A Bounty of Books

Extraordinary: The Life You're Meant to Live by John Bevere, is a guide on how to break out of mediocre living and instead live an extraordinary life. Going off the premise that it is an inherent desire of humanity to live a life that is beyond normal, Bevere attempts to show the believer how he/she was intended to do this. He does this in a very systematic way, with one chapter building on the next, so that none of the basics are missed.

The main thrust is that believers already have the ability to live an extraordinary life, they just don't access it. In the first chapter Bevere says, "the power to accomplish remarkable feats and live an exceptional life is not tied to an occupation but to a disposition of the heart. This is not only God's will but also His great pleasure." (p. 4)

Unfortunately, Extraordinary is anything but. This is the first of Bevere's books that I've read, and I was very disappointed. While I agree with the basic premise that believers were meant and have the ability to live an extraordinary life, I am bothered by the way Bevere presents going about it. What he says pretty much boils down to the premise of the prosperity gospel - God wants all of His children to be wealthy and healthy, and when something goes wrong its because one doesn't have enough true faith.

Beyond the doctrinal differences I have with the subject matter, the book itself is redundant and hard to work through. Bevere states at the beginning that each chapter builds on the one before it, so each is key to the next. In reality, the same content is in several chapters. There isn't enough unique content to fill the entire book, so the same thing is said over and over again to the point that my brain shut off after awhile because there was nothing new. Overall, this is a very poorly written book that I wouldn't recommend to anyone.

I received this book free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishers as part of their Blogging for Books 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