Love and Goodness
ABOUT THIS BOOK:
Love and Goodness (God's love and our goodness) addresses Michael’s belief that God works in the world through people and that we are here to help others have better and more enjoyable lives. The book is intended to help readers think about their life and determine if they are living a life that is truly helpful to others or one that is focused on themselves. The book presents the author’s view that many organized religions devote too much time to historical lessons when the important thing is that God is here with us today and "at work" in our lives in positive ways right now. The book emphasizes that God will help us live better and more effective lives--lives that have meaning to others as well as ourselves--if we take note of the love signals that God provides and follow where they lead us to go.
NEW BOOK
RELEASE DATE: NOVEMBER 11, 2025
Book Table of Contents
The Premise of this Book
God at Work in My Life
Opening Words
Chapter 1. LET’S STOP AND THINK ABOUT THINGS
Our Outside Lives vs. Our Inside Lives
Our Need to Stop and Think
God’s Gifts and Our Uniqueness
Individuals with One Thing in Common
Chapter 2. ACKNOWLEDGING GOD’S PRESENCE IN OUR LIVES
Developing/Reconfirming Your Belief in God
The Components of My Belief in God
God is with Us—Today
The Need for More Goodness in this World
God Has Equipped Us for this Work
How About You?
Chapter 3. DEVELOPING YOUR SPIRIT OF GOODNESS
Your Spirit of Goodness
Developing Your Spirit of Goodness
God’s Love Signals and Our Spirit of Goodness
God, You, and Others
Active Spirits of Goodness: A Worldwide Need
Protecting Your Spirit of Goodness
Chapter 4. CONFIRMING YOUR BELIEFS
Should Believing Be Complicated?
Feeling God’s Presence in Our Lives
Approaches to Confirming Your Beliefs
God Works Primarily Through People
Working at Believing
Chapter 5. DOES IT REALLY MATTER WHAT YOU BELIEVE?
Assessing the Need for God in Your Life
Keep these Two Points in Mind
So, Maybe It Does Matter
It’s a Choice You Make
Be Sure to Touch Base with God
Keep Working on It
Chapter 6. A ROAD TEST FOR LIVING A HELPFUL LIFE
Three Important Points About Life
Where Do You Fit on the Lifestyle Scale?
More than Just Believing
Road Testing a Helpful Way of Life
The Choice to Live this Way
Chapter 7. THOSE ALL-IMPORTANT CHOICES
God Has Equipped Us for this Work
The Power of Our Choices
Helping Others: A Critical Choice
Spiritual Guidance Improves Our Lives
God’s Influence, Our Choices, and Miracles
Chapter 8. WHY ARE YOU HERE?
Sometimes We Wish for the Wrong Things
You Can Make People Feel Special
Determining Your Life’s Purpose
All Lives Are Blessed by God
You Could Help Save a Life
Chapter 9. LIVING WITH GOODNESS
We Have Choices Concerning Others
God Equips Us to Help Each Other
Traveling with Our Uniqueness
Distractions Along the Way
Yes, Little Bits of Goodness Count
Chapter 10. HATE VERSUS LOVE AND GOODNESS
Hate Is Doing a Number on Us
Hate Is Really a Choice We Make
How Do We Stop Hate?
Goodness Can Make a Big Difference
Will You Help or Hurt?
Hate vs. Goodness: One More Point
Chapter 11. LABEL LESS AND LOVE MORE
We Can Be Real People-Labeling Machines
And We Don’t Even Know Them
What’s Really Important Here?
Beware of the Influence of the Internet
Sharing God’s Love with Others
Chapter 12. INCREASING YOUR GOODNESS
Different Strokes for Different Folks
Why the Difference in Goodness in People?
How Do You Increase Your Goodness
Will Your Goodness Be Challenged?
The Need for More Goodness In this World
Goodness Can Create Miraculous Moments
Chapter 13. MANAGING YOUR LIFE
Your Most Important Task
Start with those Love Signals
Create a Management List
Consider the Goodness in Your Life
Keep these Points in Mind
Chapter 14. HERE I AM, GOD, SEND ME
Activating Your Love and Goodness
You’re Already Equipped
Here I Am, God, Send Me
We Need More Love and Goodness
Chapter 15. RECONNECTING OUR DIVIDED WORLD
Disconnected in Our Beliefs
Reconnecting Our Divided World
It’s Up to Us and the Choices We Make
Closing Words
Talking with God
Notes Sent to Me about this Book
My relationship with God and religion has always been something I struggled with. However, your view of God’s role in our lives is the one that makes the most sense to me. I’m much happier now, and I think you played a big role in that just in case you ever doubt the impact your writing has on people. Hannah Tucker, La Vergne, TN
I’m struck in a new way about how needed this book is. As I read it, I kept thinking…if we can get back to conducting ourselves with love and goodness, we can all get along and be a great nation again. It’s not Right or Left, Independent or Moderate, it’s love and goodness that we desperately need right now. I appreciate the clarity of your beliefs. You have a gift for boiling down what you believe and sharing it in a way that feels true, and fresh, and understandable, inviting and inclusive. Caryn Rivadeneira, Elmhurst, IL