Say Yes to God: A Call to Courageous Surrender

By Kay Warren

Book Overview

You have a plan for the rest of your life. God has a plan for the rest of your life. Are they the same? Say Yes to God--formerly titled Dangerous Surrender--will help you find the answer.

You have expectations for how your life will play out, and you hope those plans will become realities. But what if God's plan for your life is far different from what you had in mind? Can you accept that? Will you surrender your goals for God's?

Kay Warren had a plan. Together with her husband, Rick Warren, author of the megaseller The Purpose Driven Life, she planned that after her kids were grown, she'd travel the world, teaching and encouraging couples in ministry. It was a good plan. But it wasn't what God had in mind for her.

In her own startling wake-up call, Kay discovered the shocking realities of the AIDS pandemic in Africa while reading a magazine. "I want to use you " she heard God say. That began the struggle--first to avoid God's call and then to surrender herself to God. She cried out to God, "Why are you bothering me with this? There's nothing I can do about it. I'm just an ordinary person. What could one person do about such a gigantic problem?" But God had grabbed her attention and wouldn't let go.

If you've ever struggled with knowing and doing God's will, this book is for you. With raw honesty, Kay goes straight to the heart of the matter: the bottom line is surrender. Will you say yes to God? Along the way she'll introduce you to others--people like you--who have said yes to God and have made a difference in the world. Using their skills, energy, faith, and a willingness to take risks, they became powerful instruments of change and tools in God's hands.

Giving in to God isn't easy. It's not for cowards. It's the boldest, riskiest step you'll ever take. This dangerous surrender can bring both joy and pain, both heartache and ecstasy, but it enables you to know God in a far deeper way than ever before. "I had to make a conscious decision. Would I retreat to my comfortable life and to my settled plans? Or would I surrender to God's call and let my heart engage with the cause to which he called me, one that I was pretty sure would include buckets of pain and sorrow? I felt like I was standing on the edge of a giant precipice; I couldn't go back, and yet the way forward looked like stepping into a void."

Kay Warren took that step, choosing to say yes to God. That decision transformed her life and reshaped her future. She invites you to do the same. You'll benefit most by discussing this book with others. A Readers' Group Discussion Guide is provided in the back of the book. Additional help can be found at www.kaywarren.com.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0310328365
• ISBN13: 9780310328360
• Release Date: September 2010
• Publisher: Zondervan
• Length: 272 Pages
• Weight: 0.74 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.8" x 5.5" x 8.5"
• Age Range: 18 years and up
• Grade Range: Postsecondary and higher

Customer Reviews

Honest, Bold and Engaging

Kay's book has come to me at a challenging time in my life and I thank her for sharing her journey with me. She has shared her honest self and I very much related to her. God has used her in my life through her words, feelings, and stories to challenge me in my journey with Him. This book is a wonderful self study or team study and can be re-read and highlighted and used to challenge yourself to the next step in your life. Don't be afraid to say YES!

Kay Warren is Seriously Disturbed for Good Reason

Recently I had the opportunity to meet and interview Kay Warren at a local conference. I was thankful for the opportunity because there has been a lot of controversy around her husband Pastor Rick Warren and now also her because of her involvement with trying to educate the world about the HIV/AIDS problem in the world. Not knowing what to expect I was very pleasantly surprised at the warmth and genuine personality Kay was. And during our conversation I learned of this new book. After I heard about the book I immediately went home and bought an audio version of the book and listened to the full book within 3 days. It was hard to pull myself away from the book, despite the serious nature, because all of the things Kay talked about that "seriously disturbed" her - have been things that have bothered me as well. I loved the book because she simply tells the reader how it is. People ARE dying of AIDS all over the world. Women are involved in the sex trade through no fault of their own. And babies (teens and under) are being used as sex slaves and the Church is sleeping and letting it happen. Well, not any more because Kay's call to the church is to wake up, get involved and do something to rescue these people. This is the call of every Christian...to be there for the orphans, the widows, those enslaved in sin. But that is only part of the reason I liked the book. The other reason is because Kay shares from her heart about her own journey and her personal struggles with depression, insecurity and the fame of her husband and living in his shadow. It's a real book, from a real genuine woman and I cannot recommend this book highly enough. In fact, if you want to shake a few complacent Christians out of their comfort zone, please get the book and give it as a gift. - I am Stacy Harp, President of Active Christian Media - www.activechristianmedia.com

Excellent Challenge - Brutally Honest

I heard an interview with Rick and Kay Warren on Speaking of Faith (http://speakingoffaith.publicradio.org/) and was impressed with Kay Warren. I admit that I have not been a big fan of Rick Warren and The Purpose Driven Life. I played the interview for my wife and she too was impressed. We ran across the CD version of Dangerous Surrender while on a trip and bought it to give it a listen. WOW! My wife kept saying over and over - this is not what I expected. Kay is not like other famous pastor's wives! She is a "new evangelical" which is really the real evangelicals who care about people not just the Republican party! She is an evangelical in the mode of General Booth of the Salvation Army, or Dwight Moody who ministered to the poor and immigrant communities of Chicago. I highly recommend this book! Her passion and clear incarnational theology ( we make the invisible God visible) is wonderful. Kay speaks of her own suffering - sexual abuse, depression, cancer, and the deep suffering one can have when caring about those who are suffering. I will give this book away!

A very courageous book, couldn't put it down!

I have never read a book written by a woman that is so brutally honest. I will be ordering more to give to my friends. Everyone, men and women should read this book.

Outstanding!

I generally don't like books written by evangelical ministers' wives. Too often, they contain shrill attacks on women whom the authors perceive to be less godly than they are, as well as a fair amount of whining about the difficulty of living in the shadow of husbands with successful ministries. So, it was with a judgmental spirit that I picked up Kay Warren's book. I intended to spend just enough time with it to convince myself that it was another one of `those' books and then set it aside. I did a double-take when I read the back cover endorsement from Gary Thomas, who describes Dangerous Surrender as `one of the richest reads I've experienced.' Having now finished the book, I'm in complete agreement with Mr. Thomas' assessment. You must read this book! In Dangerous Surrender, Kay Warren explains how five years ago, she received a call from God to be active in the fight against HIV/AIDS. Interwoven with the inspiring story of her growing involvement in fighting the AIDS pandemic is a beautiful description of her spiritual journey. If it is narrative that captures your heart, you'll be blessed by Kay's story. If it is an author's ability to articulate the spiritual growth process that speaks to you, you'll be blessed by Kay's analysis of her journey. If you don't know God and are wondering what Christianity is all about, Kay will answer your questions. Regardless of who you are and where you are on your journey, there is something for you in this book! It would take several pages to adequately describe how this book has challenged and encouraged me. Let me briefly mention three themes that especially resonated with me. First, Kay shows how a deepening personal relationship with God naturally leads to a growing love for other people. Intimacy with God is not an alternative to service. It is both/and, not either/or. Second, Kay is honest about the fact that at times, surrender to God is very difficult. But, as difficult as it can be to give up the kingdom of self, Kay also points out that `God wins us not by shouting, beating us up, or starving us into submission...We are loved into surrender.' Finally, Kay's story illustrates how God calls us to be in community with fellow believers. You won't approach the Lord's Supper in quite the same way after reading Kay's discussion of how we are to share in the fellowship of the sufferings of Jesus. I highly recommend this book! A final note: A couple of additional pluses to the book are that it contains a Readers' Group Discussion Guide, as well as links to free on-line supplements.