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"The Love Dare: Day by Day (A Year of Devotionals for Couples)"
By: Stephen & Alex Kendrick w/ Lawrence Kimbrough
Release Date: December 1, 2009
Publisher: B&H Publishing
Brief Description:
Topping the New York Times list and already selling three million copies, The Love Dare has established itself as more than a book; it’s
an unstoppable marriage movement. And like the husband in Fireproof (the film where The Love Dare originated), readers know this
40-day challenge to understand and practice unconditional love with their spouse need not end when the book does.
With that in mind, The Love Dare Day by Day encourages and challenges couples toward new steps in faith and love with 365 marital
encouragements, reminders, and action points worth repeating year after year.
Topping the New York Times list and already selling three million copies, The Love Dare has established itself as more than a book; it’s
an unstoppable marriage movement. And like the husband in Fireproof (the film where The Love Dare originated), readers know this
40-day challenge to understand and practice unconditional love with their spouse need not end when the book does.
With that in mind, The Love Dare Day by Day encourages and challenges couples toward new steps in faith and love with 365 marital
encouragements, reminders, and action points worth repeating year after year.
| Overall Rating: 95% (A) |
Review Written By: Jay Heilman (jay.heilman@christianmusicreview.org)
Review Written On: November 24, 2009
Review Written On: November 24, 2009
Category: Devotional/Inspirational
I remember when we first partnered with Sherwood Pictures back in 2006 with the theatrical
release of the hit film Facing the Giants. We were so excited to help promote a ministry whose
focus was to reach the lost for Christ and encourage movie-goers through the film industry. I
could really compare their mission to our own, in that what they do through film ministry, we
aspire to achieve through music ministry.
When my wife and I caught a sneak peak of the latest Sherwood Pictures/Provident Films release
Fireproof in an early press screening in July 2008, the film’s central focus of fighting for marriage
was something unlike anything I had seen in a film before. After seeing the film and the learning of
the subsequent release of the book that much of the film’s plot centered on, “The Love Dare”, my
wife and I were intrigued to sit down and read through it together. I was blown away by how
much it was able to add to our marriage and really give us both a different perspective on marriage
in the way God intended for it to be!
Fast forward to December 2009, which marks the release of another chapter of the “Love Dare”
series, this time spreading the ideas and practices found in the original book into an every day,
devotional-style book for married (and non-married) couples to read together. The new book, “The
Love Dare: Day by Day” takes the original one step further, in offering couples a daily resource to
marriage and approaching it God’s way, along with a lot of other key areas of life focus. The 365-
day devotional goes beyond marriage too, really giving insight (complete with scriptural reference)
on how we can effectively live out our faith, show respect and love to others. At the beginning of
the book, you’ll find a challenge before you even start reading. It reads: “This will be a challenge.”
It continues to say, “This one-year journey will take courage and endurance. At times it will seem
challenging and difficult, and at other times it will be incredibly fulfilling”. Amen. I love delving
into God’s Word, but having books like this to accompany it really encourages me and helps me to
apply the Word to my life and walk in today’s world.
I feel that this book is something, just like the film Fireproof and the original “Love Dare” book, of
being a companion that every couple should have and can use as a resource tool to accompany the
reading of the Bible. I consider myself and CMR fortunate to be a part of what the Lord’s doing in
this incredible ministry of Sherwood Baptist Church. It’s funny how a Baptist church from
Albany, GA can have such a profound impact and influence to the world that eyebrows are raised
with anticipation from everything that comes out of it. Sherwood Baptist Church’s motto is simple,
yet has proven to be a huge and truthful statement. “Reaching the world from Albany, Georgia”. I
think the world has heard. :)
Closing Thoughts:
I guess I may appear to have a bias when it comes to material that has come out of Sherwood, but
I couldn’t think of a ministry who is more grounded and determined to reach the lost and to help
encourage people with their movies, music and books. “The Love Dare: Day by Day” is definitely a
book that I think every couple should have, and used as a daily companion to the Bible. My wife
and I were very encouraged by this as we sat down and studied the Word together with help and
resource from this book. Be sure to pick it up for yourself on December 1st. While you’re at it,
buy a copy for someone that you think could benefit by reading through it. I believe it will be a
blessing to those who use it.
release of the hit film Facing the Giants. We were so excited to help promote a ministry whose
focus was to reach the lost for Christ and encourage movie-goers through the film industry. I
could really compare their mission to our own, in that what they do through film ministry, we
aspire to achieve through music ministry.
When my wife and I caught a sneak peak of the latest Sherwood Pictures/Provident Films release
Fireproof in an early press screening in July 2008, the film’s central focus of fighting for marriage
was something unlike anything I had seen in a film before. After seeing the film and the learning of
the subsequent release of the book that much of the film’s plot centered on, “The Love Dare”, my
wife and I were intrigued to sit down and read through it together. I was blown away by how
much it was able to add to our marriage and really give us both a different perspective on marriage
in the way God intended for it to be!
Fast forward to December 2009, which marks the release of another chapter of the “Love Dare”
series, this time spreading the ideas and practices found in the original book into an every day,
devotional-style book for married (and non-married) couples to read together. The new book, “The
Love Dare: Day by Day” takes the original one step further, in offering couples a daily resource to
marriage and approaching it God’s way, along with a lot of other key areas of life focus. The 365-
day devotional goes beyond marriage too, really giving insight (complete with scriptural reference)
on how we can effectively live out our faith, show respect and love to others. At the beginning of
the book, you’ll find a challenge before you even start reading. It reads: “This will be a challenge.”
It continues to say, “This one-year journey will take courage and endurance. At times it will seem
challenging and difficult, and at other times it will be incredibly fulfilling”. Amen. I love delving
into God’s Word, but having books like this to accompany it really encourages me and helps me to
apply the Word to my life and walk in today’s world.
I feel that this book is something, just like the film Fireproof and the original “Love Dare” book, of
being a companion that every couple should have and can use as a resource tool to accompany the
reading of the Bible. I consider myself and CMR fortunate to be a part of what the Lord’s doing in
this incredible ministry of Sherwood Baptist Church. It’s funny how a Baptist church from
Albany, GA can have such a profound impact and influence to the world that eyebrows are raised
with anticipation from everything that comes out of it. Sherwood Baptist Church’s motto is simple,
yet has proven to be a huge and truthful statement. “Reaching the world from Albany, Georgia”. I
think the world has heard. :)
Closing Thoughts:
I guess I may appear to have a bias when it comes to material that has come out of Sherwood, but
I couldn’t think of a ministry who is more grounded and determined to reach the lost and to help
encourage people with their movies, music and books. “The Love Dare: Day by Day” is definitely a
book that I think every couple should have, and used as a daily companion to the Bible. My wife
and I were very encouraged by this as we sat down and studied the Word together with help and
resource from this book. Be sure to pick it up for yourself on December 1st. While you’re at it,
buy a copy for someone that you think could benefit by reading through it. I believe it will be a
blessing to those who use it.
Main Review & Closing Thoughts
| Buy This Book |
4.0 out of 4
3.0 out of 3
2.0 out of 2
0.5 out of 1
Message
Organization/
Plot
Plot
Style
Creativity
Overall Score
| 95% A |
Review Rating
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