Divine Applause by Jeff Anderson

Jeff Anderson raises questions that we've all probably pondered.  How do we have a relationship with a God we can't see?  How do we hear Him speak if his voice isn't audible?  How can we be sure He even notices us?  This book revolves around a verse spoken three times by Jesus in Matthew 6, "Your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you."  Jesus made this statement after teaching about giving, prayer, and fasting.  The idea is that when we do things to get God's attention, we can expect a response.  However, our eyes and ears must be ready to recognize it.

What Was Unique: The author brought a unique point of view to the discussion of hearing God's voice.  Having suffered from hearing loss since childhood, Jeff was able to draw several parallels from physical hearing loss to spiritual hearing loss.  He has had to learn to compensate for his loss of hearing and develop strategies to stay connected.  I found his insight to be helpful.

What Could be Improved: While I did enjoy the author's use of storytelling and analogy, the text became quite repetitive.  Time is precious.  If I'm going to take the time to read a book of this nature, I want it to get to the point and keep moving.  That simply didn't happen. (How many times do I need to be reminded of Mrs. Whyte?!?)

I think Divine Applause contains some great perspective.  I simply would have preferred to get the bullet points in a sermon or two, rather than reading the full version!

*I received a complimentary copy of this book from Multnomah Books in exchange for an honest review.