cover image Take the Lid Off

Take the Lid Off

Smokie Norful. Thomas Nelson, $24.99 (240p) ISBN 978-0-7180-7893-5

Grammy-winning gospel artist and pastor Norful makes his writing debut with a call to action for those struggling to move to the next stage of growth in life and ministry. Reflective, autobiographical, and informative, the book weaves biblical insight with secular truths, making the Bible relevant for the modern Christian. Divided into four parts—inward, outward, upward, onward—the book offers advice to readers about removing the limitations of fear, self-doubt, and directionless living. “We can’t be whole and fulfilled unless we’re in a right relationship with God,” Norful writes about his state of discontentment when he was at the top of his musical career and struggling to figure out his next move. Initially, he wanted to settle for a Bible study group, but a conversation with a friend made him realize that he was called to do more. He had to “remove his lid” to understand that “God’s future purposes are always bigger than God’s present blessings.” While the pretext of the book requires one to look inward, Norful makes it clear that each person’s purpose is intertwined with understanding core gifts and how those gifts can serve others. This will be a great resources for Christian readers and fans of Norful’s music. [em](Sept.) [/em]