Title: It’s Not about the Money: Creating a Fulfilling Life
Author: Chuck Denison
Publisher: BookWhip
ISBN: 978-1948801461
Genre: Biography
Pages: 106
Reviewed by: Lisa Brown-Gilbert

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Pastor, freelance writer, musician, author and sage, Chuck Denison shares his journey and perspective on life with his work in It’s Not About the Money: Creating a Fulfilling Life.

Absorbing from the outset, author Denison edifies with this insightful and witty book which culminates into a fascinating biographical narrative that reads as part diary, part memoir, part history lesson, part social commentary; as well as presents a spiritual blueprint for approaching life, which serves to wholly inspire.

Furthermore, the overall book is written with a warm, friendly, and welcoming tone, with which author Denison draws you into his informative world brimming with life, wit, and wisdom. By imparting scenes from his life’s journey, along with anecdotal snippets, and including a plethora of inspiring quotes as well as his learned insights, he serves to set the stage for others to learn from his insights as well as learn to use their own life-borne experiences as their greatest teacher.

Initially Chuck Denison, introduces his very interesting background and mindset, as he decided to start living life full-on, at age fifteen, with no censorship. His decision consequently took him through the throes of secular life eventually leading to a variety of intriguing adventures and experiences such as cults, sexual trysts, drugs, living with women, satanists digging ditches, joining the merchant marines, even knife fights – and so much more. Eventually realizing that this was not working for him, he began to apply changes in his life which led into his spiritual journey, becoming a pastor and the stark realization that a fulfilling life is not solely about money, or status.

Ultimately, It’s Not About The Money, Creating a Fulfilling Life by Chuck Denison, is a clarity filled primer for life, which I found to be thoroughly enjoyable. It flowed as though I was in conversation with a wise and beloved elder family member who earnestly wants to teach me about life. Each chapter worked to easily engage with relevance and perspective, with the anecdotes helping to cement the point of the chapter and really altering both the psyche and soul with intelligent expansions on a variety of elements in life including: Kindness; Grace; Wonder; Pride and Humility; Religion; The Afterlife; Money; Happiness; Love; Courage; Friends; as well as the Day-to-Day approach.

Although the entire book was a great read, I found the chapters on Happiness, Love and Courage to be the most intriguing personally. Each chapter made some tremendous points which impacted my personal perspective on each subject, especially, for example, when he mentions in the chapter on Happiness “to stop being so hard on yourself and give yourself Grace”, which is something I am sure most of us myself included, forget to do but need to.

Overall, this proved to be an excellent read which I would refer to again and again whenever I need some redirection in life. I definitely recommend this as a book necessary for anyone’s personal enrichment library.