Limitless

Limitless: Devotions for a Ridiculously Good Life by Nick Vujicic

Those familiar with Nick’s story will be amazed at how he keeps on living the good life in the midst of what most people would deem an utter tragedy.  Having been born with no limbs, Nick has gone through his share of peaks and valleys in life.  This new book, Limitless is a gathering of fifty devotions aimed at inspiring those down on their hopes and dreams and needing a dose of encouragement.  Each devotion provides a Scripture passage, a short inspirational message, and an ending few sentences set apart to anchor the message of each devotion in a memorable fashion. 

High Points of the Devotion

One cannot come away with many of the stories that Nick tells without a sense of awe and wonder.  In lesson 7 Nick tells of his travels to China to speak to an orphanage, one which housed those without families due to the devastating earthquake.  Nick writes, “I didn’t have to inspire these children. Instead, they inspired me with their courageous, soaring spirits.  They had lost their parents, their homes, and all their belongings, yet they were expressing joy” (26).  Hope in the midst of a hopeless situation, these children gave Nick hope when he was coming to share that same message of hope.  In this devotion, the theme of hope radiates out from the pages providing a snapshot of what it means to dream and pursue one’s desires in a very difficult situation.

Nick also brings his readers to the see their lives as filled with purpose.  Even more, he gives a challenge for people who want to sit back and ride on the coat tails of others.  He writes, “…you can’t just sit around and wait for a break.  You have to seize upon every thread and weave a rope you can climb” (87).  Enjoying the show but now putting in the work crushes the hopes of people because the effort or journey is part of the dream as well.  It doesn’t take a genius to know that Michael Jordan didn’t win basketball championships for the Chicago Bulls by coming to practice late every day.  Nick’s good word of challenge is a welcome addition to those who want to slack off and enjoy the hard work of others.

Low Points of the Devotion

Time and time again I found myself scratching my head at Nick’s lack of interaction with the Scripture passage that he cites on the first page of every devotion.  The stories and bits of wisdom were good and read much like a good self-help book, but the lack of healthy engagement with how God’s Word fuels al of life was lacking throughout the devotion.  On devotion number 30, Nick makes it a point to stress the importance networking to advance in one’s job and life but neglects to comment the nature of humility and pride his chosen text,  Proverbs 16:16-22 speaks about.  I don’t disagree with his words about networking but this point has nothing to do with humility or trusting in the Lord.   Lastly, I also found many of the devotions similar in tone and thought to his other books, which laid out his story and philosophy.  Rehashing old material is good, but I felt many of the devotions were repeats of his past work.

If you enjoy hearing about the story of how Nick manages to live life to the fullest, embracing the Lord even in weakness, this book is for you. 

Thanks to Waterbrook/Multnomah  and the Blogging for Books program for the copy of this book in exchange for review.