Amazon ScriptureNow Category:  Religion Publisher: Tate Publishing ISBN-10:  9781598864151 Type: Non-Fiction Pages: 128 Copyright: July 18, 2006 Be Still author Cherie Hill uncovers the profound life-applicable meaning of the miracle, "Jesus Calms the Storm" and delivers a powerful message of hope, peace, and comfort, as you find your way to the back of the boat, resting with Jesus. Just like the Disciples in this miracle, many times you find yourself so overwhelmed by your storm that you look right past the only One that can save you and who is always beside you—Jesus. As you gain a deeper understanding of this great miracle, you will find that when God allows a storm in your life, it comes with great purpose, and if you miss that purpose, you may miss God’s will for your life. Be Still reveals that there is victorious calming in all your storms of life, when you learn how to have faith in the One that controls them.

How To Overcome the Storms in Your Life!
Bettie Corbin Tucker (PA USA) - See all my reviews

Be Still, Let Jesus Calm Your Storms, by Cherie Hill is an inspiring book that Christians, as well as all individuals who are seeking peace in a chaotic world, will find to be life-changing. Regardless of where readers are in their walk with God, the words of the author and her use of Scripture to support her advice and encouragement will enable them to understand much more about faith and how it is the path that gives peace of mind in all situations. The faith, however, must be in Jesus the Christ, the Son of God.

When I first realized that this book was based upon Scripture which describes how Jesus, who was awakened by the frightened disciples, calmed the storm, I thought I probably wouldn't glean much new information from the familiar passages. But was I ever wrong!

As I read the pages of this book, I began to understand just how powerful this particular incident could be to individuals if only they would choose to apply the doctrine to their own lives. The author makes it ever so clear that readers can overcome any storm in life by trusting in God's Word.

Let me briefly touch upon some of the issues that Cherie Hill addresses in her book...revelations that she so clearly brings to light, using her easy-to-understand teaching skills, and various selections of Scripture. In the beginning I decided to highlight in yellow the sections that were particularly meaningful to me, and the result was a book that now appears to have been printed on yellow paper.

The author reminds readers of Jesus' assurance that during our lifetimes, we will have many trials and sorrows (John 16:33 NLT). She explains that, just like the disciples, we have seen or personally experienced miraculous events, and yet we may remain uncertain as to the author of these events. It wasn't until the disciples witnessed the calming of the dangerous storm, that they became convinced Jesus was truly the Son of God. Although the disciples were expert fishermen and had undoubtedly been through many storms on the Sea of Galilee, God used an area where they felt most confident to bring them to the end of themselves so that they would turn to Him. Jesus calmed, not only the external, raging storm, but more importantly, the internal storms within the fishermen. Cherie Hill believes that He is ready and eager to do the same for all of us if we simply ask with faith.

When bad things happen to us, it is all too easy to ask God, "Why me?" But in this fallen world, we learn to expect the unexpected. However, the author continually reminds us that we are not alone in the storm; just as Jesus was with the disciples during the squall, He is with us if only we acknowledge His presence. Since Jesus overcame the world, He will help us do the same with the many storms we encounter. Instead of looking past Jesus who could save us, or trying to bail water out of a capsizing vessel, we need to be in the back of the boat with Jesus who is asleep, relying on the power of God the Father. We need to "be still" and listen with faith.

The author addresses the following questions that all of us have probably asked ourselves at one time or another: Does God really care? How do we hear God? How do we distinguish God's voice from that of Satan's? Why does God want us to be in the eye of our storms? How do we choose faith over fear? Why do we lose hope? What is the difference between God's peace and the peace of the world? Faith is a gift from God, but how can we receive this gift? How do we get more faith? How can we be sure our faith is real? Why do we place limitations upon God? How is it possible that "being still" requires action? If we surrender our lives to God, won't we feel out of control? What is the difference between reacting to life and responding to it? How can an individual experience peace or rise above the storms when our lives are falling apart because of a terminal illness, death of a loved one, loss of a job, a nation hit by terrorism, and a world that seems determined to destroy itself?

It is my hope that readers will memorize many of the Scripture verses that Mrs. Hill presents throughout the book. This cannot be emphasized too much as Scripture is our greatest weapon when we combat the enemy. As pointed out by the author, when Satan tempted Jesus, He answered with Scripture. I recently woke up in a large diagnostic hospital, apparently having an MRI after being rushed there from another hospital by ambulance. Having lost seven hours of my memory, I had no idea where I was or how I had gotten there, but I found myself saying Scripture that I had memorized. I wasn't in the boat alone so I simply rested with Him, unafraid of the strange surroundings, unafraid of my memory loss, and unafraid of the loud noises from the testing. This is a MUST READ book that will enable you to face the storms of your life with faith and not fear.


