A favorite author of mine is Andy Andrews. He is great at teaching Biblical truths disguised in the form of stories or parables. I’ve read a few of his books that have really guided me and made an impact on me. I would like to share three of them with you today.
Andy Andrews
Andy Andrews is the best-selling author of “The Noticer” and “The Traveler’s Gift” as well as world-renowned speaker, coach, and consultant. He has spoken at the request of four U.S. Presidents, the Department of Defense, and regularly speaks at the request of some of the largest corporations in America.
One of the reasons he is a favorite author of mine is his ability to weave Biblical and life-changing truths into exciting, riveting stories that capture your imagination from page one.
Remarkably, The Noticer is based on the true-life story of Andy Andrews. At the age of nineteen, both of his parents died just months apart. Then, within a few years after a series of bad financial decisions, he found himself homeless and sleeping on streets under a pier on the Gulf Coast.
During this time, Andy asked himself a question that changed the course of his life. He asked, “Is life just a lottery ticket, or are there choices one can make to direct his future?” This led him to a search that would change his life and the lives of millions of people around the world.
Over time Andy read over 200 different biographies of great people, including George Washington, Anne Frank, and more. As he read, he found a common thread in all of them. They all made a handful of decisions at a critical time in their lives that determined their futures. He found that life is not just a lottery ticket but a choice. They had a choice over their fate.
The Noticer
Both entertaining and inspirational, The Noticer is well worth reading.
It is based on the amazing true story of “Jones,” a mysterious old man, who came into Andy’s life, and who has a way of showing up at just the right moment in people’s lives, providing priceless lessons about love, life, and the importance of perspective.
Orange Beach, Alabama, is a simple town filled with simple people. But like all humans on the planet, the good folks of Orange Beach have their share of problems—marriages teetering on the brink of divorce, young adults giving up on life, businesspeople on the verge of bankruptcy, as well as the many other obstacles that life seems to dish out to the masses.
These situations can seem like dead ends, but to an old drifter named Jones with a gift for seeing what others miss, there is no such thing as a dead end. It only takes a little “perspective,” he says, to recognize the miracles in our moments, the seeds of greatness tucked into our struggles.
Appearing when things look darkest, the mysterious, elderly man with white hair carrying a battered old suitcase shows up when he’s needed most. “Your time on this earth is a gift to be used wisely,” he says. “Don’t squander your words or your thoughts. Consider even the simplest action you take, for your lives matter beyond measure…and they matter forever.”
Book Summary for The Noticer by Andy Andrews on Amazon
The story of Jones continues in The Noticer Returns and Just Jones.
The Traveler’s Gift
The Traveler’s Gift is another great story that mixes Biblical truths with a highly entertaining and inspirational fictional story. It really makes you think and challenge you about the decisions you are making in your life.
It makes you realize that you are responsible for your own life and the decisions you make. Also, that it is a choice to forgive, even yourself, not so much an emotion. Additionally, that it is our responsibility to seek wisdom and extend grace.
Those are only a few of the important life lessons that I got out of this book. Check out the book summary below.
Only a few months ago, he was a successful executive. Now he’s a desperate man. Join David Ponder on an incredible journey to discover the Seven Decisions for success that can turn any life around, no matter how hopeless a situation seems.
Forty-six-year-old David Ponder feels like a total failure. Once a high-flying executive in a Fortune 500 company, he now works a part-time, minimum wage job and struggles to support his family. Suddenly an even greater crisis hits: his daughter becomes ill, and he can’t even afford to get her the medical help she needs. When David’s car skids on an icy road, he wonders if he even cares to survive the crash.But an extraordinary experience awaits David Ponder. He suddenly finds himself traveling back in time, meeting leaders and heroes at crucial moments in their lives—from Abraham Lincoln to Anne Frank. As David speaks with each of these historical figures, they share their personal philosophies with him. By the time his journey is over, he has received seven secrets for success—and a second chance. Among these crucial decisions for success are:
Book Summary for The Traveler’s Gift by Andy Andrews on Amazon.com
The Seven Decisions
The Seven Decisions are principles of success that Andy discovered when researching of great people of history and which he used for his book The Traveler’s Gift above.
You will be challenged by The Seven Decisions in how you define success and how you want to live your life.
Also, mastering the decisions outlined in this book can change your life forever when applied consistently. According to Andy, it is what separates the ordinary from the extraordinary.
These decisions include:
- The Responsible Decision
- The Guided Decision
- The Active Decision
- The Certain Decision
- The Joyful Decision
- The Compassionate Decision
- The Persistent Decision
The consistent application of the Seven Decisions brings about what can only be called miracles: What was once labeled “impossible” actualizes. Opportunities that once eluded you are now attracted to you. Dysfunctional relationships transform into harmonious ones. Life, which was once a struggle, now becomes an exciting adventure!
Book Summary for The Seven Decisions by Andy Andrews on Amazon
Summary
If you read any of the books by Andy Andrews, you will soon understand why he is a favorite author of mine as well as millions of other people. His books have the potential to change your life when you apply the principles he talks about in his books to your own life. Additionally, you will be entertained, and inspired by his fictional works.
My favorite books have a tendency to have strong Biblical truths and life lessons in them so that I can not only be entertained but learn something at the same time.
For more of my favorite authors and resources check out my Resources Page.
What are some of your favorite books and authors?
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