“You need a better attitude.” “Attitude is everything.” “Change that attitude!” How often have you heard (or made) comments like these? But how often has someone given you achievable, affirming tips that help you put such a transformation into effect? I bet I know the answer. But it can change along with your attitude as you read the latest offering by Jan Coates, motivational speaker and author: Attitude-inize: 10 Secrets to a Positive You (Beacon Hill Press, 2011). Jan writes not from the lofty platform of a perfect life but from the transformed perspective of a broken one. Name the mistake—Jan made it. Name the heartbreak—she experienced it. But instead of dwelling on the family dysfunction that fostered her wrong choices, Jan chooses to remember the works of the Lord. Instead of focusing on her son’s death at the hands of a drunk driver, she works to help others live beyond their pain. The result is a transparent, helpful volume that offers readers hope, healing, and help. Each chapter of Attitude-inize presents one simply-stated secret to a new attitude. Examples include “Forgive yourself and others,” “Prepare for obstacles,” and “Transform from the inside out.” These biblical, practical tips will help you move toward a fresh perspective or work on an area of special concern. Features such as real-life stories, apply-as-you-go activities, and questions help you take your learning to the next level. And a bonus eleventh chapter holds an Attitude Toolkit with interactive features that give practical handles for applying what you learn. The next time I’m tempted to tell someone to change an attitude, I’ll remember the impact my own can have on others. I’ll also remember this book and its encouraging, step-by-step approach.  At what point in your life did you begin to understand the importance of attitude? Did a difficult situation or circumstance lead to your growth? I’d love to hear your comments or your own tips toward attitude adjustment. Leave one here (include a link to an e-mail address so I can contact the winner)  as your entry in a drawing to win my review copy of Jan’s book. Have trouble leaving a comment? E-mail me instead using the “contact” button to the...

UPDATE and WINNERS: Wendy Leech‘s name will be entered into the drawing for the Starbucks gift basket (be nice to her, Larry, there’s still hope). And Virginia Smith wins my review copy of The Me Project! Thanks, all, for your kind posts and comments! Welcome to a special WRITE blog tour post and some bonus information about The Me Project, reviewed here earlier this week. Do you need extra motivation to pursue God’s great plans for your life? Make sure to check out author Kathi Lipp’s “Three Super Simple Kick Starts: Living Your Dreams.”   And don’t forget to enter the Deluxe Starbucks Coffee Gift Basket giveaway at the bottom of this post, too! Leave a comment on this post on or before February 28 if you’d like to enter. I’ll draw one name to win my review copy of the book and another which will be entered into a pool to win the gift pictured below. (US addresses only, please.) Make sure to include your email address linked or stated in the comment. And if your browser won’t let you leave a comment, please e-mail me so I can include your name in the drawing. (Click “contact” link to the right of this blog).  The Me Project – 21 Days to Living the Life ?You’ve Always WantedPublisher: Harvest House Publishers ISBN-10: 0736929665, ISBN-13: 978-0736929660Release Date: February 1, 2011Paperback: 224 pages, Retail: $12.99 Book Summary (San Jose, CA) Has that rush to make (and break) New Year’s resolutions already waned? According to Daniel Pink, author of ?Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us, taking small steps every day will not only help you stay committed to your goal, ?but will also help you ultimately achieve that goal when obstacles come up. Author Kathi Lipp wants you and your friends to live out those dreams—and have some fun along the way. As women, we forget the goals and dreams of our younger years. The busyness of everyday life gets ?in the way. To-do lists replace goals. The Me Project provides women with fun and creative ways to bring back the sense of purpose and vitality that comes with living out the plans and dreams God has planted in our hearts. Kathi Lipp’s warm tone and laugh-out-loud humor motivates women to take daily steps toward intentional goals. The end result? We get back our lives and enjoy living in the confidence of a purposeful life in spite of our chaotic schedules. This handy guide coaches women to do one simple thing toward achieving our goals each day for three weeks. A woman experiencing the exhilaration of a rediscovered life offers more as a wife, mother, friend, volunteer, career woman. Finding...

