This book is presented with the sincere hope that it will be of encouragement to anyone who may take the time to thoughtfully read it. Socrates claimed that "the unexamined life is not worth living." I am not sure if I agree with that statement or not. Maybe some people can be happy by maintaining a childlike innocence and steering clear from any serious efforts at introspection or self-examination. Can't someone enjoy a worthwhile life without having to waste time on so much "examination"? I guess Socrates had his reasons for making such a sweeping statement and perhaps we can get the message that a reasonable amount of self-examination will contribute to our ability to lead a happy, productive and ultimately 'worthwhile' life. In Luke Chapter 14, verse 28 we read the words of Jesus: "For which of you, intending to build a tower, sitteth not down first, and counteth the cost, whether he have sufficient to finish it?" In this passage, Jesus was talking about counting the cost to be one of his followers. That is partly what this book is about, sitting down and counting the cost; Jesus continues in verse 31, ..".or what king, going to make war against another king, sitteth not down first and consulteth whether he be able with ten thousand to meet him that cometh against him with twenty thousand?" Here we see sitting down and consulting; these verses suggest having a strategy and calculating - that is where we are going; sitting down and consulting - reasoning together. "Come now let us reason together, saith the Lord." Let's reason together so that we will have a clear idea of what we believe, why we believe and how we can be grounded and settled in the truth. While reading this book, you will be faced with the question, "How were you called?" The person who is called while a servant is free in the Lord, the person who is called while free is a servant to the Lord; each person is called differently and as we examine those who were called by Jesus, we see a wide spectrum of individual responses to the truth of the Gospel. When your individual response to Jesus lines up with God's perfect plan for your life; you will be empowered and blessed in this life beyond what you could have imagined.