'Awesome on the Inside' is a really readable book written by Tim Hawkins, especially if you are in your teens and trying to figure out how to be a Christian in a world that is full of pressures that surround ‘looks’ and ‘image’. This book really gets to the heart of the matter that ‘who we are’ really comes from our inner being (our heart) and isn’t dictated by what we look like on the outside. This book focuses on our character, explaining how you can really build on your character and how eventually that will show on the outside anyway - this is ultimately what will attract others to you. In his book Tim gives examples of how you can be faithful to God, and especially how you can be passionate for him, and see his power working in your life and the lives of those around you. He seeks to demonstrate through God’s word how you can reach your full potential in the situation you find yourself today in the 21st century.

There are 6 sections in the book that all look at the bible’s teaching on, how you can grow a heart that is powerful, prayerful, passionate, pure and positive. It is a really easy read with lots of good teaching and advice that really inspires you to live for God, to remain faithful and to see the outworking of His Spirit in your life.

I would really recommend this book to EVERY young Christian!

There is also a bible study book that you can purchase along with the book, which would be great for using with your youth group.

I had several of these for sale on a bookstall at a Christian Youth Camp over the Easter period. Youngsters are initially put off by the price of £7:00 for a paperpack that is rather poorly bound and uses low grade paper. The title is arresting and attracts interest and the content is excellent, providing wise, Biblically sound, practical teaching in a contemporary style. Sometimes it seems to try too hard to be trendy, with phrases like, "We're gonna look at Matthew 23" which probably aren't necessary. Good basis for a series of studies with young people although it might need a bit of adapting.

I was really excited to hear about this book. First, it is a book that speaks about the heart. About inner change. And about how God would change you from the inside out. On the outside it looks just the sort of book to

give to youth group members about what it means to grow in godliness.

And the first section was great at explaining the dynamic of ‘all change starting from the inside’ and about ‘the inside always coming out.’ Great I thought!

But as I moved into section 2- I was getting a little worried as it seemed to be talking a lot about what I had to do for a prayerful heart rather than what God has done/is doing in me to give me a prayerful heart.

But not to worry. I thought- here comes section 3- and ‘Four steps to a Passionate heart.’ This is when we will get the glories of the gospel and what Christ has done for us (For example, I thought about what my four steps

would be. Something like:

1. Meditate on God’s rescue of you from judgment and hell. You are forgiven!

2. Meditate on God’s rescue of you for life with him for eternity. You belong to God!

3. Meditate on what God has made you in Christ- you are a brand new person!

4. Mediate on the Holy Spirit at work in your life. You are being made perfect!)

However, the four steps for a passionate heart according to Tim Hawkins are all things I have to do for God:

1. Hunger to be with God

2. Expect God to answer

3. Praise God with everything you’ve got

4. Proclaim God’s word boldly

Hang on a sec- I thought this was a book about how to be changed by God from the inside out. But here are four steps about how I change my heart- and steps 3 & 4 are outwards activities!

Unfortunately, I felt the rest of the book continued in this vein- apart from chapter 18. Chapter 18 was great about the Holy Spirit being God’s power and God’s guarantee and God’s way of changing you- but I was thinking:

“Give me more of this.”

I do want to affirm that everything Hawkins writes is biblical and helpful. It’s written well. And it’s illustrated well. But it is what’s missing that disappointed me. I felt the book was a little like reading the exhortation sections of the New Testament letters without the doctrinal sections.

Over and over- I kept thinking where is the motivation and means for this change of heart? Where is the dynamic? Basically I was thinking- where is the cross centred dynamic of the gospel?

Marvellously, the gospel did appear in the penultimate chapter- chapter 20. And what a wonderful explanation of the gospel it is. But do you know how this chapter starts? I quote:

“God is rebuilding you from the inside out……Is that you? Well done! You probably don’t need this chapter! You can skip straight to Chapter 21!”

Finally we get to the gospel in ch 20- the motivation and God-given means of change from the inside out- but if you are a Christian reading the book- you get told to skip over this chapter!

In short, I think this book fails at what it sets out to achieve. Rather than letting God change you from the inside out- as we dwell/meditate/appreciate/ the gospel to greater depths - this book encourages you to do outward things to get that inner change and worse, it

perhaps encourages some readers to think they don’t need the gospel once they are Christian! Ironically- I was left thinking that the book is awesome on the outside- but lacking on the inside.

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Editor's comment: Mark makes some valid and important points. Thank you for sharing them with us, and we will consider the implications when we reprint this title.