‘Lazarus Awakening: Finding Your Place in the Heart of God’ by Joanna Weaver – Book Review

I have to admit when I read the synopsis of the latest release from Joanna Weaver, ‘Lazarus Awakening: Finding Your Place in the Heart of God,’ I thought she must have written this book just for me! After reading the book, I knew God sent this book in my direction!

Here is the synopsis of this wonderful book:

You believe that God loves the world…but sometimes you wonder if He truly loves you. For many of us, moving the truth of God’s love from our heads to our hearts is a lifelong process. As we consider the inadequacies or grieve our shattered dreams, we find it difficult to believe that God cares for us personally.

In this life-giving book, Joanna Weaver shows you how to embrace the truth that Jesus loves you apart from anything you accomplish, apart from anything you bring. Just as He called Lazarus forth to new life, Jesus wants us to free you to live fully in the light of His love, unbound from the graveclothes of fear, regret, and self-condemnation.

Here is the biography of this author:

Joanna Weaver is the best-selling author of Having a Mary Heart in a Martha World, Having a Mary Spirit, and the award-winning gift book With This Ring. Her articles have appeared in such publications as Focus on the Family, Guideposts, and HomeLife. Joanna and her pastor-husband, John, have three children and live in Montana.

Here is the trailer, featuring Joanna, for this book:

And here is an excerpt from the Oasis Audio audiobook:

I was drawn to this book by the first few paragraphs of Chapter 1:

        It’s amazing that such a small space could make so much difference.

Just eighteen inches, give or take a few – that all it needs to move. And yet, for many of us, getting God’s love from our heads to our hearts may be the most difficult – yet the most important – thing we ever attempt to do. (p. 4)

Truer words have rarely been written!

One thing that affects our relationship with God is the relationship that we made with our earthly father. Joanna describes several types of fathers that inhibit our relationship: Abusive Father; Neglectful Father; Biased Father; Demanding Father (pp. 4-5) 


Personally, my parents were divorced before I was born, and I never met my father (he passed away when I was around 12). The lack of a father figure has been a deterrent to my relationship with God as Father. “I never needed a father before; why do I need one now?” was my mindset. And that mindset still remains to a certain extent, truth be told. So I choose to think of God in a different way.

I was also appreciative to Mrs. Weaver for explaining Satan’s tactics to keep us from the Lord. Here’s an excerpt from a passage that was particularly powerful to me:

Are you shy by nature? Well, then, he’ll make sure you are humiliated regularly to reinforce your fear of people. Are you prone to worry and anxiety? He’ll make sure that it seems everything and everyone is against you. Do you struggle with pride and anger? He’ll make sure that people know how to push your buttons – and they do it with great frequency!

Why would the enemy of your soul go to all the trouble, you ask? As I wrote in a previous book, I’m convinced that Satan isn’t nearly as concerned about losing you from his kingdom as he is committed to keeping you from being effective in God’s kingdom. He has as many different methods as there are individuals, but his one goal is to contain and restrain you. To entomb you so he can consume you. To incarcerate you with so many lies, insecurities, and guilt feelings that the gift God intended your life to be remains undiscovered. Tightly wrapped and left forgotten in a corner cell. (pp. 72-73)

Knowing what his tactics are, why do we still allow him to play that number on us?!

In contrast, the Lord only has His best for us:

For the Lord wants to accomplish more than just telling us where to go, what to do, and when to do it. He wants to take us by the hand and lead us out of our tombs. Wooing us out of our fear with His tender love. Calling us to higher purposes and deeper places in our walk with Him. All as we respond to His voice. (p. 109)

This is the first time I have read a book by Joanna Weaver. I really liked this one! It is so clear that Joanna has a huge heart for the Lord and for all people, not just women!

Joanna shares with us a ‘Resources for Resurrected Living’ section which lists books and DVDs that cover many subjects in her book (i.e., Being a Friend of God, Getting Out of Your Tomb). In addition, she has an Appendix entitled ‘Who I Am in Christ,’ with many scripture verses that help us to know who we really are. There is also an appendix that helps us to identify Strongholds which may be keeping us in our graveclothes. Finally, there is an Appendix that provide Hints for Unwinding Graveclothes.  

This book also includes a 10-week Bible study guide at the back of the book. I think studying this book with a handful of girlfriends would be a real treat; I am thinking of doing that myself! I highly recommend you take the time to enjoy and share this book with a girlfriend or two – or as many as you can gather!  

You can order this book here.

This book was published by WaterBrook Press. I am pleased to be on the LitFuse blog tour with these other bloggers.