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Dying to Live

Letting Go of Earthly Pleasures to Find Eternal Joy

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Pub Date Oct 01 2024 | Archive Date Mar 17 2025

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Description

Why are God’s blessings not enough?

Women who love Jesus often struggle with the endless pursuit of things they think will make them happy. Power, possessions, pleasure, Prosecco, Pilates. You get the gist. Margaret Jen Burke noticed that her life was becoming too entangled and that she was losing touch with the Creator. Dying to Live tells her story and helps women better prepare for what matters in eternity.

She will make you laugh, speak to your reality, and challenge your faith so you are brave enough

  • to seek and (re)find a relationship with Jesus so intimate, intense, and soul quenching that it shifts your permanent perspective from earthly to eternal.
  • fully enjoy God’s wild and wonderful blessings, regardless of your original expectations.
  • grow out of a comfortable, one-dimensional life so you can posture yourself well for his return.
  • run your race (without the fear of being asked if your leggings are from Lululemon).


As followers of Jesus, it’s our job to prepare for his return carefully and completely. It’s our purpose here and truly the only thing that matters this side of eternity.

Why are God’s blessings not enough?

Women who love Jesus often struggle with the endless pursuit of things they think will make them happy. Power, possessions, pleasure, Prosecco, Pilates. You get...


Advance Praise

“The uncomfortable goodness of this book challenged my cozy relationship with the American Dream and inspired me to realign my desires with the call to ‘seek first the kingdom of God.’”

—Pastor Rick Hazelip, author of The Knot

“Margaret’s conversational yet poignant words will grip your heart from page one and won’t let go. Each chapter contains new insights on common biblical principles that speak to—and convict—your soul. If you’re looking for another book on how to keep a nice home, raise godly children, or be a better spouse, you won’t find it here. What you will find, though, is a call to urgently become the tangible examples of Jesus the world is crying out for.”

—Michelle S. Lazurek, multigenre award-winning author of An Invitation to the Table and Righteous and Lost

“As I read Margaret’s book, Dying to Live, I was drawn back to a pure, simple, holy, and eager anticipation to stand face-to-face with my Lord and Saviour and hear, ‘Well done, my good and faithful servant.’ Through her word pictures and real-life examples, I was challenged to examine my heart to test whether my waters (and commitment) ran shallow or deep. Margaret writes with deep conviction and humility on what I feel is a subject the Church needs to be reminded of in this hour—Jesus is coming soon, so we must live ready. This book is full of rich insight and will challenge you, even dare you, to look at your life with a fresh perspective and will draw you into a deeper walk with God than you’ve ever had before.”

—Toni Lagaras, pastor at the River Church, blogger and host of the Tea with Toni podcast

“The uncomfortable goodness of this book challenged my cozy relationship with the American Dream and inspired me to realign my desires with the call to ‘seek first the kingdom of God.’”

—Pastor...


Available Editions

EDITION Paperback
ISBN 9781684260638
PRICE $16.99 (USD)
PAGES 160

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Average rating from 4 members


Featured Reviews

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I was stunned by the depth of Burke's observations and evaluations of how American culture has adapted and shifted the call of Jesus to his followers. Her critique of what is considered normal for Christians was startling.

She asks whether we are spending ourselves - our time, resources, money, and relationships to further the kingdom of God or our own ambitions and needs. I found the specific points and the practical examples touched my heart and made me pause for self-examination.

This is not only useful and interesting in spiritual formation of the individual, but a wonderful resource for a young woman's group. Be warned: if you're not interested in growing in your faith, don't bother. It's too provocative, too confrontational, and too real to read and walk away unchanged.

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We want to have it all, and in the pursuit of doing so, women who love Jesus can find themselves struggling to love him well and have all the pleasures of society. We want and appreciate the simple joys of life, but society’s constant pushing of luxuries like pilates, possessions and power make it hard for a woman to stay connected to God.

Dying to Live tells Margaret Jen Burke’s life and how it became too entangled with things that made her lose touch with the Creator. She speaks into our reality, challenges our faith and helps us be brave enough to cast aside the easy life for a one that points us more toward Jesus.

I have struggled in my own faith with finding a good balance between a relationship with Jesus and the powerful persuasions of society. Reading some of her words provided some hard truths that I have struggled with, like living in a comfortable life with a sprinkling of Jesus. Just enough that it’s not too uncomfortable and I can still feel okay buying a Starbucks coffee, when in reality, I can make coffee at home and give the money I spend on coffee to a better cause. I’m still learning to run my own race, and this book gave me some good insight into how to do so.

Thank you to Margaret Jen Burke, Abilene Christian University Press & Leafwood Publishers, and NetGalley for an advance electronic copy of the book for an honest review.

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