Comments on: Choose Joy Participant’s Guide: Because Happiness Isn’t Enough (A Four-Session Study)

By: Daniel

Daniel — Sun, 18 Aug 2013 17:48:19 +0000

Encouraging Read Big Idea of Choose JoyThe book is obviously written for women. (I am not a woman). Nonetheless, the content and subject matter is applicable and appropriate for men and women. Choose Joy describes what joy is, and how to choose it, regardless of one’s life circumstances.”You, my friend are in charge.”At the beginning of the book, Warren writes, “The level of joy you experience is completely and totally up to you…You, my friend are in charge.” These kind of statements made me a wee bit skeptical from the start. Thankfully, she redeemed the book with more solid chapters that refocused the reader’s attention on true biblical joy. I did find myself wishing that she drew greater attention to salvation by grace as the source of joy.”Books that are approachable.”Kay Warren said “I like to read books that are approachable. I wasn’t writing a theological book.” Thus, the book is winsome and light, not pensive or deep. Even though Warren says it’s not exactly theological, there is enough applied theology in the book to make it palatable for thoughtful, theologically-inclined people. Recognizing that “joy is a choice” is not significantly profound, but is nonetheless true.Choose Joy Audiobook NarrationI much prefer listening to the author narrate his/her own book. The audio version of Choose Joy from christianaudio.com is narrated by Kay Warren, providing a listening experience that is genuine and poignant.

By: Kurt H. Myrmel

Kurt H. Myrmel — Sun, 18 Aug 2013 17:22:02 +0000

A book written for women that every man should read! This is a book written for women that every man should read. Although Kay Warren wrote this book as an encouragement to women, I think that her studied revelations about how God interacts with us personally on a daily basis are extremely valuable to men and women alike.I often imagine the author of audio books through the voice of the narrator and in most cases; you can imagine the author through a good narrator but you really don’t know if the author actually sounds anything like the narrator. In this case, Kay Warren narrates her own book so we really do get a feeling that we are sitting with the author. She does a great job in the process and I hope that she is an encouragement to other authors to narrate their own books.It is obvious from this audio book that the author has a strong and dependent relationship with God. A common question by those who do not have a personal relationship with God is “Why would this tragedy happen to me, or to that innocent person.” I have attempted to answer that question for several bloggers with very little success. We, as believers have but a tiny understanding of the mind of God and those without a faith in God have little or no understanding of the how and why of God’s actions.Kay does an excellent job explaining how she believes God works in our lives both in the good times and the bad. I appreciated the quote that she used that if we ask “Why me?” in the bad times, we should equally ask the same question when something good happens in our lives.I was also struck by her admission about a missed opportunity with a neighbor in distress as it reminded me of a business client who was reaching out to me for the peace (from God) that he saw in me. I was too busy to stop and talk and when I went to see him again in six months, he had already passed away. I live with the memory of a missed opportunity but believe that God ultimately determines who else may have had that conversation with this man that I missed. Both Kay’s experience and mine reinforce my determination to listen to God’s direction when He asks me to have that conversation.I received this audio book free from christianaudio.com Reviewers Program in exchange for posting a review. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

By: nzfastbunny

nzfastbunny — Sun, 18 Aug 2013 17:15:18 +0000

Thought Provoking Discussion About Joy Choose Joy by Kay Warren is a book I wasn't sure I would enjoy because I am not a naturally happy, outgoing person and I thought the book would be written by an outgoing woman telling everyone that they should be joyful just like her. However what I discovered as I started listening was that Kay was very similar to me and had encountered more trials than I probably ever will but had chosen to be joyful despite her circumstances.I loved the chapter focusing on how Jesus was a joyful person because images of Jesus are normally either very timid, emotionless portrayals or images of pain on the day he died. Also the focus on personalities being an excuse for not being joyful was a common opinion that Kay effectively debunked.This book is written for women and there are a few references to women but all the principles are just as applicable to men. As a man, I found it extremely useful and the fact that being joyful is a choice is something that I intend to practise in the future.The narration at first I found a bit difficult because Kay has a very strong accent but the further I got into the book the more I got used to it and found it to be quite good. The added advantage of the author, Kay Warren, reading the book is that she knows the tone, emotion and expression that she intended the book to have, making it flow smoothly.This book was a very interesting and helpful book that I intend to put into practise in my own life to become more joyful despite my circumstances. It is essential reading for people going through trials or just generally lacking in joy.This audio book was gifted as a part of the christianaudio Reviewers Program in exchange for my unbiased review of this work. More information can be found about this and other Christian audio books at christianaudio.com.