Outlive Your Life: You Were Made to Make A Difference [Hardcover]

Max Lucado (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 14, 2010

Dear Friend,

May I share a story that is very dear to my heart?

It's a story of hillbillies and simple folk, net casters and tax collectors. A story of a movement that exploded like a just-opened fire hydrant out of Jerusalem and spilled into the ends of the earth: into the streets of Paris, the districts of Rome, and the ports of Athens, Istanbul, Shanghai, and Buenos Aires. A story so mighty, controversial, head spinning, and life changing that two millennia later we wonder:

Might it happen again?

Heaven knows we hope so. These are devastating times: 1.75 billions people are desperately poor; one billion are hungry. Lonely hearts indwell our neighborhoods and attend our schools. In the midst of it all, here we stand: you, me, and our one-of-a-kind lives. We are given a choice ... an opportunity to make a big difference during a difficult time. What if we did? What if we rocked the world with hope?

Worth a try, don't you think?

- Max Lucado

One hundred percent of the author's royalties from Outlive Your Life products will benefit children and families through World Vision and other ministries of faith-based compassion.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Max Lucado, Minister of Writing and Preaching for the Oak Hills Church in San Antonio, Texas, is the husband of Denalyn and father of Jenna, Andrea, and Sara. On a good week he reads a good book, has a few dinners with his wife, and breaks 90 on the golf course.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 240 pages
• Publisher: Thomas Nelson; First Printing, First Edition edition (September 14, 2010)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0849920698
• ISBN-13: 978-0849920691
• Product Dimensions: 6.2 x 0.8 x 9.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (790 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #169,893 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.

Amazon Author Rankbeta 

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#31 in Books > Religion & Spirituality

#69 in Kindle eBooks > Religion & Spirituality

#31 in Books > Religion & Spirituality

#69 in Kindle eBooks > Religion & Spirituality

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

61 of 62 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars The Space Between the Hyphen September 1, 2010

By Joshua Olds

Format:Hardcover

I'm staring at a tombstone. I don't know the fellow buried here. There's a name that means nothing to me and dates that I recognize only as being in the past. 1920-2009. And while we think it fit to mark the beginning and end of the life of this individual whose tombstone I am now staring at, it's the hyphen that makes all the difference. - There's a lifetime contained in there, and Max Lucado in Outlive Your Life takes us on a study of Acts 1-12 in order to show us how to get the most out of the hyphen.

Outlive Your Life, in typical Lucado methodology, combines anecdotes and stories with theology and practical application to give us a good look at how we can be more like the early church as described in Acts. He calls us beyond the mundane, past the day to day, through the doldrums, and asks us to look beyond the pie-in-the-sky we will have by-and-by - as glorious as the hope of heaven is - and focus on what we can do in the here-and-now to radicalize the world for Jesus.

Lucado begins with a solemn challenge to Christianity: God has given our generation the means to alter the course of human suffering. He asks us to break out of our shells, get out of your comfort zone, and begin being the hands and feet of Jesus. Understand that it won't be easy, understand that there will be persecution, understand that it's what we are called in this life to do. Provide for the physical while teaching on the eternal; medicating the body while healing the soul; show the world the meaning of being a Christian.

Lucado finishes his message with a reminder and a call to action. When we see those hurting or in need...that's Jesus. When we come across those sick or hungry...that's Jesus. When we love those in need, we are loving Jesus. The book of Acts only has 28 chapters, but Lucado asks us that, through our actions, we take pen in hand to write several more. May the story of the love of the Church continue with our actions in this generation, so that when we reach the end of our hyphen, our Father can look upon us and say "Well done, good and faithful servant."

In his classic style, Lucado gives us another heartfelt treasure from his pastoral pen. If you're wondering what you should be doing with your hyphen, how you can Outlive Your Life here on earth, then this book is a must-read. It's a helpful reminder to any person in any walk of life. Lucado himself exemplifies the giving spirit he's writing about by contributing 100% of his author royalties to World Vision and the James 1:27 Foundation.

21 of 22 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Biblically Truthful in Showing How to Outlive Your Life September 10, 2010

By EricLDickey

Format:Hardcover

When you die, will what you have done in life outlive you? Are the things you are doing in life right now going to make a difference when you are gone? If you want to make a difference in life, even if it is just in the life of a single person then the newest book by Max Lucado, Out Live Your Life You Were Made To Make A Difference is the book that you will want to read.

Taking his cue from the Book of Acts from the Bible, Mr. Lucado, using both fictional and real life anecdotes illustrates many ways to make life count. From simple hospitality and inviting friends and neighbors over for dinner in your home, to making eye contact and actually listening to a homeless person on the street that will come up to you for a handout, you will be shown how doing these and other actions not only emulates Jesus and his teachings, but that you are actually serving Jesus when you do them.

Reading this book is not the only thing to do with it however. In the back of the book is a section dedicated to discussion and action. Each chapter comes with discussion questions to be talked about, and action items to be used as a starting point to go out and simply do. This is not only a great book to go through individually, but will be a wonderful book to use for group study.

If you want to make a difference in life and are not sure how to, then I recommend this book to you.

Please note that Thomas Nelson Publishing has provided me a complimentary copy of this book for my review; however, the opinions are my own. I have not been required to publish a positive review.

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars What if we rocked the world with hope? September 25, 2010

By Diva Mom

Format:Hardcover

Out Live Your Life by Max Lucado

Admittedly, I am not a big non-fiction reader - but, after all - this is a Max Lucado book. I have several Lucado books on my bookshelf- ones that sound so interesting, but I have never read them. I think I will have to change that now!

In Out Live Your Life, we walk through Acts and the commission to the disciples to go out and "change the world". God didn't send Jesus to earth as a prince - he came as the son of a humble carpenter. In the same way, Christ didn't call kings, and princes to follow him. He called simple men, fishermen, tax collectors - regular people called to an extraordinary mission. Today - God can use any one who will follow Him to His purpose. He calls regular people - you and me - to do the extraordinary - to go out and make a difference. Lucado walks us through ways that we can be change the world - even with something as simple as prayer.

I actually loved this book. For a non-fiction girl it was very easy to read and didn't talk over the head of a non-theologian. I have always felt that God's plan for me is to serve others, but it is so easy to get caught up in the "Oh - I can't do that, that is for the seminarians and for those who can committ to 10 years living in the rain forest." But - we can all impact this world for the kingdom. Something as simple as praying for a country, to carrying an extra sandwich in the car to give to the person holding the sign at the highway exit, to basketball/cheer camps in the lower east side of Manhattan, to medical clinics in the Ukraine. There are people in need everywhere and we are called to love them.

"None of u can help everyone. But all of us can help someone. And, when we help them, we serve Jesus.

Who would want to miss a chance to do that?"

I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their [...] book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."