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If You Want To Walk On Water, You Have To Get Out of The Boat
John Ortberg, author of Beyond Reason and The Life You've Always Wanted, uses humor and inspiration as he encourages readers to face their challenges and make things happen while discovering a fulfilling relationship with God.
Hardcover, 128 pages
Published
March 17th 2004
by Running Press
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Received as a "get well" gift.
My thing is that I keep getting tossed out of the boat! Sinking or swimming always seemed to be my options. Why I, a devout Christian, never realized there was the third option - walk on water - I could not say. I compare those three options with the three kingdoms of glory. Sinking is telestial - just give up because nothing is going to work. Swimming is terrestrial - "I think I can" moving to action, but that action is depend...more
My thing is that I keep getting tossed out of the boat! Sinking or swimming always seemed to be my options. Why I, a devout Christian, never realized there was the third option - walk on water - I could not say. I compare those three options with the three kingdoms of glory. Sinking is telestial - just give up because nothing is going to work. Swimming is terrestrial - "I think I can" moving to action, but that action is depend...more
I loved this book, and it couldn't have come at more perfect timing in my life! I have often felt inadequate in just about everything I do. My relationships, my job, you name it, I always feel like I'm not good enough. I am afraid of failure. However, the chapter about "seeing the wind" and learning about failure management -- and learning from failure itself -- really made me see that there is no point in worrying about it. Everything in life has risks, and the only true failure is be...more
A Great Bible Study
Published 2001 by Zondervan
220 pages.
10 chapters with a Preface.
John Ortberg does not specialize in deep, seminary-level Bible studies. He is perfectly able to operate at that level, I am sure, but that is not the way to reach the common man or woman and this is a Bible study aimed at the regular church-going Christian that feels like he or she should be doing more (whatever that may be) and trusting in God for help in doing whatever that "...more
Published 2001 by Zondervan
220 pages.
10 chapters with a Preface.
John Ortberg does not specialize in deep, seminary-level Bible studies. He is perfectly able to operate at that level, I am sure, but that is not the way to reach the common man or woman and this is a Bible study aimed at the regular church-going Christian that feels like he or she should be doing more (whatever that may be) and trusting in God for help in doing whatever that "...more
The first two chapters were great. The third and fourth chapter I had to sludge through, but only because I am tired of the Christian version of "find the color of your parachute" so you can serve Jesus better. They weren't bad chapters, and there is nothing wrong with people looking at their strengths and weaknesses to make better choices for vocation and avocations. My current interests are more about theology: the 2nd Coming, the Church, Works vs. Grace, etc.
The fift...more
The fift...more
I had previously read "Everybody's Normal Until You Get To Know Them" and found it challenging and inspiriting so I approached "If You Want to Walk on Water..." with excitement and high expectations. I'm not sure if it was the high expectations, or the actual mediocre nature of the book, but i found it hard to read, and although there were section which encouraged or challenged, on the whole if felt more like a long slog than life changing. It was neither good as i have come ...more
This is an amazing book on getting past every day routines and living out your walk with God!
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For those interested in reading spiritual 'study books' or supplemental guides to complement Bible study, this is a good read. Especially if, like me, like feels like it's squeezing in on you and you need to be reminded that you CAN do great things despite the circumstances.
I work at a Christian Daycare and was given this book to read as a portion of my training. I'm so grateful I was given the opportunity to read it. I finished the book in 5 days, I enjoyed it so much. I found it en...more
I work at a Christian Daycare and was given this book to read as a portion of my training. I'm so grateful I was given the opportunity to read it. I finished the book in 5 days, I enjoyed it so much. I found it en...more
Love this book! My dad recommended it to me. I have recommended it to many others and then, one of my book group members to whom I recommended it chose it for book group! It is about faith. The title alone makes you want to read it! I read it the first time in June of 2006
August CBS Book Group.
While the message a great, this book is about killing me...it's not very well written/organized, very redundant and not very "deep." I am going to start skimming....which means I will "finish it" today.
Having a Mary Heart in a Martha world was much better....
While the message a great, this book is about killing me...it's not very well written/organized, very redundant and not very "deep." I am going to start skimming....which means I will "finish it" today.
Having a Mary Heart in a Martha world was much better....
Great book. Amazed that someone could write that much about a small account in the Bible! Taught me a lot about faith and have already tried a few tips from the book that work wonders for your confidence. Would highly recommend.
