Apologies From a Repentant Christian is a beautiful, tender, and inspiring story of how God’s grace transformed the author’s life from chaos into peace and from despair into joy. More than just an autobiography, this book is Donna Young’s spiritual journal and a testament to the power of God’s love and forgiveness. I highly recommend it to one and all.

Donna's "Apologies from a Repentant Christian," is a stirring, inspiring book that will challenge you to consider the claims of Jesus and the Bible, and to consider whether or not you are a Christian in Name Only, as the author was was. This book recounts how Donna, who had always identified as a Christian, actually realized in 2008 that she was masquerading. Following a legitmate encounter with the good news of Jesus, Donna and her husband's life were transformed, and God has used them both greatly. One of the biggest strengths of this book is it's use of Scripture - here is a good example:

"Through Scripture, we were encouraged to practice humility in our relationship with one another (Philippians 2:5-11). We learned about the road to spiritual maturity and to press on toward the goal which Christ called us to (Philippians 3:12-16)."

Good stuff, and a very encouraging book! I also enjoyed how Donna included the lyrics to several hymns that were quite inspiring. Recommended book - give it a shot!

I enjoyed reading how the author realized that she had been living a lie. By her going to church every week and saying she was a Christian didn't mean she was a Christ follower when she continued to act as if her heart hadn't been changed.

Fortunately, she was able to break free of the hold of being a Christian by name only after a devastating blow to her life.

Lots of Bible verses and examples of how she allowed God to worked in her heart and life to help her become a true follower of Christ.

A good book for new and mature Christians as well as those exploring what it means to become a true follower of Christ.

There are some formatting issues but they didn't bother me.

Strengths:
The Author has actual talent and is a decent writer, she should continue to write and will only improve. When I started reading I was a bit skeptical, due to the cover. However, beginning from the first page I immediately felt as if I was sitting across from the author and she was speaking directly to me. The story is written with great prose and is easy to follow. The author shows a great deal of regret and remorse towards her past behavior and mentions specific interactions and moments of healing, as well as others to she apologizes to in writing.
Weakness:
The book is 19 chapters, which is way too much. For maximum impact this should have been cut in half, and written with a little more emphasis on the author’s past self. It is a personal story, which anyone would have to decide how much detail to share. However, as a reader I would have liked to have deeper connection and more specificity which would have showed a more complete transformation. i.e an addict going from homeless junkie to 5 years clean and sober now college graduate.
Overall:
Apologies: From a Repentant Christian, is a story of transformation, healing, regret and personal growth. The book is thought out well, but could have been cut down to half the size for a stronger impact. As it is, it will most likely appeal to Ultra Christians due to its heavy usage of Christian verbiage. However, there is an actual human being telling a personal story of regret, transformation, and growth. The cover of the book is true to the content, as it is heavily focused on reaffirming the authors belief in “Christ in all things.” Sadly, to say this may frighten away those who are not already in line with this mindset. Even though, the author’s story is a good one, which many can learn from and enjoy. Lastly, the story relies heavily on the idea of “the new version vs the old version.” Personal growth and change is not a “one and done,” as sobriety is a daily endeavor. If anyone hopes to better themselves, they need to remember to look in the mirror daily and learn to accept others “as they are.”

Apologies From a Repentant Christian shared the author's history and testimony as to her transformation in Jesus. It is so powerful and I appreciate her transparency. It was such an encouragement to know the power of transformation in anyone's life and gives hope for a future. I am grateful to have read it.

Let her testify, and you will be better for it. This is an honest and open recitation of the personal circumstances that led to an awakening and personal relationship with Jesus Christ.

If you're considering the path, you may find strength in the author's example. If you're already on the path, you'll find an affirmation, but there is more here than another testimony. The real strength of the book is the research that accompanies the narrative. Relevant Scripture is sited along the way, each passage denoting very particular points of human weakness and God's promises.

Apologies from a Repentant Christian chronicles the author's "pseudo" Christian life to a life on fire for God and for sharing his Gospel message with everyone she meets. It is refreshingly open and honest as she shares her desires to live a life for God.

On one occasion as the author prayed, she asked God to use her life to glorify Him. Within hours, she was arrested and charged with a felony. That was not exactly what she had expected when she asked God to use her life to bring Him glory. But in her darkest hour, Ms. Young cried out to God and He answered.

With chapter titles such as, "From undeserving to grateful; my apology to God," "From judgmental to merciful," and "From Controlling to trusting God," Ms. Young has written a book that every Christian needs to read. She has set the example by her godly actions, causing this reviewer to stop and think about her own actions.

Apologies from a Repentant Christian is a book that can be read alone, but could easily be adapted into a Bible study for small groups.
The official book launch will be on Veteran's Day, November 11, 2011 and all proceeds of book sales on that day will be donated to organizations that provide direct relief to our military.

Donna Young worked with nonprofit organizations in the social work field for over twenty years. She became a published author to share her personal story and offer hope to others. You can read more about Donna at[...]. For more information about Apologies from a Repentant Christian, visit [...] or contact Xulon Press at [...].

This book was given to the reviewer at no cost for the sole purpose of reviewing. The opinions of this reviewer do not reflect the opinions of Xulon Press or its employees.

The author provides her testimony about how God changed her after she gave her life to Christ. She provided numerous examples of how God opened her eyes to some destructive behaviors or personality traits, and provided the grace to change. The first several chapters are specific apologies to those she hurt.

