Play with Fire

Part memoir and part spiritual growth guide, Olthoff’s debut reminds readers of the idea that God’s biggest desire for their lives is to know him personally. Olthoff, who is chief storyteller for the A-21 Campaign and creative director for Propel Women, parallels the story of the Israelites with a season of her own life when she struggled to hear God amid the voices of her own perfectionism and the pain of watching her mother battle cancer. Her voice comes alive as she tells of growing up in Los Angeles and moving through seasons of faith and doubt as she reached her 20s with dreams of the life she wanted. Drawing on her own story and scripture, Olthoff encourages readers to allow the Holy Spirit to transform them from the inside out, replacing hopelessness with an awareness of all that God can do through a life surrendered to his desires. Olthoff’s transparency is natural, and her ability to tie in Biblical principles that undergird her discussion of transformation and the Holy Spirit make this work deeply rooted and engaging. (Aug.)