Today," "Larry King Live," and "NBC Nightly News." He has spoken at the National Prayer Breakfast before the President of the United States. He has traveled with internationally renowned musicians as a special speaker on their music tours, such as the highly successful "Come Together & Worship Tour" (sponsored by Chevrolet) with Grammy Award-winning artists Michael W. Smith and Third Day.

Journey to the Top
Lucado was born in 1955 in San Angelo, Texas, and raised in Andrews, Texas, the youngest of four children. His father was an Exxon oil field mechanic who, Lucado remembers, always smelled of grease cleaner. "It makes it easy for me to see a God who is loving and kind--because my dad was," he says. His mother was a nurse who grew up working in the cotton fields.

Lucado went through a period of rebellion against his parents' values and their God during his teens and into college. But it wasn't long before he found himself drawn back to his roots, back to God. He married, spent time serving as a missionary in Brazil, and returned to the States, where he began working as a church minister and writing on the side.

Secret to Success
From all accounts, Max Lucado is not a man consumed by sales, awards, and achievements. He often turns down media interviews since they impede on family and ministry commitments. He spends the bulk of his week serving as senior minister at Oak Hills Church in San Antonio, Texas. And he is truly surprised by his own success--more impressed by his one-in-a-million wife and three amazing daughters than by his successful writing career.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

84 of 85 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)   

This review is from: Facing Your Giants: A David and Goliath Story for Everyday People (Hardcover)

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."

37 of 37 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)   

This review is from: Facing Your Giants: A David and Goliath Story for Everyday People (Hardcover)

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!

27 of 27 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 500 REVIEWER)    (HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Facing Your Giants: A David and Goliath Story for Everyday People (Hardcover)

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.