The Noticer, book review

I loved this little book!

The Noticer tells the story of broken people in the small town of Orange Beach, Alabama and of their meeting with a man named Jones who teaches each of them how to view life from a new perspective.

He explains that he has been given a gift of noticing things that others miss. "Your time on this earth is a gift to be used wisely," he says. "Don't squander your words or your thoughts. Consider even the simplest action you take, for your lives matter beyond measure…and they matter forever."

The mystery of Jones kept me turning pages but I also kept a highlighter handy to mark the many treasures of wisdom scattered throughout the book. Here are just a few:

“…a person could lose everything, chasing nothing.” Pg 49

“It’s time to stop letting your history control your destiny.” Pg 51

“Worry is focus! But it is focus on the wrong things.” Pg 56

“Many of life’s treasures remain hidden from us simply because we never search for them.” Pg 83

Through this delightful story I learned how to better love some of my friends; how to change a small area of my life to make things easier for others and myself, and gained hope that my life still has value.

There’s a wonderful reader’s guide in the back of the book. I rarely use these, but this one is awesome. It left me with a new regard for the life I yet have to live and for the people who cross my path.

The Noticer is a great book, and I will recommend it to many, but I will also give a bit of caution. For many people, it could be quite frustrating to live out this kind of life without the power of the Holy Spirit. And for those who are able to do it on their own, they face the danger of thinking they may have earned something from God.

While reading this book, it’s a good idea to keep in mind that salvation is a free gift. We cannot earn it. None of us deserve it. But for those who accept it, taking on the perspectives found in The Noticer is a good way of showing their thanks and gratitude to God.