The Secret Things of God: Unlocking the Treasures Reserved for You [Paperback]

Dr. Henry Cloud (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 13, 2009

In this Christian alternative to the phenomenal bestseller The Secret, acclaimed author dr. Henry Cloud helps readers discover truths that make life work and show how faith can guide them in achieving their goals—now available in paperback!

The Bible claims that God has provided special truths that can change lives and uplift the spirit, but often those truths lie dormant and untapped within the soul. Offering a positive alternative to The Secret based on biblical scripture, Dr. Henry Cloud reveals that there is indeed a power of attraction ruling the universe—the attraction between God and his creation—and demonstrates how that power can shape our lives. With step-by-step practical instructions, this book teaches readers from all walks of life how to apply spiritual truths to real life. Even Christians who think they understand biblical truths often don’t know how to use them. Chapters on happiness, relationships, purpose, and God, share secrets like, “you attract to yourself relationships that fit you,” “whatever you put to use will grow,” and “there is no such thing as disconnected and happy.” The Secret Things of God reveals profoundly simple secrets and gently guides readers toward unlocking the power of these truths in everyday life.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Dr. Henry Cloud has written or cowritten more than twenty books, including the million-seller Boundaries series. His books have total sales of over four million copies. Dr. Cloud has appeared on numerous radio and television broadcasts, including ABC News, PBS, and FOX News, and has been featured or reviewed in the Los Angeles Times, The New York Times, The Boston Globe, and others. He co-hosts the nationally syndicated radio program New Life Live, which airs on 169 stations and reaches 2 million listeners.  He is also featured on XM and Sirius. He is a frequent speaker on such topics as leadership, relationships, and personal growth in seminars, conventions, and corporate settings both nationally and internationally. Dr. Cloud is an avid golfer and enjoys boating, deep-sea fishing, and scuba diving. He lives in Los Angeles with his wife and two daughters.

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.

Welcome

You may have picked up this book because you've read or heard of The Secret by Rhonda Byrne. In that book, Byrne explores our relationship to the universe and how understanding what lies beyond the veil drastically affects our lives, relationships, and goals. The fact that millions have responded to The Secret shows the deep hunger we all have for two things: one, we all want to understand the nature of the universe and those things beyond what we can see; and, two, we all have a hunger for principles and practices that make life work.

While so many have found The Secret's message to be intriguing and inspiring, it has raised several questions from those of the Judeo-Christian faith: (1) Are the forces that control the universe and our lives impersonal and detached, as The Secret explains; or is the force behind it all of a more personal nature? (2) Is there just one secret; i.e., your thoughts create your life, good or bad? Or, just like in the physical universe, does the spiritual universe have a set of laws that make life work? (3) Is making your life work all up to you; or is it a collaborative effort between you and a force greater than you, who cares about you and has a plan for you? It is these questions and more that The Secret Things of God will address.

This book is not a Christian argument for or against The Secret. In fact, it sometimes agrees with and sometimes differs with it. Over and above being a discussion on the principles of The Secret, this book affi rms the deep spiritual hunger that the success of Byrne's book has shown all of us to have. And it offers tested spiritual truths based on the Bible that help make life work. For all of us long to know what more is out there, who this force is, how it works, how we can get on the right side of it, and if it has a name.

Today's spiritual environment reminds me of that of ancient Greece, where all kinds of spiritual discussions and ideas floated around. When the apostle Paul entered the scene, rather than bash those with different perspectives, he affi rmed the quest itself. He basically said to them, "I see that you are a spiritual people, building an altar to an Unknown God. This Unknown God is who I've come to tell you about." He told them one of the things I want to share with you: God wants a relationship with you; he wants you to seek after him and to fi nd him. Even further, he said our very existence and purpose is wrapped up in him.

This book's title comes from a letter the apostle Paul wrote. In it he said, "Regard us...as those entrusted with the secret things of God." These secrets are, indeed, a great trust -- a treasure that can literally change your life. The spiritual truths shared in these pages will connect you with the God who created the universe and will unlock the secrets to making life work.

