Thursday, June 23, 2011

Untamed: How the Wild Side of Jesus Frees Us to Live and Love with Abandon {Book Review and Giveaway}


"When Jesus added women to His entourage, it provided an aha moment for an entire culture."-Excerpt from the chapter, "A Little Pink in the Party: Our Savior is Wildly Pro-Women"


In the day of ten steps for everything this book, was “wildly” refreshing, a book about Jesus. Untamed: How the Wild Side of Jesus Frees Us to Live and Love with Abandon written by Lisa Harper is a book for the person seeking all that Jesus is. The book had me from the very beginning or more accurately, from “Brace yourself,” the first line in chapter 1. When a book opens like that, one cannot help but be intrigued as to the contents within.

Untamed is divided into twelve chapters, each focusing on a “wild” characteristic of our savior, opening with the subtitle in chapter 1, “Our Savior is Wildly Redemptive,” and closes in chapter 12 with the subtitle, “Our Savior is Wildly Liberating.” The pages in-between consist of the many other characteristics of Jesus, such as Jesus’ ability to be compelling, confident, and faithful. My favorite chapter is entitled “A Little Pink in the Party: Our Savior is Wildly Pro-Women.”

The author Lisa Harper uses wit and passion in conveying her experience in coming to know these characteristics in Jesus and how she has seen them displayed in the lives of people that are close to her. She is extremely open and frank with her own history and her love for Jesus and freedom she has found in Him is compelling.

There were many things I liked about this book. The author’s honesty was sometimes flabbergasting. I am not sure I would be so brave as to say some things that she said, but at the same time it is encouraging to those who may be struggling or need hope in a particular area. Lisa is funny, and enjoys her life. She is also very educated and her book seems to be well researched. I learned so many new things.

I highly recommend this book to young women who want to know the Lord better. At the end of each chapter are questions to help the reader apply what they have read. The book could be used in a young ladies’ group study or with people who may have just confessed Jesus as Lord. This book would also be helpful to someone who has been struggling with a religious perception of Jesus and would like to come to know Him for who He really is.

If you want to know why people came to Him so freely in the New Testament and felt loved and safe, free and healed in His presence, then this book will give you a clue. Many blessings to you as you progress on your journey to know Him more and more each day!

~Beth

To learn more about the author, Lisa Harper, or to order a copy of her book go here, www.lisaharper.net.

To read an excerpt from Untamed, go to Christianbook.com.


The Giveaway- Thanks to the publisher, I have an extra copy of Untamed! Please comment below to be entered for a chance to win a copy of this wonderful book. Contest ends at midnight EST on June 30th, and one winner will be selected at random. The winner will be announced here on July 1st. If the winner does not contact me by July 4th, a new winner will be drawn! Thanks for participating!


Disclaimer Notice: I received this book as part of a program that gives free books to bloggers at Waterbrook Multnomah. I was not required to give a favorable review. The opinions expressed here are entirely my own.


12 comments:

  1. So many women need to be free to love - not only Jesus but others and themselves. From experience, I know that in order to love freely, the Lord sometimes has to reach deeply within you to allow the real you to shine forth. That could be painful, embarrassing, and downright annoying at times (but completely worth it)! However, real love comes from the person He created you to be - the image of Him. Intriguing blog, Beth. I just might have to read it!

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  2. Thanks Micale! The book was great and I am so thankful I read it.

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  3. I'm so excited to read this book! I can not wait to get my own copy! Great review Beth! :)

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  4. Oh, enter me, looks like an awesome read!

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  5. Thanks Heather! I was very excited when I requested it! A book devoted entirely to the character of Jesus! Wahoo!

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  6. Denise, it was a great read. I hadn't read anything by the author before but she is so confident in her relationship with the Lord. It was great!

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  7. Oh i would love to get to read this book! enter me in the contest please.

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  8. Great review. I really want to read this book now! Thanks for posting! :)

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  9. Wow. What a great book I would love to read. Can I enter from the UK?

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  10. Yes nickandkatherine! You can enter from the UK! Thanks for entering!

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  11. This sounds like a wonderful read! I love reading books written from a real woman's perspective, not one that has been edited to death or glossed over. This author sounds to be brazenly honest and open to sharing how God has changed her life. Inspirational read, I am sure....one I will have to get my hands on soon! :)

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  12. I think I will read this book whether I win the copy or not - I'm intrigued.

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