Finding God's Life for My Will: His Presence Is the Plan by Mike Donehey
Meet Author Mike Donehey:
"Mike Donehey Is amazed by the love of God.
He is author of the book Finding God's Life for My Will, and sings in the boisterous and enthusiastic pop band, Tenth Avenue North. He loves his wife and four Daughters. He currently lives in Nashville Tennessee." ~Amazon
Here's More:
ECPA BESTSELLER • The lead singer, songwriter, and guitarist for award-winning contemporary Christian band Tenth Avenue North shows readers that by seeking God first and focusing on serving Him, we can live daily in His will.
"Perhaps God isn't giving me the plan because He wants to be the plan."
This was the aha moment for Mike Donehey after years of wrestling with his obsession to know God's specific plans for his life. He came to the realization that waiting for absolute certainty from God before making decisions may seem uberspiritual, but it can lead to a life of intense stress, paralyzing fear, and crushing regret--just the opposite of the freedom granted to those living a Christ-filled life.
"This is my story...how I gave up begging to know God's will and began to ask His life to come and change my will."
With his signature humor and relentless hunger for God, Mike will show you that discovering the Father's purpose and plan for our lives is not the shell game that we all too often make it out to be. If you're unsure what to do next, take heart and accept the ultimate invitation: learn to see God as the plan, not simply the formula to the plan. ~Amazon
Numeric Breakdown:
1: didn't like it/skip it
2: it was okay/it wasn't for me
3. liked it/worth a read
4. really liked it/loved it
5. it was amazing/must read!
A life-affirming, uplifting, heart-touching, must read!
I have to start with an introduction as to why I picked up this book in the first place. Being a fan of Tenth Avenue North, it felt natural for me to read a book by the lead singer Mike Donehey. The title hooked me, and I wanted to learn more about the author's take on how to find God's life for his will. It made me hopeful that I'd gain insight and possibly my own philosophy concerning what he had to share. However, this wasn't the only reason I picked up his book.
When I was in my early twenties, life began to feel fragile and even more confusing. I wasn't sure where my place in the world was or how I was supposed to feel or act or be. Although working my way through college, it was hard to find a balance between working fulltime, taking a full-time load of classes, and dealing with the usual fears and foibles of life. So, it became a very delicate place to inhabit, and my unhappiness with myself and the world became a predominant spectur hovering over me at all hours.
It was during this difficult time that I heard "By Your Side" on the radio. At this point, I was looking for anything to help me see a clear path or just to hold on until my world felt a little more stable. For this, I already had Chris Tomlin, Michael W. Smith's Worship CDs, and a few other songs keeping me holding on, and I was about to add Tenth Avenue North to my lifeline list.
Once I heard this song, it became a very important part of my life. The lyrics meant so much to me and felt like a reflection of what I was feeling inside. It became a mantra to me. I bought their CD and listened to it over and over again. I enjoyed their whole album and found other uplifting songs, but "By Your Side" became my anthem, and it kept me going. It fed life back into me and showed me I just needed to keep holding onto Jesus and His Word.
For this, Tenth Avenue North became a part of my saving grace. It motivated me to keep going, and it reminded me of how Jesus was always by my side. For this reason and more, I felt an immense sense of hope and relief. From this day forward, Tenth Avenue North became a band I loved and appreciated. They were one of a few artists whose CDs I would continue to buy and whose music I would listen to on repeat - until the day I die.
So, you can imagine my excitement when I heard they were going to come to KCMO in 2015 with Chris Tomlin. Two of my favorite Christian music artists in one place? Sign me up! I bought tickets so fast. It was one of the best concerts of my life. Not only did I hear my favorite songs, feel uplifted, and hear a new band I didn't know - Rend Collective, but I had the most amazing experience of my life.
While singing out their hit song "By Your Side" and giving it all I had despite my off-key voice, lead singer Mike Donehey jumped off the stage and ran up to the second level of the theater where I stood. He was singing, grabbing hands, and moving along the stairs and walkway until he came to my seat. He stopped, balanced on the railing, and held onto my hand. He sang to me and leaned forward to serenade my friend. He spent several minutes singing to us and holding my hand, and it was unbelievable. This was a once in a lifetime experience, and it felt as if God was using Mike Donehey to remind me that He's always there, always watching, and always by my side. Again, I was in another place of need, and God used this band and this song and this man to remind me of His presence once more.
I can't begin to describe to you the emotions and magnitude of this moment. I can't explain how much it meant to me or what a wild experience it was. I can't even begin to tell you how incredible it felt to hold onto the hand of someone who had made a difference in my life and didn't even know it. Because Tenth Avenue North did make a difference in my life. God used them to remind me of His presence with their songs. They've been doing it ever since I first heard them on the radio to that concert to this day. Needless to say, "By Your Side" is still my favorite song of theirs, but I've come to love so many of their songs because of the meaning behind them and how they connect to me. Their lyrics are so real and honest, I can feel them to the depths of my soul.
