Bill Bright (1921–2003)

a young boy, who has a complete rapport with God, changes the lives of a man and woman who rescue him in Ethiopia. Brought to the US, he changes the lives of hundreds of thousands, physically. Ends up with him and the man and woman going back to Ethiopia to restart the mission that was destroyed at the beginning of the book.

This was good. This was Dekker's writing coupled with Bright's theology, and it was terrific. A heart healed, a soul reclaimed, is more important than a million miracles show more of physical restoration. That is what I got from this book. This was what I wish Dekker had stayed like. show less

In this sequel to A Child Called Blessed, the child is grown up now and living in the Ethopian desert with his parents and a bunch of monks. It would seem he's destined to live out his life in obscurity, but an Israeli group discovers that the place where he is living may be the secret hiding place of the Ark of the Covenant! So then of course there is an expedition that sets out to recover the ark, with a group of Arab militants right on their heels. Will the ark be restored to Israel, or show more will it be destroyed, or does it really matter?
Along with the typical thrill of seeing the Arabs and Israeli's duke it out, there is some mystical type stufff thrown in when Caleb rediscovers his connection to God that he had when he was a child. Some of the stunts he pulls are very much like the stuff in Dekker's Circle trilogy. It serves to illustrate his point, which is what could really happen if someone totally trusted God? And of course, it's also intriguing to see the political fallout from Israel discovering the Ark of the Covenant. I don't know that he got that quite right, it's a little simplistic but still realistic enough to give a good read. Fans of Dekker's type of suspense with the mystical elements he throws in and the spiritual lessons should definitely check out this older book of his. show less

I like a lot about this little book. It’s quick, but it packs a punch, for sure! Defo convicting and encouraging.

I also feel like it’s…super specific. Not “my way or the highway,” but…kinda, lol! I wish it were broader in scope of how the “personal strategy” could play out in people’s lives; at times it felt like “do xyz and you’ll see success.”

Still, a great stepping stone, and I especially appreciated the resources at the end.

How would the world really react to God's power if it manifested itself openly like in the days of the first Christians?

This book is really excellent reading! It manages to balance some heartful, deep thought about Christianity in the modern world, with a honest to goodness thriller novel. The characters are fascinating and enjoyable (but a bit archetypal/stereotypical). It is fast paced and exciting, but emotional and sensitive at times. It entertains, but also educates and inspires. I show more highly suggest it as an excellent example of Christian fiction that can stand on its own and doesn't require the Christian label just to be passable. In my opinion, much 'Christian' music is awful and people only listen to it because of the label, the same is true with most literature, but not this book.

The best part is, I think that if you read it with an open heart and mind, it will draw you closer to God. What could be better than that? show less