A very good book by John Ortberg on realizing how we face life's obstacles and challenges is not new to humankind. By looking back at the story of Jesus coming to the disciples in the middle of a storm, and Peter getting out of the boat to walk on the water with him, we can see that there are many similarities between how we initially react to challenges: from being fearful, to wanting to run before we can walk, to learning to listen to God's direction, to doing something no one else is willing...more
Inspirational & motivational. A good nudge to both acknoweldge gifts/talents you've been given as well as to pull them out of the bottom drawer and get to using them, as was intended for you.
Really awesome book about the power of stepping out on faith. Its great reading, and I highly recommend reading it with a patner or small group to discuss each chapter.
GREAT BOOK CLUB Reading.
GREAT BOOK CLUB Reading.
I am not a particularly religious person but I do consider myself very spiritual. This was an excellent book whether you are one or the other.
It's all about faith and finding God every day.
It's all about faith and finding God every day.
I've read this book through several times - each time I glean something new - continue to use it more than any other book in my columns, workshops and retreats. My SECOND FAVORITE ALL TIME BOOK.
This is probably the best book I've read this year. I like how Ortberg referenced relatable and true-to-life stories in the concepts he talked about. My book is practically abused with pen and pencil underlines. It's the type of book you'd love to reread again and again and still get new insights from it each time you do. :)
If there's a part of your life where you're a boat dweller, then you need to read this book, it will push you out of your boat...I'm still reading though....not finished yet...
What could you life be if you'd just get out of the boat?
John Ortberg invites you to consider the incredible potential that awaits you outside your comfort zone. Out on the risky waters of faith, Jesus is waiting to meet you in ways that will change you forever, deepening your character and your trust in God. The experience is terrifying. It's thrilling beyond belief. It's everything you'd expect of someone worthy to be called Lord. The choice is yours to know him as only a water-wal...more
John Ortberg invites you to consider the incredible potential that awaits you outside your comfort zone. Out on the risky waters of faith, Jesus is waiting to meet you in ways that will change you forever, deepening your character and your trust in God. The experience is terrifying. It's thrilling beyond belief. It's everything you'd expect of someone worthy to be called Lord. The choice is yours to know him as only a water-wal...more
This is excellent.
Great reminders to 1.) listen to God every day--not just for the big decisions, etc. and 2.) wait on the Lord.
Good stuff on how to view "failure" as well.
Great reminders to 1.) listen to God every day--not just for the big decisions, etc. and 2.) wait on the Lord.
Good stuff on how to view "failure" as well.
We are reading this for our LifeGroup study with some other couples. I have only read the first 3 chapters and so far so good. Ortberg is a former pastor at Willow Creek Church in Chicago. He is a fantastic storyteller and this is a good inductive study of Matthew 14 when Jesus and Peter walk on water. Ortberg relates that event to our present day lives and stepping out in faith - getting "out of the boat" for Jesus. This is by no means an intense book and you will have no spiritual re...more
Liked it more the first time. Second time through - in 2010 - some erroneous theology bugged me. Still, the main premise is true and challenging.
You can get just as much out of the book by reading the title and Matthew 14:22-34. The book itself is rather redundant and poorly organized.
Loving this book- Ortberg has such a pleasant way of taking hard hitting truth & communicating it in a gently compelling way.
Ortberg is good, but this one is an essay he stretched into a book. Skip it. Read Everybody's Normal instead.
Very good spiritual 'stretch' for how we should be willing to get out of our comfort zone to grow in our faith.
This a wonderful book about stepping out in faith and would be a great book to share with a group.
Great book...rooting out fear and letting God's presence give you freedom to take risks for Him.
Pretty good self-improvement book- makes sense- hear the call, face your fears, overcome doubts.
I was pleasantly surprised by this book. It was given to me by a good friend, but I admit that upon receiving it I was afraid that I was going to sit down to syrupy mush. On the contrary, I found this book very uplifting at times and I applaud the author's work. However, as a Catholic, I strongly felt the absence of a discussion on the the sacraments.
Some times its hard to understand why life gives us hard times but during those hard times i find it hard to trust God this book opened my eyes to see how to trust him more and it was just very inspirational.
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John Ortberg, Jr. is an evangelical Christian author, speaker, and is Senior Pastor at Menlo Park Prebyterian Church, a 4,000-member church Northern California with campuses in Menlo Park, Mountain View, and San Mateo.
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