Starred review from January 28, 2013
Joel Osteen’s book is structured as a series of 31 devotionals, each of which describes one of God’s promises to the faithful, focusing on areas as varied as personal finance, health, and decision making. Fundamentally, the theme that runs throughout the book is avoidance of negative thoughts, which, when dwelled upon, according to Osteen, can take over one’s life and become reality. Osteen is an extremely popular author, a seasoned televangelist, and a pastor at a Lakewood Church in Texas, the largest megachurch in the world, with weekly attendance in the tens of thousands. It is therefore no surprise that Osteen’s performance is compelling, enthusiastic, and forceful. Quite simply, he’s a master narrator for these devotionals. For Christians with an affinity for Osteen’s bombastic style, this audio edition is well worth buying. A FaithWords hardcover.