In the opening preface to John Piper’s 'Don't waste your Life - from which ‘Risk is Right’ is taken, he says boldly, “You are in one of two groups: either you are a Christian, or God is now calling you to be one. You would not have picked up this book if God were not at work in your life.” The author of more than 50 life changing books on spiritual development goes on to admit that once, “It was not always plain to me that pursuing God's glory would be virtually the same as pursing my joy. Now I see that millions of people waste their lives because they think these paths are two and not one.”

With this frank admission of regret and hope, John Piper goes on to remind you that if you’re a Christian, you are not your own - you doubly to God, so don’t waste it: use it for God’s glory and find joy. “God made you for this,” he says. “He bought you for this. This is the meaning of your life.” in this stand alone excerpt, he gives you the distilled wisdom, courage and biblical foundation of his longer work to prepare you for a life of risking your all by living dangerously for Christ, instead of wasting everything by living for the safe options

The author reminds you of Jesus’ words: "Whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel's will save it." Calling you to lose your life to Christ rather than waste it, he shows that although the risks may be high, if you live gladly to make others glad in God, your joy will be full. This is not a book about how to avoid a wounded life, but how to avoid a wasted life, treasuring Christ above life itself. This book is written to help you discover that ‘Risk Is Right’ and discover the joys of a faith-filled, courageous, scarificial and seriously rewarding life, lived with what John describes joyfully as “Jesus-dependent abandon!”