Overlooked and Undervalued - but Not Forgotten by God

If you've ever wondered why you see the world and people differently, why you're often misunderstood and discouraged by circumstances and by those closest to you who don't see what you see ... If you've always known you were destined for something special and wondered why it's been such a struggle for so long ... This book is for you! As John Gray courageously shares his journey, as well as the amazing story of King David, you will realize that you are truly in good company! If you take the time to SAVOR this book, God will show you many things about yourself, why you act and think the way you do. I encourage you to read this book with an open and prayerful heart ... I PROMISE God has a treasure or two (or MANY!) here for you! EXCELLENT READ!!

I enjoyed this book and found it to be right in season with the whispers of my soul. What took 17 years to write and publish, lines right up with my season of reawakening where I've sensed God's whispers calling me David. Thank God for this book! As I walk by faith to a place I only hear...I needed the bread crumbs. This book was soo on time...there is a part in the book that talks about Pastor Gray and a Megafest experience that confirmed my current almost exact present day experience in my faith walk and Megafest this year! (laughing) This a great read for those of us that know we are remnant folks and those wondering what that even is. Read this book and allow Pastor Gray to awaken you to what, who and how powerful it is to realize and walk in the knowledge that...."I AM #8!"

I enjoyed this book and found it to be right in season with the whispers of my soul. What took 17 years to write and publish, lines right up with my season of reawakening where I've sensed God's whispers calling me David. Thank God for this book! As I walk by faith to a place I only hear...I needed the bread crumbs. This book was soo on time...there is a part in the book that talks about Pastor Gray and a Megafest experience that confirmed my current almost exact present day experience in my faith walk and Megafest this year! (laughing) This a great read for those of us that know we are remnant folks and those wondering what that even is. Read this book and allow Pastor Gray to awaken you to what, who and how powerful it is to realize and walk in the knowledge that...."I AM #8!"

I Am Number 8 by John Gray is an interesting read for those who feel they are overlooked and undervalued in life. I have to be completely honest. This book isn’t bad, but it wasn’t my cup of tea. I definitely had specific expectations when I picked up the book and many of them were not met.

By no means is this the fault of the author or a critique on the content of the book. My biggest issue was with regards to my personal preference more than anything else. I prefer more principles and fewer stories. This book is more geared toward sharing stories and experiences than presenting the principle that were derived as a result.

My preference is for more time and attention to be spent explaining and exploring the principles and using experiences and stories as examples, rather than the focal point. This once again has more to do with my personal preference than the author not delivering.

With that said, this is a book that I am sure many readers will find value in and I recommend checking it out to see if it resonates with you more than it did with me.

I received this book free from the publisher through their book review bloggers program and I was not required to write a positive review.

I am Number 8 is subtitled overlooked, but not forgotten by God. I thought this would be a good book to read during lent. John W. Gray III is a pastor and uses his own personal story as well as King David’s from the Bible to point out that often you can feel overlooked by God, but he cares about everyone.

Each chapter of this book includes questions for reflection, which I enjoyed. It also stressed that you don’t have to be seeking the spotlight, but that God will help you to find best how to serve him. There were parts of David’s story including a “backstory” of David from a blog, which greatly confused me as it’s not part of the Biblical account.

Truthfully, while I thought that Gray made some excellent points in this book, I was hoping for more on David’s story. I wanted more thoughts on the Biblical story and not suspect backstories of David from blogs. Also the style of writing in the book was hard for me to connect to. I thought about it and I think that I would have enjoyed this more as an audiobook. Its written more as the style of a preacher talking to his congregation so I believe audio would be the way to go.

Favorite Quote:

“See, there’s no shortage of CEOs and comedians and singers. And truthfully, there’s nothing inherently wrong with any of those paths. But there does seem to be a severe lack of principled, committed, humble, integrity-filled leaders.” Amen to that!!

Overall, I am Number 8 is a good book about putting your best foot forward and trusting in God to reveal to you your purpose in life when the time comes.

Source: Review Copy from FaithWords a Hachette Book Group

Two words to describe this book: Heart Check.

What does greatness look like to you? Maybe the words prestige, power, and privilege come to mind.

How about being overlooked, undervalued, rejected, and unqualified (by the world’s standards)?

Those are the words that described King David. Those are the words that described John Gray. And if we’re being honest, those are the words that can be used to describe many of us.