The Secret Things of God © 2007 Dr. Henry Cloud

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Product Details

• Paperback: 224 pages
• Publisher: Howard Books (January 13, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1439117810
• ISBN-13: 978-1439117811
• Product Dimensions: 6.9 x 5.2 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (29 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #46,022 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Dr. Cloud is a leadership consultant, best-selling author, and speaker whose books have sold well over 5 million copies. He consults and speaks for companies and organizations in the area of leadership and performance, and is highly regarded for his ability to connect personal and interpersonal development with the needs of business.
He is a clinical psychologist and leadership consultant with a unique ability to connect with audiences. Drawing upon his broad range of experiences in private practice, leadership consulting, and media, he simplifies life's issues and gives easy to understand, practical advice. It's Dr. Cloud's humor, compassion and "in the moment" confrontation that make his approach to psychology, business and spirituality such a success.
Dr. Cloud has written, or co-written, more than twenty books, including the two-million-seller Boundaries and his most recent books, Necessary Endings, Integrity, The One Life Solution, The Law of Happiness and 9 Things You Simply Must Do. His books have sold over five million copies. His works have been reviewed and featured by such publications as The New York Times, The Wall St. Journal, The Boston Globe, The Los Angeles Times and many others. Dr. Cloud co-hosts the nationally syndicated radio program New Life Live, which is heard in over 180 markets.
As a speaker, he is a favorite at corporate events, conventions, and public arena events on a variety of topics, speaking regularly through the U.S. and internationally.
In his consulting practice, he works with leaders in a wide range of organizations and corporations, from family help firms to Fortune 25 and Fortune 500 companies. He has an extensive executive coaching background and experience as an organizational and leadership consultant, spending the majority of his hands-on time with CEOs and executive teams.
Dr. Cloud founded and built a health care company which operated treatment centers in forty markets in the Western U.S. for which he served as Clinical Director for ten years. In that context of hands-on clinical experience, he developed and researched many of the treatment principles and methods that he communicates to audiences now. After selling the company, he devoted his time to consulting and coaching, spreading principles of hope and life-change through speaking, writing and media.
He is a graduate of Southern Methodist University, earning a B.S. in psychology with honors. He completed his Ph.D. in clinical psychology at Biola University, and his clinical internship at Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health. His philanthropic interests lie in the area of homelessness and the inner city, as well as missions in the developing world. He lives in Los Angeles with his wife, Tori, and their two daughters, Olivia and Lucy.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

102 of 105 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars God created Life to be good. Why are you not accepting it?, September 18, 2007

By 

Todd Sullivan "The Esteem of the World Isn't ... (Mount Vernon, WA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Secret Things of God: Unlocking the Treasures Reserved for You (Hardcover)

I bought this boook, becuase I have read the secret and own the movie. I have been fascinated about the "Law of Attraction" since being introduced to the concept through Joe Vitales book "The Atractor Factor". The law of attraction is basically summed up by the phrase "what you think about you, bring about", and I began to pursue this knowledge and implament this belief system in my life full force. However, I found that although it made sense to me that there are laws that govern how what we think comes to play into our lives, I felt that there was something more to it,that the secret or attractor factor was missing something that this "law" did'nt acount for any of my Christian upbringing and truths that i had heard. With that I struggled to find a union between the "law of attraction" and the "Creator of the Universe and the said laws. Also as I began to explore the "law of attraction" theory, I started to sense that as i relied on a impartial law, I was pulling away from God as well and I discovered that this "Secret" wasn't the way to fullfillment that Vitale and Byrnes had suggested.

This book helped me to "make the connections I was looking for between the laws of atraction and the creator of the universe and to guide me to understanding the real laws of attraction. Also it helped me to see that God wants our lives to be filled with the Happiness, fulfillmenat and purpose that "the secret" or "the atractor factor" allude to yet can't deliver. God created the universe not as a cosmic slot machine yet as a enviroment for us to thrive and prosper when we focus in his kingdom first all things will be given unto us. God, also, is not impersonal as he knows thenumber of hairs on your head and knows our needs before we even ask. reread the Secret or Laws of Attraction and ask if there is anything as sweet s that in those books. God yearns for a relationship with you through Jeus Christ and this is the only way to achieving the happiness so many strive for in readig and apllying not even half truths presented in books based on the law of attraction.

This book will uplift you and also it will challenge you, there are parts that are a struggle but if you apply the principles in this book and follow Gods laws you can experiance the blessings and happiness that are our inheratince in God. God promised through Jeus "I have come to give you life more abundant" and he meant it as a promise.

29 of 29 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Book, October 29, 2007

By 

Music Queen - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Secret Things of God: Unlocking the Treasures Reserved for You (Hardcover)

I happened to read a chapter of this book on a Christian website. The article answered in depth a question that a friend of mine had posed to me. At the end of the article, it read that the article was a chapter out of his book in response to the book, The Secret. This book is awesome. It goes into many topics and the author successfully helps you understand many important issues on a deeper level. I highly recommend this book. There is something in it that will definitely transform you.

31 of 33 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Just like a secret...I couldn't put this book down to read what happens next, January 13, 2008

By 

Book Worm (PA, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Secret Things of God: Unlocking the Treasures Reserved for You (Hardcover)

Struggling with my own personal questions of why am I (still) here and what am I supposed to be doing with my life at this point, I was praying for a book that would help me find answers for me. I was drawn to this book by the words "unlocking the treasures reserved for you." I have to admit that I hesitated buying it and I certainly never expected this book to have the impact that it did on me. To name a few, the topics on relationships, guilt and approaching life wholeheartedly were very enlightening. I have owned this book less than a week and I've shared a lot of information to family and friends from it. I am giving my copy to a friend because good information is meant to be passed on. I have not read THE SECRET and though it is mentioned in this book, I was not left with the impression that the two books are meant to be compared. In my opinion, THE SECRET THINGS OF GOD is written in an easy, relaxed tone like a buddy talking to you and was enjoyable to read. My questions were answered so needless to say, I am recommending this book, but set aside time because you won't want to put this down once you start. I am looking forward to reading other Dr. Cloud books.