She had me at the title: The Me Project: 21 Days to Living the Life You’ve Always Wanted (Harvest House, 2011).  Wait a minute! What’s a self-centered title like this doing in the Christian living section? It’s not all about me, is it? The short answer: Kathi Lipp‘s book is all about me (or you) because it helps readers explore the desires God’s implanted in our hearts. And that makes it a great match for life as he intends it. Author Lipp, a retreat and conference speaker already known for The Husband Project and The Marriage Project, presents a warm blend of transparent humor, practical advice, and godly encouragement in a power-packed volume. As she explains it, The Me Project is the book she’s always wanted to write, “a 21-day guide for dreaming some dreams about your life and then setting some goals to make one of those dreams a reality.” Its existence, she says, flows from her desire to assist others in pursuing the specific plans God has for them. I especially loved The Me Project‘s concentrated focus. The author’s suggestion of what she calls a 50/50 journal allows readers to list multiple goals and pick one to achieve over the next twenty-one days or more. She encourages them to seek God about this goal and then pursue it with time hard work, imagination, and accountability. Lipp lays out the twenty-one days as both chapters and “projects” with help ranging from a brief explanation to creative ideas to a brief prayer. I haven’t had this book long enough to test it out, but I appreciate the fun way it helps readers break down goals or dreams into bite-sized, achievable pieces.  Do you have unfulfilled dreams or goals? Read The Me Project  and look at yourself—and the plans for which God’s designed you—in a new and achievable way.  ALSO: Check out my WRITE post this Friday for a bonus article by Kathi Lipp and the chance to enter a special blog tour giveaway that includes some great...

Let’s start the new year with a giveaway. Add a comment before midnight Eastern, 1.6.11, to win my review copy of this book! In search of a little light reading? Then stay away from this book. Like his exhaustive treatment of a timeless topic in Heaven¸ Randy Alcorn’s If God is Good: Faith in the Midst of Suffering and Evil (Multnomah Books, 2009) presents a comprehensive, thought-provoking read. Here, he addresses almost any question you can think of about this ancient argument—and many you’ve never considered.  During my seminary days, my philosophy professor (as every good philosophy professor should) addressed the topic of evil and suffering. After years of study, one word captured his best conclusion: mystery.  God doesn’t owe us an explanation for his actions. And we will never fully understand why he allows such painful additions as cancer, disabilities, and death to penetrate his creation. But my professor’s summary left me with too many questions. At times, Alcorn offers a similar element of mystery. Still, If God is Good provides numerous principles, illustrations, and (most important) biblical references that shed light on an often-dark area. Yes, the book is thick. Yes, the word count is huge. But Alcorn wastes neither paper nor the reader’s time as he presents a practical, personal, pass-on-able presentation of clear biblical truth. He both asks and answers the hard questions–of himself, of Scripture, and of those who have suffered. This rubber-meets-the-road element goes a long way toward keeping the teaching from becoming either pedantic or ethereal. Years ago, I read Rabbi Harold Kushner’s popular book on this same topic (When Bad Things Happen to Good People). I still remember the disappointment I felt because, in my view, the author failed to answer his own question in a way that reflected a genuine relationship with a Creator God. I came away from If God is Good with an opposite reaction. Alcorn’s writing pushed against the edges of my faith in a way that taught me more—not only about his chosen topic, but about God himself.  Numerous personal stories, a carefully planned chapter outline, and bolded sentences that highlight each chapter’s most salient points add to this book’s appeal. Alcorn’s honest discussions of life’s deepest issues may not answer all your questions, but they will give you some points to ponder. As he says, “Suffering will come; we owe it to God, ourselves, and those around us to prepare for it.”  Come hungry, but don’t expect a snack. If God is Good goes beyond the whole enchilada. This one’s a full-blown, seven-course feast. Do you enjoy reading about tough topics? Have you read any of Alcorn’s previous books (fiction or nonfiction)? Share your response...

(Comment below for the opportunity to win a copy). I chose an interesting time of year to read Flourish: Discover the Daily Joy of Abundant, Vibrant Living by Catherine Hart Weber, Ph.D. (Bethany House, 2010). Christmastime in our family tends to be anything but relaxed. This book’s emphasis on the essentials helped pull me back to center. Although Weber makes no secret of her Christian faith, she doesn’t blast readers with Scripture. And although she’s a licensed marriage and family therapist, she doesn’t lose them in psychobabble, either. Instead, Flourish offers the spiritual encouragement and practical advice readers need to move into the abundance of life as God designed it. After three chapters that introduce the basic concepts of flourishing, the book moves into a discussion of four systems (Relationship Attachment, Joy and Pleasure, Peace and Tranquility, Hope and Resilience) which, properly nurtured and maintained, yield a life that can’t help but flourish. The author’s attention to detail yields a book that speaks to readers’ needs and interests. True-life stories touch the heart, guided questionnaires encourage personal exploration, and practical exercises move the teaching from information to action. Don’t read this book. Instead, take time to absorb and apply it. As you move from frustration to flourish, you’ll find yourself like me—grateful. I’d love to share the joy of this delightful read. Post a comment here (make sure to leave a link or contact information) by midnight Friday, Dec. 17, and I’ll enter you in a drawing to win  your own...