"Living Beyond Regrets" by Guy Rice Doud is a book about living beyond regrets. It is a book that helps you see that regrets and anger have an impact on your life. Many of us are driven. Driven to succeed. Driven to be the best. Driven to be all that we perceive we need to be. What have I done in the past that I regret? What words, actions, or perceptions trigger the anger button?
Guy Rice Doud opens the door to his personal journey and invites the reader to walk with him. His journey is painful, yet insightful for both the author as well as the reader. We learn that we all have failed; however, we are not failures. We learn that we can not change our past, nor the perceptions of others, yet we can chose our attitude and the way we look at things. We also chose to believe in God's word. It is so easy to say we believe in God's word but to actually put it into practice is another thing. Guy shared a story in chapter nine (Come to the Well) that really hit home. In a nutshell, the prospector discovered the well on the map was dry, yet someone created a sign telling the reader that there was a new well 2 miles due north. The prospector was faced with a choice, go in the direction the map suggested or trust the handwritten sign. Both choices were bleak especially since his need for water was critical. The prospector goes through a series of "faith-based" choices and ends up making it to his destination. The point of this story is to point out that life is filled with the forks in the road and we must "trust" God. He will bring us through but we must trust that God will do what he says.
The author also encourages the readers to examine the regrets they have. Name one regret you have and then ask yourself a simple question, "Why is this a regret?" When done in complete honesty, this can be a powerful and insightful experience. In addition, the author suggests the reader examine what makes them angry. After you have compiled a list of 6-10 things, look for patterns or look for the root of the anger. Although this book is not a simple fix, it is a book that provides hope and encourages the reader to press on, chose the right attitude, and trust that God does not see us as a failure through His Son Jesus.
Guy Rice Doud opens the door to his personal journey and invites the reader to walk with him. His journey is painful, yet insightful for both the author as well as the reader. We learn that we all have failed; however, we are not failures. We learn that we can not change our past, nor the perceptions of others, yet we can chose our attitude and the way we look at things. We also chose to believe in God's word. It is so easy to say we believe in God's word but to actually put it into practice is another thing. Guy shared a story in chapter nine (Come to the Well) that really hit home. In a nutshell, the prospector discovered the well on the map was dry, yet someone created a sign telling the reader that there was a new well 2 miles due north. The prospector was faced with a choice, go in the direction the map suggested or trust the handwritten sign. Both choices were bleak especially since his need for water was critical. The prospector goes through a series of "faith-based" choices and ends up making it to his destination. The point of this story is to point out that life is filled with the forks in the road and we must "trust" God. He will bring us through but we must trust that God will do what he says.
The author also encourages the readers to examine the regrets they have. Name one regret you have and then ask yourself a simple question, "Why is this a regret?" When done in complete honesty, this can be a powerful and insightful experience. In addition, the author suggests the reader examine what makes them angry. After you have compiled a list of 6-10 things, look for patterns or look for the root of the anger. Although this book is not a simple fix, it is a book that provides hope and encourages the reader to press on, chose the right attitude, and trust that God does not see us as a failure through His Son Jesus.
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