James W. Goll

I tend to shy away touchy-feely people. I tense up when someone wants to hug me and try to avoid it at all times. That was me several years ago. I have gotten better at hugs but I still hide my emotions very well. This book was very helpful in many ways and I liked learning about how God shows us how much He loves us. He doesn’t want us miserable and sad, but delights in our happiness.

Have you ever heard of the saying, “stinkin thinkin.” Well I will enlighten you on this term I quite show more often use. I have struggled with depression and anxiety for years. My mind tends to look at things as sad and hopeless at times. In this book I discovered that God really does love me and I need to grasp that truth. My days of feeling unwanted and unloved are fading as I allow His words to soak my soul with hope.

I enjoyed reading the author’s story about verbal abuse and his strained relationship with his earthly father. His openness helped me understand my own struggles and that I am God’s favorite. Yes we each are each His favorite and should rejoice in that knowledge. The author’s in-depth look at the Fruits of the Spirit are grounded in the Word and shows us how our emotions work closely with those gifts.

I really enjoyed the book and liked the prayer at the end of every chapter. I walked away feeling better and have a fresh understanding about allowing our feelings to show. We each have spiritual gifts that work together in harmony. Each gift cannot function alone without the others. I am reminded of a pastor illustrating this fact in a message once. He said think about a bicycle. It has many parts but what if a tire was missing? How would the bike work? Some of us have the gift of mercy, while others may have discernment, administrative, teaching or other gifts not listed here. God designed us to use our gifts to work together to be His hands and feet.

I received a copy of this book from Celebrate Lit. The review is my own opinion. show less

Did “Strike the Mark” hit the mark with me? Yes and no. This reads as more of a regulation handbook, and as such I felt that it has several dry spells and some points with which I did not entirely agree. I was expecting it to be more dynamic and affirming. The author does inject a few personal stories into the narrative, and that does make it more relatable, but overall I honestly had a difficult time staying focused and interested. Much of the language seems to be aimed at a show more theologically-trained audience rather than the everyday prayer warrior. However, I did appreciate the abundance of Scripture verses and prayers, particularly in the resources section at the end. Also, the prayer at the end of each chapter is a nice summary and pinpoints the focus of that chapter.

In my opinion, “Strike the Mark” is best suited to a church study group. Reading it as an individual detracted from the experience, at least for me. The author’s points make sense, and I understand that prayer is more powerful when more people are involved. However, I got the impression that private prayer was somewhat downplayed. I think that the title should include the word “group” because that is really the main focus. Nevertheless, several parts of the book caught my attention. The author discusses twelve types of prayer that he together categorizes as the “orchestra of prayer”, as well as the various types of intercessors. Confessing generational sin, as exemplified by Daniel, Nehemiah, and Ezra in the Old Testament, encourages us to identify with the sins in our cities and institutions and to act as ambassadors to effect God-honoring change. Another concept mentioned is that of praying at particular sites, be it for blessing or for the extraction of evil. Overall, this small but compelling book is a good guide for groups looking to take their prayer ministry to the next level.

I received a complimentary copy of this book through CelebrateLit and was not required to post a favorable review. All opinions are my own. show less

Reading this book I had no idea what Spiritual Gifts were and became fully engaged. I couldn't put it down. I remember the first time God spoke to me when I gave myself to him. I was nine years old in a small church in Kentucky. I was thinking back on this while reading.
I feel that God gives us all a Spiritual Gift we just have to listen to his calling. On page 34 in the book he lists 25 Spiritual Gifts. I see that as a nurse God has given me many ways to share his word and gifts he has show more given me.
I love how this book is layed out for the lay person to the advanced. Each chapter walks you through different aspects to understand and receive your gifts. This is a wonderful tool to have especially times when you may doubt your self or your gifts. Never loose faith because God never looses faith in us. I would recommend this book to anyone looking to strengthen their relationship to God and start to understand the gifts he has given.
I recieved this book from The BookClub Network for an honest review. show less

As a Christian, I understand that prayers are important. Prayers allow us to ask God for direction, thank Him for His goodness, love and, mercy, as well to intercede for others. I also recognize that there are those individuals who are true prayer warriors. These are individuals who constantly storm the gates of heaven with their own requests as well as the requests of others. Strike the Mark provides instruction and guidance for praying in a way that reaches God and allows us to accomplish show more His Will.

I believe that the prayers of the righteous are able to accomplish God’s Will, but I feel many people feel uncertain about how to pray “correctly”. I think this book does a fairly good job addressing the idea of how to pray. I also think it is written in a way that most people could understand. This book is meant for anyone who wants to pray with the Spirit.

While I feel this book does have a lot of good information and advice, I found it to be rather dry in spots. I feel this book would be best used in a group setting to help bring the book to life. show less