Wide Awake by Erwin McManus: Intro and Chapter 1

In case you don't remember, a few weeks ago I made a post about an online "book club" idea (see the post here).  The following post is basically everything that I thought was interesting in the introduction and the first chapter.  I will continue to make posts for each chapter as I read through the book.  I would love to hear what those of you reading this book thought after reading each chapter so definitely leave comments! Even if you aren't reading through the book, feel free to read the quotes and comment on any that might strike up some thoughts or emotions in you!

Awaken: The Hero (Introduction)

• David. (to Elijah) This morning was the first morning I can remember, that I didn't open my eyes and feel that sadness...I thought the person who wrote that note had an answer for me.                    Elijah. (to David) That little bit of sadness in the mornings you spoke of? I think I know what that is.  Perhaps you're not doing what you're supposed to be doing. M. Night Shyamalan's film Unbreakable. (pg. xi)

•  There is nothing like feeling fully alive and dreaming wide awake. (pg. xi)

• (But) the process of finding the right dream and then moving it into life sometimes keeps them from making their dreams a reality. (pg. xii)

• (But) the devil, of course, is in the details--or in this case, in the process. (pg. xii)

• There is a hero within you waiting to be awakened. (pg. xiii)

• I have come to the place where I simply think of every human being as pre-great. (pg. xiii)

• People are the most underused and undervalued resource on the planet. (pg. xiii)

• Most of us don't choose the worst life; we just don't choose the best. (pg. xiii)

• We should never confuse fame with greatness. The former is about what you do for yourself; the latter is about what you do for others. (pg. xiv)

• (After all,) he placed us in paradise and expected us to take care of his creation--so much for a good start. (pg. xiv)

• Jesus came to bring out the best in us. (pg. xiv)

Chapter 1 Dream: The Artist

• Long before I was looking for God, he was looking out for me. (pg. 10)

• Sometimes the limitations you are willing to accept establish the boundaries of your existence. (pg. 10)

• Sometimes getting up and walking is more about your head than your legs. (pg. 10)

• How you imagine yourself and your future has a huge effect on what actually happens. (pg. 11)

• When you begin to understand that you are at the core a spiritual being, it begins to make sense why you need the Source of all creativity active in your life to fully live out your God-given potential. (pg. 12)

• They wanted power and prestige, but Jesus was offering servanthood and sacrifice. (pg. 14)

• God is not going to invest himself in a dream fueled by greed, arrogance, self-indulgence, and self-centeredness. (pg. 14)

• When God is at the core of our lives, he becomes the inspirer of our dreams. (pg. 15)

• If you had Jesus right in front of you and he asked you, "What do you want?" what would you say to him? (pg. 16)

• Is it possible that you are not living the life of your dreams because God has asked you what you want and you are asking for way too little? (pg. 16-17)

• I think a lot of our prayers make God wonder why we think so little of him. (pg. 18)

• God gives God-sized dreams to people with God-shaped hearts. (pg. 21)

• Even when you have the right dream, you can make the wrong choices.  The way you begin to live out your God-given dreams is to become the person God desires you to be. (pg. 22)

• As soon as you begin to dream, all the things you're afraid of start haunting you. Doubts, insecurities, the secret things no one else knows start popping into your dreams and can turn them into nightmares in a moment. (pg. 28)

• God is waiting for you to recognize that you cannot control the four winds, but he can. If he commands you to act, and if you will trust him, you will see all of creation move in concert to accomplish in you what you were created to do. (pg. 31)