God's Guest List by Debbie Macomber

We often fail to recognize the gifts God is giving us. These unrecognized gifts are not nicely gift-wrapped. In fact, frequently they are people shaped.

After God's prodding, Debbie made a guest list, empty lines to see who God would bring her way. She expected the list to fill with names of people who had changed her or would do so in the future. (6) She knew it would take a lifetime to fill that list.
As she began to place names on the list she came to appreciate people in a whole new way. Her sense of anticipation heightened at the possibility of meeting new people.
Debbie shares what she has learned. She tells stories of people who have impacted her and opportunities she missed in being the friend another needed. She knows that God brings some by to increase joy. Others come into our lives to cause us to remember to keep things in perspective, offering “us the gift of a fresh opportunity to develop patience.” (63)
Debbie says the purpose of her book “is to help us identify and welcome those special people God sends into our lives” and realize that God will “have us on the guest list for others' lives.” (11) She has shared her experiences so others can see how God works. She wants her readers to begin to look for God's fingerprints in their lives.
I have to admit, some of the vignettes seemed rather meaningless to the overarching purpose of the book. Nonetheless, it was a very rewarding and I felt I got to know Debbie a little better. She has provided some great ideas for the role of being guests in other peoples' lives. She also has an invitation to salvation at the very end.

Howard Books, 188 pages.