5-Star Review of "The Storm Before the Calm"

Review of The Storm Before the Calm

by Talbot Davis

The Storm Before The Calm

Storms.

They shake us.

They soak us

They scare us.

But what if they did something more?

What if the real purpose of storms is to prepare us . . . 

. . . for the calm that follows?


That’s the perspectives of the sermons I have collected together in this short volume.

Rather than the usual mindset of “the calm before the storm” -- a mindset that sees calm as the exception and storms as the norm – I wanted to approach the subject from that very different angle.

Calm can – and should – be our life’s experience. 

So the sermons you will read take a look at some of the best known storm stories in Scripture, ranging from the two builders of Jesus’ parable to Paul’s shipwreck in Malta and ultimately to Noah’s embarrassing moment after the storm to end all storms in Genesis 9.

These messages were delivered in real time to a real congregation: Good Shepherd United Methodist Church, a modern & multi-ethnic gathering souls who are a) patient with my sermons and b) committed to our mission of inviting all people into a living relationship with Jesus Christ.

I have designed this study for individual or group use. At the conclusion of each sermon, I have included both “For Further Conversation” questions and recommended Scripture readings.

My prayer is that you will get the same measure of blessing and energy from reading these sermons as I got from delivering them.

MY REVIEW:  God knew I needed to read this book in this very moment in time.   One of the possible storms mentioned in the book is when a church disappoints us.   I am a member of a church that right now is experiencing a split and it is breaking my heart.   But the pastor who wrote the sermons in this book has made me feel an assurance that the calm will come after my fellow church members and I have weathered this storm. 

       This book is written to be used as a personal or group study.  It has scripture reading and questions at the end of each sermon as well as a reflection (way to apply it to ones own life) and a prayer.   While I am still in the midst of my own storm, this pastor/author has equipped me to weather the storm and wait for the calm.   "Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine.  Blessed assurance, glory divine."  God has already written the emd of the story and believers can be certain it is a happy ending. 

      I rate this book 5 stars and highly recommend it for Bible study.  

      I received an ebook of this book from netgalley in exchange for my honest review.