SERIOUSENCOURAGEMENT.COM~LIVING LIFE FROM THE INSIDE OUT

A spiritual guide to personal prosperity.

Myree writes about rising from difficult circumstances with the perspective of someone who’s been there. After a successful career as a web designer and then as a pastor, the author found himself in the midst of personal and economic turmoil. A divorce, a personal bankruptcy, the loss of his church and a looming foreclosure all pushed Myree to the brink. However, after reading Rhonda Byrne’s 2006 self-help blockbuster The Secret, his attitude changed. The author’s brief work is both a testimony of his climb out of despair as well as a guide for others. After establishing his story, Myree explains how he created a website called SeriousEncouragement.com, meant to provide words of support for others experiencing personal distress. The website, it seems, has netted the author plenty of income to meet his needs and bring him to financial security. Myree explains that by recognizing one’s connection to the God of infinite supply, a believer can overcome life problems, especially financial ones, through positive thinking. He argues that every individual has the power to create success, explaining, “Whether we know it or not we have the power of creation given to us as a birthright, the power to create our lives as we desire.” Prior exposure to The Secret is helpful, though not necessary, to fully appreciate this book. Its teachings, and others espoused by the author, are indicative of the prosperity gospel and will certainly rub some Christian readers the wrong way—Myree states that some of his Christian friends questioned his beliefs after seeing that he espoused The Secret. However, he presents his message as a Christian one. Though personally engaging, this work would have benefited greatly from the proofreading skills of an editor, who would have noted typographical errors throughout.

Heartfelt testimony of a prosperity theology.