Do you lack enthusiasm in your life? Do you wonder if there is more than just the 9 to 5 or 5 to 9? If so, know that you are not alone. Joyce Meyer --- speaker, teacher and New York Times bestselling author --- offers encouragement, insight and wisdom in her latest book, I DARE YOU. She believes that passion is the fuel that helps us accomplish our purpose in life and that all of us need a well-stocked supply.

Too many people are tempted to walk around feeling indifferent, tired or bored, but God made us for so much more! He designed us to be a part of something greater than ourselves. He invites us to love Him with our whole hearts and serve Him with all that we’ve been given. That is why Meyer believes that passion and purpose complement each other; they go hand in hand and hold each other accountable. It’s possible to be passionate without purpose just as it’s possible to have passion but lack purpose. Meyer explains that we can misplace our passions and spend our lives trying to climb the ladder of success, only to find that when we reach the top, it was leaning against the wrong building. That is why discovering your purpose and passion are crucial to living the life God designed for you.

Like most of Meyer’s books, I DARE YOU is filled with practical, hard-hitting truth. It is divided into two main sections: “The Complements of Passion and Purpose” and “The Pursuit of Passion with Purpose.” Chapter titles include “Understanding Why You Do What You Do,” “Putting Smiles on Faces” and “Never Give Up.” In a chapter simply titled “Eight Ways to Waste Your Time,” Meyer lists everyday ways in which all of us are tempted to waste one of our most precious resources: time. She writes, “It is possible to give yourself to a whole list of things that are not doing you or anyone else any good at all. I have discovered some things that waste time which I will share with you, but you can probably add to my list.” Among those listed, she includes worry, guilt, complaining, comparisons and anger. The teaching is simple, straightforward and easy-to-read.

Throughout the book, Meyer asks a series of insightful questions such as, “Are you busy or fruitful?” and “Is your time being stolen?” which cause readers to pause and consider their direction. In addition, themed “I Dare You” entries challenge readers to do things like stop asking why and live wholeheartedly.

At times, I DARE YOU seems a little disjointed, jumping from topic to topic rather than being seamlessly laid out. Despite these tiny hiccups, the book packs an encouraging, hope-filled punch that God has gifted with you a purpose and passion and wants you to fully realize your potential.

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