My third book, Valuable: why your worth is not defined by how useful you feel is now out! Here’s the thing: so many of us feel like we’re just not enough, or maybe that we should be more useful, for a whole host of reasons. Some of us are sad. Some of us are sick. Some of us are just so weary of the grind of life. And we look at those who seem to be successful – the useful people – and think we fail in comparison.
Sometimes it feels like we’re failing God, too, that we should be doing more for him, being used more by him. Valuable is a reflection on these matters and speaks into the productivity lie spun by the world around us (and sometimes, sadly, the church too – how many times do we see the useful people honoured more than those who cannot ‘do’?) We consider the language of ‘God using’ and ask whether it’s actually helpful, and think about whether we need to be ‘whole’ to be more useful to God.
Here’s what people are saying:
“Liz Carter offers a fresh and needed voice. To the one who feels useless, the pages of this book will remind you of where your true worth is found. To the one who’s exhausted from striving, these pages will free you from the tyranny of ‘being enough,’ all while growing in you a greater awareness and compas-sion for the least of these. A book I definitely needed to read!”
SARAH WALTON, Author, Hope When It Hurts
“I’ve used the phrase ‘used by God’ many times, never stopping to interrogate the meaning or connotations. But Valuable has changed that. It exposes Chris-tian culture’s misplaced obsession with usefulness. Utterly convincing in its arguments, it presents an infinitely more wholesome vision of what God has created us to be. As Carter puts it: ‘We are recipients of God’s love, and that love comes through receiving, not through what we do’. What liberating truth!”
SAM HAILES, Editor, Premier Christianity magazine
“For those of us who grew up believing we must be better, bigger and the best, Valuable is a reminder of the truth of the value we all have as God’s beloved. A gorgeous, heart-breaking, hope-bringing, astounding book. Read it and exhale.”
RACHAEL NEWHAM, Author, Learning to Breathe and And Yet
“Words can impact us deeply—which is why it’s so important we speak wisely and well. In this engaging book, there is encouragement to think about our language, run back to Scripture and reassess the vocabulary of God ‘using’ us. It is thought-provoking, heart-searching and conversation-starting—and a beautiful opportunity to see more of the God who gives us value, not just use.”
HELEN THORNE, Biblical Counselling UK
“The belief that we are validated through what we do is endemic in our culture and also in the church. Many people fall off the end of that theological cliff, exhausted, burned out or feeling like they have failed. Liz speaks a better, godly story—of value through being, strength in weakness, extra-ordinary found in ordinary, and a God who accepts and loves us as we are, not as we do. This subversive, saving, Spirit-filled message is as radical as it is one of relief.”
KATE MIDDLETON, Director, Mind and Soul Foundation
“If, like me, you’ve wanted to be useful to God, prayed that he might use your pain, or told others they can be used by God, then read this important book. With its clarity, beauty and fresh biblical reflection, Valuable is a potent remedy to a malady we may not even realise we have—of believing ourselves to be anything other than loved. What an important book this is.”
SHERIDAN VOYSEY, Author, The Making of Us; Presenter, Pause for Thought, BBC Radio 2
“Carefully applying Scripture and peppering her writing with personal illus-tration, Liz Carter challenges the church to reconsider its preoccupation with ‘usefulness’ and helps us grasp our value in the light of God’s transforming love in Christ. Valuable is paradigm-shifting—a challenging and freeing approach to our relationship with God.”
ERIC SCHUMACHER , Pastor; Author, Worthy and Ours
“Having benefitted hugely from Liz’s writing previously, I eagerly anticipated this latest book. She writes authentically, beautifully and with great depth—as well as a thorough knowledge of Scripture. I commend this book to you—let its rich treasures of hope, truth and freedom reach deep into your soul.”
CLAIRE MUSTERS, Host, Woman Alive Book Club
“A timely challenge and a profound rallying soul cry to pursue fruitfulness over usefulness. Biblical throughout, with poetic flourishes and raw, honest storytelling, Liz has done a majestic job of balancing poignant personal pain with deep teaching from the Bible. I’m so grateful to her for this message.”
PHIL KNOX, Evangelical Alliance
“A brave and important book. Liz Carter invites us to explore fresh ways to approach brokenness, and to see that God’s love comes through receiving, not through what we do. With its powerful and eloquent illustrations, Valuable is both beautiful and helpful.”
WENDY VIRGO, Author, Influential Women
“Stripping back the notion that ‘we are what we do’, Liz Carter takes us on a journey of discovery, guiding us to find—or re-find—our true identity. Affirming, empathetic, encouraging and real, Valuable will gently reveal to you just how much you mean to God.”
EMILY OWEN, Author and Speaker
“A gentle and fierce call to eschew the falsehood that our worth depends on our usefulness. Liz writes with clarity, compassion and authenticity in words that will empower everyone, from those seen as ‘useful’ to those who feel broken, and anywhere in between. A wonderful book.”
AMY BOUCHER PYE, Author, 7 Ways to Pray and Transforming Love
“Liz Carter beautifully challenges our values and language, which in turn chal-lenges our culture. We all have a choice around what culture we want to build in churches, families and communities. This book, with its personal stories and theological reflections, is a gem and will be so helpful for everyone. I thoroughly recommend it.”
PATRICK REGAN OBE, Co-Founder, Kintsugi Hope
You can buy Valuable at these links and all good online bookstores, as well as your local Christian bookshop.
KCLCT
Want to know more about my writing? Please do join the Great Adventure community and get a free download of a bible study guide for my first book, Catching Contentment.