I enjoyed this book more than I thought I would. At first, I thought that the author was too hard on herself, and that maybe she had not actually accepted Christ's forgiveness. But, as I read on, I felt sure that this was not the case. Instead, she wanted to extend her heartfelt apologies to others because Christ had forgiven her.

I especially like the author's testimony because it is a wonderful example of how God can take a horrible experience and turn it around for his glory and for our good. She shows how God used her personal angst and embarrassment to bring her to an understanding that she needed to rely on God in all things.

The book goes on to show how the author began living for Christ on a daily basis. The book contains several vignettes in which the author felt led by the Spirit to express God's love or present the gospel to others. I found the stories to be interesting. They drew me into the book, but I would have liked to have a few more details about some of the examples.

All in all, I enjoyed the book and am left wondering what God will have in store for the author in the future.

I liked this book and thought it was quite a good testimony. The author is a social worker who goes on to get her masters in theology/ religion. She experiences a transformation after a difficult experience in her life and goes on to detail that transformation in the rest of the book. I related to a lot of what the author wrote, but there were two areas where I have not experienced a change. The first is in the area of money. The second is learning to let God have control. So reading those two chapters was thought provoking. Early in the book I wished a couple times that the writer would go into greater detail. I was absorbed in what she was writing about and felt disappointed that the chapters ended when they did. There are many salient points in this book about having a form of religion but not the power thereof, and I appreciate the humility the Lord gave this sister in her walk with the Lord.
Here are some inspirational passages, "I have since developed a completely different relationship with money. I no longer feel that money is 'mine.' Instead, I believe money is a way of accomplishing God's will."

"Sometimes when I start to talk about God with a total stranger, it even feels as if the stranger was waiting for me to come along. There is an instant feeling of comfort and often I hear the stranger say, 'I don't believe this was an accident we met today.'"

Later she relates how she felt led to buy a crossing guard a cup of coffee, and the crossing guard said the just finished texting her friend that she needed a cup of coffee.

This book has its flaws. In my opinion it is in need of a new editor, a really professional editor. If it had that, it could be a Christian classic.

You won't be sorry you read it. It touched me and taught me.

As you can probably tell, I am not a professional book critic, but I wanted to share my thoughts on the book:

I felt the book was a good read. As a Christian, I felt I could relate to some of it, and other parts I was truly inspired with her conflict with her faith in God and what has led her to where she is now. It also got me thinking about my life and how I can strive to do better. My plan is to continue reading her blog and continue to learn from her and her testament with God.

No "apologies" will be necessary after reading one. Donna L. Young's book tells the story of the power of faith in beautiful, gripping detail. I couldn't put this one down until I read the last word of the last chapter. This book is both poetic and real. This is a book to savor and read again. I strongly recommend "Apologies from a Repentant Christian".

Purchased this out of curiousity, and to be honest, while the first chapter peaked my interest it seemed to drag a bit. If you have the same experience, DON'T GIVE UP ON THIS BOOK! Rather soon, the redemptive qualities of Christ as experienced by the author will both captivate you and inspire you to look inward and do a self anaylsis of your own faith walk. Unless you've led a truly cloistered life, you cannot help but to compare instances of trials in your own life to those of the author. Her story is one that most of us can relate to in one form or another, and she has obviously written from the heart.

This book, like its author is imperfect, but therein lies the charm. The story which belies this book, and the emotions in its complex subtext proove both relatable and heartbreaking.

It is a tale about a woman taken from rock bottom to redemption and the path that lead her there; it is more than the sum of its parts, as she also proves to be. Gritty and introspective, it has every bit the pathos of the story of the prodigal son.

A must-read for any Christian who has ever strayed and seen the light.

The simplicity and transparency is faultless. I love the way she expressed her vulnerability, Lots of people put on fake happiness but are suffering within.
Exposing the lie that if they know me they will abandon me. But the truth, she illustrates in her story, a person who genuinely loves you will not abandon you when you fall short. I believe that's the story of Grace
I extremely enjoyed all the scriptures, enjoyed the bit about so much effort required to understand the bible. The scriptures were extremely refreshing, especially Psalm 139.
Thanks for sharing your failures and saying boldly my failure is not the end. Though you did not start well in marriage, God helped you end well in it. It's encouraging watching forgiveness in action and experiencing emotional healing. Most of all loving what you stopped loving.
Found some part hilarious, can relate with life detours and mapping out our life on paper but God always has a different plan because God's ways is different.
Thanks for pouring your heart out unashamedly. I also want to mention that "this book was made available for free for review purposes."

This book is well written and very insightful!

"It's easy to identify with the troubles you have experienced since we all have experienced similar disturbances. You turned to God in prayer and He brought you comfort. Your desire to share the Lord with other people really told the story--what we as followers of Christ should do."

"Some time ago I read the chapters that were available online, and I really enjoyed it. Your writing is so vulnerable, it felt as if I were there watching you go through these spiritual conflicts. I was dropped right into the first scene of your journey, with the action and emotion already moving forward. This is exactly the way a great writer keeps my attention. And the emotion and conflict felt very full and genuine, like you laid out your heart and soul on every page. I don't know why I haven't read more at this point, because I was so disappointed when there was nothing more I could read online!"