“There is a difference between actual success and the perception of success. Success is not defined by numbers. It is not defined by achievement. It is not defined by external validation of the masses. Success for us, as number 8s, is defined by our obedience to the voice of God. And it is in the field, the place where we are simultaneously fruitless, forgotten, and surrounded by some of our most intimate failures, that God allows our oil to multiply. Your failures do not disqualify you from being used by God.”-John W. Gray III

Drawing from the life of King David and from his own life, John speaks to the place within all of us that knows we’ve been created for something significant.
The problem is, we often face a gap between where we are and where we want to be/feel called to be.

If you’ve ever faced the sting of rejection, had the odds stacked against you, and wondered if your life would amount to anything worthwhile, this book is for you.
If you’ve ever felt overlooked, this book is for you.
If you’ve ever felt undervalued, this book is for you.
If you’ve ever asked “why me?”, this book is for you.

“God is preparing to bring you into a place so magnificent that only He can get the credit for.”-John W. Gray III

Maybe someone has laughed at your dreams. You’re not alone. You’re a number 8.
You have gifts inside yet no one seems to notice. You’re not alone. You’re a number 8.
You spend your days celebrating others and feel like everyone around you has achieved success, but not you. You’re not alone. You’re a number 8.

“As number 8s, we long to be connected to the divine nature of God by virtue of His presence. We long for God’s father essence. We somehow know that it is in the presence of God that we find clarity of purpose, surety of identity, and focus for the future.”-John W. Gray III

This is not a book to rate how good or bad you are. It’s a book to help you reflect upon where you’ve been and where you’re going.
It’s a book that will remind you that you are never alone. It’s a book about the power of faith. And for us number 8s, it is a book about the incredible things that can happen when we place our trust in God.

“Your promise still stands, great is your faithfulness, faithfulness.
I’m still in your hands, this is my confidence. You’ve never failed me yet.”
-Elevation Worship

I finished reading I Am Number 8 by John Gray today. I haven't posted a book review in a while, but felt this one was so good, I had to post one! I don't recall the last time I read a book that made me have to put the book down in order to process what I had just read. In so many ways I felt as if Pastor Gray was talking about and to me.

If you have ever felt overlooked and undervalued, then this book is for you. If you've felt different from your peers because of the call God has placed in your life, then this book is for you. If you have been called to a higher standard and struggle to understand the purpose why, then this book is for you.

Pastor Gray stays true to biblical principles by using the example of King David's life to show how we can be overlooked, the last thought of, and working in a menial task, but still be chosen by God to do great and mighty tasks. He uncovers the struggles we face by answering the call of God, and examples of how to handle various "giants" that come our way.

If you are a "Number 8" go get this book immediately!

If God can take David--the invisible eighth son of a forgotten family--and turn him into a king, just imagine what magnificent plans He has for redeeming your life.

David was born a number 8--a hidden gem, often overlooked and undervalued by everyone except for God. For David, being a number 8 seemed like a curse until the day God transformed him from the unknown eighth son of Jesse into the much-honored king of Israel.

John Gray in this book gives us a detailed look at the life of David and what it means to be a number 8. In Biblical numerology 8 is the number of new beginnings. John reasons that being a number 8 is cause for celebration. He states that number 8's have a God ordained future, created for God's purpose, and it is a purpose bigger than yourself. You may not know you are a number 8, you simply know that you have always been different from everyone else.

Number 8's:

Celebrate others successes
Love to learn
Don't mind waiting
Never stop
Trust God
Live a life of prayer and praise
Learn from every failure
Are disciplined
Love God and others
Their heart beats for God
Live passionately
Were born royalty (often hidden), but have a destiny

The entire book unpacks what it looks like to be overlooked, undervalued but know deep within that you have purpose even if you don't know how to get there. I love how the book describes the intensity of the struggle and the uncertainties that come with being a number 8. I don't think that we are all number 8's so the book may not be for everyone. Number 8's to me are those special few that you hear about from time to time the David's, the overcomers, the world changers. However I believe that there are lessons tucked into the book that will speak to everyone.

