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My Review of "Possible"

Possible is a story about how we can change the world, told by someone -- World Relief CEO and President Stephan Bauman -- who's lived that change in his own life.

When we talk about poverty, suffering and injustice -- it matters what story we tell.  We can choose between stories of pity or dignity, dependency or potential, need or capacity.  We can zoom in on our neighbors' suffering without seeing their strength.  There is danger here, though:  When we choose only to see weaknesses of our brothers and sisters, we reduce them to projects or problems to be solved.  When poverty is seen through this lens, no one is empowered, honored or lifted up.

But when we see our neighbors through the eyes of their Creator -- loved, dignified, and capable of creating beauty out of pain -- we empower heroes and become heroes in the process.  This is the heart behind World Relief's work, and is the message of Possible.

Possible is a challenge for Christians to rethink the stories we tell about poverty and the roles we take in responding to issues of injustice.  Possible is a practical guide for learning how to stand with our neighbors on the frontlines of suffering and honor their stories of pain, hope and faith.

So this a book you need to read to make 2015 an amazing year.

I received a free copy of this book as part of the Blogging for Books blogging program in exchange for my honest review here.

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