Book Review: The Noticer

I had the privilege of reading The Noticer by Andy Andrews as a part of the blogging book review team at Thomas Nelson Publishing.

The description alone was pretty intriguing…

A moving story of common wisdom from the bestselling author of The Traveler’s Gift.

Orange Beach, Alabama is a simple town filled with simple people. But they all have their share of problems – marriages teetering on the brink of divorce, young adults giving up on life, business people on the verge of bankruptcy, and many of the other obstacles that life seems to dish out to the masses.

Fortunately, when things look the darkest – a mysterious old man named Jones has a miraculous way of showing up. Communicating what he calls “a little perspective,” Jones explains that he has been given a gift of noticing things that others miss. In his simple interactions, Jones speaks to that part in everyone that is yearning to understand why things happen and what they can do about it.

Based on a remarkable true story, The Noticer beautifully blends fiction, allegory, and inspiration.

This book is a quick read.  I found a sunny day and a comfy chair on my deck and easily read it in about an hour and a half.  As soon as I finished, I knew this was a book I had to pass along quickly.  In the midst  of what seems to be a hopeless situation with our economy, this book is all about harnessing hope through the lens of a new perspective.

The whole premise of the book is understanding that you were created by God to do something great.  Sometimes all it takes is someone to remind you of that every once in a while.  How many times have you noticed someone around you that needs some encouragement?  How many times have you acted on that?  The Noticer is about being the catalyst that can activate the hopes and dreams that can get locked up in a person due to feelings of inadequacy and failure.

As I was reading the book, I was challenged to think back about those people that noticed something in me and encouraged me to pursue the gifts and talents God had given me.  I was even more pressed to recognize the place of influence that I can have in peoples lives.  Throughout our lives, we will alternate between being the “noticer” and being the “noticed”.  What season are you in?  And what are you doing about it?