This is an introduction to an uplifting and relatable book by Author Mike Donehey. My experiences with his music and podcasts led me to Finding God's Life for my Will, and I'm glad it did. This was a book which showed me how Mike's life shaped who he is today. His experiences and testimonies were positive and life-affirming to hear. You never know anyone else's struggles until they share them, and then you see how God worked in their lives and what a difference it made. That's the case with this novel.
Each chapter brings its own fount of information. To try and summarize the content in a few brief paragraphs is unimaginable. I don't think I can do it. All I can do is pull several different key phrases and meanings from the book out, shine a light upon them, and then encourage you to read it. I want you to read it and find your own understanding and hope within its pages. However, believe me when I say, it might not be exactly what you expect.
The first sentence that drew my attention came from the introduction. It states on page 4, "His life for my will, and yous, is a never-ending process of submission." Yet again, I find a reminder to myself that I'm not in control. I can think I am and hope I am and pretend I am, but in the end, God's in charge. He's got my back. So, this is another reiteration of my need to give up my ego, pride, and control. My surrender will give Him glory, and in return, He'll help me through my time here on Earth.
Throughout this book, Author Mike Donehey shares his testimonies of his life. In the beginning, he gives us a personal look at what happened before his marriage, a life-altering accident, and the building of his career as a singer and songwriter with Tenth Avenue North. These testimonies share how his relationship with the Lord has grown and developed over time, and how it's a complete process on a daily basis because the world keeps creeping in, and he has to return to that place of surrender.
With a testimony regarding his wife, then girlfriend, he shares how he felt the Lord speaking to his heart and using the words He'd spoken so long ago to encourage Mike: "I'll never leave you nor forsake you" (Hebrews 13:5), and "I work all things together for those who love Me and have been called according to My purpose" (Romans 8:28). It was in the midst of these reminders and his struggle that Mike thought, "Perhaps God isn't giving me the plan because He wants to be the plan" (pg 9).
Again, these reminders and epiphanies are good for me to hear. Too often I want everything my own way, and repeatedly, I find out life just doesn't work out that way. This is okay.
Another lesson I've learned from this book is that "doing less" and "loving more" are two of the greatest things we can do with our time. Sometimes, if you're like me, I feel I've accomplished so much when my calendar is jam-packed, and I fall into bed exhausted each night. Yet, the best feelings of achievement come when I spend time with others, listening to them or helping them.
In fact, in the ninth chapter of his book, the author points out the Sabbath. He asks us to "consider" it and follows up this request by sharing the point of view of many scholars over this holy day. Many of those scholars believe that "God established the Sabbath to remind humanity that He doesn't love us because of our productivity" (pg 121). Jesus isn't wrapped up in what we do with our life or the money we make or the "culture that idolizes the ability to make a profit" (pg 121). He simply wants us to "concern ourselves with our motivations and methods" (pg 121) and remember that he wants to "purify our potential" (pg 121).
It's hard to stop sharing what I've gleaned from this book and how invigorated it made me feel inside, but I can give a few more important pieces I've pulled from this reading.
1. "Keep asking and keep resting" (pg 135) - "Pray continually" (1 Thessalonians 5:17-18)
2. "Gratitude readies us for heartbreak" (pg 156) -- "Being joyful in all things doesn't mean there is an absence of sorrow" (pg 156), but "gratitude is a shield protecting our hearts from bitterness" (pg 157).
3. "Keep saying yes" (pg 167) and try to figure out who you're "trying to serve" (pg 169).
4. "Embrace your cracks" (pg 187) and ask for forgiveness, confess your sins, and be merciful to those seeking your understanding. Don't add to their shame.
5. "He wants you to walk with Him" (pg 224).
Also, you have to read the story he includes about the woman named Joy on one of his flights. It's a beautiful message, and it sheds light on our ability to observe and demonstrate our gratitude. The depth and care shared within each of these chapters is momentous, and it brings the reader a chance to pause and reflect. It serves as an opportunity to see your life from a new perspective, and it gives you the chance to see how valuable and loved by God you really are.
Although I wish I could share so much more with you, I want to encourage you to read this book yourself and allow its lessons to immerse your soul and give you hope and peace. We can all use a pick-me-up from time to time, and I feel this book delivers a positive theme from beginning to end. It's one of my favorite books from 2021 so far, and I can't say enough how thought-provoking and refreshing it is.
That's why it definitely ranks as a "must read" for me and rates a full 5/5! I'm excited to see what else Author Mike Donehey shares in the future, and I hope to hear more of his music, podcasts, and life experiences along the way. Hopefully, you enjoy his book as much as I did, and I hope you'll comment on what you learned from it.
Thanks for joining me, and as always, Happy Reading!! :)
~Rebecca Reddell, Author
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