Book Review

BIOGRAPHICAL ENTRY

Cloud, Olivia M., Roadmaps for Living, Nashville: R.H. Boyd Publishing Corporation, 2004, 152 pp.

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH OF AUTHOR

Olivia M. Cloud has devoted nearly a quarter century to the field of publishing as a writer, editor, and curriculum developer, primarily in the Christian arena.

An ordained Baptist Minister, the author served for ten years as black church editorial and product development coordinator at the Sunday School Board of the Southern Baptist Convention, now LifeWay Christian resources.

Rev. Cloud now serves as an associate editor of curriculum at the R.H. Boyd Publishing Corporation. She is also owner of her own company, which provides editorial and desktop publishing services to a variety of independent authors as international publisher. Rev. Cloud has published eight books.

Rev. Cloud serves as associate minister and Christian education ministry chair at Berean Baptist Church in Nashville. Rev. Cloud is a graduate of the University of Kentucky, Lexington, and The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky.

SUMMARY OF CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION: We live in a world in which we experience stress. We have access to a great deal of information that is increasing with time. We are challenged to make difficult decisions. Rev. Cloud offers us roadmaps for living that come to us from the word of God. While it is true that time is changing, God’s principles for living remains the same. We must read His word, study the word, and meditate on the word so that we can distinguish between God’s voice and other voices.

CHAPTER 1, Praise God for Everything: Rev. Cloud uses Psalm 104 to demonstrate that God is powerful. His power is seen in His creation of the universe, and we see His power in everything that he created. God created you and me. We are special because God created us for a purpose. We need to learn our purpose and walk in that purpose. All of these things give us reason to praise the Lord for everything.

CHAPTER 2, Trust God through Life’s Storms: In Mark 6:45-52 Jesus sends His disciples through a storm. He prays for them as they struggle in the storm. Jesus watches them as they struggle, and He offers no assistance. As Jesus watches them they are increasing in strength. Their experience gives them a testimony. Their struggle develops their relationship with Him. We cannot stop storms, but we are assured that Jesus will come to us and calm the angry seas.

CHAPTER 3, Play the Hand Life Deals You: Exodus 2:1-10 is the story of Hebrew slaves getting married and having a child. Moses’ mother defies the pharaoh and saves her son. She is not control by circumstances; rather she puts her life and the life of her son in the hands of God. Dr. Cloud mentions several people in history that have defied their circumstances through their faith.

CHAPTER 4, Believe you can Triumph over Adversity: Rev. Cloud states that the life of Jesus without the resurrection is a series of failures. Although He experiences some high points in his ministry, His death on the cross means that ultimately everything that He does fail to have the desired outcome. Jesus experiences feelings of doubt just as all humans do even in times of apparent success. Jesus’ death signals His ultimate failure, but the resurrection marks His final success. We too have failures in our ministry, but if we endure to the end we will also have success.

CHAPTER 5, If You Have the Gift, You Have to Use It!: Esther 4:5-16 records the story of Esther’s challenge from her cousin Mordecai. Esther is a Hebrew in exile, but she is gifted with beauty and has been trained to be the new queen of the king. Mordecai challenges her to use her position as queen to make an appeal to the king for her people that face death. Initially, Esther questions her call and position as something to be used for the benefit of others. Rev. Clouds mentions other historical figures that have used their gifts for the good of others.

CHAPTER 6, Hold On to Your Hope: Rev. Cloud cites Jeremiah 29:4-14 to tell us to hold on to our hope regardless of circumstances in our life. God’s people live by a different standard. His people cannot do any and everything they choose. Israel wants the benefits of living as God’s people, but they are unwilling to be obedient to Him. Jeremiah tells the people to do their best wherever God plants them and remember God’s plan is to prosper you according to His promise.

CHAPTER 7, Know the Sure Road to Victory: 2 Chronicles 20:1-5, 13-22 is the story of king Jehoshaphat learning that his kingdom is about to be attacked by enemies that he is unable to defeat. The king looks to the Lord in prayer as an act of obedience. In prayer he recalls God’s promise to Israel. The king praises God before the battle because he has faith that the victory belongs to the Lord. We cannot fight spiritual battles using temporal means. Praise is an act of faith that the victory belongs to the Lord.

CHAPTER 8, Remember, Things Are Not Always as They Appear: The book of Obadiah tells the story of Edom’s participation in the downfall of Judah at the hands of Babylon. Old grudges caused Edom to delight in the downfall of Judah, but God warns Edom that she will fall and God has not forgotten His promises to Israel. Obadiah’s prophecy serves as a warning to all that take pleasure in seeing God’s people struggle. Things are not as they appear. God has the last word.

CHAPTER 9, Never Forget Who You Are: In Matthew 10:16-23 Jesus warns his disciples that they will suffer as they go into the world to proclaim His name. Our name tells who we are and links us with our past, present, and future. The wolves in the world want to change our name from Christian to Sinner. Rev Cloud gives several examples in history in which names have been changed to create a new mindset and identity for the person. God gives us the Holy Spirit to empower us to hold to the name Jesus.

CHAPTER 10, Dare to Take Some Risks: Ruth 1:1-17 tells the story of Naomi and her two daughters-in-law, Orpah and Ruth. Rev. Cloud illustrates that Orpah symbolizes security and what makes sense to us. Naomi symbolizes those times when we face an uncertain future. Ruth symbolizes faith in God. With faith in God we become risk takers. Where do we want to be? Do we want the safety and familiarity of Moab, or will we risk going to Israel and the uncertainties that lie before us, believing that God will bless us in Israel?

CRITICAL EVALUATION

Rev. Olivia M. Cloud addresses twelve basic principles of discipleship in Roadmaps foe Living. In reading this book I found myself reflecting on my own life. Sometimes I felt that I was being confirmed for some of my life decisions. At other times, I think that I could have made a better decision.

Rev. Cloud does an excellent job of relating bible stories to historical events that help us to identify circumstances that take place in our own life. In reading the chapters in this book I got the sense that the preacher in Rev. Cloud was speaking. That Rev. Cloud is a Christian Educator is seen at the end of each chapter. Rev. Cloud provides open ended questions that challenge the reader to think about what was just read. How does this apply to my life?

I believe that this book meets its objective to help God’s people to be good disciples in the kingdom of God. The book helps us to identify who we are in Christ. It encourages us to hold on to our faith. It challenges Christians to move from familiar places of security to risk taking situations. All disciples of Jesus are called to act in faith and venture into the risk taking places that God is calling us to.