Bob Goff's second book Everybody Always was everything fans of his first book, Love Does, hoped for. Everybody Always is written in a similar fashion to Love Does and is known for sharing the story of Jesus through short stories. Bob Goff is a famous writer who also spent time as a lawyer, professor, and the American Consul for the Republic of Uganda. Goff has had many unbelievable experiences in his long lifetime, all of which revolve around his Christian beliefs. Some of his favorite memories are included in his books. Everybody Always contains numerous short chapters that each tell a different story in Goff's life. The chapters typically end with a life lesson intended to inspire readers to step out of their comfort zone and embrace everything God has planned for them.
One story that stands out is about the time Goff went to the Ugandan prison that held a man, a known witch doctor, who Goff personally convicted for kidnapping and torturing children. He gave the imprisoned man his first book Love Does and began to try to forgive him for his awful crimes. When Goff revisited the prison a year later, the convicted witch doctor had made a complete 360-degree turn in his faith. He not only believed in God but had shared the great news with all the other prisoners. One ex-witch doctor somehow managed to change the minds, for the better, of murderers, thieves, and other criminals. Goff was astonished that even after someone had sinned so much in their life, God can still use them to do amazing things. Goff's message to his readers is to never give up on people no matter how much of a mess they seem to be. Truthfully we're all messes, but even so, Goff believes everyone can make a difference.
The thing that readers find most enticing about Goff's book is that he never once quotes a Bible verse. His anecdotes tell the teachings of the Bible without shoving Christianity down your throat. Basically, an Atheist could read Goff's Everybody Always and find it charming and entertaining. However, knowing the Christian beliefs that Goff is trying to portray gives the reader a new level of experience. Many Christians struggle with reading the Bible because they say it is 'boring' or 'not in modern language.' Goff remedies this by providing people with a place to read about Biblical morals while being entertained.
While many of Goff's stories seem too good to be true, it doesn't appear to matter to his readers. They don't expect life as grand and adventurous as Goff's. They simply want to know that life as spectacular as that can exist. They want someone to inspire them and call them to do more. Everybody Always is a book that people can rally behind. It is uplifting and truthful at all the right times. Goff isn't afraid to call his readers out on their faults, all the while giving them the inspiration to fix their mistakes. It's this honesty and Goff's wondrous adventures that bring his readers back wanting more.
