IAMSECOND

Written by cycleguy on January 18th, 2012

STOP.  RIGHT.  NOW! 

DON’T.  READ.  ANOTHER.  WORD. BEFORE.  YOU.  ANSWER.  THIS.  QUESTION:

WHO IS NUMBER ONE IN YOUR LIFE? 

WHO IS NUMBER TWO IN YOUR LIFE?  Better yet, who is second?

Please look to the right of this post.  Look at the Badges section.  You will see I AM SECOND in a big, bold rectangle.   I suspect that is hardly new to most of you.  I Am Second has been around for several years now and has been making an impact in the lives of many people.  They are making that impact because of Whom they represent and what they represent.  It features athletes, musicians, artists, adulterers, divorced, and (fill in the blank).  Some are household names; some are not.  You will find people from all races; all walks of life.  Some are young; some are old(er).  But no matter who they are…they all have one thing in common: they are second.  Second because Jesus is first.

Several weeks ago I bought I Am Second, but was in the process of reading another book that I needed to finish.  Monday afternoon I started reading it and didn’t stop until I was done (except for supper with Jo). I even stayed up later than normal. 🙂  I laughed.  I shed tears.  I choked down emotions.  I praised God for lives HE changed.  MLB PlayerJosh Hamilton.  Former KORN guitarist Brian “Head” Welch. “Biggest Loser” Michelle Aguilar. “Porn Again Pastor” Nate Larkin.  Skateboarder Brian Sumner.  Surfer Bethany Hamilton.  NFL Player Sam Bradford.  UFC fighter Vitor Belfort. And more.  The website has a whole list of “I Am Second” people with their video testimony.  The newest is country singer Josh Turner.  Not all the stories are about being strung out on drugs or alcohol.  Some were abused. One was a hater.  One couple divorced after an affair and remarried over 10 years later.  Some overcame fear.  If you are at all like me, you deal with people like this all the time.  You may even be one.   The whole principle of the book and the I Am Second movement can be summed up into 5 words:

JESUS FIRST

I AM SECOND

I don’t have the time to sit down and watch unlimited videos, like I do reading.  For people who don’t like to read, by all means, watch them.  But, for me, this book was the answer.   For sure the videos show the “human” side of the person as they sit in a chair and tell their story.   The book told a little more.  It isn’t heavy reading.  Don’t expect a theological treatise.  But DO EXPECT God to rock your world!  You will not be the same.

Have you read this book yet?  Any thoughts?  If you haven’t I hope I have encouraged you to buy it and read it. 

 

 

41 Comments so far ↓

  1. Adam says:

    I enjoyed it. Wish some of the testimonies were elaborated more on. You are right about it not being deep reading. It is however proof that God is most definitely still working in the lives of people the world has marked off as lost souls.

    • cycleguy says:

      That book could have been a mile thick if all of them had been elaborated on like you or I would have liked. 🙂 But it is a good starter and I like what you say about God working. Thanks Adam.

      For all: if you go to Adam’s site, he also did a review of it yesterday. Good review.

  2. Jason says:

    I hope I’ll get a chance to read the book. I’m a big fan of the I Am Second videos.

  3. Jon Stolpe says:

    Good to read your review today, I have read a couple reviews for the book in the past few days that weren’t as favorable.

  4. Tami Grandi says:

    sounds like a book I would like 🙂

  5. Haven’t read the book. But I’ve watched a lot of their videos, which I love.

  6. Jim F says:

    I too have not read the book (which sounds great) but I have enjoyed and been encouraged by the videos.

  7. dustin says:

    I’ve seen the videos, but haven’t checked out the book. The videos are great… love Hamilton’s story.

  8. I’ve recently decided that I want to read more biographies of great Christians from the past. Reading what God is doing in the lives of others is inspiring and instructive. Perhaps this would be a nice little appetizer to add to that list 🙂

    • cycleguy says:

      It would be a good appetizer Loren. You might want to check out a book by Warren Wiersbe called Walking With Giants. It will be a real good appetizer for you. 🙂

  9. Craig says:

    You have encouraged me to get the book. Off to the store I go! Well, not at this second, but soon. Thanks for sharing Bill!

  10. I haven’t read it, but it is now on my Kindle at home waiting for me to get off work and check it out.

  11. You actually are the first person to bring this to my attention! Putting it on my reading list. It’s interesting, as this is the second time this week that I’ve heard about this former Korn members conversion- I must be supposed to check it out!

    • cycleguy says:

      i was not a fan of KORN, in fact, couldn’t tell you one thing they sang. But hearing about Brian just got me excited to see God work. His story is well worth reading. Hope you enjoy it. Meanwhile, check out his video.

  12. Arny says:

    I never read the book…
    But now i’m gonna have to with a review like that!!! lol…

    I am second…

    Let my actions show it!

  13. Moe says:

    I remember seeing this about 2 years ago or so. It was interesting and pretty well done. I may have to pick up the book and add it to my “to read” list.

    Thanks for the heads up Bill.

  14. lindaM says:

    Hi Bill,
    The book sounds interesting. Testimony does give evidence that God is still working.

    Betty Jo commented on (Jenn’s unchained)guest post yesterday. She has a testimony on her http://bjlivingreal.blogspot.com/
    ‘the day I died’, about Betty Jo finding a tombstone with her initials on it.

    I think being dead to ourselves is what the scriptures teach. We no longer live our own life, we live the life of Christ. We died. That, I believe, is where we are trying to get to. Dead to ourselves.

    Gal. 2:20 ‘I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me’.

    II Cor 4:10 ‘We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body’.

    I think we are like that little tombstone that Betty jo found in the graveyard. We’re gone. But Christ lives.

    I’m going to Calgary tomorrow morning early. I’m not sure when I will be reading and commenting on your blog post, but I will read it. Have a good weekend Bill.

    • cycleguy says:

      Dying to ourselves is key putting Christ first and placing ourselves second. Living second falls under those Scriptures you used. Thanks. Hope your trip to Calgary goes well tomorrow. Be safe. See you later on the post. 🙂

  15. Dan Black says:

    This book sounds great, I have not heard about it until I read this post. It’s going on my book list.

  16. jenn says:

    This is the first I’ve heard about the videos or the book. (Apparently I’ve been living under a rock?) It sounds interesting though. I may try to check it out.

  17. Sounds like a great book. Thanks for the recommendation.

  18. floyd says:

    I’ve never even heard of it until now? I gotta pay closer attention… Sheeesh. I’ll definitely check it out. For you to give it that rave of a review, it’s gotta be good. Thanks Bill

  19. Susan says:

    I never heard of this before. It sounds like it is growing.

  20. Jon says:

    I’ve always been a fan of the videos…didn’t realize there was a book. Adding it to my list for sure. Thanks, Bill!