Amazon.com (ISBN 0425181634, Paperback)

Maximize the Moment is a biblically-based self-help book by T.D. Jakes, a leading African-American pastor, motivational speaker, and the author of The Lady, Her Lover, and Her Lord. Jakes begins the book with a powerful reminder of the frailty of life, the reason that "we should maximize and prioritize our time and esteem it as precious." In a straightforward, humble style, Jakes teaches readers to reach their God-given potential in family, work, and spiritual life. His advice, in short, is to think of every moment as an opportunity for decision, and then to make decisions that are always faithful and constructive. The passages advocating freedom from fear-filled and destructive relationships are especially powerful, and well-crafted to be useful for both men and women. Maximize the Moment also has a wealth of sayings that stick in the brain without the cloying sentiment that often colors self-help books. "The wisest thing we can do," Jakes writes, "is minimize the liabilities, plan for the unexpected, enjoy the ecstasies, endure the disappointments, and then face the inevitable."