Passion to Action: How One Family Stepped Out on Faith, Hit the Road, and Discovered the Keys to Courage and Purpose by Jay and Beth Loecken

One family makes a daring decision, discovers the power of purpose, and encounters a God-sized passion for living. Something kept pulling at Jay and Beth Loecken, telling them there’s more to life than the pursuit of a large home, nice cars, and all the trinkets and trappings for a suburban family of six. They felt something stirring, a feeling that God had a different purpose for them, and they knew they had to do something—something big—to get started. Passion to Action is one ordinary family’s tale of pursuing an extraordinary dream. It’s a story about asking big questions, seeking answers every day, and along the way discovering a big faith. What happens if you make a dramatic change? How does God sustain you in your new life? What will the people around you say? Find out for yourself what happens while listening to the journey of Jay and Beth Loecken. See just how far God takes them in their desire simply to serve - as a family - in soup kitchens, community projects, and churches across America. In this audio you’ll hear about Beth’s personal struggle with a troubling past, Jay’s battles with ambition, and the amazing solution they discover as they inspire others to take ten real steps to finding meaning and purpose. Through the story of the Loeckens, see how God leads us to places we’d never imagine, be inspired to better live from your life’s passion, and find the courage to turn it to action.

I Give This Book: 2 Stars


My Thoughts:
I think that this family's desire to serve and to inspire others to serve is commendable, but I don't think that they need to travel around the country to do it. Throughout the book, they say you don't have to do what they did to serve - that you can just help out locally. I wonder whether or not this would have come to mind if they had not had a deep desire to go RVing full-time. Because in some ways, it seems to me that by the time they get settled in to a new place and know where to help, it is time to leave again (two month is not a long time).

Throughout the book, I read how tight money was and how they couldn't afford to buy certain things that they needed. Then how miraculously someone would give them what they needed or they would get it at a very reduced price. Example: Ben, their eldest son, needed a microscope for his studies, but they didn't have the funds to purchase one for him. Then the next place they go, someone gives them a used one and also a few other school supplies that they will need. Yet, they can spend money to travel back and forth to meet with people to discuss a reality show or a book deal (can you guess which one they picked). But, the most annoying thing to me was their acknowledgements at the end of the book. Right after thanking their financial donors, they leave the link to their website, which to me is a not so subtle hint for you to give money. I just don't like when people do that.

They say in the book how you can help your LOCAL homeless shelter, LOCAL nursing home, LOCAL shut-ins, etc., yet that is not what they did. They sold their house, their extra cars, a lot of their possesions (they rented three storage units for some of their stuff) and bought an R.V. to travel the country to do their charitable work. That seems very contradictory to me. They talk about how hard this life-style is and how everytime they ask the kids if they should stop, the kids say NO! I wonder why? Yes they serve others, but they get to experience so much. Traveling around the country, meeting new people, and people have given them free things (i.e. ski lessons, free day(s) at Disney World, a hot air balloon ride, and the list goes on and on). And when they get tired of being in the RV? Well, people have offered them houses to stay in or invited them to share a house that they had rented and let them stay for free and many times they have a place for them where they can park their RV. for free too. So no wonder they want to continue to do this, they get to have their dream (traveling in a RV), when it gets too tiring, they get to stay in a house and they have perks of free vacations and free things. They have the best of both worlds. It means a lot more to me when you don't do things for the recognition, and I know that they would say they aren't but...

I felt that the whole message of this book could have been said in one chapter and that the rest of the book was filled with their doubts, worrys and perks. I found reading this book to be a chore. While I do admire their desire to serve, I would not recommend this book.

*** I recieved a complimentary copy of this book from the publishers through FIRST Wild Card Tours. I was asked to give my honest opinion of the book - which I have done. ***

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