Inspiring Hope for Troubled Times
Reviewer: Rebecca Johnson "The Rebecca Review, reviewing my way through the world since April 3, 2000" (Washington State) - See all my reviews

"The peace that surpasses all understanding is a gift from God and is ours for the taking. Yet we must pursue it. He wants us to find comfort in knowing that, if we allow Him, He will help us rise above our storms." ~ Cherie Hill

Cherie Hill longed for a deeper relationship with her creator and in a time of conflict, asked God to heal her life. The way this was accomplished was through giving others the gift of an open heart who listened and cared and reached out to help them in their greatest time of need.

After designing a website as a place of prayer, people opened their hearts to his safe place within a world of storms and through an outpouring of love, lives were changed and souls were nurtured with renewed hope and faith. Her book teaches you how to:

Understand that God is still in control
Learn to seek the purpose of the conflict
Find peace by developing a sense of patience
Develop the ability to overcome the storm so you can take on new challenges

Cherie Hill has a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and is pursuing a Certificate in Biblical Counseling, but her greatest accomplishment is making a difference in the lives of people who are in need of human caring, a few warm words of encouragement and an open heart. She is now a regular guest on talk radio speaking about issues like "The Transformative Power of Truth" and is also a columnist for online magazines.

As someone who has gone through many awakening moments in one short lifetime, I can say that without people like Cherie Hill, I wouldn't even be writing this review. All of us have gone through dark stormy times that have threatened to take us under emotionally and financially. We can at times think we are alone in a storm, but God will send peace and then give us the strength to go on to pass along God's love to the world.

"Unfortunately, it usually takes a raging storm to restore and reveal what is really important in life and get us back in line with what God's will is for our lives." ~Cherie Hill

I can highly recommend this book to anyone who is looking for a fulfilling life purpose or wants to read about how the person living next door is changing the world for good! Sometimes the best thing you can do when you are in need, is to reach out to someone else and heal yourself through the gift of giving yourself even when you are the one in need.

As we all take turns being the one in need and the angel helping those in need, this book brings comfort to us all through a variety of scripture passages and Cherie Hill's innate wisdom brought forth from her own life experience. Be Still is the comforting book you have been looking for, to give to a friend or to read to nurture your own soul.

"God uses our storms to prepare us for the incredible blessings that he has planned for us. Each storm will bring with it a new way for us to shed our worldly nature and prove our faith to God." ~ Cherie Hill

~The Rebecca Review


Remember That Jesus is in the boat with you when storms arise!!
Reviewer: Donald Mitchell "coauthor of The 2,000 Percent Squared Solution" (a Strategic Management professor and management consultant in Boston) - See all my reviews

One of the pleasures of listening to a good sermon is to hear one of the Bible's great stories explained in many dimensions and then applied to good rules for daily living. Ms. Hill has the talent to create such a sermon, and your understanding of how Jesus calmed the storm (Matthew 8:23-27, Mark 4:35-40 and Luke 8:22-25) will be expanded by reading this book to build your relationship with Jesus.

If you don't remember or know the story, let me summarize it for you. Jesus was crossing the Sea of Galilee by boat with His disciples, several of whom were experienced fishermen. While Jesus slept, a storm rose up and the disciples feared for their lives as the boat filled with water. They awakened Jesus in fear, and He calmed the winds and turbulent water. This demonstration of His power helped them to understand who He was. "Who is this man, that even the winds and waves obey him?" (Luke 8:25 NLT)

Ms. Hill points out that our lives, too, will experience storms. But like this story, Jesus is at our side. We have only to turn to Him in faith and the storms will have no effect. Why do we experience storms? Ms. Hill wisely points out that storms are there to help us build our faith. When we listen in faith, we will hear Jesus and appreciate His peace. With faith, we can banish the storms in Jesus' name.

The book nicely bridges the gap between those who doubt God because there are storms and the true lessons to be drawn from those storms.

Ms. Hill is well acquainted with Scripture and quotes often from the relevant texts. Each chapter ends with verses to build your faith in the right way. If you are interested in learning more about the Bible, Ms. Hill offers an Internet-based ministry at her website which is referred to in this book.

One of the best parts of this book is the way she explores creating both inner and outer peace. Many people are more troubled in their minds than they are in reality. This book can help.