Divine Appointment - Lucid Books Spotlight

Published in May of 2010, Anita Wood's Divine Appointment is a powerful story of God's providence. 

It chronicles the humble beginnings of two people who met and submitted to God's direction for their lives. Their choices and decisions took them farther along the path God designed. Dick (through journal entries and other writings) and Anita write to convey God's movement in their lives through this chronology, Divine Appointment. Their biographical account traces life experiences that brought them to the Trinity River Bridge one cold Wednesday morning, 1989. On that bridge their lives intersected with a dead, mangled man. There, God prompted Dick to pray a miraculous, life-saving prayer for Don Piper. His book, 90 Minutes in Heaven, is the story of Don's miraculous return to life after the fatal accident. Coincidence did not intersect three lives that day, God did. When Dick and Anita happened upon the horrific accident scene, it was God's Divine Appointment, orchestrated by His hand.

Some of the reviews on Amazon since Anita's book has been published include:

"Unlike Don Piper's book, this is not a story about heaven. It's a story about the things we go through during our journey on this earth. . .and how those things can shape us into faith-filled history-makers. And I dare say, it's worth the price of the book alone just to get the bonus feature at the end of the book. Dick's "sermon" (really more of a life message) sent shivers down my spine. Wow!"

"What an amazing and inspiring testament! I am so thankful that you felt compelled to share your experience. Your faith touches us all. May God continue to bless you and your ministry."


Lucid Books Spotlight features books published by our publishing company, Lucid Books.

The Dangerous Duty of Delight - Review

This is a small book, barely over 80 pages, but it is packed with truth. It is essentially a condensed version of Piper's famous work Desiring God, Revised Edition: Meditations of a Christian Hedonist. I always recommend that folks read this when they start off with Piper because they will get the gist of what he saying in a very short time. This short read should take you no more than 90 minutes, but it is capable of being used by the Holy Spirit to affect change in many lives. For anyone interested in a very well put together theological work accesible to all, this is the best place to start. 
Some of my favorite thoughts from the book:

"Jesus is not safe, but he is satisfying!"

"The chief end of man is to glorify God BY enjoying Him forever."

"We are far too easily pleased" (Lewis).

The three part prescription for lack of joy in obedience: "First, confess the sin of joylessness. . . . Second, pray earnestly that God would restore the joy of obedience. . . . . Third, go ahead and do the outward dimension of your duty in the hope that the doing will rekindle the delight."

This small book packs a big punch, and I highly recommend to all (especially those new to Piper). This is one of five books that I pick up anytime I find a good copy for a decent price because it is one that should be shared again and again.

My recommendation for the top 5 Piper books you should read first, in order:

The Dangerous Duty of Delight: Daring to Make God Your Greatest Desire (LifeChange Books) 

Don't Waste Your Life (Group Study Edition)

Let the Nations Be Glad!: The Supremacy of God in Missions (Spire Books)

Spectacular Sins: And Their Global Purpose in the Glory of Christ

Desiring God, Revised Edition: Meditations of a Christian Hedonist

Strategy & The Fat Smoker - Review

Strategy And The Fat Smoker is really more like a collection of essays from David Maister. Almost every essay is good enough to expand on and be turned into a regular business book. The author writes in a direct manner that gets right to the point, and his writing is full of usable information. This book may not even be 300 pages, but it will take you a long time to digest everything that he goes over. 

In my opinion, the first three chapters are worth the price of the book alone (and the book is expensive everywhere). These three chapters center on doing what is obvious and not easy, and David has some real insight into the strategy problem. His overview of strategy is directed towards businesses, but can really be applied to everyone. If you find it hard to figure out what to do, or are still looking for the best plan to get things done, then pick up a copy of this book.

Some of my favorite quotes from the first chapter alone:

". . . knowing that something is good for us is not necessarily a predictor that we are going to do it."

"We know what to do, we know why we should do it, and we know how we should do it. Yet most businesses and individuals don't do what's good for them."

"The necessary outcome of strategic planning is not analytical insight but resolve."

"The primary reason we do not work at behaviors which we know we need to improve is that the rewards (and pleasure) are in the future; the disruption, discomfort and discipline needed to get there are immediate."

Highly recommended for businesses, churches, writers, and anyone else who needs to rethink strategy.


See my article on how this book is very useful for writers too - Strategy & The Fat, Smoking Writer