Live Like You're Blessed: Simple Steps for Making Balance, Love, Energy, Spirit, Success, Encouragement, and Devotion Part of Your Life Book

One of today’s leading ministers, Suzan Johnson Cook epitomizes the positive attitudes and self-help spirit that make a profound difference in the way we live. Live Like You’re Blessed illuminates her winning formula in an engaging combination of autobiographical anecdotes and lessons drawn from her pastoral work.

Using the letters in the word “blessed” as her starting point, Cook illustrates the spiritual concepts that will help readers cope with life’s difficult challenges.

B represents balance: maintaining emotional equilibrium and finding the time for work, play, and worship

L stands for love: accepting the love that flows from God and extending it to family, friends, and colleagues

E is for energy: developing the physical stamina that nurtures emotional well-being and our dreams

S is the spirit of God within: finding the inner strength and faith that allow us to serve as His hands on earth

S represents success: achieving financial goals while living in alignment with our convictions and values

E stands for encouragement: sharing the courage and hope at the heart of Jesus’ teachings

D is for devotion to God: exploring difficult questions, rather than accepting pat answers

Filled with simple exercises and helpful suggestions, Live Like You’re Blessed is a realistic and inspirational plan for serving God and living life to the fullest.

Publishers Weekly

BLESSED, as an acronym representing Balance, Love, Energy, Spirit, Success, Encouragement, and Devotion, forms the backbone of a charmingly anecdotal proposal for better living through faith. Cook, a pastor who is currently on tour with T.D. Jakes, is the first woman to be elected president of the Hampton University Ministers' Conference, representing all of the historically African-American denominations. She shares as many personal stories as she does those of parishioners. Amid suggestions for prayer and reminders to give thanks for blessings already received, Cook uses the stories of real people to illustrate the challenges many face every day, from low self-esteem and domestic abuse to personal debt and spiritual poverty. Her gift for the gentle, respectful telling of story does not interfere with her prescriptions for professional help when appropriate, whether for abuse, depression or even financial trouble, and the book comes complete with resource suggestions. Although primarily directed at women, devotees and seekers of all stripes will find Cook's straightforward message easy to digest and soothingly inspirational. (May 9) Copyright 2006 Reed Business Information.