Copyright: 2005
ISBN: 1-932124-60-8
Pages: 169 pages
Reviewer: Deborah Porter

Available From:
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Occasionally you come across a book that you know you are going to enjoy almost from the first page. There's something about the style and message that immediately connects, building a sense of fellowship between the author and reader that sets the feel for the rest of the book. Why Surrender is NOT a Four Letter Word is such a book, and this reviewer was not disappointed.

With a perfect balance of humor and seriousness, Linda Russell combines solid teaching with real life illustrations. The end result is a charming, honest, delightful, stirring and often challenging book.

The author admits that she had never considered writing a book, and her family was fairly skeptical--until they read the first chapter and realized that it was pretty good. In fact, they thought it was amazing--an opinion Ms. Russell agreed with completely. "But not because of what I had written," she explains in the chapter on Faithfulness. "The amazing part is God. [My family] knew I had never done anything like this before; there had to be something much bigger behind it. It is truly God's work and the glory and praise can go only to Him."

It's this humility which softens the reader's heart to receive the author's message. But Why Surrender is NOT a Four Letter Word is not a "holier than thou" type of book. The author is transparently real, allowing the reader access to the not so perfect parts of her life--the things that we would all usually prefer to tuck away behind the flawless Christian mask. Not so with Linda Russell. In sharing her journey, warts and all, she inspires the reader to follow her lead and surrender to God.

Why Surrender is NOT a Four Letter Word is a guided tour through the "Fruit of the Spirit"--the fruit that will be in evidence when we surrender to God and allow His Spirit to lead in our lives. There have been many books written on this subject in the past, and there was the potential for Ms. Russell's book to end up much the same as any other; however, it stands out as fresh and very relevant. The author's honesty has a lot to do with accomplishing that, but it's her embracing sense of humor that seals the deal.

There were so many places in this delightful book where I found myself chuckling out loud. Ms. Russell's sense of humor is completely relational, causing the reader to feel as though they are enjoying a chat with a good friend over a cup of coffee. One example of this very one-on-one type of communication is found in the chapter on Kindness and Gentleness. When discussing the potential risks of showing kindness to others, Ms. Russell wrote, "If you find that reaching out in kindness has caused you to get bitten--often, so often that there is a tiny nub hanging from your shoulder joint, good for you! Don't quit, it will grow back! (Hey, it's just an analogy; I can make it grow back if I want to!)"

It's this delightful sense of fun that makes Why Surrender is NOT a Four Letter Word such a good read from start to finish, and it's the heart of the author that makes it such a blessing and joy. I have no hesitation recommending this book to anyone longing for a closer walk with God.