Smith believes God wants to cheer you on to your future. “He wants your God-inspired dreams to come true.” (xxii) The dream He has for you is the “more and better life than you ever dreamed of.” (1) That life, on a scale of one to ten, is TEN (as in John 10:10).
You must want this future. It requires your will. Smith has written to encourage you to go after the more and better God wants for you. (5) “The future is in you now.” (11)
AWAKE You can become fully awake to this God-inspired future. You must really want to create that better future. Take others along with you. “God specifically wired us to transcend and affect present realities and to create realities that do not yet exist.” (27) “You have the potential to will and act to male something beautiful that reflects God's grandeur instead of humanity's mess.” (39)
DISCOVER “We partner with God in destiny fulfillment.” (45) Discover the destiny God has for you and choose to fulfill it. The Holy Spirit will reveal it to you. (1 Cor. 2:10) “In His sovereignty, God has decided, to a great extent, to limit His involvement in this world to the willingness of human beings.” (61) You must decide how much you will work to see God's mission in this world successfully achieved.
IMAGINE Have an audacious imagination. See the future before it can be seen. Smith suggests you intentionalize imaging - “deliberately and prayerfully imaging the specific things [you] believe God has said is possible for [you].” (73)
GROW God is a Theory Y God. (Theory Y being a management style that assumes people want to self-directed and achieving, given the motivation. Smith likes to talk about “becoming God-actualized, where who we are in every way is fully matured so we can actually live out our God-given potential.” (106) He reviews several aspects of personal growth.
With encouraging thoughts and inspiring stories, Smith covers the remaining aspects of TEN: ACT, LEAD, LET'S GO THERE (stuff happens on your way). I could have included ideas from these points, but then, I want you to read the book for yourself.
Smith wants you to live deep. He has provided encouraging stories and practical suggestions to inspire you on your way to a richer and fulfilling life – a TEN. But he doesn't stop at moving your own life to its God-given potential. A major theme in this book is you helping others see their potential as well.
He has provided reflection questions at the end of each of the major sections. These would be great for individual or group use. This book would be especially useful to a church council or similar group looking to determine God's plan for their future.
Terry Smith is the pastor of The Life Christian Church in West Orange, NJ. He arrived at the church in 1991 and the multi-cultural, non-denominational church has seen significant growth and impact in the community.
See more at www.livingten.com.
Higher Life Development Services, 238 pages. Publisher product information.
I received an egalley of this book from The B&B Media Group for the purpose of this review.
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