The Double Blessing by Mark Batterson

Double Blessing by Mark Batterson sounds like a book preaching the wealth and prosperity gospel. However, Batterson makes clear that that is not what this book is about.

Double Blessing is divided in to two parts: How to Get it and How to Give it as the subtitle states.

The first half of Double Blessing talks about how to get a blessing from God by talking about God's miracles and blessings in the Bible and how they apply to today's people. Batterson encourages readers to position themselves for a blessing from God by praying but then also putting in some work on the blessing. Throughout the first part of the book, he also shares some great illustrations from his own life and the lives of other people throughout history. He also reminds readers that blessings sometimes come after difficult seasons and that we need to sometimes work to see the blessings.

In the second half of Double Blessing, Batterson talks about how to bless others. As someone who generally is a cheerful giver, I loved this part of the book. I love to hear about how other people are blessed by ordinary people. At the same time, even though I love to give, I don't always feel like I am able to give due to finances or circumstances. One of the things I liked about this half of Double Blessing is that Batterson encourages readers to create margin so they can give either to churches, organizations or even randomly on the street to someone in need. He also talks about how many times people were blessed and gave by having faith that God would provide--before they even had the funds to give. One of my favorite parts of the book is near the end when he quotes Jim Elliott on page 193, He is no fools who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose." He then reminds the reader that the secret of the double blessing is simple: "You get it by giving it. This isn't a book you read, This is a book you do." Batterson concludes by asking, Whom will you bless today? How will you bless them? I like that Batterson encourages gratitude to God for what we have, a reminder that we can't take our things with us and that giving creates happiness in the end.

I received this book courtesy of Waterbrook/Multnomah Publishing. All opinions are my own.