The book speaks about having contentment right where you are. Treating those around you with honor and respect. Valuing the gifts that others have. It is a book that thrilled me with every chapter and I will read it again and again. One of my favorite quotes and the story of the number 8 is this:

"God's about to reveal to you a purpose so necessary, so critical, so essential that he had to hide it behind pain, grief, and misunderstanding in order to protect it until this very moment"

Our paths crossed in Richmond, Virginia in 2005. He spoke, and performed in a play at the church I attended at the time. Myself and a few other guys were helping pack up his stage equipment later after he had performed his play. He visited our church again, and I heard him share how we are a Word from God, and so much more. At the time I saw him as a powerful speaker full of potential. Let alone his comedic prowess amongst other things. Little did I know that not only would he rapidly evolve, grow, and walk in his potential, but also end up in the church I attend now as one of my Associate Pastors. And oh, like him, I'm also a number 8 (since I was born on the 8th day). However, his emphasis on number 8s has nothing to do with the day a person was born. But more to do with being a person who God has His hands on, yet overlooked, undervalued, and rejected by others. Just like David, the "8th" son. Pastor Gray has written a book for the ages. If you 've been counted out. Read this book. It will count you in. If you've been deemed as irrelevant, unnecessary or devalued. This book will help you realize that it's because you're special. With Godly wisdom, his experiences, and a dose of humor, Pastor Gray informs and inspires everyone who has ever felt forgotten or forsaken. If you're feeling deflated this book will inflate you with encouragement. It will help you realize that God is with you and He'll take you places you've never dreamed of. You just need to begin to see yourself through the lens of God's divine plan for your life. A plan often oblivious to your haters, detractors, and sometimes, even family members. Pastor gray elaborates on how sometimes number 8s are seen as people not needed since in biblical numerology the number 7 marks completion. Therefore what do you need an 8 for? Kind of how Jesse's father brought 7 sons to be anointed King, but neglected his 8th son, David. But God had better plans for the number 8. He ignored the 7 sons and anointed the 8th son, David, to be king. This book helps you realize that while others might treat you as useless and unwanted, God treats you like His number 8, fostering a NEW thing and ushering a NEW era through you, like he did with David, a new kind of king. A man after His own heart.

I like Gray's idea. David was son number eight. He was a nobody out in the fields when his brothers were being inspected for a potential anointing as king. Nonetheless, David was chosen by God, transformed, and played a big part in God's story.

Gray's book is for those of us who feel like we are nobody. Hang in there, Gray encourages. Just like with David, God is training us and cultivating leadership and ministry skills. We might feel hidden away but Gray says that is for a purpose. We are not hiding from but are being hidden for a future, being kept for something to come.

Gray shares his own story as an example of this principle. He combines it with lessons from David's life. We learn about fighting giants, worship, and how we don't always get it right. Gray provides good encouragement for when we fill like we don't fit in or that we are just sitting on the sidelines. He has some good teaching on how to have the strength to carry on.

There is one area where I think Gray projected his own life experience on to David. Gray's father was absent. He says of David, “I believe that everything in David's life, good and bad, can be traced to his relationship with his father.” (113) That is a bit much, I think.

This book is good encouragement for those of us who don't think much of ourselves. We might feel we are just unknown and ordinary people who could never be used by God in an extraordinary way. But then, so was David.

“Anonymity is the cloak God uses to develop, foster, prune, and then ultimately produce greatness.” (23)

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher. My comments are an independent and honest review.

I was lead to purchase and begin reading this book by John Gray, titled I AM Number 8. This book is amazing and is a must read for anyone who has ever felt overlooked and forgotten. This book is for that person who feels like their life has no intrinsic or inherent value. If you are searching for and wondering what your God ordained purpose is, this book will help you understand the purpose behind where you are currently and where God will eventually take you. This book will help you break the mental, emotional and spiritual chains that have kept you from becoming great and reaching your destiny! #iamnumber8

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. This book is content rich and thought provoking. I love the way John Gray shared his testimony and life. No mAtter where you are on journey there is something you can take from this book.

I am pretty sure I have never come across a book that allowed me to answer so many questions of life I had always pondered. This book seemed to tell my life's story through the author in more ways than one. Man, I'm so godly proud of this book for John Gray and his family but more importantly for God showing me just a glimpse of what my "reveal" will look like! He is truly truly amazing! Thank you for this book pastor! Continue to walk upward and onward!

This book offered a great deal of insight into the inner working of my character and answered questions for why I think and behave in the manner that I do. I was able to do some self reflection and I feel a sense of understanding myself more after reading and completing. Definitely worth the read.

John Gray is the next generation of powerful preaching following the patterns of Joel Olsteen and Bishop Jakes. He has a word for this generation of Christians and for those who need to hear an applicable Word for living in today's times.

This book could have been written just for me. It explained my life and circumstances in a manner that made me feel the presence of God and the purpose that God has for my life. John Gray has a way of connecting with his audience that can only come from God's anointing!