40 Loaves by C.D. Baker

“Wisdom is found when troubled hearts ask honest questions.” – 40 Loaves

Synopsis: Is there anything that you’re afraid to ask God? Author C. D. Baker asked himself 40 such soul-searching questions and wrote about what he discovered.  Each chapter begins with an anecdote, discusses the question at hand and ends with follow-up questions for reflection and a prayer. Some of the questions covered are:

• Why is loving others so hard for me?
• Why is my life such a mess?
• Why don’t I know what I want in life?
• Why am I stuck in the past?
• Why have I stopped dreaming?

Review: I loved the anecdotes at the beginning of each chapter and appreciated the gentle and humble spirit with which this book is written. The author does not pretend to know everything.  Rather, he shares insights from what he has found to be true in his own life.  The book is only 162 pages long and is a quick, yet thoughtful read. For those who enjoy journaling, the discussion questions provide launching points for further exploration.

I like the premise behind this book.  I do believe that God welcomes and even desires our questions and I enjoy probing books which honestly explore struggles, doubt and faith. However, I felt the execution could have been better.  Each chapter is only about four pages long and ends just as it seems to get underway.  The topics chosen are quite broad and complex and the coverage sometimes seemed spotty and incomplete.

I hope that 40 Loaves encourages people to know that it is okay to have questions. I recommend this title for seasoned Christians looking to go deeper and/or persons who enjoy getting things at no cost. This book would make for a great gift. It would also make for a wonderful companion with a peppermint mocha latte in front of a warm fireplace at Starbucks. I found it to be worthy of time and consideration.

Rating: 4/5 (More of a conversation starter than book of answers.)

“Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my anxious thoughts: And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.”

– Psalm 139:23-24

I have a free copy of this book to give away. All you have to do is leave a comment (can be anything) and I will randomly draw a winner on Wednesday morning. If you are the winner, I will notify you via email and ship you the book (unless you live in a foreign and exotic land such as Singapore.)

This book was provided for review by the WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group. Starbucks has yet to offer any such compensation despite my wonderfully natural product placement toward the end of this post. To learn more about or purchase this book at RandomHouse.com, click here.

Category: Reviews