The dream giver (Multnomah Publishers, 2003) by Bruce Wilkinson is an encouraging read. In the first half of the book Wilkinson tells an allegorical story, much like Pilgrim’s Progress, his story is about Ordinary, a Nobody who leaves the Land of Familiar to pursue his Big Dream. This allegorical story introduces the ideas which he elaborates in the second half of the book.
Wilkinson’s main aim in writing this book is to emphasis the fact that God has made us all special by giving us our own combination of dreams and talents to fulfill God’s purpose for our lives. He points out the many difficulties that hinder us from following our God given dreams and encourages his readers to press on despite the disappointments and discouragements along the way.
During the first half of the book, Wilkinson concludes each chapter with Ordinary’s journal notes of lessons he learns on the journey. This is an effective way of summarizing the major points of the chapter and subtly reminding the reader of changes they need to make in their own life. In the second half of the book, Wilkinson tells stories from his own life and others to highlight his message.
I thoroughly enjoyed this short book and feel inspired to keep my own dreams alive.
