Tuesday, October 1, 2013

Book Review: The Power of a Half Hour by Tommy Barnett

Very few things annoy me as much as people who use the excuse "I don't have time for....", yet they spend their time watching TV, sleeping late or piddling around on the computer.  Because of this, I was very attracted to the idea of the book, The Power of a Half Hour:  Take Back Your Life Thirty Minutes at a Time by Tommy Barnett.

As it turns out, many things can be accomplished in simply thirty minutes a day.  Barnett goes in depth into thirty different things that can be accomplished in thirty minute increments, everything from clarifying your destiny to sharing the gospel with someone to strengthening your relationships.  The chapters are very practical, but for those who need even more hands on help, there are 30 personal action plans included, one for each chapter, which would serve well as a daily devotion as one goes through the book.  The end of the book also includes material for seven sessions of small group study.  Depending on the length of your small group meeting or the amount of discussion your groups generate, these sessions may not be enough material for your group for a whole session, but may be able to be incorporated into another study or used as opening material for your group meeting.

My one caveat with this book is that the concept of thirty minutes is a little gimmicky.  The author bases the choice of thirty minutes off of an obscure verse in Revelation.  There is nothing particularly special about thirty minutes.  It could easily be 20 minutes or 45 minutes.  I think the bigger emphasis should have been on intentionality and on taking a regular chunk of time every day.  If thirty minutes is too long or too short for you, it isn't a big deal.  The time doesn't really matter.

Overall, I recommend this book, not so much as the gimmicky thirty minutes can change your life concept, but more of a guide of what you can do in small increments of time.  If you are looking to use your time better, this is the book for you!

This book was given to me by WaterBrook Press in exchange for my honest review.

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