Dare to Live Greatly by L.C. Fowler is one of the best inspirational books I’ve read in a long time. Fowler has taken his experiences as a Navy SEAL and used it to show how Christian living can be as tough and rigorous as BUD/S training all SEALs must complete.

What I Liked About Dare to Live Greatly

Fowler is an engaging storyteller, which is one of the reasons I liked this book so much. I read a lot of military fiction and nonfiction, so his SEAL training experiences were very interesting and informative. BUD/S training is intense and designed to test Tadpoles to the limit, and it’s easy to forget just how grueling it is.

I very much liked the way Fowler took his SEAL training and linked it to living life as a Christian. One of my favorite stories was about how SEALs use compass boards. The lead diver doesn’t take his eyes off the compass board but relies on a swim buddy to look out for danger. Fowler says instead of a compass board we need to keep our eyes on God’s Word. “The minute we take our eyes off God’s Word, we begin to drift away from the truth, joy, love, and peace God wants for us.” For Christians, our swim buddy is Jesus and since he’s always with us and watching out for us, we can keep our focus on the Word. It’s the oxygen that gives us lasting joy.

One additional chapter I really liked dealt with how Satan can hack our thoughts. The way we combat those hacking attempts is to fill our minds with thoughts of God. Fowler says we should proclaim God’s promises that we’re God’s treasure, His masterpiece, and we’re created to win. He suggests we repeat these promises several times a day.

I also liked the key points summaries at the end of each chapter.

Who Will Like Dare to Live Greatly

If you enjoy military nonfiction, you’ll like this book. I felt the intensity of Fowler’s training, but he also included moments of levity as well.

You’ll like this book, if you enjoy inspirational stories about Christian faith. Many Bible verses are referenced that fit so well with the stories. Fowler talked about grace in one chapter and how many of us are afraid to approach God. Our fear becomes a barrier and limits “our ability to think clearly and decisively.” Fowler says God knows this and the antidote is Philippians 4:6-7. As long as we are truly repentant, God will give grace.

Final Thoughts

Dare to Live Greatly challenged me to live more boldly with regards to my Christian faith. Fowler said to have an explosive faith requires three key elements: God’s Word, which is the C-4; prayer, which is the heat to ignite the C-4; and action, which is the blasting cap. With God’s Word, prayer and action “there’s no more explosive combination than that.”

At the end of the book, you’ll find an acrostic to summarize it all.

S– Scripture – Everything begins with truth, the creator’s spoken Word pinpointed to you.

E – Envision – Envision God is with you.

A – Act – Live beyond yourself.

L – Listen – Pray and listen to God.

I received the revised and updated version for review. But I try to support the authors that I think speak truth and have life-changing information to offer. So, I’ve purchased the e-book version to support L.C. Fowler’s ministry. I highly recommend Dare to Live Greatly and give it five stars.

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