Fresh Start by Doug Fields

Once a youth pastor and now a teaching pastor at Saddleback Church, Doug Fields has written a how-to book that won't feel like your typical "ways to a better life" mumbo jumbo.

Fresh Start deals with not trying harder but plugging into God's power. It's a guide to starting over: a Fresh Start.

Within the 12 chapters, you'll find topics on Pride versus God-sized dreams, an ingredient of success, looking beyond your past, gaining freedom from hurt, dealing with conflict, working with others and others on rejection, anger and what you value.

Fields has proven himself to be an excellent writer. He comes across as an apprentice to Max Lucado. Their books are almost identical in style. (Including the cover image with the water...)

If you like reading stories about others and how they apply to the lesson you're learning, you won't put this book down.

If nothing else, Fresh Start should get you thinking beyond the cultural norm of making your life better: It's not what you have to do that makes life better, it's who you trust.

Now I just need to hear him speak.