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Lazarus Awakening by Joanna Weaver– a Book Review

RECOMMENDED!
444960: Lazarus Awakening: Finding Your Place in the Heart of God Lazarus Awakening: Finding Your Place in the Heart of God

By Joanna Weaver / WaterBrook Press
Are you bound in a tomb of regret, fear, or self-condemnation? Jesus is calling you to come forth and step into a full, vibrant life! Combining real-world illustrations with profound biblical insights, Weaver helps you shed the past, embrace God's unconditional love, and experience resurrection and renewal. Includes a 10-week Bible study and discussion guide. 256 pages, hardcover from Waterbrook.

I have not read the other books by Joanna Weaver on the same Biblical family.  I’ve read the Biblical accounts of Martha, Mary and Lazarus many times.  I’ve even written blog posts.  (See Mary and Martha - Luke 10:38-42 at http://thoughtsmeditationsofgod.blogspot.com/2010/05/mary-and-martha-luke-1038-42.html and It was Intended http://thoughtsmeditationsofgod.blogspot.com/2011/03/it-was-intended.html) I just didn’t think there was a lot left to say or think about.  The author even starts writing this book with this same idea - that there was not much left to say after writing a book about Martha and a book about Mary.  After all, Lazarus doesn’t even say anything in the Bible account!  He just gets sick, dies, is buried in a tomb for 4 days then comes out when Jesus calls him.

But we were both wrong.  She had plenty to say about Lazarus, his death, his time in the tomb and his resurrection at the hands of Jesus.  She mentions that Lazarus had a choice about whether to come out of the tomb or not.  She mentions that Jesus asked others to remove the grave clothes because we each have a part to play.  She mentions that we may be bound in grave clothes and offers ideas how to help others out of theirs.  She guesses that perhaps once Lazarus faced death once, he likely had no fear of anything and was truly free to serve Jesus.

This book has a companion Bible study to use for group or individual study.  It offers additional “Resources for Resurrected Living” – books for understanding how much God loves you, tips for getting out of your tomb, how to be a friend to God, and how to help others out of their grave clothes.  The reader does not even have to have a Bible to read the Biblical account of Lazarus because it is included as Appendix A!  The book is chock full of Bible references, which I personally like so I can “test” the ideas presented.

This book was provided to me for posting a review by the Books for Bloggers program.  After reading this book I am thinking of reading Joanna Weaver’s other two books on the same family: Having a Mary Heart in a Martha World and Having a Mary Spirit. The author uses easy to understand ideas and presents them in a simple straightforward manner. I liked the book very much.  I intend to spend some time with the resources (specifically Appendix E Identifying Strongholds and Appendix F Hints for Unwinding Graveclothes) to learn something about me!

598513: Lazarus Awakening: Finding Your Place in the Heart of God Unabridged Audio CD Lazarus Awakening: Finding Your Place in the Heart of God Unabridged Audio CD By Joanna Weaver & Anna-Lisa Horton(Narrator) / Oasis Audio Llc
You believe that God loves the world. but sometimes you wonder if He truly loves you. For many of us, moving the truth of God's love from our heads to our hearts is a lifelong process. As we consider our inadequacies or grieve our shattered dreams, we find it difficult to believe that God cares for us personally.
In this life-giving audiobook, Joanna Weaver shows you how to embrace the truth that Jesus loves you apart from anything you accomplish, apart from anything you bring. Just as He called Lazarus forth to new life, Jesus wants to free you to live fully in the light of His love, unbound from the graveclothes of fear, regret, and self-condemnation. Unabridged audio CD; approximately 7 hours; 6 CDs.

11506EB: Lazarus Awakening: Finding Your Place in the Heart of God - eBook Lazarus Awakening: Finding Your Place in the Heart of God - eBook

By Joanna Weaver / WaterBrook Press
Joanna Weaver's Bethany Trilogy

By Joanna Weaver / Random House, Inc
Fresh insights from Jesus' friends in Bethany! Having a Mary Heart in a Martha World shows how to choose to spend time with Jesus. Having a Mary Spirit encourages you to allow him to transform you. And Lazarus Awakening invites you to shed the past and experience renewal. Approx. 250 pages each, one hardcover and two softcovers from Waterbrook.

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