Traveling Light: Releasing the Burdens You Were Never Intended to Bear

The key is this: Meet today's problems with today's strength. Don't start tackling tomorrow's problems until tomorrow. You do not have tomorrow's strength yet. You simply have enough for today.

 Book Description

Weary travelers. You've seen them-everything they own crammed into their luggage. Staggering through terminals and hotel lobbies with overstuffed suitcases, trunks, duffels, and backpacks. Backs ache. Feet burn. Eyelids droop. We've all seen people like that. At times, we are people like that-if not with our physical luggage, then at least with our spiritual load. We all lug loads we were never intended to carry. Fear. Worry. Discontent. No wonder we get so weary. We're worn out from carrying that excess baggage. Wouldn't it be nice to lose some of those bags? That's the invitation of Max Lucado. With the Twenty-third Psalm as our guide, let's release some of the burdens we were never intended to bear.

About the Author (Max Lucado)
In just under two decades of writing, Max Lucado has accomplished more than most writers hope for in a lifetime. Most of his books have appeared on one or more best seller lists, including those published by the "New York Times," "USA Today," "Publishers Weekly," and the Christian Booksellers Association (CBA). Aside from hardcover books, Lucado's writings have also been published as children's books, videos, CD-ROMs, DVDs, music CDs, mass paperback booklets, apparel, giftware, bookmarks, calendars, study Bibles, workbooks, curricula, and plush products. In spring 2003, Hallmark/Dayspring Cards launched a new gift card line featuring excerpts from Lucado's writings--and has already sold more than one million cards.

All this success has drawn more than a little attention to a previously low-profile Texas author and minister. Lucado has been featured in a wide range of media, including "USA Today," "Larry King Live," and "NBC Nightly News." He has spoken at the National Prayer Breakfast before the President of the United States. He has traveled with internationally renowned musicians as a special speaker on their music tours, such as the highly successful "Come Together & Worship Tour" (sponsored by Chevrolet) with Grammy Award-winning artists Michael W. Smith and Third Day.

Journey to the Top
Lucado was born in 1955 in San Angelo, Texas, and raised in Andrews, Texas, the youngest of four children. His father was an Exxon oil field mechanic who, Lucado remembers, always smelled of grease cleaner. "It makes it easy for me to see a God who is loving and kind--because my dad was," he says. His mother was a nurse who grew up working in the cotton fields.

Lucado went through a period of rebellion against his parents' values and their God during his teens and into college. But it wasn't long before he found himself drawn back to his roots, back to God. He married, spent time serving as a missionary in Brazil, and returned to the States, where he began working as a church minister and writing on the side.

Secret to Success
From all accounts, Max Lucado is not a man consumed by sales, awards, and achievements. He often turns down media interviews since they impede on family and ministry commitments. He spends the bulk of his week serving as senior minister at Oak Hills Church in San Antonio, Texas. And he is truly surprised by his own success--more impressed by his one-in-a-million wife and three amazing daughters than by his successful writing career.

You can't believe how blessed I was - Book Review of iljc82
This is the first Max Lucado book (well, book) I've ever read and no words in my venacular can praise his work enough. It has so inspired and blessed me!

Traveling Light is based on the old (and one of the most famous Psalms) Psalm (23) by David the King. Lucado guides the reader with such tenderness, light-heartedness (and I mean it... You won't believe how quirky and witty he can get *Grin*) and insight into the very heart of the Psalm and God, eventually.

I enjoy thoroughly the way Lucado writes about his personal encounters as well as draws experience from others (from his wife to Moses) to illustrate each topical aspect of the Psalm. And it really helps you to see the big picture about vital life lessons such as pride, want and fear.

Apart from that, each topic is supported by reading references and questions that challenge you to probe further until you get a satisfactory answer for yourself! His intuition to human needs is amazing: Lucado is able to ask questions which I have long wanted to ask, and gives answers in his writing.

It's a brilliant book. What more can you ask for if a Psalm barely filling up a third of a page in a typical Bible is turned into sort of a guidebook comprising 220 pages? Truly, God must be in this writing. And if Max ever gets to read this book review, I'd like to thank him... For his modest sharing :o)