I wrote this book review awhile back, but thought I should bring it back to the surface during this Covid-19 Pandemic where fear could end up being more deadly than the virus. Dan Baumann has always has been a source of wisdom in Camille’s and my life. He also has been in some really hairy and fearful situations in his life so he has some authority to talk on the subject—think: imprisoned in Iran and falling off a cliff!
My friend Dan Shannon (and his baby) and I recently interviewed Dan Baumann talking about fear and uncertainty:
The book synopsis and review
“Fear is real, but God is bigger, and His love is stronger. My story is a testament to that. There is nothing in this world more beautiful or wonderful than God Himself, who invites us into relationship with Him through Jesus Christ. There is no greater hope for our broken humanity than that.” – Book excerpt
Dan Baumann doesn’t just write a theological, abstract book on fear and how to biblically overcome it but provides simple stories about his experience with fear from his own life. These fears include:
- Fear of man
- Fear of Death
- Fear of loneliness
- Fear of Failure
- Fear of lack of finances
- Fear of lack of control
He has lived his life obeying God’s voice and giving his fears over to God and watching as God helps him in his weakness. His training grounds have been living in volatile, dangerous places like Afghanistan and Iran, but also everyday encounters with leaders and money and the fears that rise up in these areas.
He poses this question, “Is the real goal in life to get over our fears so we can live a life of peace, joy, and contentment?” In some examples, he shows how he utterly failed at overcoming a fear, and also how God met him in his weakness and gave him a fresh wave of His love. This is the core message of the book. He writes that our victory over fear is a byproduct of our journey toward trust in a loving heavenly Father.
He writes:
“When we feel afraid, we should open the door, let Jesus in, and enjoy His company. In the end, it is not the absence of fear but the love of God that we truly want.”
Although the message seems soft, this book will challenge you to boldly pursue what God is calling you to in the midst of your weakness and fears. Embedded into its contents is a challenge to not shrink back in the midst of life’s challenges and daunting circumstances. In this book, we find who God is and experience his faithful character.
The end of the book gives practical stories and 3 different perspectives: Common Sense, Personal Insecurity and Jesus’ Encouragement. He shows the outcome of the stories as he chose to follow the peace in his heart from Jesus. I really enjoyed the book and it is written in Dan’s conversational style. We even put it in our Airbnb property for people to enjoy! 🙂
Where to buy
- Find his book on AMAZON and YWAM Publishing.
- You can also find his complete prison story in his book: Cell 58.
- His core teachings he teaches around the world can be found in his book: A Beautiful Way.
