An inspiration to believers and nonbelievers alike, the biblical story of David is central to trekking the pathway to success while navigating life’s highs and lows. As Lea makes clear, this work does not claim to be a self-help guide. On the contrary, it shows how David is an archetype of the successful individual and how there are many elements that resonate with society in their journey.

The author’s emphasis on being imperfectly human is surprisingly refreshing in a realm such as scripture, where perfection is heavily emphasized. David’s story is revealed to audiences in a conversational tone, using a narrative that makes it feel less like reading dense scripture and more like studying the profile of one’s favorite character whom they seek to emulate. From a shepherd boy who slays the Philistine giant, Goliath, to becoming the king of Israel, David is the epitome of remaining humble and living through the Lord rather than losing himself in his own “I” and ego like his predecessor, Saul, does.

Lea’s divinity background, as a practitioner and academic, lends itself nicely to connecting with modern twenty-first-century society, especially the youth. Whether it’s shedding light on the last moments of Kobe and Gianna Bryant as they attended mass prior to their fateful flight or referencing the grueling and dangerous Compton ‘hood from which Venus and Serena Williams emerged victorious, the work exudes relatability. Each and every individual must slay their own giant and, in the process, face great difficulty, and it is the salient reflection points within this work that aid in reframing one’s mindset and completing an identity shift from obscurity to success through God’s conditioning. With a flow that is simple and crisp and a story that is universally compelling, Lea delivers the ideal blend of scripture applicable to the modern individual.

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